SDM Senior Editor Rodney Bosch walked the GSX 2023 exhibits at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center during the first two days and witnessed mostly crowded aisles and busy show booths, with attendees and exhibitors alike giving a thumbs up to the pervasive energy in the hall. Go here to check out an image gallery with a sampling of technology and product highlights seen on the show floor.

GSX 2023 kicked-off with a 9/11 commemoration and keynote presentation by Radek Sikorski, a current member of the European Parliament. His presentation, titled “Securing Democracy Worldwide: Why We Must Win,” discussed the threat Putin poses not only to Ukraine, but also to Poland, Europe and democracy at large. Sikorski urged both the European Union and the United States to support the efforts in Ukraine.

Former president George W. Bush led off Day 2’s agenda with a general session, during which he discussed his time in office, conflict abroad and the 9/11 attacks. Bush also shared his thoughts on the most pressing issues facing the U.S. today, as well as the effectiveness a president can have when dealing with those issues.

The final day of GSX celebrated Military and Law Enforcement Appreciation Day and featured former CIA Officer and FBI Special Agent Tracy Walder. In her keynote address, Walder identified what she sees as the three most urgent threats facing the U.S.: fragile states, China and domestic terrorism.

GSX 2023 offered nearly 220 education sessions over the three-day event, including a number of “speed learning” sessions, such as the X Stage, which featured cutting-edge solutions that actively shape the future of the security professional. The UnCrewed U Stage offered 14 short, 20-minute sessions and product demos of the latest uncrewed aircraft platforms, counter UAS systems and ground-based robots. The Cybersecurity Pavilion addressed topics ranging from the convergence between physical and cybersecurity to artificial intelligence. — By SDM Senior Editor Rodney Bosch //

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According to the announcement, the Everon brand will be connected to the company’s go-forward strategy, rooted in a deep dedication to customer service, the technological expertise and a willingness to innovate. Everon will evolve to better respond to the security, fire and life safety needs of commercial environments.

“The Everon brand will intersect our core values of experience, excellence and innovation,” said Beth Tarnoff, chief marketing officer. “The brand inspires confidence in our consistency as a full service security partner. We’re always ‘on’, and ever innovating to meet our customers’ needs now and in the future.”

The new logo will convey a sense of drive, purpose, and momentum, according to the announcement. The modernized brand presence is in sync with the company’s vision to become a transformative, technology-driven commercial integrator. Everon will be focused on investing in growth through strategic M&A, expanding its portfolio of best-in-class solutions, solidifying its reputation for service excellence and reaffirming the company’s dedication to exploring innovative technologies primed to revolutionize the industry.

“As we look toward the future, we want customers to know we’re in this with them, and can adapt to meet their needs and respond to new challenges,” Bresingham said .

“We’re excited for this reintroduction to the industry,” he continued. “This is Everon. We’re performance and relationship-driven. We’re ever leading the way, fully committed to serving our customers to the highest standard of quality, and we’re ready to break new ground in the commercial security industry.” //

Due to efforts led by the Security Industry Association (SIA) with support from industry partners, the California bill’s measures specifically exclude alarm and fire protection systems, which cover electronic products provided by security and life safety manufacturers.

While such products were not intended to be targeted, the lack of specific exclusions in the measure originally introduced would have put the functional integrity and cybersecurity of security and life safety systems, and the lives of those who depend on them, at risk by forcing manufacturers to make sensitive technical information and other means of compromising systems broadly available.

In an announcement, SIA applauded the bill’s author, state Sen. Susan Eggman (D-Stockton), and the California state legislature for acknowledging these concerns and adding provisions early in the legislative process to clearly and thoroughly protect the integrity of these products and the obligations of the industry to its customers.

“Reasonable public policy prevailed in California due to the leadership of Sen. Eggman and the SIA government relations team and industry partners,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “The message has been clear for some time — right to repair legislation has the potential to create real risks to consumers if applied too broadly. With careful deliberation and thoughtful policymaking by California leaders, we hope these concerns will continue to be taken seriously in any jurisdiction considering similar legislation.”

Notably, all three states enacting right to repair legislation so far have included provisions that exclude security products.

While SIA is supportive of finding effective ways to extend the life of consumer electronics and reduce electronic waste, the association said it will continue to work with industry leaders, allied organizations and policymakers across the country to address risks to public safety posed by legislation that does not adequately protect security and life safety systems. //

“Securitech’s focus on innovative, high-security locking solutions fills several gaps in our existing door hardware portfolio and I'm excited for them to be part of ASSA ABLOY,” said Lucas Boselli, executive vice president of ASSA ABLOY and head of the Americas division. “This acquisition provides a great opportunity for us to further enhance our core offering to education, critical infrastructure, government, behavioral health, and other high-security markets.”

