“Global Access Solutions is a great business with dedicated, customer-focused teams, and we look forward to watching its continued growth under the ownership of Honeywell,” stated Carrier Chairman & CEO David Gitlin. “The transaction, together with the planned exits of our Industrial Fire, Residential and Commercial Fire and Commercial Refrigeration cabinet businesses, will accelerate our growth strategy and focus, positioning Carrier to deliver higher growth and superior shareholder value and further reinforcing our track record of performing while transforming.”

Carrier expects net proceeds from the transaction to be approximately $4 billion and intends to use the proceeds to pay down debt. The company anticipates resuming share repurchases as soon as its net leverage returns to approximately 2x EBITDA.

Honeywell said the acquisition, which includes both hardware and software solutions, further supports its recently announced plans to align its portfolio to three megatrends: automation, the future of aviation and energy transition, underpinned by robust digitalization capabilities and solutions. The Global Access Solutions business will enhance Honeywell Building Technologies’ business model of leading with high-value products that are critical for buildings, the company said.

“Honeywell’s strong track record delivering building automation products and services makes this a natural fit that will create a leading security platform with forecasted annual revenue in excess of $1 billion,” said Vimal Kapur, CEO, Honeywell. “By leveraging the capabilities of the combined company’s advanced security and safety systems, customers will be able to maximize their performance, efficiency and cost-effectiveness and create long-term, sustainable value.”

The proposed sale is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. It is expected to close before the end of Q3 2024.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC are serving as financial advisor to Carrier. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP and Linklaters LLP are providing external legal counsel.

Evercore Inc. is serving as financial advisor to Honeywell. Skadden, Arps Slate, Meagher & Flom, Simmons & Simmons and Womble Bond Dickinson are providing external legal counsel. //

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“This is a huge moment for Everon, and we’re so excited that we get to share it with the very talented employees and leaders at Newtech Systems as we welcome them to our organization,” said Dan Bresingham, CEO. “We’ve said that Everon will be about growth — growth in our capabilities, in our people, and in our service area — all with the goal of serving our commercial customers better and more completely. And today’s news proves that. For nearly half a century, the leaders at Newtech have proven to have the same appetite for excellence that we do, and we’re looking forward to continued success alongside them across the region and market.”

A family owned and operated business established in 2006 with a history that dates back to 1954, Newtech Systems has solidified its reputation as one of the leading and most respected systems integrators in the region, according to the announcement. Along with its headquarters, the company operates additional offices in Lexington, Ky.; Columbus, Ohio; Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Dunbar, W.V.

Newtech Systems offers a comprehensive portfolio of services and solutions to commercial environments, including expertise in video surveillance, access control, intrusion detection, healthcare communications and fire alarm systems.

“At Newtech, our commitment to our customers is what drives us, and we recognize that same drive in Everon,” said Tom Kibler, vice president and general manager, Newtech Systems. “We’re excited to grow our expertise and reach in the region as part of Everon, and continue building on that culture of trust that we’ve been developing over decades.”

Everon was built over the last decade by some of the most trusted names in commercial security. In that time, teams remained focused on providing comprehensive, scalable solutions to address the unique needs of mid-market, national and large-scale organizations, and established a new industry standard for customer-driven service excellence and delivery. //

“From our first meeting, the discussion with Pye-Barker centered around our people and our customers and having a strong commitment to do what we say we're going to do. These values and their commitment to be the best are identical to ours and ones we have worked to provide our customers over the last 35+ years,” Fox said.

“Finding the right partner who will maintain our legacy was more important than the dollars received. We're thrilled to be aligned with a 77-year-old service company that really cares," Price said.

The Rama family of Sonitrol South Carolina echoed these thoughts, stating, “Sonitrol has been a part of our family for three generations, and this will remain true. We know that our family of dedicated employees will be cared for by Pye-Barker,” said Alan Rama , owner, who will stay on with Pye-Barker.

“Our success is rooted in our commitment to our customers and our employees. I am confident that our decision to merge with a like-minded company is the right choice for continued growth,” added John Rama.

Fox and Price from Sonitrol of the Carolinas and the Ramas from Sonitrol South Carolina will remain on the Pye-Barker team to help drive market share and continue to serve customers in their respective markets.

