The SAMMY Awards

SAMMY Awards Program Now Accepting Entries

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 17:30:04 GMT

TORRANCE, Calif. — SECURITY SALES & INTEGRATION is accepting entries to the 17th annual SAMMY Awards. Held each year on the eve of ISC West, the program honors installing security contractors who exemplify professionalism in their sales, marketing and installation endeavors.

A panel of judges will select the top nominees in each of 12 categories. The winners will be revealed during a gala awards ceremony in Las Vegas on March 27, 2012.

The awards categories are:

Installers of the Year (small to midsize company, 150 or fewer employees; large company, more than 150 employees)
Integrated Installation of the Year
Best Overall Integrated Marketing Campaign
Best Sales Brochure
Best Company Logo Design
Best Broadcast Advertisement (TV, radio or online)
Best Vehicle Graphics Design
Best Community Outreach Program
Best Company Newsletter
Best Web Site Design
Best Promotional Giveaway Item
Best Display Advertisement

Check out SSI's June 2011 and July 2011 issues for a close-up look at the winners of the 16^thannual SAMMYs spectacular.

Entries for the 2012 awards program are due by Dec. 30. Entering the SAMMYs is free and open to North American professional installing dealers and integrators only.

For more information, including rules and entry forms, click here, contact SSI at (310) 533-2400 or E-mail secsales@bobit.com.

Giant Project Stands Tallest in the Big Apple

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 19:00:27 GMT

Our story begins in 2005 when Rose Associates on behalf of New York City’s Peter Cooper Village/Stuyvesant Town — one of the world’s largest apartment complexes — issued a request for proposal (RFP) for the design and upgrade of an integrated video surveillance and access control solution. A “city within a city,” the private housing community located on the East Side of Manhattan comprises 10 buildings on an 80-acre campus.

In 2006, Great Neck, N.Y.-based Security Management Systems (SMS) was awarded the contract to engineer, install and manage the construction of campus-wide security upgrades following a competitive RFP process that some of the largest security integration firms in the country bid on. The new security system was part of a major renovation project at the complex that included new walkways, lobbies, elevators and playgrounds.

Still in progress today, the sheer magnitude of the project alone is impressive. But what really set it apart to earn SMS SSI’s 2011 Integrated Installation of the Year award was the firm’s success in implementing a best-in-class security system, on time and on budget. In addition, it was accomplished without downtime or disruption of services to the sprawling, iconic housing community.

Launched in 2002, the Integrated Installation of the Year program judges entries based on innovation; systems design; integration of at least three electronic systems; seamlessness of installation; uniqueness of application; and end-user satisfaction. Other particularly worthy finalists this year were Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI) of Milwaukee and Stanley Convergent Security Solutions (CSS) of Naperville, Ill.

Adept at Advanced Solutions

Founded in 1978 by Al Albrecht, together with son Craig, SMS is staffed by industry-leading technicians, engineers and programmers who design, build and manage a full range of integrated security systems. The company, which places special emphasis on remote support and managed services, also offers expertise in access control, video surveillance and analytics, intercom systems, turnstiles, perimeter/intrusion protection and mass notification systems.

“While SMS has a core competence in physical security applications, we take it a step further by providing an IT-centric approach to deployment and ongoing support. This way our clients receive high availability of their applications that are easily scalable as their needs grow,” explains Craig Albrecht.

SMS has designed and managed enterprise security systems for some of the most notable and recognizable buildings in the Big Apple. The independent integrator serves a blue-chip client roster including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, multi-tenant residential developments, commercial high-rise facilities, hospitals, and K-12 and higher education campuses.

Securing a Small City

Most towns and many small cities have fewer residents and visitors than the 30,000 inhabiting Peter Cooper Village/Stuyvesant Town, a collection of red brick apartment buildings containing one- to five-bedroom units. The non-gated complex, with 11,250 apartments, stretches from First Avenue to Avenue C and from 14th to 23rd Streets.

Overlooking the East River in Manhattan, the apartment buildings are set within a beautifully landscaped park. In addition to many playgrounds and athletic courts, the community offers onsite parking, storage, a seasonal green market, and free music and movies on the Oval, the center of the complex.

Firms were requested to design and construct user-friendly, fully integrated systems that would maximize the efficiency of an already professional and well trained security force.

“In New York City, and other major cities, security is essential but also an amenity that ensures tenant and visitor safety,” Al Albrecht (referred to as Albrecht for rest of article) explains.

Among the many objectives of the project: accelerating awareness of incidents requiring response and rapid access to archived video for forensic review. After an extensive and lengthy evaluation process, SMS was chosen by Rose Associates.

“SMS demonstrated to management that our solution provided superior performance. Our team also detailed how we would be able to manage the installation of more than four miles of conduit, cabling and devices with a streamlined, methodical approach,” says Albrecht. “The specifications were generic so we surveyed the project building by building to determine optimum access control, and camera locations in conjunction with available power and other building services.”

The first phase of the installation spanned three years and was completed in 2010.

Designing a Grid for Success

The massive project presented two primary challenges. SMS was able to address and solve both of them — power and the lack of existing infrastructure — with innovative solutions.

Each of the 110 buildings required power for cameras, plus uninterrupted power supply (UPS) backup for access control and locking hardware. The existing battery-equipped solutions were determined to be unfeasible due to the limited amount of space in each of the buildings to accommodate the batteries for the UPS backup.

Instead, SMS engineers devised a novel solution that would fit space restrictions and satisfy significant power supply requirements. The firm designed an innovative, low-voltage power and data grid to concentrate and distribute power from 35 fused distribution panel (FDP) locations where network fiber was also available. The grid is an impressive system with a custom distribution frame in every building.