In a LinkedIn post, Securitech President Mark Berger said the being acquired by ASSA ABLOY will allow the company to deliver its wares to “many, many more people who will benefit from our great innovations.”

He continued, “We’ve worked with this organization since their first U.S. acquisition (Arrow, which was a supplier) and have watched them grow. Their culture and values fit perfectly with Securitech and I have had the honor of working alongside some great people from their team in my BHMA, DHI, ASIS & PASS volunteer activities.”

Securitech’s sales amounted to around $16 million in 2022 and the acquisition will be accretive to earnings per share from the start, according to the announcement. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. //

Understanding spectators’ perceptions of safety and security practices and concerns while attending events can help venue and event directors plan thusly to ensure the optimal spectator experience, according to NCS4.

The report outlines the results of the study in the following sections: Participant Demographics and Attendance Habits; Perceptions of Safety and Security Practices, Technologies, and Industry Threats; and Perceptions of Fan Behavior and the Spectator Experience. Industry recommendations are also provided.

“We are pleased with the research output and hope sport venue and event security professionals and technology solution providers find value in the results,” said Dr. Stacey A. Hall, NCS4 executive director and professor of sport management.

Among key findings from the 400 survey participants noted in the report:

• 31.6 percent indicated that security procedures entering the event negatively affected their experience.
• 69.3 percent (agreed/strongly agreed) consider safety and security measures when attending a sporting event, and 73 percent (agreed/strongly agreed) prefer visible security measures.
• Approximately two-thirds of participants trust the venue’s measures to protect them from active shooters, vehicle ramming incidents and Personal Identifiable Information (PII) breaches.
• Participants highly supported venue security staff presence, law enforcement presence, walk-through screening detection technologies, security wands, visible security cameras and designated entry gates.

The NCS4 administers the spectator survey every two years to investigate the general perceptions of industry safety and security practices and the potential impact of related current events among sports spectators.

To view and download the full report, go here. //

Based in Nashville, Guardian provides complete design, installation, service and preventative maintenance solutions for all major access control systems, including commercial gates, overhead doors, parking systems and video surveillance services.

Guardian serves a diverse base of commercial and high-net-worth residential customers across the Southeastern U.S., with current locations in Atlanta, Orlando, Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville. Under BMC's ownership, Guardian experienced rapid growth through key organic initiatives, in addition to executing on an established M&A playbook, including three complementary acquisitions since 2021 within the highly fragmented access control industry.

CenterOak Partners is a private equity firm with a focus on making control-oriented investments in middle-market companies organized or operating in the U.S. The firm specializes in three key industry sectors: industrial growth, consumer and business services.

The acquisition marks a transition into Guardian’s next phase of growth under CenterOak, which will support the company through continued investments in both organic and inorganic growth initiatives as Guardian expands its leading presence in the access control industry throughout the Southeast and nationally. //

Companies on the 2023 Inc. 5000 are ranked by percentage of revenue growth from 2019 to 2022, according to Inc.'s website. The minimum revenue required for 2019 is $100,000; the minimum for 2022 is $2 million.

Chimera Integrations, which ranked no. 70 on SDM’s 2023 Top Systems Integrators (TSI) Report, was founded in 2017 by President Casey White with only one employee. The company has expanded its reach significantly in the past six years, now with additional offices in Rochester, Binghamton, Watertown, Potsdam and Plattsburgh. In addition, the company will be opening a new, advanced headquarters in Syracuse within the coming weeks, according to an announcement.

Chimera serves clients on a national scale, specializing in cannabis systems, cloud-based, AI-driven security, healthcare technology, life safety and smart city technology.

“Reaching this accolade is a testament to the jobs we are creating, the family we are growing, and the communities we are impacting,” White said. “None of this would be possible if it wasn’t for the hard work and dedication the Chimera family brings to the table every day. Our goal is to solve the biggest problems we can that have the largest impact on our communities. It’s that simple.” //

The report, unveiled at GSX 2023 in Dallas, also found that companies anticipate a surge in threats and hazards like social unrest, climate change, fraud and theft. As a result, physical security budgets are predicted to increase significantly to keep people, property and assets safe. Security leaders intend to focus investments on advanced technology and providing security professionals with additional skills and training. Fraud — deception intended to result in gain — is likely to be the biggest external threat over the coming year. The leaking of sensitive information is predicted to be the biggest internal threat. Dangers posed by hackers, protestors, spies and economic criminals are expected to soar.

