Spector, Schmit Honored For TMA and Industry Contributions

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On October 21, 2020, in the course of TMA’s General Membership Meeting, TMA President Don Young had the honor of presenting TMA’s two highest awards – Stanley C. Lott Award for Exemplary Service and the Mel Mahler Award for Outstanding Service to the Monitoring Industry.

Stanley C. Lott Award for Exemplary Service Presented to Ivan Spector, President, Sentinelle Alarms
In presenting the award, President Young stated, “This year the award is given to a man who has not only served TMA through many leadership positions on committees and the TMA Board, but who was a founding member and longtime board member of the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC).

In addition, he has been a leader in advancing alarm management in both Canada and the United States. For CANASA, he served on the Board of Directors, was national president, and chair of the Response Committee. In that role he proved instrumental in driving many false dispatch reduction initiatives. He is also a Superior Court of Canada-acknowledged and accepted expert witness.
This year’s winner is a graduate of McGill University in Montreal and is the owner of Sentinel Alarm. I am pleased to award the 2020 Stanley C. Lott Memorial Award to Ivan Spector.”

Mel Mahler Award for Outstanding Service to the Monitoring Industry Presented to Steve A. Schmit, Senior Staff Engineer, UL
In presenting the award, President Young commented, “When deciding on a recipient for this year’s Award, one name came immediately to mind. He is an individual who has served our industry for more than 39 years, but with the onset of Covid 19 earlier this year, he worked tirelessly on behalf of the TMA membership to develop work at home standards that would allow our industry to continue to operate under safe conditions. This year’s winner is an experienced Engineering Manager with a history of working in the public safety industry.

He holds a BS in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and serves as Senior Staff Engineer for Underwriters Laboratories. I am very grateful for all of the help and guidance this year’s recipient provided on the establishment of the new standard and I am honored to present this year’s Mel Mahler Award to Steve Schmit.”

Please join TMA in congratulating Ivan and Steve on these esteemed honors.

TMA Past President Named ESA’s 2019 Person of the Year

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The Electronic Security Association (ESA) presented its 2019 Morris F. Weinstock Person of the Year Award to TMA Past President Bud Wulforst in honor of his lifetime of achievements in the security industry. Wulforst has been involved in ESA throughout the years as part of many initiatives and as a mentor to other businesspeople in the industry. 

Upon receiving his award, Wulforst stated, “I’m truly humbled as we stand here with 50 years of award recipients. I am so very proud to receive this wonderful ESA award. I’ve learned so much from so many over the years,” said Wulforst as he received the award. “The associations are the catalyst for bringing it all together. The power of networking and participating in our associations should never be underestimated. When I say thank you, I say thank you to you all.”

TMA extends its sincere congratulations to Wulforst.

Read more.

TMA Members Named SSI’s SAMMY Award Winners

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Security Sales & Integration announced the winners of its 2020 Sales and Marketing Awards (SAMMYs). The SAMMY Awards program, now in its 25th year, is the only one of its kind in the security industry to recognize and honor dealers and integrators for their marketing, business, installation, and overall excellence.

Typically hosted as a gala affair on the eve of ISC West in Las Vegas, the coronavirus outbreak forced ISC West 2020 to be postponed, moving the SAMMYs to the safe confines of the Internet.

Please join in congratulating the TMA members who won a 2020 SAMMY Award are:

Best Website Design
AvantGuard
Ogden, Utah

Best Promotional Giveaway Item
Wayne Alarm Systems
Lynn, Mass.

Best Promotional Video or Audio
Guardian Protection Services
Pittsburgh

Best Sales Brochure
Acadian Total Security
Lafayette, La.

Best Display Advertisement (Print or Electronic)
Acadian Total Security
Lafayette, La.

Best Overall Integrated Marketing Program Large Company
STANLEY Security
Fishers, Ind.

Installer of the Year (Large Company)
Vector Security
Pittsburgh

Integrated Installation of the Year (Large Company)
ADT
Romeoville, Ill.

TMA Awards Deadline Extended

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The deadline to submit your entry to TMA’s annual Excellence Awards and The Marvel Technology Award has been extended to April 17, 2020. 

Finalists in all categories will be announced prior to ESX 2020. The awards will be presented at the opening session at ESX 2020, Wednesday, June 10th.

