Extreme Security Solutions joins Guardian

WHITTIER, Calif. and WARRENDALE, Pa.—Extreme Security Solutions, a two-year-old company that has rapidly grown to be one of California's largest independent security dealers, recently became an authorized dealer with Guardian Protection Services, Guardian announced this week.

Pennsylvania-based Guardian said the move would grow its presence in southern California and re-inforce its efforts to expand nationwide. And Extreme Security, a former Broadview dealer, said joining Guardian's dealer program would help it thrive. The 25-employee company, based in Whittier, Calif., already has plans to open a new Pomona office in November and also eventually wants to expand to Texas.

“Because of Guardian's experience in the alarm industry, I knew it would be the perfect partner to help me grow my business,” Extreme Security founder and CEO Rafael Villalta told Security Systems News in an email interview.

Extreme Security, which installs residential and commercial security systems, “was one of the largest, former Broadview dealers and is also one of the largest dealers in California,” Guardian said in its Sept. 20 announcement. Villalta said 90 percent of the company's business is resi.

Hank Groff, Guardian's national director Dealer Division, described Extreme Security as “solid” after just two years.

He said Guardian, which currently has about 45 dealers in its nationwide program, chose Extreme Security because it met the three criteria Guardian demands of dealers: solid production, low attrition and high credit scores.

“They average around a 700 credit score, which is in another indication we're working with a quality company,” Groff told SSN.

Villalta said that last year the company averaged 135 new accounts per month. He attributes the company's success to its aggressive sales strategy and its dedication to customer service.

The company also is involved in community protection programs, such as fingerprinting programs for children. Villalta said the free programs help “families feel safer when they get alarm service with us.”

Extreme Security plans to do more, he said. “One of our goals is to grow bigger and bigger � and Texas is our next step to reach that goal,” Villalta said. “But we are working hard in California. My goal is to do an average of 250 sales per month just in California, and after that start in other states.”

He said the company's Whittier office will serve Los Angeles and Orange counties, and the new Pomona office will focus on Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

In Guardian's quest to grow, it has acquired several large former Broadview dealers—Extreme Security makes the fourth, Groff said. Broadview Security, formerly Brinks, was acquired by ADT last year.

Guardian already had three California companies in its authorized dealer program, in Gustine, Sacramento and San Clemente. Now Extreme Security expands Guardian's footprint in southern California, in Los Angeles County, Groff said.

He stressed that Guardian is no longer a super-regional company but a national one that has been rapidly growing west of the Mississippi for two years now. He said the company has dealers in 22 states and is “willing to entertain opportunities in all (contiguous) 48 states.”

California is an important part of that growth, he said.

“It is a solid performing demographic for us � and it gives us a chance of really growing our business just within that one state [because the state's population is so large],” he said.