Camera, lock and UPS power for all the access control and security cameras in each building tower are terminated in the custom distribution frame supported by this low-voltage grid.

SMS acted as the general contractor on the project, provided engineering and project management, and utilized an electrical subcontractor to install miles of conduit for power, cable and data systems.

User-Friendly Command

During the course of the project, a more spacious area was designated for the new command center that is both functionally ergonomic and attractive. When tenants enter the management office, they are immediately struck by the massive screen-filled room that is visible behind glass, providing a reassuring level of safety and security.

Because of the IP system architecture the command center could efficiently be relocated anywhere on the network. SMS coordinated with the architect and selected Winsted to provide a custom-designed console for four workstations supporting an array of eight 42-inch and 16 20-inch monitors. Up to four security personnel at a time, which are deputized by the New York Police Department, monitor the facility’s bank of screens.

For monitoring purposes, the complex is divided into three geographical areas. Alarms are routed to one of three workstations in the command center, with alarms in the queue automatically routed to an alternate workstation. The fourth workstation serves as a “catchall,” receiving alarm events from the entire complex. “This redundancy in the system ensures that no alarm goes unanswered,” Albrecht adds.

Critical to a user-friendly surveillance system for such a large complex is an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI). SMS developed a GUI that enables the security team to drill down from an overall site map. They can select to view a quadrant or single in on one building. The system architecture allows the user to select any one or a group of cameras in a given area by simply clicking an icon on the GUI. The sophisticated interface precludes operators having to memorize a specific camera number or location.

On a select number of cameras, SMS has deployed a video analytics platform by Verint. “The Nextiva analytics is a best-in-class solution that provides enhanced situational awareness, in this case, to detect loitering or unattended packages,” says William Eckard, director of enterprise sales and strategic accounts for Verint.

When there’s an alarm event, the system programming automatically assigns predetermined camera views. A lobby door being forced open triggers a programmed response calling up views from all nearby cameras. Similarly, if a tenant uses an emergency assistance phone, the audio channel is opened, while cameras on the call box and adjacent buildings will appear on screen for a simplified, informed event response.

As part of the programmed response, when cameras detect activity in the field of view, the capture frame rate is automatically increased to a predetermined setting to provide greater detail for event video and reduce archived storage space. This advanced, highly programmed front-end is the result of integration of multiple products and SMS’ customized programming.

SMS selected AMAG’s Symmetry as the integration platform for both access control and video surveillance.

“SMS was instrumental in taking a conceptual design and delivering a value-engineered, fully integrated, high security system,” says AMAG Technology Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Matt Barnette. “This project required a concerted effort to combine access control, IP video and IP audio from three of the best-in-breed manufacturers in the security space. SMS was the nucleus and driving force.”

While AMAG contains an embeddedvideo management solution (VMS), thesheer magnitude of video involved required a separate storage and archiving system.

Thus, SMS integrated Symmetry with Verint’s Nextiva offering to manage, archive and store the video. Symmetry then logs the video data and files it with access control events. With close to 1,100 cameras recording video 24/7, the system requires a massive amount of video storage capability. In excess of 320TB is available.

The system collects images from 1,183 fixed interior and exterior pan/tilt/zoom (p/t/z) Pelco cameras. These products were selected from a “camera shootout” that determined the optimum performance in low light environments. Pelco matrix switchers with distributed input modules provide both analog and IP video viewing capabilities. These units are housed in each of the four command center hubs and integrated into the overall system architecture.

Access, Managed Services and More

As part of overall improvements, a new apartment intercom system with an emergency call button was installed. SMS provided another level of integration to the newly installed Elbex intercom system. Each lobby intercom is equipped not only with communication to tenant apartments but also an emergency button to the security command center.

Also, SMS strategically placed emergency call boxes across the entire site. The voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) devices were chosen from Commend. Each of the call boxes is topped with a highly visible blue light so as to be easily located. A fleet of security personnel are a pushbutton away and can reach the box quickly in one of the security vehicles.

Peter Cooper Village/Stuyvesant Town has six tenant and visitor parking garages that are operated by a third party. In these subterranean facilities, SMS once again developed a high level of integration. Tenants who subscribe to parking services enter and depart scanning their ID cards positioned at the entry and exit points of every garage. The system uses HID’s long-range contactless readers and SKIDATA parking gates.

“We set up a partitioned database of tenants who subscribe to the parking services. So the system can not only provide accurate access, but the operator can use the information for validation and assist in billing,” says Albrecht. “The operator was provided with a workstation that allows them access to the tenant parking portion of the database, while security has an overview of the entire solution on one integrated system.”

SMS has developed a software suite that monitors and manages the Peter Cooper Village/Stuyvesant Town development as well as other major clients. “If any issues arise with the functionality of servers, storage devices, applications and network infrastructure, SMS manages the issue,” Craig Albrecht says.

Installed agents on the network infrastructure detect, determine and in many cases resolve service issues automatically. If an issue is not resolved, an automated service request is created in SMS’ Customer Relationship Management software that alerts technical staff.

Executing With ‘Precision’ Pays Off

The final piece of the project was as-built documentation. SMS provided operation and maintenance manuals that included in excess of 300 as-built drawings both on CD and hard copy.

AMAG’s Barnette speaks to the integrator’s impressive achievement on the project: “This successful implementation could only be achieved by a few systems integrators in the business. This site is one of the more impressive installations I have seen and is an example of what can be accomplished when executed with precision.”

Verint’s Eckard adds, “There are a limited number of systems that truly integrate access control, IP video and intelligent analytics, and this is one of them, which is why it is such an impressive accomplishment.”

