Industry luminary Jim Henry passes away, colleagues reflect

YARMOUTH, Maine—Legend. Great friend. Terrific presence. Mentor.

These are just some of the heartfelt tributes and reflections from colleagues and friends of industry luminary Jim Henry, one of the inaugural winners of the Security Systems News (SSN) Security Legend award, who passed away on April 13, 2024, after a lengthy illness. He was 70.

Henry spent more than 50 years in the security industry, from the early days of running a business with his family to later working for behemoths like Kratos and Securitas.

Henry joined the family business, Henry Bros. Electronics (HBE), as an applications engineer in June 1978 after receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire. The three Henry Brothers - John (Jim's father), Hartford and Raymond Henry - originally founded HBE in 1950 as an electronic repair shop in Paramus, N.J. Under the ownership of the “Henry Brothers” from 1950 to 1986, HBE grew to have three divisions: Security Systems Integration, Land/Mobile Radio Systems, and Consumer Electronics Sales/Service.

From November 2001 through December 2010, Henry was chairman and CEO of HBE, which was sold to a public company in 1986, reacquired by a team led by Henry in 1989, and grown as a private company until he took it public in November 2001. Henry became EVP for Kratos PSS, a division of Kratos Security and Defense Solutions (KTOS), in December 2010 via the acquisition of HBE by Kratos PSS, serving in that role until June 2018.

Henry served as executive vice president of corporate development for Securitas Electronic Security Inc. (SES) from 2018-19 before becoming an independent consultant. He most recently served as senior consultant with Butchko•ESI, beginning in December 2021.

Henry and another industry icon, former longtime PSA Security Network CEO Bill Bozeman, were the inaugural winners of the SSN Security Legend Award in 2019. The awards were presented at SSN’s first SecurityNext conference in New Orleans in February 2020.

“Jim Henry was unique. His booming voice, his charisma, his passionate opinions, and of course his deep understanding and knowledge of the electronic security industry made Jim stand out among his peers,” Bozeman said. “Jim had the unique ability to light up a room, Jim would make security exciting. He was funny and kind and would always reach out a hand to help. Jim was a man of conviction, a strong family man, and a great friend. I will be but one of many who will miss him.”

Maureen Carlo, global director of strategic partnerships at Arcules, echoed Bozeman’s thoughts, calling Henry an “official legend in the security industry.”

“Jim’s presence was spirited, his dedication was endless, and his legacy will continue to pontificate the values he cherished,” she stated. “Jim leaves a profound void, and has me reflecting on our amazing memories, as his bride Cindy requested.”

Tracy Larson, president of WeSuite, told SSN that Henry’s love for the industry and his family is what she will always remember about him.

“Jim was always a terrific presence. He was so invested in our industry. I admired his capacity to lead, his vast experience, and his work ethic,” she said. “My fondest memories are his reverence and respect for his bride, Cindy, his children and family, and his enormous sense of humor. He always made me laugh. I will truly miss him and always remember him with love.”

Another colleague of Henry’s, Pierre Bourgeix - founder and CEO of ESI Convergent – found it difficult to express his thoughts on Jim’s passing.

“Frankly, it's tough,” Bourgeix told SSN. “One of the greatest people I have ever met in this industry. His passion and inspiration were inspirational to everyone and was a beacon to all of us. He not only understood this industry and how to be successful from Henry Brothers to Kratos and Securitas but also understood the effort it took to get to the finish line first. He was a friend, a mentor and truthfully just a good human being. He will be sorely missed by anyone he touched.”

Henry is survived by his wife, Cindy, four children - Alexander, Arianna, Christian and Jonathan - and grandchildren Evelyn, Ryan, and Connell.