At the ongoing ESI Forum and The Electronic Security Association (ESA) Leadership Summit events taking place at the Omni Mandalay at Las Colinas in Irving, Texas, attendees have ample opportunity to celebrate recent achievements as well as ensure more success to come through educational session presented by their peers. The events opened on Monday, Jan. 9 and will wrap up on Friday, Jan 12.

On Tuesday, attendees took some time to applaud the 2012 Best Practice Award Winners at the Forum’s roundtable session.

The unveiled winners included:

Mijac Alarm for the Financial, Legal and Human Capital Management Category

Inner Security Systems Inc. for the New Technology Implementation Category

Pinnacle Security for the Production Management (Design/Installation) Category

Pro-Tech Systems for the Profit-Generating Strategies Category

ASG Security for the Sales and Marketing Management Category

The Best Practice Awards Program recognized outstanding business processes in the electronic security integration industry. A panel of anonymous industry experts selected the winners who received an award and a $500 cash prize. The winners will also be featured in ESA publications and on the ESI Forum website at the conclusion of the events.

The ESA Leadership Awards were presented at the Diamond Awards Dinner on Wednesday night, Jan. 11, 2012. The event was sponsored by Interlogix and held at the Cellar Restaurant and Bar in Irving, Texas. Winners in each category receive a plaque and recognition in ESA publications and the Chapter of the Year received a banner to proudly display at their meetings. This annual awards program acknowledges the contributions of outstanding chapters and individuals who have made a positive impact on the security industry.

This year’s winners were:

2012 Chapter Executive Director of the Year

    Kevin Lehan of the Illinois Electronic Security Association

2012 Chapter President of the Year

    Chet Donati of the Illinois Electronic Alarm Association

2012 Chapter Newsletter of the Year

    Contact Virginia published by the Electronic Security Association of Virginia

2012 NTS Instructor of the Year (in honor of Paul F. Baran)

    Shelton Magnum of the Alabama Alarm Association

2012 NTS Training Coordinator of the Year

    Linda Ferguson of the Utah Alarm Association

2012 Chapter Website of the Year

     Wisconsin Electronic Security Association

2012 Chapter of the Year

    Arizona Alarm Association

During a general session on Wednesday, ESA Executive Director Merlin Guilbeau presented the results from the ESA’s annual study of its members, used to determine the major technology and business practice trends that are driving electronic security integration and monitoring companies. The session, titled, “Electronic Security: MegaTrends,” confirmed much of the data SDM has seen in the research it conducts every year for the “SDM Industry Forecast.” Video is the leading potential revenue source, according to respondents, followed by access and then intrusion. Retail is the No. 1 vertical market expected to see the most growth, followed by office buildings and restaurants, respectively. Respondents also reported 3.3 percent growth in 2011, up from 1.7 percent in 2010.

SDM’s own senior editor, Heather Klotz-Young, moderated the Tuesday general luncheon session, titled, “The ESA Home Integrator — A New Vision for the Residential Market.” She noted that the challenge for the industry is how to best respond and capitalize on all of the new service trends growing in the security industry (interactive services, remote services, video services, etc.) — finding a place where they fit in the company.

The general session’s two speakers, Jim Boots, vice president of Residential Sales and Marketing at ASG Security, Beltsville, Md., and Robert McDonald, the residential manager at Vintage Security, both presented on their companies’ experiences working with and offering some of these new technologies in the changing residential market. They shared details like their company’s sales and marketing approaches and what messages are working. They also gave advice on selling to existing customers, competing with telco and cable companies, how to select products and more. They even let everyone in on how these new services are affecting the bottom line, reducing attrition and adding RMR — giving the audience some tangible numbers to think about.

The ESI Forum and ESA Leadership Summit also emphasize social events to provide attendees with a relaxed environment in which they can network and stimulate dialog on industry trends, successes, concerns and more. While previewing ESX, to be held June 25-29, 2012, George DeMarco announced the keynote speaker would be Kix Brooks of Brooks and Dunn. During a video of Boot Scootin’ Boogie, attendees rushed the stage to join into a line dance.