The winners of SDM’s 2005 Securing America Awards were more difficult than ever to choose because of the high quality of entries.

The awards were only given to those who entered the competition and are not necessarily representative of all the materials produced by the entire industry. Entries were voted on in the March issue of SDM and at the SDM Web site www.sdmmag.com.

Since 1990, the SDM Securing America Awards have singled out the efforts of the industry’s top suppliers to help dealers and integrators sell electronic security solutions more successfully to American consumers and companies.

The mission of the awards is to sustain industry awareness and recognition of imaginative and high-quality marketing tools that present dealers, integrators and the industry at their best to end-users.

WINNER: Best overall Web site – Wheelock Inc. – www.wheelockinc.com

“I felt this site offered a lot of information and support without being congested,” commented NBFAA president Scot Colby. “I also felt

that it was more rounded for life safety.”

MERIT AWARD: Best overall Web site –

Emergency 24 – www.lifecardservices.com

WINNER: Best resources aimed at architects, engineers and specifiers, which support dealer/integrator sales – Honeywell Security – Application Engineering Design CD

“This product allows for assurance of code compliance and also gives a working drawing that is a great tool for education,” Colby noted.

MERIT AWARD: Best resources aimed at architects, engineers, and specifiers, which support dealer/integrator sales – Russound – 2005 Product Guide

WINNER: Best direct mail, target marketing, or marketing support materials aimed at end-users, which support dealer/ integrator sales – First Alert Professional – Fire Safety DVD

“This product deals with life safety (fire) and also gives tips on how to save yourself and ways to prevent fire,” Colby remarked. “This speaks highly of our industry showing we care and are not just in it for the dollar.”

MERIT AWARD: Best direct-mail, target marketing, or marketing support materials aimed at end-users, which support dealer/integrator sales – Wheelock Inc. – Desk pad/counter pad

WINNER: Best end-user sales literature for residential prospects – Russound – 4-fold brochure

“This brochure explains distributed audio/video products clearly to consumers who may not be familiar with this technology,” noted SDM Managing Editor Russ Gager.

MERIT AWARD: Best end-user sales literature for residential prospects – Emergency 24 – LIFEcard Services

MERIT AWARD: Best end-user sales literature for residential prospects – Honeywell Security – Optiflex: The picture perfect security solution

WINNER: Best end-user sales literature for non-residential prospects – Honeywell Security – Corporate Capabilities brochures

“Clearly-written sales literature attractively presented,” Gager summed up.

MERIT AWARD: Best end-user sales literature for non-residential prospects - Honeywell Security – Symphony Touch Screen Interface

WINNER: Best outreach materials aimed at end-users (newsletters, community-assistance programs, industry events), which support dealer/integrator sales – First Alert Professional – Ambassadors for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)

According to Tony Shaddix, NBFAA vice president, Honeywell had good entries that showed interest beyond making a profit.

MERIT AWARD: Best outreach materials aimed at end-users (newsletters, community-assistance programs, industry events), which support dealer/integrator sales – Honeywell Security – FlexGuard: Keep intruders where they belong…outside

WINNER: Most effective false alarm reduction action or program, which supports dealers and integrators – American Response Center – Subscribers’ Guide to Alarm Monitoring

“I felt this product was not as company-oriented as a sales

document would be,” Colby maintained.

MERIT AWARD: Most effective false alarm reduction action or program, which supports dealers and integrators – First Alert Professional – Dealer Development Group On-Demand CD

WINNER: Best manual or online training material for residential end-users – Honeywell Security – Honeywell Structured Wiring: How to Future Proof Your Home

“The importance to the modern home of communication throughout is explained imaginatively to consumers as well as the technical requirements to make it happen,” commented Gager.

WINNER: Best manual or online training material for non-residential end-users – Dedicated Micros – Web-based training (WBT)

“24/7 training is becoming more and more necessary as products become more technologically complex,” stated Gager.

WINNER: Best overall online resources for end-users, which support dealer/integrator sales – GE SecurityPro – GE Security Pro Dealer Support Web site GE-SecurityPro.com

“This site has everything needed for the dealer,” Colby noted. “I also like that the dealer is offered a forum to share trends and knowledge.”

MERIT AWARD: Best overall online resources for end-users, which support dealer/integrator sales – Dedicated Micros – dedicatedmicrosus.com

WINNER: Best online product demonstrations, which support dealer/integrator sales – GE SecurityPro – Redesigned GE-SecurityPro.com

“This is a clean, easy-to-use trainer,” Colby declared. “It not only promotes GE products but the industry as well. GE is also a common name to many consumers.”

MERIT AWARD: Best online product demonstrations, which support dealer/integrator sales – GE Security – GE Smart ConnectionCenter: online tutorial

WINNER: Best online product introductions that support dealer/integrator sales – Bioscrypt Inc. – Needs Assessment Tool

“This takes some of the mystery out of biometrics and sets clear

criteria for their use,” asserted Gager.