Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp Partner Appointed to White House Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations

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Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP is pleased to announce that Nimish Patel, Chair of the firm’s Corporate & Business Transactions practice group, has been appointed to the White House Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations by President Joe Biden.
The Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations provides overall policy advice to the United States Trade Representative on matters arising in connection with the development, implementation, and administration of the trade policy of the United States. The Committee includes up to 45 members recommended by the U.S. Trade Representative who are appointed by the President and have expertise in general trade, investment, and development issues, including representatives of non-federal governments, labor, industry, agriculture, small business, service industries, retailers, nongovernmental environmental and conservation organizations, and consumer interests.

“It is an honor to receive this appointment by President Biden and I look forward to working with other distinguished members of the Committee,” said Patel. “I am eager to share my perspective of over two decades in U.S. capital markets experience as we advise on the shaping of U.S. trade policy.”

Patel’s experience includes mergers and acquisitions for private and public companies, angel and venture capital financing, IPOs, and other financing and corporate restructurings. He currently advises private businesses and publicly traded exchange-listed companies on governance and regulatory filing requirements. His clients are from across a broad range of industries and sectors including artificial intelligence, life sciences, technology, e-commerce, new media, and entertainment.

Patel was elected and previously served on the School Board of Education for the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. During his tenure, he was involved in making education policy decisions affecting the 11,000 school district students, overseeing a $100 million operating budget and a $300 million capital expenditure budget. He is the Past President and Trustee of the American India Foundation in Los Angeles and the Past President and member of the South Asian Bar Association of Southern California.

Patel previously served as a CPA and a senior auditor in the Orange County, California office of Deloitte working on private and public company audits and other attestations services. He received his J.D./M.B.A. degrees from the University of San Diego and his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California.

TMA Welcomes New GSOC Council Co-Chair

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The Monitoring Association (TMA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Randy Rickert to the co-chairmanship of its Global Security Operations Center (GSOC) Council. In this important role, Rickert joins seated Committee Co-Chair Richard Flores, Puget Sound, in leading TMA’s Rickert is currently the Manager, Global Security Operations, Corporate Security & Business Resilience for Thrivent Financial.

“My organization has been a TMA member for 20 years. In that time, we’ve found TMA’s standards and education to be exceptionally valuable,” stated Rickert. “This new volunteer role within TMA affords me a unique opportunity to give back to our community and industry. I look forward to sharing my knowledge and experience with my GSOC peers in this new role.”

TMA CEO Celia T. Besore commented, “It is a great pleasure to welcome Randy to this pivotal position within the TMA committee structure. As TMA looks to grow and expand its GSOC membership, Randy’s passion and commitment to learning and industry standards will be a great asset not only to the GSOC Council, but to the overall TMA membership body.”

Learn more about TMA’s GSOC Council online at http://tma.us/about/our-committees/#toggle-id-10.

ADI Announces 2023 Supplier Awards Recipients

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ADI Global Distribution, a leading wholesale distributor of security, AV and low-voltage products, announced the recipients of its 2023 Supplier Awards. ADI selected Digital Watchdog as Supplier of the Year for North America. ADI also recognized suppliers in the categories of Operations, Marketing Support, Digital Support, Sales Support, New Product of the Year and Rookie of the Year.

Each year, ADI recognizes key suppliers across North America for their support and contributions towards the growth and success of ADI. Suppliers are evaluated based on revenue, sales support, marketing initiatives, inventory results and feedback from ADI’s sales leadership team.

“The ADI Supplier Awards exemplify the unwavering commitment, outstanding performance, and collaborative spirit that define our supplier relationships,” said Marco Cardazzi, vice president of marketing at ADI. “We congratulate all the 2023 supplier award recipients on this well-deserved recognition and look forward to our continued success together.”

The ADI Supplier Awards were presented during the ADI 2023 Supplier Symposium held last month in Tampa, Florida. With the theme, It Starts with Us, the event brought together over 400 attendees representing more than 135 suppliers to review 2023 business performance, and outline plans to drive continued growth in 2024.

2023 ADI Supplier Award Recipients included:

Supplier of the Year: Digital Watchdog

Best Operations Support: TRENDnet

Best Marketing Support: dormakaba

Best Digital Support: Honeywell Fire Solutions

Best Sales Support – United States: ProdataKey

Best Sales Support – Canada: DSC

New Product of the Year: Turing SkyShield

Rookie of the Year: QSC

“Receiving the ADI Supplier of the Year for North America award is truly an honor,” said Wade Thomas, President, Digital Watchdog. “ADI continues to be an important partner for us, as we rely on their distribution channels, sales teams, and marketing and digital support to help expand our reach and strengthen our brand across the industry. Thank you for this recognition, which further fuels our drive for excellence.”

Ed Keiser to Serve East Coast as New X1 Regional Sales Manager

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Ed Keiser has joined DMP as the regional sales manager for X1 East. He will provide ongoing service and support to DMP dealers throughout the East Coast, Great Lakes and Upper Midwest, specifically focusing on X1 products.

