Integrators '20 under 40' 2017—Dan Eller

Dan Eller, 35

Tennessee operations manager, COPS Monitoring

Williamstown, N.J.

Dan Eller, the operations manager for COPS Monitoring's Tennessee facility in Nashville, has been with the company for nine years, starting in its New Jersey facility in June 2008.

“I started out as a dispatcher, became a supervisor, and then a shift manager. In 2011, I was promoted to operations manager for the Tennessee facility. I opened it—this facility—in May of 2011,” Eller said. “I actually got down here before construction was complete. So, I had to do the final construction checklist � make sure that all of the fine-tuning was done, and then staff the facility.”

Eller previously worked in the retail industry and joined the physical security space after hearing from a relative that COPS Monitoring was hiring. “The environment that they have here at COPS is very welcoming. � I couldn't be happier,” Eller said.

“I like that I get to help people every day. I truly feel like I'm making a difference in multiple people's lives every day when I come to work, and [also] training others to do the same thing,” Eller said.

In the monitoring industry, Eller sees personal safety and GPS monitoring offerings as a rising trend. “I know it's not exactly as accurate as they would want it to be quite yet, but, up-and-coming, I think that would have a large impact on personal security.”

When asked about how to bring good, young people into the industry, Eller highlighted working within local communities. COPS Monitoring hosts charity events that, in part, “raise awareness of who we are and what we stand for,” Eller said. “Those are the kinds of people we are looking for, � compassionate people that also volunteer their time.”