Changes underway at GELSSA The Georgia security association has new director, new initiatives
By Tess Nacelewicz
Updated Tue June 21, 2011
KENNESAW, Ga.—The Georgia Electronic Life Safety and Security Association (GELSSA) saw its membership decline by 60 percent in the last five years, according to John Loud, the group's president since January.
But now with Loud at the helm, GELSSA is working to reverse the trend through the appointment of a new executive director and new initiatives such as a state expo show and golf tournament planned for the fall, and efforts to get legislation vital to the industry passed.
Loud, the owner of Loud Security Systems, a Honeywell First Alert dealer based here, told Security Systems News that he has been on the board of GELSSA and vice president for many years, and decided to seek the presidency of the group because “it was a time to say, 'OK, let's get this program going, and on a different track.'”
New announcements came out of a recent GELSSA meeting in April in Savannah, Ga.
One was the appointment of Agnes Murner as executive director, who has more than 10 years experience in the industry.
“The executive director role is an absolutely vital role … We are enthralled to have her on board.”
He said Murner, who formerly worked for him about five years ago, is detail-oriented and tenacious about moving projects through. “If someone volunteers to do a newsletter or something, she is all over it,” Loud said.
He attributed the decline in membership to the alarm association becoming an unchartered association. That is reversed now, and Loud said he hopes GELSSA “can begin to build a strong chartered state association as part of ESA (Electronic Security Association).”
GELSSA is reaching out to the state's security dealers and Loud said he hopes the group will grow to the 200-300 members it had in years past.
Loud praised Brad Glore, president in 2009 and 2010, for stabilizing the group's finances.
Loud said that GELSSA is working with the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC), ESA and the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police (GACP) to get model false alarm legislation passed by the Legislature in 2012.
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