However, the most important party to astonish and delight is the client. Listening to Adam Rose, co-president of property manager Rose Associates, there are certainly no worries there.

“The level of quality and sophistication found in this extremely complex installation is something that very, very few firms could have provided, much less supported for many years following the successful installation,” he says. “SMS created a total package of which we are quite proud.”

Presently, SMS is in the process of leveraging the existing network infrastructure to provide digital media to all lobby locations and amenity spaces, 200 locations in total. The content will include live TV, advertising and tenant messaging. In the meantime, Albrecht and his team are enjoying their much-deserved notoriety.

“We are proud of the final product and the recognition we have received from our clients and industry peers,” he says. “The success of the [project] is a testament to everyone involved, including the manufacturers who supported our efforts and the owner’s management team who worked closely with the SMS team to provide their input and coordination. It should serve as a model for future projects of this scale.”

Social Media Platform Works Wonders for Charities, Company and Employees

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 20:55:51 GMT

Vivint (formerly APX Alarm)

Best Community Outreach Program

Giving a Gift That’s Right On Target

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 20:08:19 GMT

Stanley Convergent Security Solutions

Best Promotional Giveaway Item

More Images, Less Text Wins Clients

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 20:05:37 GMT

ASG Security

Best Display Advertisement

Sponsored by Fire-Lite Alarms by Honeywell

When developing its sales and marketing tools, the executive team at Beltsville, Md.-based ASG Security, a perennial SAMMY winner, keeps one thing in mind. “Everything we create first and foremost supports the salesperson on the street,” says the company’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Bob Ryan.

Thus, it is important that marketing material produced by ASG explains what the company does, what types of technology the company is familiar with and why a prospective client should do business with ASG. Using the aforementioned criteria helped ASG earn the Best Display Advertisement SAMMY award.

Designed by Ryan and Applications Support and Web Site Manager Lauren Fleetwood, the duo modeled the ad after an ASG commercial integration brochure. The display advertisement features eight picture bubbles that display the different technology ASG offers.

“You need vivid imagery, something that’s going to immediately catch someone’s attention,” says Ryan. “You have to be able to deliver a clear, crisp and precise message to your target in less than 10 seconds.”

ASG placed the ad in industry-specific trade journals with a goal of attracting large commercial, industrial and institutional end users. Ryan notes that because ASG targets are security professionals who already understand the industry, the company was able to use industry jargon and imagery to capture a prospective client’s attention.

With 140,000 customers, ASG brings in $6 million in recurring monthly revenue (RMR), Ryan says. Although a well-funded company, ASG selectively chooses to use print advertising as a way to gain new business. Instead, it relies more on trade shows and giveaways to reach the masses.

“After eight years, we know what works and what doesn’t,” says Ryan. “We’ve got the formula down so that the marketing dollars we do invest are effective and show us the return we want. The trial and error period is over.”

Customer Education Brings New Business

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 20:02:51 GMT

Urban Alarm

Best Company Newsletter

New Look Web Site Delivers More for the Customer

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 19:58:09 GMT

Vector Security

Best Web Site Design

A Graphics Design That Drives New Sales

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 19:54:15 GMT

Intelligent Access Ssytems

Best Vehicle Graphics Design

Big Dividends in a Small Market

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 19:49:05 GMT

TnT Security Services

The No. ‘1’ Rule of Rebranding

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 19:46:19 GMT

Protection 1

Best Company Logo Design

Telling the Whole Story Behind a Company Name

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 19:44:07 GMT

Amherst Alarm

Best Sales Brochure

Achieving the Perfect Balance of Consistency and Customization

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 19:34:27 GMT

Stanley Convergent Security Solutions

Best Overall Integrated Marketing Campaign

SSI Honors Sales and Marketing Excellence at 2011 SAMMY Awards

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 15:46:49 GMT

LAS VEGAS — SECURITY SALES & INTEGRATION hosted its 16th annual SAMMY Awards at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas on April 5 in an effort to recognize security dealers and systems integrators who exemplify professionalism in their sales, marketing and installation endeavors.

SSI would like to thank program sponsors ADI, Fire-Lite, Honeywell, Tri-Ed, Visonic, ISC Expo, Campus Safety, Electronic Security Association (ESA), LeadTracker and PSA Security Network for helping make the 2011 SAMMY Awards possible.

The evening also included the SSI Hall of Fame induction ceremony emceed by Ron Davis. The class of 2011 includes Steve Doyle, Jay Hauhn, Bill Polk, Ivan Scharer and Bud Wulforst.

SAMMY Award finalists and winners:

Installer of the Year (small to midsize company - 150 or fewer employees)

Act Now Alarm Services (Clinton Township, Mich.)
Atronic Alarms (Lenexa, Kan.)
Safety Technologies (Middleburg Heights, Ohio) —WINNER

Installer of the Year (large company - more than 150 employees)

Johnson Controls Inc. (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Per Mar Security Services (Davenport, Iowa)
Provident Security Corp. (Vancouver, BC, Canada) —WINNER

Integrated Installation of the Year

Johnson Controls Inc. (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Security Management Systems (Great Neck, N.Y.) — WINNER
Stanley Convergent Security Solutions (CSS) Inc. (Naperville, Ill.)

Best Overall Integrated Marketing Campaign

ADS Security (Nashville, Tenn.)
Provident Security Corp. (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
Stanley CSS (Naperville, Ill.) — WINNER

Best Sales Brochure

Amherst Alarm (Buffalo, N.Y.) — WINNER
ProvidentSecurity Corp. (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
Stanley Convergent Security Solutions Inc. (Naperville, Ill.)

