ESX reinvests $1m in security industry since 2008

VIENNA, Va. and IRVING, Texas—AE Ventures, the management company that produces the annual Electronic Security Expo for the Central Station Alarm Association and the Electronic Security Association, announced on Aug. 31 that the show had reached a milestone with the 2011 show, which took place from June 6-10 in Charlotte, N.C. The show has raised more than $1 million in profits since its launch in 2008. The best part, according to association leaders, is that the money went right back into the industry.

"The funds generated by ESX have allowed ESA to greatly expand services to our members and the security industry as a whole. We've used this money to develop important new National Training School courses. From it we've also funded the start-up of our National Apprenticeship Program and created and hosted events for our new professional group programs—Young Security Professionals, Installation & Services Professionals and Sales & Marketing Professionals," ESA president Dom D'Ascoli told Security Systems News. "Part of the money has gone to the implementation of new technology as evidenced by our recently-launched member website, ESAweb.org. And we've been able to finance groundbreaking industry research such as the recent residential trends survey that was presented during ESX this past June. This money has been put to very good use for the benefit of everyone in the security industry."

CSAA EVP Steve Doyle said there were many places where the  money was plowed back into the industry.

"The surplus revenues … get plowed right back into other educational offerings or other communications devices," Doyle said. "For example, some of the funding goes to updating the online training programs, Wiki Course development, webinar course development, sustaining the Accent ListServ, working on Five Diamond Certificated Central Station promotion, and SIGNALS, as well as mailings and printing to support these programs."

ESX saw its first installment in 2008 in Nashville, Tenn. It was held in Baltimore in 2009, in Pittsburgh in 2010, and it was in Charlotte, N.C. this year. The show returns to its roots with a Nashville run for 2012 and 2013.

SIAC director of marketing and communications Dave Simon feels the accomplishment reached by ESX in 2011 bodes well for the future.

"It's gratifying to see the impact ESX is having for ESA and CSAA. Bringing together all the companies that sell, install, service and monitor electronic security systems makes sense for every company in the industry, including manufacturers, who can touch base with a huge portion of their client base in one setting," Simon said. "I hope to see the sessions progress in the years ahead to embrace the direction of the electronic security industry."