There is a heightened sense of excitement around the office this week, as SDM’s editors finalize the last few pages of this March issue — our largest issue of the millennium — to prepare it for printing and shipping to you.

You’re the center of attention this month, as ISC West 2007 opens March 28, at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas. (See page 17 in this issue for more information.) Much of what you’ll see at ISC West has been in the works for a year or longer — the most inventive, dealer-friendly products; clever, stimulating exhibits; comprehensive seminars and workshops; and awards programs which help you decipher technology innovation.

SDM and its staff will be immersed in the happenings at ISC West. Here’s some of what we’ll be doing:

• Senior editor, Russ Gager, will be participating as a judge in the Security Industry Association’s New Product Showcase. This is an internationally recognized awards program for innovation in product design. Russ will be spending the better part of two days reviewing and judging a portion of the more than 70 entries. Winners of this unique competition will be announced on March 28 at 3 p.m. on the show floor.


• Russ also will co-present, with the National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association, the First Line of Defense Award. (You may read the winner’s story on page 76 in this issue.). This annual award recognizes and publicizes the effectiveness of electronic security and life safety systems. It will be presented on Thursday, March 29, at the beginning of NBFAA’s Emerging Technology Forum.


• SDM’s contributing technology writer, David Engebretson, will present two seminars during the ISC West conference program: On March 27, from 1– 3 p.m., he will present “Holes in the Fence: Prevention of Security System Breaches of Networked Edge Devices.” On March 29, from 2 – 5 p.m., he will speak about “Network Video Options and Applications.”


• SDM will be represented at two booths on the exhibit floor – please stop and speak to one of the editors, because we are anxious to hear about your experiences at the show, as well as what we can do to help you manage your business with the information we publish. We will be located in booths 12139 and 22142.


• At SmartHome @ISC, we will feature a new resource for our subscribers, SDM SmartHome. This new publication, as well as this show-within-a-show, are targeted to dealers, integrators and installers that are charged with delivering a completely integrated solution to a home. Publisher BNP Media, which publishes SDM, is the official media sponsor of the SmartHome @ISC event.

Finally, with great pleasure I announce that SDM’s Maggie McFadden has been promoted to managing editor of SDM. We were fortunate to have Maggie join our staff in November 2004. She has an undergraduate degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University, and a graduate degree in journalism from the University of Illinois. Maggie takes on the new responsibilities of managing our writers in their production of articles, as well as continues to manage our news and products departments. Again, please visit us at ISC West and introduce yourself to Maggie, letting her know how she can be of service to our industry.

We hope to see many of you at ISC West!