Michael Allen, founder and co-owner of Southern Utah Alarm, Cedar City, Utah, was added as the newest member of IQ Certification’s board of directors. Allen was elected to the board during the company’s annual meeting last December, according to a press release issued last week.

Allen brings with him a wealth of experience gained during a wide-ranging career that has spanned more than two decades, beginning as a central station operator for a Sonitrol dealership in Lexington, Ky. He later went to work for Central Station Security Services in Anaheim, Calif., first as an operator and then as a night shift supervisor, followed by a stint in several capacities for Brinks Home Security. In 1999, Allen joined Tyco (ADT) in Anaheim, where he became a federal systems technician and eventually a lead installer. When he moved over to sister company Sonitrol, he became western region operations manager, overseeing branch operations for three locations.

“I am a firm believer that my customers are the number one reason why I am still in business and treat each one as my only one,” Allen said. “I intend to bring that same dedication and love for the industry to my position on the IQ board.”

The December vote also added Jackie Currier of New York-based Rapid Response Monitoring, who previously served as a board member from 2007 to2008. Deborah Sokol of Monitor Controls, Wallingford, Conn., was elected to another two-year term. Long-time board members Dave Currie of Security Response Center, Sarna, Ontario, Canada, and Gail Schreiner of Alarm Watch, Hunt Valley, Md., are retiring from the board this year. However, they will continue in new non-voting positions as committee chairs for grievance and membership respectively.

Re-appointed as public safety directors were Joseph Benoit of the Greenwich Fire Department, Steven Heggemann of the Baltimore County Alarm Reduction Team, and Matt Schue of the Oklahoma State Department of Health Alarm Division. They will each serve one-year terms.
For more information, visit www.iqcertification.org.