The SDM 100 Gala is an evening that many security professionals have come to look forward to with anticipation. Held annually in conjunction with the ESX show, the Gala is a social event that honors the largest security dealers in the recurring revenue business, as ranked on the annual SDM 100 Report. The event includes a networking cocktail hour with open bar, seated dinner, and after-dinner entertainment — all set to a theme that is sometimes classy and sometimes mad, but always fun.

This year’s theme was island life, and guests from SDM 100 companies as well as Gala sponsors proved that no man or woman is an island when it comes to celebrating the industry’s achievements. Guests wore colorful island clothing, donned leis and pineapple sunglasses, and sipped tropical drinks with paper umbrellas, in keeping with the paradise theme. They were swept away by palm trees and an ocean breeze that guided the theme and kept the event tranquil and the guests cool.

As dinner began, SDM Publisher Chris Ward acknowledged and thanked the sponsors, some of which were new and others of which have sponsored the Gala for all 13 years — Honeywell and ADI. SDM Editor Laura Stepanek provided a short summary of SDM 100 performance from this year’s report, and then played a video that showed each of the 100 companies that were ranked in 2018. As the video ran, dealers gathered at the stage for the historic group photo. This year more than 40 dealers attended the Gala and are featured in the photo above. 

Following dinner an improv troupe from Chicago, IO Theater, did a series of hilarious skits based on current news. During the cocktail hour, guests were given access to several newspapers to clip stories from. These clippings were pinned to a cork board and the actors chose several to play out, including one about how Alexa, the digital voice assistant, helps college kids, and another from SDM about deceptive sales practices. In their final skit, the actors brought one of the guests to the stage to reenact his day based on the facts he told them.

The 2018 SDM 100 Gala seemed to prove that life is, indeed, better at the beach. Guests left with smiles on their faces and said they looked forward to not only a successful 2019, but another fun Gala, too.

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ADI

ADI was one of the original sponsors of the SDM 100 Gala in 2006, and has sponsored the event every year since.

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Alarm.com

Alarm.com has been an SDM100 Gala sponsor for five consecutive years, and this year hosted guests from Guardian Protection Services and Valley Alarm.

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All American Monitoring

Second-year sponsor All American Monitoring hosted guests from Watchlight, Imperial Capital, NorthStar Alarm Services, and Crime Prevention Security Systems at the 13th annual SDM 100 Gala.

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Axis Communications

This is the 11th year AXIS Communications has sponsored the SDM 100 Gala — pictured here with guests from ADS Security, Vivint and Vector Security.

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Brinks Home Security

Brinks Home Security is the new name for Monitronics, a multi-year SDM 100 Gala sponsor.

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ESA

The Electronic Security Association is a key partner with SDM in supporting the SDM 100 Gala each year in conjunction with ESX.

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Honeywell

Honeywell is one of the original sponsors of the SDM 100 Gala, sponsoring it for 13 consecutive years since the first Gala was held in 2006. This year Honeywell hosted representatives from ADS Security and Guardian Alarm Company.

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ISC East/Reed

Guests of ISC East/Reed, Life Safety Engineered Systems, Mijac Alarm, and Moon Security Services, enjoyed the Gala’s island life theme.

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Johnson Controls/DSC/Sur-Gard

This was the first year as Johnson Controls that the folks representing DSC and Sur-Gard sponsored the SDM 100 Gala.

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Guests of sponsor Johnson Controls

Guests of sponsor Johnson Controls included Gillmore Security, Richmond Alarm, and American Alarm & Communications.

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Sticking to the Theme

Johnson Controls’ guests got immersed in the island life theme of the Gala, complete with wearing pineapple sunglasses.

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Renova Technology

First-time Gala sponsor Renova Technology had fun with guests from FE Moran Security Solutions and SAFE Security.

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SedonaOffice (Perennial Software)

Perennial Software (SedonaOffice) has sponsored the SDM 100 Gala for 10 consecutive years. Guests at the Gala included Vector Security, Custom Alarm, and Mountain Alarm.

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The Monitoring Association

The Monitoring Association (formerly CSAA) was the first-ever sponsor of the SDM 100 Gala, back in 2006 when it was first held in conjunction with the association’s stand-alone event, NAMTSE, and it has been an enthusiastic sponsor ever since.

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Ackerman Security

The folks from Ackerman Security appreciated the island paradise theme at the 13th annual SDM 100 Gala.

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CPI Security

Guests from CPI Security had a good time at the 2018 SDM 100 Gala in Nashville.

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SDM Editor Laura Stepanek

SDM Editor Laura Stepanek spoke at the Gala about how, collectively, the SDM 100 security dealers grew their RMR 4.2 percent, from $618 million in 2016 to $643 million in 2017. Eighty-eight of the 100 companies ranked on the SDM 100 experienced RMR expansions in 2017.

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The 13th annual SDM 100 Gala

SDM 100 dealers gathered on June 21 at Music City Center in Nashville for an evening of celebrating and fun at the 13th annual SDM 100 Gala.

PHOTOS BY WENDY O’BARR FOR SDM