Best Company Logo Design

Protection One (Lawrence, Kan.) — WINNER
Provident Security Corp. (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
Stanley Security Solutions (Naperville, Ill.)

Best Broadcast Advertisement (TV, radio or online)

F.E. Moran Inc. (Champaign, Ill.)
TnT Security Services (Tulsa, Okla.) — WINNER
Vector Security (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

Best Vehicle Graphics Design

Intelligent Access Systems (Raleigh, N.C.) — WINNER
The Protection Bureau (Exton, Pa.)
Urban Alarm (Washington, D.C.)

Best Community Outreach Program

APX Alarm (Provo, Utah) — WINNER
ASG Security (Beltsville, Md.)
The Protection Bureau (Exton, Pa.)

Best Company Newsletter

Atronic Alarms (Lenexa, Kan.)
SecurTek Monitoring Solutions (Yorkton, SK, Canada)
Urban Alarm (Washington, D.C.) — WINNER

Best Web Site Design

ASG Security (Beltsville, Md.)
Provident Security Corp. (Vancouver, BC, Canada)
Vector Security (Pittsburgh, Pa.) — WINNER

Best Promotional Giveaway Item

The Protection Bureau
Stanley CSS (Naperville, Ill.) — WINNER
Worldwide Security (Garden City, N.Y.)

Best Display Advertisement

ASG Security (Beltsville, Md.) — WINNER
SecurTek (Yorkton, SK, Canada)
Stanley Convergent Security Solutions Inc.

SSI will profile the 2011 SAMMY winners and finalists in the June issue, and the Installer of the Year and Integrated Installation of the Year case study will be featured in July.

SSI Announces 16th Annual SAMMY Award Finalists

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:27:21 GMT

TORRANCE, Calif. — SECURITY SALES & INTEGRATION is proud to announce the finalists for the 2011 SAMMY (Sales and Marketing) Awards! Now in its 16th year, the SAMMY Awards is the industry's only program of its kind to recognize and honor installing security dealers and integrators for their marketing, business, installation and overall excellence.

Stanley Convergent Security Solutions (CSS) is this year's frontrunner with six nominations, including Integrated Installation of the Year. Not far behind is Installer of the Year-nominated Provident Security with a total of five nods.

SSI would like to thank the panel judges who were tasked with evaluating the many entries that were submitted from across North America. These individuals are among the industry's top marketing and PR professionals. They are: Jon Daum (co-founder, Daum Weigle Inc.), Jerry Lenander (president, Syncomm Management Group) and Leslie Stevens (president, Eclipse Marketing). Tom Brigham, principal of Brigham Scully Communications, and Richard Hahn of Richard Hahn & Associates, selected finalists for the best Web site design.

"Every year the quality of the entries improves," says Daum. "I hope all in the industry take the time to look at how the finalists are using solid, innovative ways to market their services. That can help move everyone ahead."

Following are this year's finalists:

Installer of the Year

(Small to midsize company - 150 or fewer employees)

Act Now Alarm Services (Clinton Township, Mich.)
Atronic Alarms (Lexexa, Kan.)
Safety Technologies (Middleburg Heights, Ohio)

(Large company - more than 150 employees)

Johnson Controls Inc. (Milwaukee)
Per Mar Security Services (Davenport, Iowa)
Provident Security (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)

Integrated Installation of the Year

Johnson Controls Inc. (Milwaukee)
Security Management Systems (Great Neck, N.Y.)
Stanley Convergent Security Solutions (Naperville, Ill.)

Best Overall Integrated Marketing Campaign

ADS Security (Nashville, Tenn.)
Provident Security (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
Stanley Convergent Security Solutions (Naperville, Ill.)

Best Sales Brochure

Amherst Alarm (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Provident Security (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
Stanley Convergent Security Solutions (Naperville, Ill.)

Best Company Logo

Protection One (Lawrence, Kan.)
Provident Security (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
Stanley Convergent Security Solutions (Naperville, Ill.)

Best Broadcast Advertisement

(TV, radio or online)

F.E. Moran Alarm and Monitoring (Champaign, Ill.)
TnT Security Services (Tulsa, Okla.)
Vector Security (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

Best Vehicle Graphics Design

Intelligent Access Systems (Raleigh, N.C.)
The Protection Bureau (Exton, Pa.)
Urban Alarm (Washington, D.C.)

Best Community Outreach Program

APX Alarm (Provo, Utah)
ASG Security (Beltsville, Md.)
The Protection Bureau (Exton, Pa.)

Best Company Newsletter

Atronic Alarms (Lenexa, Kan.)
SecurTek Monitoring Solutions (Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada)
Urban Alarm (Washington, D.C.)

Best Web Site Design

ASG Security (Beltsville, Md.)
Provident Security (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
Vector Security (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

Best Promotional Giveaway Item

The Protection Bureau (Exton, Pa.)
Stanley Convergent Security Solutions (Naperville, Ill.)
Worldwide Security

Best Display Advertisement

ASG Security (Beltsville, Md.)
SecurTek Monitoring Solutions (Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada)
Stanley Convergent Security Solutions (Naperville, Ill.)

"Marketing is most important when the market is soft," says Lenander. "I am encouraged by the increase in submissions from small and medium size organizations. This shows that marketing initiatives can be created regardless of the size of the company."

"I was very impressed with the high level of professionalism and creativity displayed in the entries," adds Stevens. "It's a delight to see the pride and enthusiasm each company exhibited through their written description. And I think every company who entered the community charity category is a winner and deserves praise and recognition."

SSI will announce the winners at a free awards ceremony in Las Vegas on April 5 — the eve of opening day at ISC West. The event will be held at 4:30 p.m. in the Casanova Conference Room 602 at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino.

