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

  • Allegion, Comfort Technologies Implement Mobile Credentials at the Artisan Apartment Homes in Florida

    Artisan Apartment Homes, a luxury apartment complex in Dunedin, Florida, recently transitioned from mechanical keys to electronic locks and centralized system software with support from Allegion US, a leading provider of security solutions, technology and services, and Florida-based Comfort Technologies, which specializes in deploying multifamily access control, IoT devices and software management solutions. Read Now

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

New Products

  • 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.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.