Keiser has over 30 years of experience in the security industry, from installing systems and managing projects to selling large integrated systems and working with national accounts. Owning and operating a security company for over a decade gave him additional entrepreneurial experience.

He was always impressed with DMP products, services and support. “The products, people and culture were a great fit for me,” said Keiser. “The opportunity to help grow the X1 product and contribute to the company also was attractive to me. I’m excited to be a part of a company that prides itself on quality, customer support and responsiveness.”

X1 is a standalone access control system with simple installation and locally stored programming.

Contact Information:

Ed Keiser | Regional Sales Manager X1, East
Direct Cell: (417) 340-5038
Email: EKeiser@DMP.com

Larkin to Serve Ohio as New DMP Regional Sales Manager

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Reid Larkin has joined DMP as the regional sales manager for Ohio. He will provide ongoing service and support to dealers across the state. This addition represents a restructuring of DMP sales regions, designed to further elevate personalized service to dealers. Larkin is a native of Ohio and grew up in Cleveland.

“The main reason why I chose DMP was because I saw the impact DMP was making across the industry for both its dealers and its users,” said Larkin. “I became aware of DMP through connections within the industry who have always praised DMP for being top notch in the way they conduct business and design their products.”

Larkin is excited about the company’s strong commitment to continuously improving products, especially when the values and culture align so closely with his own.

Before joining DMP, Larkin spent five years in sales, including roles in account management and business development across numerous industries. His Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Dayton focused on improving organizational effectiveness and efficiency. His passion is helping businesses identify solutions and methods of growth.

Contact Information:

Reid Larkin | Regional Sales Manager, Ohio
Direct Cell: (417) 340-4902
Email: RLarkin@DMP.com

Josh Simon to Serve Los Angeles as New Regional Sales Manager for DMP

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Josh Simon has joined DMP as the regional sales manager for Los Angeles. He will provide ongoing service and support to dealers throughout LA and the surrounding area. Simon’s experience in the security industry led to his interest in becoming part of this team.

“I chose DMP for several reasons, but primarily because throughout my years in the industry, every encounter I’ve had with a DMP representative has been marked by genuine enthusiasm and kindness,” said Simon. “They consistently demonstrated honesty regarding their objectives with their dealers, and they genuinely cared about fostering growth in their businesses.”

Simon’s expertise gives him an excellent understanding of dealer needs. He spent two years in product management and three years in sales and account management. Additionally, he worked as a low-voltage installer for six years. He has firsthand experience installing DMP products, appreciating their consistent quality and success.

Contact Information:

Josh Simon | Regional Sales Manager, Los Angeles
Direct Cell: (417) 399-0358
Email: JSimon@DMP.com

FCC Makes AI-generated Voices in Robocalls Illegal

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Published by SIW.com, 2/8/24

Today the Federal Communications Commission announced the unanimous adoption of a Declaratory Ruling that recognizes calls made with AI-generated voices are “artificial” under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

The ruling, which takes effect immediately, makes voice cloning technology used in common robocall scams targeting consumers illegal.  This would give State Attorneys General across the country new tools to go after bad actors behind these nefarious robocalls.

“Bad actors are using AI-generated voices in unsolicited robocalls to extort vulnerable family members, imitate celebrities, and misinform voters.  We’re putting the fraudsters behind these robocalls on notice,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.  “State Attorneys General will now have new tools to crack down on these scams and ensure the public is protected from fraud and misinformation.”

The rise of these types of calls has escalated during the last few years as this technology now has the potential to confuse consumers with misinformation by imitating the voices of celebrities, political candidates, and close family members.

While currently State Attorneys Generals can target the outcome of an unwanted AI-voice generated robocall—such as the scam or fraud they are seeking to perpetrate—this action now makes the act of using AI to generate the voice in these robocalls itself illegal, expanding the legal avenues through which state law enforcement agencies can hold these perpetrators accountable under the law.

In November of 2023, the FCC launched a Notice of Inquiry to build a record on how the agency can combat illegal robocalls and how AI might be involved. The agency asked questions on how AI might be used for scams that arise out of junk calls, by mimicking the voices of those we know, and whether this technology should be subject to oversight under the TCPA.

Similarly, the FCC also asked about how AI can help us with pattern recognition so that we turn this technology into a force for good that can recognize illegal robocalls before they ever reach consumers on the phone.

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act is the primary law the FCC uses to help limit junk calls.  It restricts the making of telemarketing calls and the use of automatic telephone dialing systems and artificial or prerecorded voice messages. Under FCC rules, it also requires telemarketers to obtain prior express written consent from consumers before robocalling them. This Declaratory Ruling ensures AI-generated voices in calls are also held to those same standards.

