New venture takes MJ Vance wherever she is needed

The last time SSN caught up with Mary Jo Vance, she was exploring opportunities in security consulting after a stint with 1 Time Inc. in Nevada and the Central American nation of Belize. Now the CSAA's 2007 Manager of the Year has launched a venture that combines her love of travel with her dedication to the industry: plugging in as a temporary central station manager whenever and wherever she is needed.

“It's a new concept and I truly believe there is a market for it,” Vance said last week from her home base outside of St. Louis. “When I came up with the idea, I asked myself what makes me happy and what am I good at. � I used to fly many years ago for British Caledonian, which is now British Airways, and I was always ready to pick up and go. And what's my passion? The security industry. So what's tying me down now? Nothing.”

Vance, better known in the industry as MJ, said the “have manager, will travel” concept will appeal to companies that need an experienced hand to fill in at vacation time, to help groom a new monitoring supervisor, or to handle more pressing concerns.

“I just got a call last night from a prospective client who said he had a central station manager who had some personal problems and just up and left,” she said. “Although that's not the best way to exit, it does happen, so what do you do? Who fills in until a seasoned manager is hired? That's where my services come in.”

Vance's experience includes eight years at CenterPoint Technologies, where she was vice president of operations and business development. She also has served as the president of ESA of Missouri, president of the St. Louis Alarm Association, and treasurer of the Missouri Burglar and Fire Alarm Association. She received the Presidential Award from the Fire Marshals' Association of Missouri in 2010.

Vance said she keeps the identities of her clients confidential and that her services aren't limited to the United States. “I have passport, will travel. It's current,” she said with a laugh. To find out more, drop her an email at mjvancemj@hotmail.com.