Security Sales & Integration April 2023 - 6

Between Us Pros
scott.goldfine@emeraldx.com | @SSIeditor
Cyber Cited for
Future Success
I asked each
of this year's
honorees: If you
were freshly
approaching
getting into the
field of security
and pondering
how to map out
a rewarding
career, what
tactics would
you emphasize?
▶ LAST MONTH, I once again had the honor
and enriching experience of probing the minds
of some of the sharpest cookies to ever reap their
fortunes - professionally and often financially
too - in security. Since its 2004 inception, administrating
the SSI Industry Hall of Fame has
afforded me the privilege of getting deeply acquainted
with the fascinating - sometimes astounding
- careers, accomplishments and lives
of those special people annually chosen for enshrinement.
I appreciate the opportunity to learn
more about these unique individuals, harvesting
the best ideas and insights from an institution
that has grown to in excess of 100 of the most talented,
passionate and successful practitioners to
ever toil within the realm of electronic security.
Theirs are the legacies of the entire channel -
from suppliers to dealers/integrators to monitoring
centers to technology innovators to business
and entrepreneurship. While it's impractical to
enlist all the living Hall members as mentors,
your humble messenger is here to offer the next
best thing. I asked each of this year's honorees:
If you were freshly approaching getting into the
field of security and pondering how to map out
a rewarding career, what tactics would you emphasize?
A common thread referenced almost
universally ties into this month's issue theme:
cybersecurity.
Editor-in-Chief and
Associate Publisher Scott
Goldfine, an Industry Hall
of Famer, has spent 25
years with SSI.
6
" The world has become an on-demand, instantaneous
results-driven world; and our industry
is no different. We have to develop technologies
that allow our customers to quickly react to any
threat. Historically, security has been viewed as a
slow-moving industry; however, I believe it has
advanced quickly to support today's climate. The
ability to drive synergies between sectors will play
a crucial role. Personally, if I were to break in today,
I would focus on a specific part of the industry,
areas that are growing rapidly and are crucial
to its success, such as cybersecurity or data analytics.
Both are critical to the industry and will allow
you to be impactful to whatever solution you are
driving. " - Maria Cambria, Teledyne FLIR
" I would get a sound technical grounding in
Security Sales & Integration APRIL 2023
electronics, networking and cybersecurity. Also,
I would look to connect with a top-flight integrator
to learn the craft and the market from the
ground up across many different installations.
This creates a firm basis for moving into any other
sector of the industry. This leads directly into
highlighting the need in the industry for such
people, opening a wide door for women, minorities
and skilled veterans. " - Ray Coulombe,
SecuritySpecifiers
" I would start by identifying exceptional talent.
The leading challenge facing electronic security/fire
systems providers today relates to how
to effectively identify, recruit, upskill and keep
talented employees. I'd push all the industry associations
to work faster to develop compelling
career pathways for prospective employees that
align specific curriculum with each step of any
career journey within the industry. That careers
roadmap would describe how progression along
the pathways could lead to pay raises, promotions
and individual progress. Second, I would
want to leverage truly independent third-party
evaluations of products to ascertain their level
of cybersecurity readiness. Third, I would work
with partners who have a reputation for putting
ethical behavior into practice when it comes to
the application of security technology such as facial
recognition. " - Don Erickson, SIA
" I would look at where I could get access to
a target audience, with an existing relationship
where my product makes sense to couple and/or
it adds reciprocal value to each other and the customer.
I think [ADT's partnerships with] State
Farm and Google are two great examples of that. "
- Jamie Haenggi, ADT Solar
" The way you break into any industry largely
depends on the amount of money you have to do
so. It's like the age-old question: 'How big is the
universe?' However, assuming this was a smaller
organization that wanted to do a traditional startup,
I would focus on a niche market like fire, heavy
commercial, high-end residential/AV, access control
or video. I would not want to compete in the
traditional residential or commercial sales arena. "
- Morgan Hertel, Rapid Response Monitoring
" I would find a program that could educate
dealers from point A to point Z. I would find
an adequate funding source. I would become involved
in alarm associations. And I would take a
class on how to be organized and prioritize time
management. " - Jim Wooster, AFS
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Security Sales & Integration April 2023

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