Christine Lanning wins Hawaii SBA Person of the Year award

HAWAII—Christine Lanning, president and co-founder of Integrated Security Technologies (IST) Inc., a commercial integrator based here, has been named Hawaii Small Business Association (SBA) Small Business Person of the Year for 2020.

Lanning, who is an established leader within the security industry, has also demonstrated those same leadership qualities within the community where she lives, as both an individual and small business owner who provides critically important security systems, services and support throughout Hawaii. In addition, she serves on SSN's Editorial Advisory Board to share her knowledge regarding content and the education sessions offered at SecurityNext.

“I'm truly humbled,” Lanning told Security Systems News about the recognition. “Security is usually never thought of. It's this quiet industry that continues in the background — similar to insurance. So for a security integration company president to be awarded SBA Person of the Year is amazing.”

Lanning, along with her husband Andrew Lanning, leads an elite team of system integrators at IST — a woman-owned, small technology company in business since 1998. IST's mission — “Leading Hawaii to a Safer Place” — reflects her history of commitment to the local community and the security industry.

In 2014, Lanning was awarded the ASIS Woman of the Year Award and in 2015 became the first female elected to the Board of Directors for PSA Security Network, North America's largest electronic security cooperative. She is a champion for culture building and leadership, believing in "Ho'ohui" (creating connections and building bridges together), and is excited about the connections and awareness this award can create within security moving forward.

“This award can bring a lot to our industry as a whole,” she said. “And it gives me quite a platform to promote education, leadership and promotion of women and minorities. It's a responsibility I don't take lightly. Women and minorities are so under-represented in the security industry and as such we're missing out on those diverse ideas, thoughts and creative solutions. I intend on using this award fully to continue our efforts to not only lead Hawaii to a safer place, but to lead the world to a safer, more inclusive place!”

Winners from each state have been invited to attend ceremonies in Washington, D.C., on May 3-4, and SBA will announce the 2020 National Small Business Person of the Year among the individual winners represented from across the U.S. and territories.

“What an honor it is for me to recognize the National Small Business Week state and territorial winners from across the nation whose exceptional hard work has created and built successful small businesses,” said SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza. “These women and men not only realized their dreams of entrepreneurship but have also been tremendous job creators, helping to expand our economy. They represent the 30 million American small businesses — our nation's innovators and risk-takers.”

Also, SBA will co-host a free, two-day virtual conference, May 5-6, featuring educational workshops and networking. National Small Business Week recognition and educational seminars throughout SBA's 10 Regions and 68 Districts will be held during the week.