Commissioned by Allied Universal and its international business, G4S, the World Security Report documents opinions of 1,775 chief security officers (CSO) or those in equivalent positions from 30 countries. Working for large, global companies with a combined annual revenue of more than $20 trillion — a quarter of the world’s gross domestic product, CSO participation was independent and anonymous.

“As the world’s leading security company, we commissioned this report for the benefit of the entire industry and the companies we protect,” said Steve Jones, Allied Universal’s global chairman and CEO. “It comes at a time when organizations across the globe are increasingly navigating more complex security hazards and threats. The research shows the impact of security threats on organizations is multidimensional — from the disruption of productivity to the loss of customers, to the potentially staggering financial impact.”

One in four (25 percent) companies reported a drop in their corporate value following an external or internal security incident during the last 12 months. In addition to CSOs, the report also surveyed 200 global institutional investors to understand the impact of security incidents on the value of publicly traded companies. Investors estimated an average 29 percent drop in stock price in the wake of a significant internal or external security incident in the last 12 months.

“Global businesses are facing increased security threats; a tight labor market globally; and rapidly changing technology that presents new risks and requires different skills,” said Ashley Almanza, executive chairman of G4S, Allied Universal’s international business. “In addition, executive boards are grappling with balancing physical and cybersecurity alongside other priorities. The World Security Report helps our entire industry and the wider business community better understand and operate in the challenging, global and fast-moving security landscape.”

For more key findings from the World Security Report, go here.//

“With his expertise in implementing security strategies into transportation systems, we are excited to welcome Greg Ehrie as our first keynote speaker at ISC East this year,” said ISC Event Vice President Mary Beth Shaughnessy. “Through his insights, security novices and professionals alike will learn how an expansive and multifaceted organization like the Port Authority prioritizes security to protect all its stakeholders. The audience will walk away from his presentation with a better understanding of the local infrastructure they use every day and the steps taken to ensure their security at all levels.”

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey oversees regional transportation infrastructure across the two states. Every day, the Port Authority must leverage the latest innovations in security technologies to operate its systems with the utmost safety and efficiency. Ehrie’s presentation will shed light on the evolving threat landscape and how the Port Authority implements a risk-based, multilayer security approach to protect its employees, customers, and critical transportation assets — including airports, bridges, tunnels, bus terminals, ports and the iconic 16-acre World Trade Center complex.

RX Global’s ISC East, the Northeast’s leading security and public safety event, is hosted in collaboration with premier sponsor the Security Industry Association (SIA) and in partnership with ASIS NYC Chapter.

“The security industry gathers each year at ISC East not only to explore a wide variety of technology solutions on the show floor, but also to unlock expert insights on the most current business trends and latest developments impacting the industry,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “In this year’s expanded three-day ISC East conference program, impactful keynote sessions featuring leaders like Greg Ehrie, combined with more than 30 compelling SIA Education@ISC sessions, will deliver an exceptional content program for ISC East 2023.”

The ASIS NYC Chapter Person of the Year Lunch will also be held at ISC East again. The luncheon will lead off with featured speaker Thomas H. Kean, the former governor of New Jersey and former chair of the 9/11 Commission, on Nov. 15 at noon. The ASIS NYC Chapter will present the Person of the Year Award to Mary Fetchet for her impactful work in the New York City community through her continuous support of the victims and families affected by 9/11.

Fetchet co-founded the nonprofit organization Voices Center for Resilience (VOICES) in 2002 to address the ongoing needs of 9/11 victims and their families. For over 20 years, she has helped foster resilience and healing through VOICES by offering community support services, mental health resources, educational programs and more.

For more event information, go here. //

Founded in 1989, Maximum Security protects businesses and people from security and fire threats through custom automated systems including alarm monitoring, fire detection, HD video surveillance and remote access control.

“The breadth of Pye-Barker’s offerings and services creates learning opportunities for our team and ways to serve not only existing customers but also create new ones, which has our whole team excited,” said Steve Kaufer, Maximum Security owner. “Pye-Barker was our first choice to entrust with our customers and the great team at Maximum. Their honesty, transparency and actions during our transaction assure me that we made the right decision.”

“We’re proud to work alongside the Maximum Security team to expand our service and help protect communities in southern California,” said Bart Proctor, CEO of Pye-Barker. “California has been a strategic focus for Pye-Barker as we add to our robust fire protection offerings in the state to include security and alarm services. As we grow geographically, we’re reminded of our purpose to provide full-service protection to every community.”

Pye-Barker operates more than 170 locations across 40 states. Maximum Security’s team of technicians, sales representatives and administrative staff will continue to serve customers in California. //