Pamela J. Petrow, president and chief executive officer of Vector Security Inc., is the new president of CSAA International.

“It is an honor and a privilege be able to lead the CSAA during this period of transformation for the alarm industry,” said Petrow. “As president, I will build on our past successes, looking to transition the Association to meet the current and future needs of our members.”

She is the first woman to serve as president of CSAA, which was founded in 1950.

Petrow began her career at Vector Security in 1982. After a series of promotions, she was appointed senior vice president of the Central Stations and Information Services Group in 1997. In 2004, she was promoted to executive vice president, and in 2008, to CEO. She graduated from the Harvard Business School's prestigious Advanced Management Program in 2006. Petrow was appointed president and CEO of Vector in October 2010.

Petrow said that her vision for her term focuses specifically on member engagement and membership value. “My objectives are threefold,” she said. “One, to improve membership value and relevance; two, to help our members position their companies for the future; and three, to grow membership overall.”

Previously, Petrow has held leadership positions in the Pennsylvania Burglar and Fire Alarm Association, Electronic Security Association, and CSAA, where she also co-chaired the education committee and served on the executive committee. She is involved with the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials- International and received its President’s Award in 2009 for her outstanding contributions to the electronic transmission of signals between central stations and 911 dispatch centers. In 2014, she was presented with an Ernst & Young (EY) Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Award in the Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia program.

 “I believe in the power and value of associations, and I also understand the challenges they face in communicating their benefits to members, both current and prospective,” she shared. “We have already begun a review of the structure of CSAA, because our members are diverse and need more customized benefits than they have received in the past. Over my term, CSAA leadership and I will talk to every member to discuss their individual needs and determine how to bring them relevant and valuable benefits.”

Petrow stated that “one of my biggest challenges will be to reawaken enthusiasm and participation among our members. We will discover new ways that every member can make a contribution, to volunteer and share in our association community.”

Petrow has served as CSAA first vice president since October 2013, and was slated to become CSAA president in October 2015. She assumed the presidency early following the change in roles for former president Jay Hauhn, who resigned that position in March to become CSAA’s executive director, and a unanimous vote by the CSAA board of directors. (CSAA second vice president Joe Nuccio, president and CEO of ASG Security, was named first vice president in the same vote. The role of second vice president will be filled at the next election in October.)

 “We must build on our members’ passion and tap into their expertise to improve and advance the whole alarm industry,” shared Petrow.