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Home » Authors » Laura Stepanek
Laura Stepanek

Laura Stepanek

Laura Stepanek is an SDM contributing writer. Laura was the Editor of SDM from 2001-2020 and first joined the publication in 1984. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Barat College of DePaul University.

Articles

ARTICLES

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INTEGRATION & NETWORK SOLUTIONS

Security Appliances: What They Do & How to Select Them

As appliances have added functionality to appeal to the enterprise market, they are moving farther afield from their roots as embedded, dedicated devices. Security integrators must stay on top of their evolution.
Laura stepanek 200
Laura Stepanek
November 23, 2020
No Comments

You use a toaster for crisping bread; you wouldn’t use it for blending drinks nor would you heat an entire oven to crisp the bread. Similar to how a kitchen appliance is used to perform a specific task, a security appliance is used for a specific job.


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Occupancy Counting
VIDEO SOLUTIONS

The Role of Analytics in COVID-19

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Laura Stepanek
August 10, 2020
No Comments

The coronavirus pandemic metrics may fluctuate week-by-week and state-by-state, but many businesses and other public places that had been shuttered are now reopening in some mode — and that begs the question of how security integrators can help them establish safety through technology.


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VIDEO SOLUTIONS

Taking the Temperature of Thermal Cameras

In the effort to reopen business, thermal cameras have a role to play, but security integrators need to educate themselves on what they can and cannot do.
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Laura Stepanek
July 9, 2020
No Comments

Who would have imagined, at the start of this year that the security industry would play such a significant role in the pandemic recovery? A good number of technologies are now part of the regular discussion security integrators are having with clients, while many manufacturers are working as quickly as possible behind-the-scenes to adapt existing solutions or build new ones.


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SDM100
SDM EXCLUSIVE

SDM 100 Brand Report: The Most Popular Brands Among the SDM 100 Companies

Which suppliers do the largest security dealers use? This SDM 100 brand-usage report details the manufacturers and distributors that earn their business.
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Laura Stepanek
June 8, 2020
No Comments

Around the country in every major metropolitan market is an SDM 100 company that worked long and hard to get where it is today. These are the 100 largest U.S.-based security companies — as ranked by their recurring monthly revenue (RMR) — on the annual SDM 100 Report.


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SDM EXCLUSIVE

2020 SDM 100 Report: After Peak Performance, What’s Next?

The excellent growth SDM 100 companies had in 2019, followed by the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, is like being on the summit without a clear view of the landscape. Dealers are looking to their RMR to carry them through.
Laura stepanek 200
Laura Stepanek
May 11, 2020
One Comment

This year’s SDM 100 report and rankings show excellent growth for the SDM 100 companies in 2019. The onset of the coronavirus pandemic was just starting to hit as the security industry’s top companies were filling out the 2020 SDM 100 applications; to many of this year’s companies, it is like being on a mountaintop without a clear view of the landscape. Read on to look at this year’s top security companies ranked by recurring monthly revenue, along with their thoughts and projections for what lies ahead.


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Editor’s Angle

Expecting the Unexpected

A FAREWELL MESSAGE
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Laura Stepanek
April 6, 2020
No Comments

For avid news-watchers like myself, the COVID-19 health issue has provided so many opportunities to learn how the world is altering these days.


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Editor’s Angle

It Isn't About You Anymore; It's About Hiring More People Totally Unlike You

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Laura Stepanek
March 2, 2020
No Comments

When I started out in the security industry, I had the good fortune of being hired and subsequently mentored by SDM’s chief editor at the time, Susan Whitehurst.


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Editor's Angle Default
Editor’s Angle

Stay Focused on Users’ Expectations

Laura stepanek 200
Laura Stepanek
February 3, 2020
No Comments

Last month in SDM we offered an outlook for 2020 for the security industry. This month begins our annual State of the Market article series to help you strategize about the types of products and services your company will offer to the marketplace. 


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SDM0120-inside

SDM 2020 Industry Forecast: Insight for the New Year

The ‘20s are here and security integrators have come roaring in with expected revenue growth of 19 percent this year, in the wake of 16 percent last year.
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Laura Stepanek
January 6, 2020
One Comment

Security integrators expect their brilliant business performance of 2019 to continue into 2020, according to results of SDM’s Industry Forecast Study, a report published each year since 1982.


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Editor's Angle Default
MT Editor’s Angle

Monitoring Best Practices

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Laura Stepanek
January 6, 2020
No Comments

When it comes to running a top-tier monitoring center, the people component is perhaps the biggest factor that can make the difference — in some cases in life or death; but also the overall customer experience.


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2021 January

In January 2021 issue, SDM is celebrating its 50th anniversary, "Despite Pandemic, Security Industry Seen as Financially Sound", and much more.

Check back throughout the month for new content!

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