The program will also feature an induction ceremony for the newest SSI Hall of Fame members.

SSI would like to thank program sponsors ADI, Fire-Lite, Honeywell, Tri-Ed, Visonic, ISC Expo, Campus Safety, Electronic Security Association (ESA) and PSA Security Network for helping make the 2011 SAMMY Awards possible.

2011 SAMMY Awards Entries Deadline Extended to Jan. 21!

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 19:19:43 GMT

TORRANCE, Calif. — SECURITY SALES & INTEGRATION has extended the deadline for entries to the 16th annual SAMMY Awards to Jan. 21. As the security industry's original sales, marketing and installation awards program, dealers and integrators are urged to tout their successes and accomplishments.

A panel of judges will select the top nominees in each of 12 categories among dealers and integrators who exemplify professionalism in their sales, marketing and installation efforts. The winners will be revealed during a gala awards ceremony in Las Vegas on April 5, 2011 - the eve of opening day at ISC West.

Included in the awards categories are:

Installer of the Year
Integrated Installation of the Year
Best Overall Integrated Marketing Campaign
Best Sales Brochure
Best Company Logo Design
Best Broadcast Advertisement (TV, radio or online)
Best Vehicle Graphics Design
Best Community Outreach Program
Best Company Newsletter
Best Web Site Design
Best Promotional Giveaway Item
Best Display Advertisement

Check out SSI's June 2010 and July 2010 issues for a close-up look at the winners of last year's SAMMYs spectacular.

Entries for the 2011 awards program are due Dec. 31. Entering the SAMMYs is free and open to North American professional installing dealers and integrators only.

For more information, including rules and entry forms, click here or contact SSI at (310) 533-2400 or E-mail secsales@bobit.com.

New Champ Tops the Integration Arena

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:55:57 GMT

By Scott Goldfine

“From the consulting and design phase, all the way through delivery and installation, Stanley Convergent Security Solutions was flawless in their execution of providing a complete security package to meet our needs.” This glowing endorsement from the apt-named John Ball, director of Building Safety and Security for Pacers Sports & Entertainment, is indicative of the expertise and service Stanley CSS demonstrated in its comprehensive solution for Indiana’s Conseco Fieldhouse.

The project, which earned the company SSI’s 2010 Integrated Installation of the Year Award, involved streamlining the client’s existing, separately managed systems with upgraded access, video, intercom and software platforms to enable control via a single command point. Subject matter experts from Stanley CSS collaborated with the Stanley Mechanical Access Solutions division to deliver a best-in-class security solution.

The award is Stanley CSS’ second in the program, winning when it was known as HSM Electronic Protection Services in 2007. This year, the Naperville, Ill.-headquartered integrator also captured SAMMY (Sales & Marketing) awards for Best Overall Integrated Marketing Campaign and Best Community Outreach Program.

Launched in 2002, the Integrated Installation of the Year program judges entries based on innovation; systems design; integration of at least three electronic systems; seamlessness of installation; uniqueness of application; and end-user satisfaction. Other finalists this year were Benson Systems of Gilbert, Ariz., and Ultrasafe Security Specialists of Norco, Calif.

The necessity for flexible technology, extensive consultation and meticulous project management made the Conseco Fieldhouse a unique and challenging job. “Balancing the needs for security for the professional performers, fans and general public, while not hindering the entertainment experience was a top priority,” says Mark Baruzzini, senior director, Stanley CSS Convergence Center of Excellence.

Integrator Nets Big Project

The crown jewel of Indianapolis’ downtown cityscape, Conseco Fieldhouse has hosted famous performers ranging from Cirque du Soleil to the Eagles to Paul McCartney to Justin Timberlake to U2 and more, as well as the NBA’s Pacers and WNBA’s Fever. The 18,165-seat, 750,000-square-foot facility opened in 1999 and is widely considered one of the finest venues in all of sports.

Perhaps the only thing more important to Conseco Fieldhouse’s management than first-class entertainment and profitability is ensuring the safety and security of its many performers, fans, visitors and staff. Hence a keen interest in keeping the venue’s security systems up to date with the latest advancements and capabilities.

“We need to always look into managing event security and building operations more efficiently and more effectively. We need to be able to monitor hidden areas in the building and know who is coming and going,” says Ball. “We needed to upgrade our existing systems that could not interface with each other while getting more capability with our current security staff.”

Combining its own funds with additional dollars from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Conseco Fieldhouse issued a request for proposal (RFP). Stanley CSS, which already had its foot in the door thanks to the arena having been built with Stanley mechanical locks, won the client over by serving in a consultative capacity. Stanley recommended more cost-effective options with better functionality than would have been realized through the original RFP.

“The customer sought to utilize their past investments in security and technology, while integrating new advanced technology and design applications to maximize the overall security for the organization,” says Stanley CSS Executive Security Consultant Richard Phillips, who adds that the project demanded competencies beyond the grasp of most competitors.

Fast Break Timeline Met

No stranger to equipping sporting venues, particularly north of the border, Stanley CSS’ customers include The Bell Centre, The Hershey Centre, the Montreal Canadiens practice facility, and other municipal rinks and centers. (

“One of the most significant challenges of dealing with a sports and entertainment venue is working around the constant flux of events being hosted at the location,” Baruzzini says. “Each event requires different access control and video setups, whether it’s an NBA game, concert, ice skating, etc.”

Stanley CSS broke ground on the Conseco Fieldhouse project in July 2009, finishing on budget (at nearly $300,000) and on schedule 90 days later. The integrator brought in application engineers and solution consultants to work with the customer on design, workflow and project expectations.

