Mission 500 Announces New Advisory and Executive Boards and Embarks on New Growth Strategy

• May 15, 2013

Mission 500, a non-profit initiative focusing on the security industry and dedicated to serving the needs of children and communities in crisis, is proud to announce it has created new Advisory and Executive Boards comprised of a strong team of security industry leaders. They include:

Advisory Board:

• Don Erickson – CEO, Security Industry Association;
• Herve Fages – Senior Vice President, Video Line of Business, Schneider Electric;
• Alan Forman – President, Altronix;
• Vince Galdi – Chief Creative Officer, LRG Marketing Communications;
• Richard Hahn – Principal, Hahn & Associates;
• Denis R. Hébert – President and CEO, HID Global Corporation;
• Fredrik Nilsson – General Manager North America, Axis Communications;
• Tim Purpura – Group Publisher, United Publications;
• Ed Several – Senior Vice President, ISC EVENTS & Reed Exhibitions; and
• George Fletcher – Consultant.

Executive Board:

• Ashley Block – Account Supervisor, LRG Marketing Communications;
• Lorena Bouwer – Marketing Director, Expo Seguridad Mexico & Mexico Safety Expo;
• Julie Boardman – Marketing Director, United Publications;
• Andrea Ferrando – Show Director, Expo Seguridad Mexico;
• Jesse Foglio – Systems Manager, First Response Systems;
• Ronald L. Hawkins – Manager of Technical Writing/Special Projects, Security Industry Association;
• Barb Holliday – Director of Dealer Services, Monitronics;
• Mary Jensby– Call Center Director, RFI;
• Alex Mathieson – Regional Sales Manager Latin America, Arecont Vision;
• Leigh McGuire – Marketing Manager, ASIS;
• Geanie Pfeifer – Director of Learning and Development, HID Global;
• Melissa Pitfield – Director of Marketing Communications, DMP;
• Alex Salinas – Director of Business Development Latin America, Bolide Technology Group;
• Lora Wilson – Director of Marketing North America, Axis Communications; and
• Leslie Wood – Specialist Marketing, Security Honeywell Cable & Custom Electronics.

Stepping down from the former advisory group are Les Gold, Marc Mineau, Ron Spiller and Craig Robinson. “All have given great service to Mission 500 and brought credibility to a cause that was unknown in the industry over the last 5 years,” stated George Fletcher, one of the founders of Mission 500.

In 2012, Mission 500 reached its original goal of 500 sponsored children around the world. In the process, the security industry has contributed over US $750,000 in funds and gifts in kind toward providing for the vital needs of some of the most disadvantaged children around the world. Mission 500 is now in the process of developing a new strategic plan designed to further strengthen its position in the security industry as a “charity of choice,” and to significantly increase the quantity of sponsored children.

Other Mission 500 milestones to date:

- A growing number of organizations now support child sponsorship, including: Altronix, Anixter, Axis Communications, HID Global, Expo Seguridad, Inalarm Distribution Mexico, Kidde Fire (a division of UTC), LRG Marketing Communications, TVC en Linea (a Mexico-based distributor) and Pelco by Schneider Electric.

- Many industry leading companies are sponsoring the Security 5/2K (signature fundraising event), including: United Publications, Reed Exhibitions, Alarm.com, Altronix Corporation, AXIS Communications, Bolide Technology Group, Brivo, DMP, Ditek, Deister Electronics, Freeman, HID, Honeywell, LRG Marketing Communications, Morse Watchmans, Panasonic, Pelco by Schneider Electric, Pivot3, Qolsys, Safety Technology International Inc., Samsung, Stanley Security Solutions, Verint and Vitek.

- ISC Expo has provided free exhibit space and generous print media exposure. The Electronic Security Association and California Alarm Association have also donated space at their events, and SDM and Security Sales & Integration have provided the chance to present at their awards dinners.

- For two years running, LRG Marketing Communications has succeeded in securing over $250,000 in free media placements in most of the industry’s top publications and online portals, including: SDM, Security Magazine, Security Dealer & Integrator, Security Management, Security Products, Security Sales & Integration, Security Systems News, Security Director News, Security Technology Executive, Campus Safety, Ventas de Seguridad and Seguridad en America (two Spanish language security publications).

- Many companies have donated products for raffles, including: ATI, Bosch, Bolide Technology Group, GE Security, Samsung, and Panasonic.

- Mission 500 has raised over US $750,000 to date, along with over US $250,000 worth of media placements.

- The charity now has over 50 individual child sponsors. In total, when factoring cash donations, the organization stands at over 500 sponsored donations.

- Four visits have been made to projects in Mexico with prospective donors, plus a recent visit to India. A trip to Tanzania is planned for October 2013.

- The Security 5/2K has become a signature fundraising event drawing almost 700 participants, over 240 fundraisers and as many as 20 sponsors. The 2013 event raised over US $90,000.

- We have created two new industry awards: Humanitarian (Individual) and a Corporate Social Responsibility Award. Individual winners have included Alan Forman, Mary Jensby, Barb Holliday and Michael Keegan. CSR winners include Pelco by Schneider, Vivint and Convergint Technologies.

There is a long list of individual people to thank for these important milestones, many who are not mentioned by name. Additionally, there are hundreds of runners who have participated in the ING and Security 5/2K fundraising efforts. A big THANK YOU goes out to all of you!