SIA names Alice DiSanto as 2024 SIA Progress Award honoree

SILVER SPRING, Md.—The Security Industry Association (SIA) has named Alice DiSanto of Rajant Corporation as the 2024 recipient of the SIA Progress Award, an honor presented by SIA’s Women in Security Forum (WISF) community celebrating individuals who pave the way to success for women in the security industry.  

SIA will present DiSanto with the award on Nov. 20 during the 2024 SIA Honors Night  celebration.

DiSanto – who chairs SIA’s Women in Security Forum – is Rajant Corporation’s vice president of global marketing and former assistant vice president of marketing. She leads Rajant’s marketing team, dedicated to expanding worldwide market presence, demand generation, brand awareness, growth strategy and channel engagement for this leader in industrial wireless networking.

Before joining Rajant, DiSanto was with Sharp Electronics and positioned its first-ever outdoor robot to earn five industry awards within the initial 18 months, a distinction unmatched by other early entries to the ground-based robotics security market. She conceived and curated Robolliance, the security industry’s original awareness forum founded by Sharp, to drive understanding and adoption of autonomous technology. She also serves as a member of the SIA Autonomous Solutions Working Group.

DiSanto has been actively involved with SIA since 2014 and is a founding member of the SIA WISF Steering Committee and former chair of the forum’s charitable giving subcommittee, and she assumed the role of WISF chair in 2023.

“The SIA Progress Award is a tremendous honor. To be recognized shines a bright light on the SIA Women in Security Forum’s collaborative work, which focuses on a bolder presence for women in security,” said DiSanto. “The glory of this moment goes to the many women and men behind the scenes who are agents of proactive and positive change. They are the champions of progress. I thank every one of you. “

In her role as chair of WISF, DiSanto has structured the community’s subcommittees into new categories to help WISF grow and build engagement with SIA members. She has worked tirelessly to promote progress in the security industry and is responsible for the success of many key WISF programs, including the CAN DO Challenge to combat hunger each holiday season, the Essentials 4 Job Security Giveback supporting the efforts of Dress for Success and other activities related to the WISF UpliftHER subcommittee.

DiSanto oversaw the development of the PropelHER subcommittee, which is dedicated to streamlining the entrance of collegiate and professional women athletes into the security industry and leads the subcommittee’s efforts. She is a three-time honoree in WISF’s Power 100 program, which recognizes exceptional women who lead, inspire and innovate in the security industry.

“SIA is honored to recognize Alice DiSanto as the 2024 recipient of the SIA Progress Award. Alice is not only a consummate volunteer, trailblazer and innovator, but also a thoughtful and effective leader in our industry who is more than deserving of this special award,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “Alice has been a steadfast supporter and champion within the SIA Women in Security Forum who has expertly guided the community’s charitable giving programs and efforts to advance women in security. We applaud her for her inspiring, transformative and inclusive leadership and look forward to celebrating her at SIA Honors Night.”

SIA’s Progress Award recognizes SIA members who have shown excellence in their advancement of opportunities and success for women in the security industry. Each year’s recipient is determined based on their contributions to fostering women in the industry, promotion of women’s professional growth through mentorship and/or sponsorship, recognitions and awards for related activities and demonstration of the highest levels of professionalism and integrity in the security industry.