Being that the project was in response to a DHS audit, compliancy, which required collaborating with Conseco Fieldhouse’s IT manager to tweak and finalize the configuration, was as central to the scope of work as was meeting the end user’s other specific needs.

To ensure the project was properly managed and progressed smoothly, Stanley held daily meetings onsite. The workflow included meetings for design consultation review, implementation, scope and schedule review, project walkthroughs, and ongoing benchmarks and deliverables.

Products Perform Like All-Stars

The technology, systems and products selected included Axis IP video, Genetec NVRs, Lenel access control, Harding intercoms and Stanley Security Solutions’ own W-Q wireless access management solution

All of these elements were skillfully regimented within Stanley CSS’ Corporate Commander physical security information management (PSIM) platform. The PSIM sits atop Conseco Fieldhouse’s security and facility management subsystems to facilitate a single point of command and control for all of the integrated pieces.

“The reasons these products were used to construct this solution included: extensive compatibility with diverse technology and integration with the Commander PSIM through API and SDK development; engineer familiarity; strategic manufacturer partnerships; and platform flexibility,” says Stanley CSS Software Engineering Team Leader Blaine Frederick.

The solution encompassed 53 door readers, 128 cameras, three wall-mounted LCD monitors (replacing 41 standard CRT monitors) controlled from the Genetec client and displaying 13 images per monitor, and another three video windows for call up and spot monitoring included within the Commander console itself.

Integrated into the Commander interface are the customer’s existing analog video, new IP-based video, access control, intrusion detection and intercom systems, along with control of six elevators. According to Ball, the solution will be further enhanced with planned expansion calling for fire/ life-safety, building management, paging and notification, and other enterprise systems.

“This will eventually incorporate other facility platforms as well such as building power, HVAC, VoIP and fire in a low-cost way,” he says. “In our future plans, for example, we will be able to shut down air handlers if a train wrecks outside. Not only can these systems be integrated, they can be automated. When you start looking at integrating different systems we see a lot of potential to make us not only safer but more efficient.”

Users Coached on System

According to Frederick, one of the overriding challenges the project presented was contending with the cluttered work of Stanley CSS’ predecessor. The existing cable management was chaotic, not labeled and almost unusable. In addition, the legacy video surveillance system was improperly configured and in poor condition.

“The previous security provider was overwhelmed by the required maintenance and integration of a solution on this scale,” he says. “The customer would have to physically switch cables during events to display the desired scene on the monitors. The previous monitor wall had 41 monitors using eight DVRs with the video quality lowered enough to get adequate video storage.”

Conseco Fieldhouse personnel have been monitoring the system in-house since it went online last October.

“Once the system was in, Stanley provided administrator, operator and super-user training sessions to meet our specific team needs,” says Ball. “They were very thorough with the training as they were careful to cover all of the operator documentation, help files and day-to-day functions.”

Stanley CSS maintains the system through an annual preventative maintenance agreement supported by the firm’s 24-hour customer service center. In addition, integrated solution engineers are available either onsite or remotely to address technical issues as needed.

Solution Is a Slam Dunk

In practically no time at all, the system lived up to its billing and demonstrated its value. A week after the project was completed the facility’s security staff used the surveillance system to help apprehend an intruder breaking into the gift shop to steal jerseys.

“We are pleased with the system. It is advanced enough that I believe it will be another six months before we are really able to see many of the benefits. Our guards are able to see so much more now,” says Ball.

Adding to the client’s delight is the way Stanley CSS has served as a truly consultative partner, delivering a customized solution with cost savings derived from superior system optimization. Conseco Fieldhouse was also able to eliminate expensive maintenance contracts it had on the older video systems and technology with the previous security provider.

“The flexibility and open architecture of this system not only meet our needs today, but also those of tomorrow,” adds Ball. “We know this will further enhance our ability to provide a safe and secure venue. We look forward to our continued partnership with Stanley, assured they will be there with the solutions to meet our complete security system needs.”

ASG’s Award-Winning Ascent

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:54:42 GMT

By Scott Goldfine

On March 27, 2010, an altercation between two male employees at the Lancaster, Pa., YMCA resulted in one being shot in the head and torso. Police identified and caught the gunman thanks to the mortally wounded man’s description of the killer combined with video surveillance from the scene. The perpetrator is presently awaiting his homicide trial.

When this incident occurred, the operations team of Beltsville, Md.-based ASG Security — which installed, monitors and maintains the Y’s intrusion, fire and surveillance systems — worked diligently with detectives to retrieve video evidence from the onsite DVR. “From ASG’s perspective, this is a stark reminder of what we do every day — the protection of lives and property,” says ASG President/CEO Joe Nuccio.

It’s also a prime example of the commitment to outstanding service and exceptional execution that has made ASG a model security installation and monitoring services business. This is a company whose mission statement, “To consistently provide affordable, best-in-class security solutions to our customers while exceeding the value expectations of our shareholders and employees,” is more than words on paper — it’s reality.

These principles and actions have resulted in ASG being named SSI’s 2010 Installer of the Year. A runner-up for the honor when it was introduced in 2009, this year ASG beat out Alarm Detection Systems of Aurora, Ill., and Provident Security Corp. of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Discover how ASG so successfully met the six hallmarks of what it takes to be an Installer of the Year: providing exceptional customer service; surefire business practices and marketing strategies; making sure personnel are properly trained; keeping employees motivated and fulfilled; giving back to communities served; and contributing to the security industry’s betterment.

