Aiphone Team Members Ragona and Duran Win SIA scholarship
Aiphone Corp., the leading international manufacturer of intercom and entry security products, today announced its mid-Atlantic regional account manager, Tom Ragona, and Amaury Duran, northeast technical support representative, have been awarded full-tuition scholarships from the Security Industry Association to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Phoenix.
They were two of only 10 U.S. security industry employees to receive awards from the recently completed SIA Scholarship Program. The winners were selected based on their backgrounds and responses to three essay questions.
Ragona, who joined Aiphone in March 2016, said he will use the two-year, online graduate program to gain a master’s degree in information systems. He already has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.
“This scholarship is a great opportunity for me to learn more about a challenging and growing field,” Ragona said. “I hope it will help me become an IT engineer as Aiphone enhances and expands its IP-based intercom product line.”
Duran, who also joined Aiphone a year ago, said he wants to earn a master’s degree in public administration with a goal of working with a public policy organization.
“I want to be with a public or private group where I feel I can make a difference in the world,” he said. “I might even look to work my way into a career in politics.”
Bruce Czerwinski, Aiphone’s U.S. general sales manager, said Ragona and Duran are examples of the company’s many talented and dedicated young employees.
“These scholarships will provide Tom and Amaury with an opportunity to pursue long-term career goals,” he said. “Their strong work ethics will take them far in whatever paths they choose. We congratulate them on their awards.”
The University of Phoenix serves a diverse student population, offering associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S. as well as online throughout the world. The Security Industry Association (SIA) represents the business interests of manufacturers, service providers and integrators of electronic physical security equipment.