More than 7,600 security and public safety professionals came together to meet experts from more than 350 security brands at New York City’s Javits Center Nov. 20-21 for ISC East.

The 2019 event welcomed more than 100 new companies and brands covering 130 security product categories, and experienced a 6 percent growth in verified attendees compared to 2018. The exhibit hall aisles were bustling with security and public safety professionals exploring the newest technologies in access control, biometrics, IT and IoT security, detection technology, mass notification, smart home solutions, video surveillance, AI, drones and robotics, bollards and more. 

The SIA Education@ISC East program featured more than 20 complimentary sessions with practical and in-depth content on converged security, cyber security, computer vision and AI, physical security, drones and more, offering attendees the information they need on the newest and best strategies and practices in the industry. 

“ISC East has been on the upswing for the past few years and continues to grow,” said Mary Beth Shaughnessy, event director, ISC Security Events. “This year kicked into a new level of success with expanded product offerings and content, plus we’ve secured the spot as the largest Northeast converged security show. Education tracks were created to provide attendees with greater opportunity to connect and learn with their cross-functional security and public safety industry peers both on the IT and physical security side of their organization. Attendees left the show with the insights and knowledge needed to defend and protect against new and emerging threats." 

Additionally, the SIA Education@ISC East program showcased two prominent female keynote speakers for the first time as a part of the ISC East Keynote Series — Deanne Criswell, commissioner of the New York City emergency management department, and Angela Stubblefield, chief of staff at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Criswell spoke to her first-hand experiences and insights on emergency preparedness, crisis management and disaster response, including lessons learned and best practices to take away. Stubblefield spoke to the audience about how the FAA works with security partners to consider how to set requirements for drones, how intent can be difficult to determine and how different tools help to differentiate the clueless and careless from the criminal, which require different response capabilities.

“The 2019 SIA Education@ISC East program was a great success, with enthusiastic attendees taking part in our education sessions, engaging keynotes and hands-on workshops covering cutting-edge topics such as the drone security policy landscape, technologies driving smart cities and IoT security at the edge," said Don Erickson, CEO of the Security Industry Association (SIA). “Additionally, industry leaders gathered at SIA’s Return on Security Breakfast to learn how solutions providers find business benefits beyond security, and the SIA Women in Security Forum hosted a dynamic breakfast and discussion on achieving true diversity and inclusiveness in the security workforce.”

Security professionals also had numerous opportunities to network and connect formally and informally through more than 15 special events ISC East had to offer; including the rSIA Women in Security Forum Breakfast, the Mission 500 hygiene kit building, the ASTORS Homeland Security Awards, ISC East’s Featured Product Showcase (in which IPVideo Corporation won Best New Product for its HALO IoT sensor), the returning Tech Tank session which enabled four exhibitors to demo and pitch their most innovative technology, the ISC East Grand Opening Ceremony, the Crack the Tap Cocktail Reception and more.

“It was exciting to experience yet another year of growth for ISC East, with two strong days of community engagement, exhibitor innovations and SIA Education@ISC content sessions,” said Will Wise, group vice president, Reed Exhibitions. “We appreciate the robust support of the Tri-State and Northeast region security and public safety community. The dedication and commitment to the industry is impressive as we all get ready to begin the new decade.”