I love learning about what makes successful companies tick, which is why I always say our annual Systems Integrator of the Year (and the upcoming Dealer of the Year) stories are among my favorites to write. Over the years, I have noted there are usually common threads that run through each of the companies who end up winning this award: a solid company culture; fierce dedication to customer service; a forward-thinking technology approach; and a clear company vision. The 2023 Systems Integrator of the Year is no exception to this, but they have some unique and interesting ways of going about it.

What struck me about Pref-Tech’s approach — which they refer to as the Pref-Tech Way — was how against the grain it goes from the some of the common thinking of many security integrators today. For example, Pref-Tech has no particular interest in pursuing RMR, unless specifically asked to do so by a customer.

This attitude goes hand-in-hand with company President Shaun Castillo’s adamant stance that the company will remain private and become a multi-generational company; he is not interested in seeking out RMR just to value his company on a higher multiple.

“Private ownership is key in our time of rapid acquisition activity,” Castillo says. “We have a different focus for this company. We are looking at much longer relationships with customers than many are. We don’t have to satisfy an investor. We can choose to do the right thing for the customer over the long haul, even if that means not making as much money in certain quarters.”

His goal is that his great-grandchildren or those of his employees will still be running the company many years from now. This is quite a departure in this age of acquisition, but Castillo sees this as a benefit for both his employees and his customers.

"I like to do hard things most people don’t do. A lot of entrepreneurs are good at developing idea and selling it in three to seven years. I want to do something very few do and that is to build something that lasts through multiple generations."
— Shaun Castillo, Pref-Tech President

“We are building and structuring the company to hope it makes three or four generations, or a 150-year-old company,” Castillo says. “I like to do hard things most people don’t do. A lot of entrepreneurs are good at developing idea and selling it in three to seven years. I want to do something very few do and that is to build something that lasts through multiple generations.”

Another area where Pref-Tech goes its own way is a big reason this company was awarded this year: It’s dedication to people — especially employees. From a six-step intensive hiring process that starts with a culture fit assessment, to an emphasis on the whole employee inside and outside of work, to its insistence on doing everything in-house using employees (including a recent project in Belize), Pref-Tech’s approach to people demonstrates that not only is it possible to operate this way in this era of workforce shortages, but it can be advantageous and even profitable.

The company started building out its HR department in the last year and plans to hire 60 new employees by the end this year, with an aggressive hiring plan to continue into next year and beyond. Even when it came to opening a new branch in Dallas in September, rather than acquire a similar company there, Pref-Tech asked several existing employees to move and began a local hiring process — all to ensure the company culture will stay solid.

That culture is embodied in Pref-Tech’s core principles, which are Professionalism, Grit, Right, Intelligent thought and Trusted advisors — PGRIT. These ideals are demonstrated daily in everything the company does, and are a guiding vision to get the company to its ultimate goal: to be the most well-respected security company in the world.

The Pref-Tech Way isn’t for everyone, but it provides some food for thought on how sometimes bucking the trends can lead the way to success.