GSX 2021: Jump-Starting the Return to Normal

Last year, ASIS made the call to convert GSX 2020 into a virtual event against the backdrop of COVID-19. This year’s conference, then, marked the return of GSX as an in-person event. And given the strange limbo we find ourselves in with regard to the pandemic—it’s either ongoing, over, getting better, or getting worse, depending on who you ask—from a logistics standpoint, the tentative return to normalcy went off without a hitch.

ASIS took every possible precaution to keep attendees safe. We were required to either submit proof of vaccination in advance of the conference or to complete a daily health attestation upon arriving at the Orange County Convention Center. Booths were spaced farther apart; the aisles were wider. The show floor was subject to frequent cleaning. Floor signs helped direct traffic. And, of course, face masks were mandatory, regardless of vaccination status.

(While walking around on Day 2, I overheard a humorous conversation at one of the booths. The booth’s owner slid behind the table and collapsed into a chair, agitated. “I just got yelled at for not wearing a mask,” he growled to his colleague. “They told me to put it on for my own health and safety. I told ‘em no.” He flung his mask onto the table for emphasis. The booth was vacant the following morning.)

I explained last week that this was my first trade show, so I don’t have much of a basis for comparison. I’ve heard that attendance was smaller, that the event itself was scaled back, that lines were shorter, that the event was a shadow of its usual self. I did get a sense of that; after an overwhelming Monday and Tuesday, by mid-morning on Wednesday, there didn’t seem to be a lot left to see.

But all of those observations came from the attendance side. From the organizer’s standpoint – the logistics of gathering hundreds of vendors and thousands of people in a single room during the tail end of a global pandemic – I cannot think of a single thing that ASIS could have done differently to make it run more smoothly.

What happened was that the event was a little smaller and quieter than normal. What didn’t happen was a COVID outbreak. Or an emergency evacuation of the facility. Or a loud meltdown / confrontation regarding masks. Or, really, any pandemic-related disruptions whatsoever.

Event organizers, take note: If we consider GSX 2021 to be a trial run at resuming life as we once knew it, it could serve as a textbook model of how to throw a large-scale event in our current climate. And that by itself is no small feat.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. He can be reached at [email protected]

Featured

  • 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

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

New Products

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • 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.