Get all of the submission details online:

If you have any questions, please contact Leigh A. McGuire at lmcguire@tma.us.

TMA Members Among SSI SAMMY Award Finalists

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Security Sales and Integration magazine announced the finalists for its 2020 SAMMY Awards, which recognize professionalism in dealer/integrator sales, marketing and installation efforts. The awards program marks its 25th anniversary this year.

Awards will be presented March 17th in Las Vegas.

Please join in congratulating the TMA members that made the list of finalists:

  • Acadian Total Security
    • Installer of the Year  (Large Company)
    • Display Ad
    • Sales Brochure
    • Vehicle Graphic Design
  • ADT Commerical
    • Integrated Installation of the Year (Large Company)
    • Installer of the Year  (Large Company)
    • Overall Integrated Marketing Program (Large Company)
    • Newsletter or Content Marketing
    • Social Media Campaign
    • Vehicle Graphic Design
  • AvantGuard
    • Community Outreach
    • Website Design
  • Custom Alarm
    • Installer of the Year (Small to Midsize Company)
    • Integrated Installation of the Year (Small to Midsize Company)
  • Guardian Protection
    • Promotional Video or Audio
  • Kimberlite (Sonitrol)
    • Integrated Installation of the Year (Large Company)
    • Social Media Campaign
  • Securitas Electronic Security
    • Integrated Installation of the Year (Large Company)
  • STANLEY Security
    • Integrated Installation of the Year (Large Company)
    • Overall Integrated Marketing Program (Large Company)
  • Vector Security
    • Installer of the Year  (Large Company)
    • Overall Integrated Marketing Program (Large Company)
    • Social Media Campaign
    • Website Design
  • Wayne Alarm Systems
    • Promotional Give-Away Item

View the full announcement of finalists.

TMA Opens Annual Awards Competitions – Apply by April 17th

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TMA is pleased to announce the opening of it two prestigious annual awards competitions for security monitoring centers and the professional staffs – TMA Excellence Awards and TMA/SSI Marvel Monitoring Technology Award (Marvel Award).

TMA’s Excellence Awards recognizes the achievements, performance, and dedication of both listed monitoring centers and key individuals (from any listed or non-listed monitoring centers) who work for monitoring centers. SDM magazine sponsors this award and offers editorial coverage for winners. Learn more about these awards.

The Marvel Award was established in 2018 to identify a monitoring center (listed or non-listed) for introducing new innovations in terms of internal processes, customer service, or new services. Our industry is rife with innovation! Enter the competition and show us what you proud of your team! Learn more about the Marvel Award.

The deadline for both award competition submissions is April 17, 2020. Awards will be presented at ESX 2020 in Nashville this June.

Questions? Call or email Leigh A. McGuire (703-660-4916). 

CSAA History: Stan Lott

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Robert A. Bonifas, President and CEO, Alarm Detection Systems, Inc. recently found photos of himself and Stan Lott from 1989. ” I ran across an album of many photos from a CSAA “Study Mission” trip to Australia that was done after a Hawaiian CSAA convention. The pictures are of a CSAA Stan Lott and others.,” he said.

“When John Murphy was president of CSAA he had me stand up and tell the membership who Stan Lott was because neither he nor most of the membership knew who Stan was and what he had done for the association to cause him to be memorialized for CSAA’s most prestigious award.

“These pictures probably were the last pictures taken of Stan before his death at the age of 46 in early 1989. The enclosed picture with more than Stan and I also have a few more people who are also deceased, Peter Newman who for many years was CSAA volunteer Treasurer and if my memory is correct was 83 in this picture and the big guy Larry Gass  who owned an alarm company called Tulsa Security, Inc. in Tulsa Oklahoma. The woman in the picture was a tour guide.

 

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Support 911 Professionals in Getting the Recognition They Deserve

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The federal government currently classifies 9-1-1 operator positions as administrative/clerical in nature, in the same group for secretaries, office clerks, and taxicab dispatchers, which is inaccurate and a disservice to the lifesaving work and dedication of these professionals.  In partnership with APCO International, TMA is seeking your support for the bipartisan, bicameral , a simple zero-cost bill that would fix the federal classification by appropriately grouping Public Safety Telecommunicators with other “Protective” occupations.

