Ballet to Security

I admit there is not a lot in common between ballet and a security installation. However, a few months ago, while attending my granddaughter’s ballet recital and walking through the parking lot, I came across a parked van with the I3Concepts logo. This had to be a sign. (Not that I was looking for a sign.)

As I walked into the recital hall with the 3-year-old dancer, I kept thinking about that van parked outside. Honestly, I was excited about the ballet but I didn’t want to forget about a possible story idea. I safely, or I should say, securely, tucked my granddaughter in the dance room with her teacher and other students and popped back outside to get a phone number and website address. Not that I forget stuff, but I wanted to be sure.

A few days later, I made a call to hopefully set up an appointment or interview. I quickly found out that I3Concepts is a busy group of people. It took a week or so to make contact. I met with Jeff Comeaux and took a tour of the offices and technology side of an integration farm. I don’t say farm in a mean way at all. Here’s the deal. Comeaux and his team really get into parking garage security entry and exits. They get the parts in the shop and literally build the automatic pay stations from the ground up. Once assembled, they are tested before installation.

Okay, everyone does that with their security equipment, but I found myself standing in a rather large room with numerous pay stations. This was quality at work.

Comeaux is the one that got this all started about eight or so years ago. He is also the first to admit that it is his team of professionals that make it all work so smoothly. Like he says in the cover story, “surround yourself with people that are as good as, or better than myself, and you will be great.”

I3Concepts is an interesting story about a company that opened for business smack dab in the middle of the 2008 economic recession. Comeaux is a believer in hard work and work smart, and so are his staff and team. And, oh, by the way, the ballet recital was pretty amazing as well.

This article originally appeared in the May 2017 issue of Security Today.

About the Author

Ralph C. Jensen is the Publisher/Editor in chief of Security Today magazine.

Featured

  • Improve Incident Response With Intelligent Cloud Video Surveillance

    Video surveillance is a vital part of business security, helping institutions protect against everyday threats for increased employee, customer, and student safety. However, many outdated surveillance solutions lack the ability to offer immediate insights into critical incidents. This slows down investigations and limits how effectively teams can respond to situations, creating greater risks for the organization. Read Now

  • Security Today Announces 2025 CyberSecured Award Winners

    Security Today is pleased to announce the 2025 CyberSecured Awards winners. Sixteen companies are being recognized this year for their network products and other cybersecurity initiatives that secure our world today. Read Now

  • Empowering and Securing a Mobile Workforce

    What happens when technology lets you work anywhere – but exposes you to security threats everywhere? This is the reality of modern work. No longer tethered to desks, work happens everywhere – in the office, from home, on the road, and in countless locations in between. Read Now

  • TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026. Read Now

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

New Products

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.