The TCPA gives the FCC civil enforcement authority to fine robocallers. The Commission can also take steps to block calls from telephone carriers facilitating illegal robocalls. In addition, the TCPA allows individual consumers or an organization to bring a lawsuit against robocallers in court.  Lastly, State Attorneys General have their own enforcement tools which may be tied to robocall definitions under the TCPA.

A coalition of 26 State Attorneys General—more than half of the nation’s AGs—recently wrote to the FCC supporting this approach.  By taking this step, the FCC is building on its work to establish partnerships with law enforcement agencies in states across the country to identify and eliminate illegal robocalls.

These partnerships can provide critical resources for building cases and coordinating efforts to protect consumers and businesses nationwide. The FCC offers partner states not only the expertise of its enforcement staff but also important resources and remedies to support state investigations.

The FCC currently has a Memorandum of Understanding with 48 State Attorneys General to work together to combat robocalls.

Telguard Expands Presence in Canada with Appointment of New Representative in the Security Industry

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Telguard, a leading provider of security and life safety technologies, is thrilled to announce the appointment of a new representative to serve the Canadian market. This strategic move marks an important step in Telguard’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge security solutions to clients across Canada.

As the demand for advanced security measures continues to rise, Telguard recognizes the importance of having a dedicated presence in key markets. With the appointment of our newest representative, Nathan Wilkinson, we are poised to better serve our customers in Canada with personalized attention and tailored solutions.

Nathan brings six years of experience in the security industry, with a proven track record of fostering strong client relationships and delivering exceptional results. His expertise and insights will be invaluable as we expand our footprint in Canada and address the evolving needs of our clients.

“We are excited to welcome Nathan Wilkinson as part of our team,” said Melody Parham, Director of Sales at Telguard. “His deep understanding of the Telguard product line, coupled with a passion for delivering top-notch security solutions, makes Nathan the perfect fit to represent Telguard in Canada.”

Nathan added, “I am thrilled to be part of the team and contribute to its mission of providing best-in-class security solutions. Canada presents immense growth opportunities, and I am committed to building strong partnerships and exceeding our clients’ expectations.”

With a comprehensive portfolio of cellular alarm communicators, Telguard is well-positioned to address the diverse security needs of businesses and organizations across Canada. From cellular solutions for residential interactive applications and commercial intrusion to sole-path and dual-path fire communicators, Telguard offers a range of ULC-listed innovative technologies designed to enhance safety and security.

For more information about Telguard products and services in Canada, please contact Nathan Wilkinson at nathan.wilkinson@ametek.com.

Acadian Total Security Acquirs Pinpoint Security

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Acadian Total Security, based in Lafayette, La., has acquired Pinpoint Security, a security systems installer serving Bridge City, Texas, and surrounding areas.

The strategic acquisition strengthens Acadian’s footprint in the growing Texas market and bolsters its ability to deliver security services to homes and businesses across the region, according to an announcement.

Over the years, Pinpoint Security has built a strong reputation for its personalized service, expert installation and high-quality security systems. With a focus on exceeding customer expectations, Pinpoint Security aligns perfectly with Acadian’s core values of placing customers first, stated Brandon Niles, vice president of Acadian companies

“We are thrilled to welcome Pinpoint Security to the Acadian Total Security family,” Niles said. “Their dedication to customer service and expertise in the local market make them a perfect fit for our expansion plans. Together, we will be able to offer a wider range of security solutions and even better service to our customers in Texas.”

The acquisition’s benefits include:

  • Expanded service area: Acadian Total Security now has a wider reach in Texas, offering its comprehensive security solutions to a larger customer base.
  • Enhanced service offerings: Customers will benefit from a broader range of security solutions, including fire services in Texas
  • Continued local expertise: Pinpoint Security’s experienced team will remain on board, ensuring continued personalized service and local market knowledge.
  • Combined resources: Acadian’s resources will enable Pinpoint Security to invest in new technologies and training, further improving its service capabilities.

Acadian Total Security is a leading provider of comprehensive security solutions for homes and businesses. The company offers a wide range of security systems, monitoring services and access control solutions.

Resideo Invests in Pro AV Firm

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XTEN-AV, a California-based provider of professional audio-visual design and proposal software, announced it has received a minority investment from Resideo Technologies.

According to a company press release, XTEN-AV provides a collaborative software platform for integrators to conceptualize designs and streamline proposal processes.

“We continue to see Pro AV as a growth category, and we’re investing in technology to help drive the industry forward,” said Stu Tisdale, senior vice-president and chief experience officer, ADI Global Distribution, a Resideo division. “We recognize the value XTEN-AV’s platform delivers, and we’re excited to support them to advance their software platform and help deliver greater impact to customers.”

“We are excited about the support from Resideo and ADI, as it enables us to reach a broader audience globally,” added Vibhav Singh and Sahil Dhingra, co-founders of XTEN-AV. “This strategic investment not only strengthens our position in the market but also signifies a shared vision of advancing the Pro AV industry through innovation and efficiency.”