Many of you work closely with 9-1-1 operators across the United States. You, more than most, understand the nature of the specialized training that is required and the depth of commitment to helping those in need. TMA asks you to take a few minutes to lend your support to this legislation aimed at raising the profile of your colleagues. It’s good governance, and it’s a much-deserved recognition for the 100,000 Public Safety Telecommunicators in our country.

Public Safety Telecommunicators should be categorized as Protective Service Occupations, which includes a broad range of “protective” occupations: lifeguards, gambling surveillance officers, fish and game wardens, parking enforcement workers, firefighters, and playground monitors, among others. Reclassification is common sense, and about getting Public Safety Telecommunicators the recognition they deserve for the work they do every day to protect and save the lives of the public and first responders.

Please support the 9-1-1 SAVES Act by sending a letter of support to those representatives who support the Act or a letter to request support.

The links below take you to a dynamic form on APCO’s website. You need simply provide your contact information and the appropriate letter is sent automatically to your representatives and senators. The process takes just minutes to complete.

Thank you for your time and support!

Finalists for 2019 TMA/SSI Monitoring Technology “Marvel” Award Announced

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The Monitoring Association and Security Sales & Integration announced the finalists for “the Marvel” — the inaugural TMA/SSI Monitoring Technology “Marvel” Award. They are:

  • CPI Security
  • Securens Systems Pvt. Ltd.

This award honors innovations in monitoring center technology. It is co-sponsored by TMA and Security Sales & Integration (SSI) and coordinated by the TMA Technology Committee.

The purpose of the Marvel is to provide recognition for monitoring centers creating and/or using cutting-edge technology and to raise awareness of these new technologies.

The Marvel will be presented to one overall winner for the “best adoption of new technology to advance your business.” Submission categories included:

  • Best implementation of video verification
  • Best implementation of PERS monitoring
  • Best technology to build efficiency in monitoring
  • Best cybersecurity
  • Best new business model
  • Best migration to the cloud

The winner of the Marvel will be announced on June 3, 2019 in Indianapolis (as part of the 2019 Electronic Security Expo) and will be featured in the August 2019 Monitoring Issue of SSI. Runners-up will also receive coverage in the issue.

2019 TMA Excellence Awards Finalists Announced

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The Monitoring Association (TMA) is pleased to announce the twelve finalists for the 2019 TMA Excellence Awards. Listed in alphabetical order by company within each category, they are:

2019 TMA Monitoring Center of the Year

  1. CPI
  2. Guardian
  3. Lydia (COPS)

2019 TMA Manager of the Year

  1. Tracy Ehrsam, Habitec Security
  2. Patricia Morse, Richmond Alarm Company
  3. Sarah Murphy, Sonitrol

2019 TMA Operator of the Year

  1. Ciera Cannon, Universal Atlantic Systems
  2. Jane Starkey, Habitec Security
  3. Charles White, Affiliated

2019 TMA Support Person of the Year

  1. Adam Crowe, Alarm Systems
  2. Ben Perry, Universal Atlantic Systems
  3. Robert Rodriguez, Affiliated

“Each year, we take tremendous pride in recognizing Monitoring Centers who demonstrate their commitment to excellence, as well as those working in key support roles within the monitoring industry whose dedication, skills, and abilities set them apart from their peers,” said Leigh A. McGuire, director of Marketing and Communications, TMA. “Our finalists this year represent the best–in-class within the monitoring industry today and we extend our sincere congratulations to each company and professional.”

The TMA Monitoring Center Excellence Awards recognize any FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL or UL-listed monitoring center (TMA members and non-members) and outstanding personnel who perform in the highest professional manner, thereby making a significant contribution to the betterment of the alarm industry and the alarm profession while demonstrating exceptional service to their customers and community.

The purpose of the awards program is to:

  • Establish and promote the inherent value of professional monitoring services in general.
  • Honor those who have made the most significant contributions to the service.
  • Promote the distinct level of professionalism attained by NRTL-approved monitoring centers.

The TMA Monitoring Center Excellence Awards are co-sponsored by SDM Magazine, which will publish a feature story on the winners later this summer. Entries are judged by a blue-ribbon volunteer judging panel appointed by TMA. The four winners will be announced at the Opening Reception of the 2019 Electronic Security Expo (ESX) on Monday, June 3, 2019.