“We are proud to bring on these growth-minded and values-oriented teams to be part of Pye-Barker,” said Pye-Barker CEO Bart Proctor. “These additions support our vision to become the single-source provider of integrated fire protection and security services in every community.” //

“As I watch my children grow, my instinct to protect them grows too,” Murray said. “Their safety is the most important thing to me. Like most parents, we make an effort to talk about safety with our kids, but so often, it’s hard to know where to begin. I’m joining LenelS2 and the On the Safe Side program to help provide parents with the tools they need to feel more comfortable approaching the topic. These resources are essential to help start the conversation and spark change.”

Schools often have limited means and funds available to help safeguard their facilities from threats other than fire. As part of On the Safe Side, LenelS2 has developed tools for administrators to help them navigate the government funding process and bring in physical security features for their facilities. Additionally, the company has developed a conversation guide, in consultation with National PTA, to help parents and caregivers understand how to discuss school security with their children and schools.

“National PTA and LenelS2 hold a shared urgency to make our schools safer,” said Yvonne Johnson, president of National PTA. “Schools should be a safe place, and parents should not have to fear sending their children to school. We appreciate the opportunity to work with LenelS2 in empowering families and administrators with On the Safe Side resources. Collaboration between families and schools is critical to addressing the school safety issues our country continues to face.”

To launch the program and encourage action, LenelS2 and Murray have developed a video about the importance of school safety and security education. Issues facing schools today are different than when parents were students themselves, the nostalgia-inspired video empowers parents to have more meaningful conversations about school security so that everyone can rally behind the cause, according to the announcement.

LenelS2’s advanced security solutions are deployed in K-12 schools and universities across the U.S. To further bolster the safety of educational institutions, the company said it will donate a security system to a district in need and is offering special pricing and discounts available to K-12 schools nationally through the end of September 2024. //

For Boulgarides, joining Security-Net provides him with the opportunity to share best practices with fellow members, along with the ability to provide customers with access to top-level systems integration support outside of Los Angeles using the network of partners.

“Our employees have a unique mix of experience in both guarding and security system installation,” Boulgarides said. “Because we understand how our customers will use the products we install, we are uniquely positioned to help our clients with their global security needs.”

With Boulgarides and Ollivier Managed Security joining Security-Net, members of Security-Net gain additional expertise in monitoring and managed services, along with important coverage in the Southern California market.

“As an organization we are continuously looking for new members to join Security-Net who have their finger on the pulse of the latest security industry technology trends and who can provide important geographical reach for national account customers,” said Bill Hogan, president and CEO of D/A Central, a Security-Net member who was instrumental in recruiting Boulgarides to join the group. “Louis Boulgarides and his business, Ollivier Managed Security, is clearly leading the way in both of these areas.”

Boulgarides’ journey in the security industry began three decades ago. He has spent two decades focused on the guarding aspect of the business and previously served as the senior regional vice president at Allied Universal with their guarding division, before transitioning to president of their systems integration division. Five years ago he purchased Ollivier Managed Security after working for the company for three years.

Security-Net currently has 18 members with an extensive geographical footprint to serve customers throughout the United States, Canada and internationally. Together, members share best practices, including technical knowledge and training initiatives, and partner on customer projects that extend beyond a company’s geographic reach to ensure national account-level service. //

“CertaSite is a company that I trust because they share my values and code of ethics for saving lives and protecting property,” said Allied owner Bart Dixon. “With CertaSite, we have a unique opportunity to blend our knowledge base with a technology-based platform that offers new product lines, is professional and rooted in best practices, and provides significant value for customers.”

With more than 50 years of presence in the area, Allied’s reputation will allow it to grow under CertaSite within its current customer base and expand in new markets. All of Allied’s employees retained their jobs in the acquisition to join the CertaSite family.

“We are grateful to Bart and the entire Allied family for their continued partnership throughout this process,” said Jeff Wyatt, CEO of CertaSite. “We are committed to preserving the legacy these dedicated professionals built and recognize and respect their strong local presence.”