It All Starts at the Top

ASG, then known as Alarm Security Group Monitoring Inc., was founded in 1999 and within three years had branch operations in Dallas, Houston and Baltimore. In July 2002, private equity companies Waud Capital Partners LLC and Northwest Capital Appreciation Inc. acquired the company and appointed a top-notch management team led by Nuccio.

In November 2007 ASG was recapitalized with Parthenon Capital LLC, providing long-term growth capital for the business. Today, jointly owned by Parthenon and ASG’s senior management team, the company continues to build itself as a super-regional top 10 U.S. security operator.

“We have a very, very experienced management team,” says Nuccio. “Our team operates from the perspective that we are all partners in a business, not employees. Everybody wears a lot of hats and we place tremendous emphasis on each team member producing original work. Most importantly, we love to barb and jab each other and have a good time.”

Other members of the executive team, which has toiled shoulder to shoulder for more than seven years and been involved in 55 acquisitions, include: CFO Ralph Masino; Senior Vice President, Operations William Rose; Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing Robert Ryan; and Vice President, IT & Corporate Services Glenn Seaburg.

ASG’s principal operations are in the Mid-Atlantic region, Texas and New England, including branch offices in Boston, New Jersey, western Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and the Carolinas. The firm has 130,000 customers, half residential and half consisting of commercial, government and national accounts. ASG generates $5.5 million of recurring monthly revenue (RMR) from its McAllen, Texas-based CSAA Five Diamond central monitoring station.

“Our goal is to achieve market density in larger growth-oriented cities through a balanced plan of acquisitions and steady organic growth,” says Ryan. “Our primary market and strategic emphasis is on the mid to large security systems market, where we promote intrusion, fire, video surveillance and access control solutions.”

Resolving Customer Issues

ASG’s Customer Care Center located within its Maryland headquarters is the nerve center of the operation. The facility is staffed with highly trained customer service agents who specialize in scheduling and tracking service calls, answering security-related inquiries, and resolving account issues around the clock.

“We run disciplined business systems and processes based on best practices to ensure we can meet the needs of our customers in real-time,” says Rose. “Our model is to provide service where a customer can make one call and resolve all issues. From the branch perspective, our goal is to free them from repetitive tasks that can be efficiently centralized, allowing a level of customer service not commonly offered in this industry.”

ASG solicits and depends on customer and branch feedback to continually adjust its delivery so as to improve the customer experience on a continuous basis. To that end, the firm staffs its Outbound Marketing Center in McAllen with a team of specialists who communicate with customers in a number of different areas.

“We make frequent, proactive contact with our client base to ensure we are meeting their expectations and operational requirements,” continues Rose. “For instance, after each completed installation an agent contacts our customer to grade their satisfaction level with our sales representative, technician and the overall installation.”

Those grades are quantified and reported by the branch office. If a branch falls below ASG’s current benchmark or if a significant issue is identified with a particular account, senior management gets involved to ensure long-term corrective measures are put in place. Branches scoring above the targeted level are rewarded and recognized. This process is also used to grade samplings of the company’s regular service calls.

Eye on Balanced Growth

In addition to strong management and first-rate customer service, there are four other key areas ASG has strategically focused on to forge the foundation of its success.

The first is regional density, with more than 90 percent of RMR being within 60 miles of any branch. This concentration provides greater operational leverage and robust internal sales. Next is a sales engine that includes more than 200 associates and helps spur organic growth to complement its acquisition capability. Third is a diverse mix of commercial and residential accounts. Finally, ASG applies a meticulous approach to its acquisitions.

“There are certain model companies that fit well with ASG and we try to stick to a very specific formula in this regard,” says Nuccio. “Along the way, however, we’ve considered companies that extended far beyond our core geographies or were simply too immense in size and complexity. Sometimes, the best decisions are the ones you never make.”

Business plans are executed locally by ASG branch management teams and supported by corporate support groups. Budgets are set annually and normally do not adjust until the succeeding year. Branches are given the autonomy to run their operations given certain parameters.

“The corporate function is to provide them with the tools, resources and guidance to exceed their objectives,” says Masino. “Our operating plan calls for single-digit RMR growth over a substantial RMR base. This is achieved approximately 50 percent through acquisitions and 50 percent through organic sales growth.”

Helping Sales Succeed

ASG’s sales and marketing resources are organized around its targeted market segments. Specifically, the company has dedicated sales forces in the residential, small business and commercial/integrated systems categories.

“We do not have the sales and marketing war chest of the ultra-large companies like ADT and Broadview, who rely on television and radio for lead generation,” says Ryan. “Our strategy is to self-generate the majority of our opportunities by providing our sales force with best-in-class marketing and collateral materials.”

This self-generation activity is augmented with highly targeted lead generation through the firm’s telemarketing centers in McAllen and Dallas, in addition to its Web site and various lead-aggregation partnerships. ASG’s marketing materials have earned the company multiple SAMMY (Sales & Marketing) awards through the years.

“We are in constant communication with our sales force and sales management teams in order to keep our fingers directly on the pulse of the business, and to dialogue issues and opportunities across our regions,” adds Ryan. “We subscribe to a bottoms-up communication process to develop our pricing, plans and lead-generation systems.”

Staffers Feel Like Stars

Even the best management, business practices, and sales and marketing support will have limited impact unless there is the same emphasis on the quality of frontline personnel. This means not only recruiting the right people but also ensuring they are properly trained, and finding ways to keep them engaged and motivated. ASG embraces this human resources approach. The firm constantly recruits for positions across markets to add to its already sizeable employee base. ASG uses traditional channels like CareerBuilder and Monster.com, and contract placement providers for higher level positions.

