Guardian Protection Services operates its Authorized Dealer Program with the very same values and adherence to company culture as its own employees experience within the company. This was evident during Guardian’s 2015 Partner Conference, held in April at The Wynn, Las Vegas, which was attended by 28 of the 40 authorized dealer companies in the program. The conference gave these dealers an opportunity to learn more about the program as well as market opportunities and industry trends. They met with Guardian’s senior executives, exchanged ideas and solidified plans, as well as networked with other dealers. A golf outing was held and the conference culminated in an elegant awards banquet.

“When I visited Guardian’s offices, I saw the same culture that I have at our company. I saw employees who had been there forever, who look at Guardian as if it was theirs — and it reminded me a lot of my company, where I want it to be,” said Edwin Arroyave, president and CEO of Los Angeles-based Skyline Security Management. “…I felt they could mentor us to where we want to go. I loved the big-company, but small-company feel to it.”

Skyline Security won both the Rookie of the Year Award and the No. 1 in Production Award at the banquet.

Brian Helt, vice president of Guardian’s Authorized Dealer Program, led the banquet’s festivities, which included five random drawings for cash prizes of $1,000 each; as well as awards related to the golf outing.

But the coveted performance awards were the highlight of the evening and included the following:

• Highest average credit score, awarded to Kansas City Security Systems Inc., Overland Park, Kansas.
• Highest average selling price, awarded to Spectracom Inc., Pennsauken, N.J.
• Highest 60-month agreement percentage, awarded to AMP Security LLC, American Fork, Utah.
• Highest auto-pay percentage, awarded to Skyline Security Management, Los Angeles.
• Highest average RMR, awarded to AMP Security LLC.
• Lowest chargeback percentage, awarded to Kansas City Security Systems Inc.
• Production Awards were also given to AMP Security, USAlarms LLC, Baton Rouge, La., Safe N Sound Inc., Canton, Ohio, and Ranger Technology Solutions, Frisco, Texas.
• Rookie of the Year, award to Skyline Security Management.
• Executive Award, to Beth Giles, Ranger Technology Solutions.
• President’s Award, to AMP Security LLC.

“Over the last four years we’ve sold Guardian nearly 25,000 accounts,” related Allen Bolen, CEO of AMP Security LLC, which, in addition to being an authorized dealer also retains a portion of the accounts it sells. “The relationship — what I like most about it — is it’s a big reputable company but the dealer program still has a family feel, a real personalized environment where I can get on the phone and talk to decision makers and get things turned around fairly quickly. If you do good business, they’ll trust you.”

Bolen, who has been involved with Guardian’s Authorized Dealer Program since 2010, said he likes what he has seen in the program over the past five years. “I think Brian Helt has added a lot…he has been able to make the dealer program more autonomous from the rest of the company, and treat the dealers as customers; and I think the level of customer service for the dealer has increased dramatically. The level of organization and fulfillment, integration — all of those things have gotten a lot better over the last five years. It’s a smooth-running operation.”

Guardian Protection’s CEO, Russ Cersosimo, made the night a memorable one by recognizing Executive Vice President Larry Wargo, who is planning to retire from Guardian in June. “I know this night is yours and we have so many award winners here, and you’re all superstars,” Cersosimo told the dealers. “Tonight I have to acknowledge someone who, we wouldn’t be the company we are today without him.

“There aren’t many times in your life when you happen to come across someone who has such character, integrity, intelligence and honor. I hope you all had a chance to get to know Larry — he makes us a better business.”

“I thought there would be no better venue than here to announce it early in front of everybody who I know he’s worked so well with and who everybody respects. I didn’t want to just say goodbye to him without everyone helping us enjoy his company,” Cersosimo said.

The authorized dealers gave Wargo a standing ovation. The recognition just added to how the dealers feel about doing business with Guardian.

 “I thought the speech that Russ gave about Larry — that speaks everything,” Arroyave said. “I literally saw myself 20 years from now, saying that about a high-level executive. I feel like we’re getting to that point where we could take it to a whole different level, and I need somebody like Larry to come in. This is why I joined Guardian, because I feel like they can help me with those types of decisions — and what better company to teach us than this one.”