With the addition of Allied Safety Services, CertaSite has acquired 23 fire protection and life safety companies throughout the Midwest. //

“SIA is thrilled to launch the third year of the Women in Security Forum Power 100 program — a hallmark WISF initiative that honors the inspiring women leading, innovating and transforming our industry,” said Don Erickson, SIA CEO. “We encourage all SIA members and the global security community to submit nominations and help us identify and recognize the exceptional women leaders in their organizations.”

The Power 100 recognition program recognizes women in security who model leadership, inspire others and shape and transform the industry. The 2024 SIA WISF Power 100 honorees will be announced on International Women’s Day on March 8. Honorees will be invited to and recognized at a special SIA Women in Security Forum event at ISC West 2024.

“The Power 100 has been working tirelessly through collaboration as opposed to competition,” said Alice DiSanto, SIA WISF chair. “These women have pushed boundaries and represent champions of change. Together, the collective shines brighter to illuminate the possibilities and inspire other women to pursue leadership within the security industry.”

Power 100 nominations are reviewed by the WISF AmplifiHER Subcommittee and evaluated on the criteria of quality of response, significance of achievement(s) and positive impact towards innovation, leadership and/or diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. //

Paul was recognized at the event on Nov. 14, 2023, for assisting an individual in need and saving their life. While on shift at Allied Universal’s client State Farm Park in Illinois, Paul helped a State Farm employee who collapsed from cardiac arrest by administering CPR while another worker administered an AED (automated external defibrillator). He credits his swift call to action to his military and first aid training that resulted in saving the individual’s life.

“Today, I am profoundly inspired by the heroism displayed by our dedicated security professional who, in a moment of crisis, went beyond the call of duty,” said Steve Jones, global chairman and CEO of Allied Universal. “In saving a life through CPR, Mark Paul reminds us that our commitment to safety extends far beyond the confines of our roles. This heroic act serves as a testament to the unwavering dedication of our team and underscores the values that define our company. We are immensely proud to have such exceptional individuals on our team, embodying the essence of true heroes.”

The American Red Cross Evening of the Stars event is a fundraising event that helps provide essential support to the families that the Red Cross serves and during this event local central Illinois heroes were recognized for their heroic actions. //

“We are extremely pleased to enter into a partnership with Convergint. It provides new and existing Convergint customers with access to ASTRA’s video anomaly detection and the impressive benefits it offers,” said Jordan Heilweil, Active Intelligence’s chief revenue officer. “Convergint’s support of ASTRA lends testimony to its proof of performance for deployment in a wide range of applications across multiple markets.”

ASTRA is billed as delivering real-time AI-enabled anomaly detection without any bias or human judgment for security, safety, compliance and commercial/industrial applications. The solution allows for hundreds of video streams to efficiently run on modest hardware, significantly reducing the cost of implementation compared to conventional video analytics software. The application also has minimal impact on the user’s network, according to the announcement.

ASTRA integrates with the industry’s leading video management system (VMS) platforms, including Milestone XProtect, Genetec Security Center and Qognify Ocularis, requiring minimal operator training and leveraging the existing VMS GUI. //

The mission of Public-Private Partnership Day is to foster and support the development of strong, robust and enduring partnerships between the public safety community and the private security professions. A shining example of such a partnership is the New York City Police Department (NYPD) SHIELD program, a public-private partnership liaison program between the NYPD and New York City’s private and public sectors that has been instrumental in the fight against terrorism and criminal activity. The program has led to significant improvements in public safety and has become a model for similar programs globally.

Through these partnerships, leaders in the private security profession can collaborate with the leaders of the law enforcement and public safety community, and vice-versa. The result of this collaboration and knowledge-sharing has significantly improved the level of safety, security and protection of people, property and information. Building and maintaining strong public-private partnership programs is essential in fighting the ever-increasing onslaught of all global criminal activity, from theft, to terrorism, to massive and crippling cyber-attacks.

Leaders from the IACP, the NSA and ASIS are committed to making Public-Private Partnership Day a meaningful day of recognition to showcase effective partnerships worldwide. The upcoming inaugural Partnership Day will forge a strong foundation and serve as an incentive for new and enhanced partnerships. //