The Electronic Security Association Announces New Vice President of Advocacy and Public Affairs

ESA is pleased to announce its new vice president of Advocacy and Public Affairs, Jake Braunger. With prior experience on the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Advocacy Team and many political campaigns throughout the country, Jake is eager to advocate and educate ESA members about legislation that will benefit the electronic security and life safety industry.

“Many legislators aren’t aware of the details and challenges of our industry, which means you as security professionals will have a lot of influence if you get involved and build relationships with them,” Braunger says. “I am looking forward to creating those opportunities for you to build influence in 2023 and beyond.”

According to Jake, the biggest challenge for the security industry when it comes to legislation is getting security professional’s voices heard. It is important to build an industry profile that bears enough influence for industry experts to weigh in on bills before they make it as far as the governor’s desk for signing.

Braunger will lead efforts to effect legislative influence and change for the electronic security and life safety industry in the upcoming years. He encourages ESA members to get involved and stay actively engaged, firmly believing that it will procure more victories for the industry.

“We need to advocate on behalf of our members,” Braunger said. “We must explain the industry’s point of view to law-makers who might only be hearing from one voice at a union or a different company.”

We also need to help provide education for people outside and within our industry, particularly on the local level, to understand various industry elements, and its importance. According to Jake, “If you don’t show up to the table when you’re needed, then other people will put you on the menu. Because everyone wants to limit their competition.”

ESA’s leadership team, along with its Board of Directors, is excited to welcome Jake to the team, confident that his expertise in politics and passion for the security industry’s position will help to develop stronger influence on the political front.

“On behalf of the ESA Government Affairs Committee, I couldn’t be prouder to welcome Jake to ESA,” affirms Holly Borgmann, Vice President of Government Affairs for ADT and Chair of ESA’s Government Affairs Committee “We look forward to building an even better regulatory environment for the security and public safety community under his leadership.”

“I am confident Jake will be an excellent addition to our professional staff — and a strong asset to lead ESA’s advocacy efforts moving forward,” says ESA’s CEO, Merlin Guilbeau.

You can reach Jake Braunger [email protected], or call (972) 807-6807. You may also find and connect with him on LinkedIn.

Featured

  • AI to Help Resolve Non-Emergency Calls Across Utah and Decrease 911 Caller Wait Times

    The Utah Communications Authority (UCA), which oversees the state’s next generation 911 technology services, recently announced that public safety answering points (PSAPs) throughout the state plan to implement Motorola Solutions’ Virtual Response technology to automate the receipt and resolution of 10-digit non-emergency line calls in Utah with the help of AI. Read Now

  • Report: 2025 Video Surveillance Market Set to Grow After Small Decline in 2024

    Novaira Insights has unveiled its latest report, “World Market for Video Surveillance Hardware and Software – 2025 Edition.” The research indicates that the global market for video surveillance hardware and software experienced a slight decline of 0.3% in 2024. This performance fell short of previous forecasts, primarily due to a significant decrease of 7.8% in the Chinese market. Conversely, the rest of the world saw a growth of 4.9%. The global market for video surveillance equipment was estimated to be worth $25.0 billion in 2024. Read Now

  • Report Reveals Local Governments Face Surge in Ransomware Attacks with Minimal Resources

    KnowBe4, the cybersecurity platform that comprehensively addresses human risk management, recently released new research highlighting the critical cybersecurity challenges facing state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments. The report details how government organizations have become prime targets for cybercriminals while simultaneously facing severe resource constraints. Read Now

  • 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

New Products

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”

  • 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.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities