The Security Technology Time Machine: Legacy Devices on Display
John Potthast was the first employee of SCI Alarm, South Bend, Ind. He recently retired as the company’s vice president of operations, but not before leaving a big history lesson behind for the company’s next generation of security experts. This photo gallery shows 37 devices commonly used in the 1960s, 70s and 80s that comprise SCI Alarm’s new “museum” collection. The devices were collected by the company throughout its 32 years in operation as its customers upgraded old systems.
“My husband and I started the company in 1981. John was our first and for a while our only employee,” said Karen Kemp, executive vice president of SCI Alarm. Kemp adds that most of the company’s employees have been with the company for many years. With Potthast’s retirement, the company will be looking for the next generation of alarm experts to get ready for the next 30 years.