Industry Insight

Strategically Focused on Security

SINCE mid 2004, the Security Industry Association has been making a slow but conscientious move to become more strategically focused on the growing and changing security market.

In this post-9/11 era, security has become more strategic. Today, it's not just the protection of physical property, but the protection of all assets -- intellectual property, back-office systems and the like. Consider this observation: New customers are showing up at our doors with titles like chief security officer or chief information security officer.

This is about convergence -- not technical convergence, but convergence of responsibilities within the companies that employ them. There is a different twist to their demands and the way they want to buy equipment and services. Their mission is strategic. They have assumptions about physical security systems and services that do not match their IT world. There is a new vulnerability to business as we know it.

Vulnerabilities can escape a person's consciousness. Unprepared government leaders that point fingers at other people, government entities or political parties are no longer capable of doing their jobs. If they cannot recognize their responsibilities to look at the changes happening around them and prepare for those changes, then failure and disaster will be an inevitable result. The same holds true for the leaders in our great industry.


In 2006, SIA will continue to meet the changes and demands of the security industry head on. We will reach out to and work even more closely with other industry associations.

SIA is doing its part to prepare the security industry for the changes it faces. Our steps have been methodical and deliberate: crawling before we walk; walking before we run.

In February 2005, the board of directors held a strategic planning meeting where it reviewed the status of the association, conducted a SWOT analysis on the organization, reviewed its current strategic objectives, and made recommendations for how to refine and improve the organization's strategic and programming initiatives.

We needed to make our programming valuable to a wider audience than our traditional constituency. We needed to show a true value for the membership dollar and position ourselves to grow with the industry in the next 10 to 15 years.

To this end, the SIA board agreed that the organization's focus resides in four core areas: standards, training/certification, research and technology, and government relations. SIA's staff was immediately reorganized to reflect these areas. Additionally, a new department, Strategic Marketing and Member Services, was created to produce an aggressive branding and marketing campaign for the organization and its programming.

In recent months, the SIA board has become more involved and engaged in the activities of the association. SIA's new board committees, which directly reflect our core areas of focus, are lean and have a mission to assist in the successful implementation of each area of programming.

In 2006, SIA will continue to meet the changes and demands of the security industry head on. We will reach out to and work even more closely with other industry associations. This year, SIA will look for ways to improve relations with end-user organizations in order to address their convergence and IT issues.

We will continue to partner with our sister organizations like the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association and the Central Station Alarm Association to closely monitor local and state regulatory issues as they affect our business. We also will work with trade organizations like the Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers to elevate the SIA brand and play a more strategic role in the global marketplace.

SIA will take an aggressive mission of global outreach through our education and standards efforts. The association is currently working with the China Security and Protection Industry Association (CSPIA) to license SIA's educational content for use overseas. In 2006, we will continue to work with CSPIA in an effort to gain recognition of SIA standards in the international marketplace.

SIA also will work to drive standards efforts in response to government and end-user customers. We will consolidate and disseminate the urgent needs of government, and the security industry must be able to respond. Conversely, SIA will consolidate and communicate security industry needs and interests to government so the industry can operate better, faster and with less cost.

From a security industry perspective, 2005 was a good year. Are we prepared to make sure 2006 and beyond bring continued successes?

As we move forward into 2006, it is imperative to get involved in every aspect of the security industry -- standards, education, research and government relations -- to help shape your future. After all, no one else is interested in shaping your future; the smart ones are busy shaping their own.

This article originally appeared in the February 2006 issue of Security Products, pg. 8.

Featured

  • AI to Help Resolve Non-Emergency Calls Across Utah and Decrease 911 Caller Wait Times

    The Utah Communications Authority (UCA), which oversees the state’s next generation 911 technology services, recently announced that public safety answering points (PSAPs) throughout the state plan to implement Motorola Solutions’ Virtual Response technology to automate the receipt and resolution of 10-digit non-emergency line calls in Utah with the help of AI. Read Now

  • Report Reveals Local Governments Face Surge in Ransomware Attacks with Minimal Resources

    KnowBe4, the cybersecurity platform that comprehensively addresses human risk management, recently released new research highlighting the critical cybersecurity challenges facing state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments. The report details how government organizations have become prime targets for cybercriminals while simultaneously facing severe resource constraints. Read Now

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

New Products

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.