“We are fortunate our managers are very well connected from an industry standpoint, and their relationships allow us to identify and recruit exceptional talent at a very low cost,” says Nuccio. “From an employer standpoint the market has never been better than it is today. The qualities important to ASG are personal integrity, experience and work ethic, among others.”

Once an associate is onboard, the company offers several avenues of additional training, including reimbursement for individual classes, college credit courses, continuing education unit courses, seminars, certification classes and tests, preparatory or review classes, and licensing fees and examinations.

“Employee training is a priority at ASG and we encourage and support the pursuit of higher education and personal development,” says Aggie Hassan, vice president of HR. “All required training to maintain professional licensing is arranged and paid for by the company.”

To help keep its staff motivated, ASG goes out of its way to recognize and reward superior performance and loyalty. Employees are saluted in the company’s quarterly newsletter with compliments from customers and coworkers. ASG’s President’s Cup Challenge promotes high achievement for sales, management and operations personnel to earn a trip to a tropical destination. And key positions in sales, operations and general management are incentivized with bonus plans for exemplary performance.

Thinking Big Picture

The motivation theme dovetails nicely with the concept of giving back to the community. One of the great values in participating and supporting such endeavors is the positive impression it creates both internally and externally. ASG has progressively developed its efforts in this area since 2002 to the point of winning 2008’s SAMMY Award for Best Community Service Program.

“ASG employees passionately practice volunteerism in the local communities we serve,” says Ryan. “Across the board, our team members use their time, skills and passion to help those in need. We believe volunteerism and charitable contributions strengthen our communities by building networks of hope and trust.”

Many employees participate in a variety of community-focused events, including holiday adopt-a-family, school supply drives, blood drives, Habitat for Humanity and others. In addition to making sizeable financial contributions to charities, ASG routinely gives employees paid time off for philanthropic activities.

While the core of ASG’s strength lies in its concentration on conducting business locally, its leadership understands the importance of reaching out to the entire industry. The company is active in trade associations such as the Electronic Security Association (ESA) and Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA), and contributes toward legislative and other important causes.

“ASG is committed to making positive contributions for the advancement of the electronic security industry. We believe in the importance of working side by side with other industry leaders, including our competitors, to tackle common issues that confront all companies as well as sharing our knowledge to help foster growth of the industry as a whole,” says Nuccio, who like others within ASG regularly speak at industry functions.

In sum, Installer of the Year ASG Security has the complete package. So much so the company appears virtually impervious to the whims of economy, posting its best year ever in 2009. As Nuccio explains, it’s no accident — it is the result of playing both smart and tough.

“Deals were scarcer than in better times and each and every deal won was a hard-fought victory,” he says. “We are fortunate that every year since 2002 has been our best year ever. When times are tough we simply refocus on the basics of the business.”

2010 SAMMY Awards Gallery

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 23:58:12 GMT

This gallery contains photos from the 2010 SAMMY Awards ceremony, held at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas on the eve of ISC West (March 23). Click here to view.

Brand Awareness Helps Conservative Company Flourish

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Wed, 26 May 2010 21:26:56 GMT

Atronic Alarms

Best Display Advertisement

Practical Gifts Keep Clients Happy

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Wed, 26 May 2010 21:25:17 GMT

The Protection Bureau

Best Promotional Giveaway Item

JCI Web Site Aims to Raise Systems Integration Profile

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Wed, 26 May 2010 21:23:28 GMT

Johnson Controls
Best Web Site Design

Regular Communications Maintain Customer Connections

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Wed, 26 May 2010 21:20:09 GMT

SecurTek Monitoring Solutions

Best Newsletter

Don’t Underestimate the Payback of Giving Back

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Wed, 26 May 2010 21:18:04 GMT

Stanley Convergent Security Solutions

Best Community Outreach Program

Vehicle Graphics Design Is No Idle Mission

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Wed, 26 May 2010 21:15:51 GMT

Smith & Wesson Security Services
Best Vehicle Graphics Design
sponsored by ESA

After taking home the SAMMY for Best Overall Integrated Marketing Campaign in 2009, Smith & Wesson Security Services found itself back in the limelight this year with its winning vehicle graphics design entry.

As with all Smith & Wesson Security Services promotional efforts, a great deal of care went into creating a vehicle graphics design worthy of incorporating and upholding the integrity of a 157-year-old iconic brand.

“What we tell our dealers is you are not selling a product, you are selling an image,” says Wayne Wahrsager, president of New York Merchants Protective Co. Inc., which is licensed to design and market Smith & Wesson-branded security systems. “The brand recognition and the image is ultimately the most important thing that the dealer can convey to the customer.”

With the help of a graphics artist contractor, several design prototypes were deliberated and drafted. Eventually, four work vans were wrapped in the individual design variations and driven to a bustling shopping mall in Garden City, N.Y., to be scrutinized during consumer focus group sessions.

“We hired a market research firm and they did a brand awareness study. People rated the vehicles on what they liked and what they perceived. What you see is the winning entry,” Wahrsager says.

If you’re a company owner considering a vehicle graphics design makeover, consider: “We found that less is more. The versions of the graphic that didn’t work were the ones with too much on the vehicle — too much information, too many distracting graphical elements,” Wahrsager says.

Along with the dealer company contact information, the minimalist design incorporates the Smith & Wesson Security Services logo and four succinct bullet points: Burglary, Fire, Carbon Monoxide and 24-Hour Monitoring. Exuding peace of mind was an important element in the vehicle graphics design as well.

“We are not looking to make this something that is driven by fear. This is a very clean, respectable branding,” says Wahrsager.

Spreading the Security Message With Radio

Security Sales & Integration Magazine — Wed, 26 May 2010 21:12:50 GMT

Vector Security

Best Broadcast Advertisement