The 2009 Electronic Security Expo (ESX) conference brought security dealers together for five days in Baltimore, Md., and was host to numerous events. These included the ESX Expo, more than 100 ESX and exhibitor-offered business and technical education sessions, The Next Generation Monitoring Boot Camp, networking events, social events and plenty of awards ceremonies. ESX is owned and sponsored by the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA) and the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA).

The 2009 CSAA Central Station Excellence Awards, co-sponsored by SDM, were announced at a breakfast held during ESX. The winners were:

• Operator of the Year—Jeffrey Karabinos, Vector Security, West Central.

• Manager of the Year — James Riti, DGA Security.

• Central Station of the Year— DGA Security

In addition to the main winners, this year for the first time the CSAA additionally recognized two honorees in each category. Read about all of the winners in the article, “Raising the Bar,” on page 44.

The SDM staff had the pleasure of hosting the fourth annual SDM 100 Gala at the Hilton Baltimore during ESX, with more than 230 people in attendance including professionals from nearly 50 of the SDM 100 ranked companies, along with the Gala sponsors. Attendees were able to spend the evening talking and laughing with friends and acquaintances, meeting new people, and enjoying the dinner and entertainment. Read more about the SDM 100 Gala in September SDM.

The NBFAA hosted the Weinstock and Jackson Awards Reception at ESX. Rick Simpson, vice president of Vector Security and committee chair for the NBFAA Standards Committee, was announced as the winner of the Sara E. Jackson award, which recognizes the NBFAA committee chair who displays outstanding leadership.

“I’m humbled by this award,” Simpson said. “It is an honor to serve in the alarm industry and tackle the unique challenges that it presents every day.”

Ralph Sevinor, founder and president of Wayne Alarm Systems, Lynn, Mass., was announced the winner of the Morris F. Weinstock award. “This award is fantastic for the industry,” Sevinor said. “Our job is to be the stewards of our profession and work to make it continually better for all. The security industry is a family, and it is a great family to be in.”

Michael Stainbrook, a senior at St. Joseph’s Jesuit High School, Toledo, Ohio, and his parents were special guests of the NBFAA at the event. Stainbrook was presented with a check for $10,000 as the national winner of the association’s Youth Scholarship Program, which was founded in 1996 to promote goodwill among the electronic systems industry and police and fire officials by providing college scholarship awards to their deserving sons or daughters.

Ron and Beth Cain were also honored at the event with lifetime membership in the NBFAA following a unanimous vote by the NBFAA to honor their “excellent and meritorious service to the industry.”

Maximum Impact Awards

ESX also announced the winners of its inaugural Maximum Impact Awards (Mia) during the show. The Mias recognize excellence in both new and recently introduced products and services based on their ability to positively impact the business of integration and monitoring companies. Twenty-one companies entered 27 products and services for the inaugural 2009 edition of the program.

These are the 2009 winners, by product category:

• Access Control Systems: Badging/ID Systems & Badges: DMP - Digital Monitoring Products, Entre’ Access & Security Management Software

• Access Control/ID Systems: Biometrics: e-DATA Corporation, Fingerprint Key

• Accessories & Aids: Power Supplies & Batteries: Altronix, ReServ1

• Alarm Equipment: Alarm Signal Transmission Equipment: AES-IntelliNet, AES-7090 VoIP-TAP

• Alarm Equipment: Fire Alarm Control Panels: Silent Knight by Honeywell, IFP-2000

• Alarm Equipment: Fire/Smoke/Gas Detectors: System Sensor, CO1224T Carbon Monoxide Detector with RealTest

• Alarm Equipment: Intrusion Alarm Control Panels: DMP - Digital Monitoring Products, XT Series Burglary/Fire/Door Access Panel

• Alarm Equipment: Intrusion Sensors/Detectors: Videofied - RSI Video Technologies, Videofied Remote Outdoor Sentries

• Alarm Equipment: Wireless Alarm Systems: Videofied - RSI Video Technologies, Videofied XL Intrusion Alarm: 2-way voice over GSM

• Central Station Equipment: Central Station Software: Bold Technologies, Ltd., Bold MediGateway

• Central Station Equipment: Remote Video Monitoring Equipment/Software: SureView Systems, Immix

• Services: Alarm Monitoring: Emergency 24, Personal Emergency Response Service (PERS)

• Services: Dealer Financial Services: SedonaOffice (from Perennial Software), SedonaOffice V5.2 from Perennial Software

• Services: Dealer Marketing Services: Emergency 24, Free Customized Marketing Pieces to Help Dealers Launch its PERS

• Services: Security as a Service (SaaS): Connected Technologies, Connect ONE

• Services: Wireless Telecommunication Services: Honeywell Security, Total Connect

• Video Surveillance: Cameras: Axis Communications, AXIS M7001 Video Encoder

“The winning products and services of the 2009 Maximum Impact Awards are truly deserving of this recognition. The winners demonstrated their ability to make a difference to the bottom line for integration and monitoring companies,” said George De Marco, ESX chair.

Other Awards

At the ESX Icebreaker Luncheon, the NBFAA presented Brink’s Home Security and operator Cindy Satterlee with its 2009 First Line of Defense Award in recognition of their quick, life-saving actions in the case of a carbon monoxide alarm that saved a customer’s life. The annual award was designed to publicize emergency response incidents and promote customer awareness of alarm systems.

At the ESX Icebreaker Luncheon, the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC) announced Robert Bonifas, president and CEO of Alarm Detection Systems, Aurora, Ill., as the winner of the 2009 William N. Moody Award for his work dealing with false alarms and more.

“Our biggest problem was getting the industry to understand the false alarm program,” Bonifas said when accepting the award. Showing how seriously he takes alarm management and continued commitment to fighting it by the industry, he also commented that, even after all his years of work on the issue, “We’re halfway there.”

ESX 2010 will take place June 14-18 at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pa. For information visit www.esxweb.com.