Editor's Angle

Security’s Sixth Sense: Are Silos Already Dead?

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:55:00 -0400

Spoiler alert: If you haven’t seen the movie by now, you likely know that the “twist” in the 1999 movie “The Sixth Sense” was that the psychologist played by Bruce Willis has been dead the whole time. He just didn’t know it.

The Strategists

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Mon, 04 May 2026 08:30:00 -0400

This year’s top 100 security dealers shared how they had to be strategic to overcome outside challenges and pressures.

Musings on AI

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Where is AI really headed in the security and life safety industry?

The Robots Are Coming. Look Busy.

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0500

For security integrators, the opportunities around autonomous security solutions are only just starting to emerge, but the time to start thinking about it is now.

Keeping up With the Joneses

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 09:30:00 -0500

Being an integrator in the security industry is a bit like the saying “Keeping up with the Joneses.”

Time to Bring out the Crystal Ball

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0500

It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that the top three issues that will continue to impact 2026 will likely be these three things: talent acquisition/retention, the economy and technology advancements, particularly AI.

Bucking the Trend

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Alarm New England faced a tough choice in 2024: either take the path of growing the enterprise side with the Sonitrol division, or focus exclusively on the residential and small commercial business. They chose the latter.

Time to Ditch the Silos

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Cybersecurity convergence is here and a critical issue to understand for security integrators.

Modern ‘Minutemen’

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 11:00:00 -0400

The 2025 SDM Systems Integrator of the Year.

Change is Hard

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400

Learning new sales skills, systems and training approaches are challenging but necessary when it comes to implementing active shooter solutions.

On Excellence

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Pro Edge Technology wins the 2025 SDM Project of the Year award.

Through Lines

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

It remains to be seen where AI will take both the security industry and the world at large, but there is no doubt … that it will play a major role.

AI: Everywhere & All at Once

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400

In the wake of the most recent wave of AI advancement, I’m hopeful that the expert insight inside this supplement can help dealers and integrators navigate this rapidly changing security landscape.

Lessons in Resilience

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

The 2025 SDM 100 companies displayed resilience in overcoming external downward pressures.

Where Are We Going?

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

What impact might some of the biggest technology trends have on the direction of the security industry?

Should the Security Industry Throw Out DEI?

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Don't Throw Out the Baby

Making the Business Case for Video Surveillance

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500

The use of video beyond security.

Getting Out Front of the False Alarm Issue

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

This year’s Monitoring Today Supplement takes on the issue of false alarms.

The Security Industry Looks Forward to a Happy & Hopeful New Year

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

There is something about the changing from one year to another that always makes me think of new beginnings.

Metrics Matter

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

We live in an era of data — some might even say data overload.

The Impact of AI

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Artificial intelligence is here to stay, and security integrators are seeing real benefits for themselves and their customers.

Reimagining Proptech

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

It was just a few years ago when I first heard the word “proptech,” and for a while it looked like it would become a common buzzword in the industry.

From Dog Days to Smart Days: Embracing Home Tech

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The “dog days” of summer. Did you know — I didn’t until I looked it up — that the term dog days refers to astrology, specifically the time period during which a bright star rises and sets with the sun?

The AI Generation

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

We have only just begun to see the impact that AI and Generative AI will have on the security industry.

Transformative Shifts

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

I don't know about anyone else, but it seems to me the world is moving faster than ever before — especially when it comes to technology.

Dialed In on Technology

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Mon, 06 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Anyone who attended last month’s ISC West show in Las Vegas probably noticed a few key trends.

The 3rd Annual Project of the Year Winner Is…

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 13:00:00 -0400

This year’s winner of SDM’s Project of the Year Award is Minuteman Security

The Importance of Diversity in the Security Industry

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Diversity, equity and inclusion is a key initiative that can help the security industry with its talent shortage.

Reach for the Clouds

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Security Industry Trends

Appreciating ‘Ordinary’

hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 00:00:00 -0500

IT’S JANUARY. Happy New Year! I hope you have an ordinary year.