Security Sales & Integration March 2023 - 32

SPECIAL REPORT
SSI Hall of Fame Class
of 2023
HALL FAME
INDUSTRY
OF
Why He's on the List
▶ Transformed SIA culture into more responsive,
professional, creative, knowledgeable
and engaged with members and the industry
▶ Helped push through federal legislation,
including President George W. Bush signing
a bill that brought millions of dollars into the
industry through GSA state and local cooperative
purchasing, and President Obama
signing a bill that saved some members
energy efficiency compliance costs
Don Erickson
CEO, Security Industry
Association (SIA)
THE ERICKSON FILE
▶ Born 1972, Bellerose, N.Y.
▶ Youngest of six, father
was an attorney and
mother a homemaker and
staff member at St. John's
University Law School
▶ Married 22 years to wife
Shari, with teenage twin
boys and a daughter
▶ Earned B.A. from The
Catholic University of
America in Washington,
D.C., in 1994
▶ Selected among Most
Influential People in
Security in 2018; received
2010's SIA Chair's Award;
among CEO Mag's 2013
Top Association CEOs
▶ Says if career had taken
another path, " becoming
the Baltimore Orioles' GM
would have been nice! "
▶ Has run some 150
races through the years
including nine marathons
and 16 half-marathons
▶ Other interests include
kayaking, major league
baseball (attended
games at every stadium),
landscaping and reading
biographies
▶ Implemented strategic goal to diversify SIA
membership beyond traditional manufacturers
to include more integrators, product
specifiers, investment firms and students
▶ Under his watch, for the first time, SIA has
experienced 10 straight years of 100 or more
companies becoming members annually
▶ Collaborative approach includes projects
like SecurityLeadHER conference with ASIS;
Foundation for Advancing Security Talent
(FAST) with ESA: Partner Alliance for Safer
Schools (PASS) with NSCA; Security Industry
Cybersecurity Certification (SICC) with PSA
Security and SecuritySpecifiers.com
Keys to Success
" My success is due to the daily contributions
of SIA's professional staff team. These very
talented individuals are incredibly dedicated
to SIA's mission to serve as a 'catalyst for
success.' Secondly is the trust and confidence
placed in me by the SIA Board and members
overall. I appreciate the support our leadership
and membership community provide me to
serve as a temporary steward of this influential
organization. Along the way I have also
learned how to more gracefully accept any
criticism lodged at myself or SIA, consider the
source and reflect on that which is constructive
as opposed to inflammatory or baseless. "
Tools of the Trade Association
" I love the opportunity to represent a broad
community of competitors and partners who
share such an inspiring mission of protecting
people, property and assets. This is an industry
that is very relevant and makes an impact
every day. It is an honor to have a small role
within it. I am motivated by the prospect of
delivering positive experiences and transactions
for an individual or team in terms of SIA
members being recognized for their expertise,
32
Security Sales & Integration MARCH 2023
gaining visibility for their company, assuming
a leadership role or making new connections
that can influence sales opportunities. I am
fulfilled in my role of helping SIA perform and
succeed as an extension of the members. "
When SIA Got Cyber Into Sights
" I recall in 2008 recommending to one of our
committees chairs that SIA should offer more
thought leadership and recommended practices
for cyber hygiene by solutions providers. At
the time, executives such as Jorge Lozano were
among the early advocates for SIA to become
more of a cyber leader. We didn't do enough
over the years but noticed how hard Jorge,
Andrew Lanning, Chris Peckham and Bill Bozeman
pushed the industry repeatedly to act in
this area. Today, we offer a SIA cybersecurity
certification and nearly every industry conference
has some content related to cybersecurity
learning. Although investment in enhanced
cyber practices by companies is ongoing, the
industry overall has made important strides in
elevating the cyber posture of its offerings. "
Erickson has run 140-150 races through
the years, including nine marathons and 16
half-marathons. He tries to run five times weekly.
Remembering a Memorable Memo
" Prior to SIA, I was a legislative staff member
to U.S. Senator Rod Grams of Minnesota, a
strong proponent of gun owner rights. In an
ill-advised attempt to moderate his position,
I drafted a memo with recommended talking
points to use during a live media interview.
While reading it on air, Grams shook his head
several times, frowned and scribbled a note.
After receiving it back following the interview,
his comment read, 'Who wrote this s**t?!'
Needless to say, going forward my memos
were proofed before they reached his desk. "
securitysales.com
2023
http://www.SecuritySpecifiers.com http://www.securitysales.com
Security Sales & Integration March 2023

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