You’ve already heard about convergence and saw the 200 PowerPoint presentations from vendors from here – physical security – to there – logical security. But allow me to spin convergence in a better way or two.

The importance of security is, for example, converging with the importance of business. Top executives have caught on. Because of numerous reasons, presidents and chief executive officers of the most influential businesses better know their security operation, its return on investment, and the real need to have professional security using appropriate technology.

A recent indicator: the Washington, D.C.-based Business Roundtable’s deep and growing commitment to security with the naming of Frederick W. Smith, chairman, president and CEO of FedEx Corp. as chairman of the Roundtable’s Security Task Force.

“Companies are better prepared for a terrorist attack today than ever before because CEOs have stepped up to this challenge and made security a top priority in the three years since 9/11,” Smith said. “But improving homeland security is an unending journey, and our members remain committed to strengthening both physical and cyber security to protect our employees, customers and facilities.”

Security as an “unending journey.” Smith knows what he is talking about.

His Security Task Force will work through ways that private and public sectors can partner to improve security. For dealers and systems integrators, check out the Roundtable’s Crisis Communications Toolkit that offers best practices for communicating with employees, customers and neighbors during a crisis.

Business Roundtable (http://www.businessroundtable.org) is an association of chief executive officers of leading corporations with a combined workforce of more than 10 million employees in the United States .

Openness is another convergence strategy.

At the International Security Conferences and the American Society for Industrial Security events this year, officials from the Open Security Exchange (OSE) of Piscataway, N.J., were convincing industry players of the benefits of the open path. OSE is a cross-industry forum to deliver best practices guidelines.

The organization has already issued the first of its kind technical specifications for the convergence of physical and cyber security systems, named PHYSBITS. And the Exchange has actively participated in the launch of the standards committee of the Security Industry Association for data modeling. It also has a white paper to help organizations with the adoption and issuance of strong credentials for their physical and IT systems. Check the Web site www.opensecurityexchange.org/resources.html.

Convergence. It’s a buzz word, of course. But it also has meaning for dealers and systems integrators.

IN THIS ISSUE

Do America’s largest cities have the highest percentage of alarm systems in the workplace? SDM’s research of security usage in the top 30 U.S. cities may surprise you. “Hottest, Coldest Cities for Business Alarms,” on page xx, is the first in a series of stories that spring from national-scale research conducted by SDM, which measures the penetration of security and other electronic and life-safety systems in U.S. homes and businesses.

ONLINE

Did you know that SDM’s web site – www.sdmmag.com – features special reports that can help you quickly find business services and other organizations. New this month is SDM’s online Guide to Authorized Dealer Programs. Becoming an “authorized dealer” can lend stature and credibility to your security dealership, and SDM’s guide can help you evaluate the options. Dozens of programs are highlighted.