PPVAR announces newly appointed Board of Director for the 2023-2024 term

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PPVAR is happy to announce that Mark McCall of Immix is the new PPVAR President. Mr. McCall takes over the position from David Holl, Director of Public Safety for Lower Allen Township, PA who will now be on the board as immediate past-president.

Mr. McCall commented on his new role at PPVAR “I have long believed that PPVAR is in a unique position to bridge the gap between the security industry and Public Safety and push forward topics that were important to both. They certainly have proven that over the past few years, as evidenced, in part, by pushing for and working with TMA in the creation of the AVS-01 Standard. I am honored to be a part of PPVAR and look forward to working with our members to advance our mission.”

Kristy Johnson of ADT has been voted in as the new PPVAR Secretary. Ms. Johnson remarked, “The electronic security industry plays a vital role in protecting life and property. However, it is just one piece of a larger picture, heavily reliant on collaboration with law enforcement and public safety partners. When I joined the industry in 2012, I discovered a significant issue concerning false alarms leading to unnecessary police dispatches. This realization motivated me to work passionately on bridging the gaps within our industry and in my various roles throughout my time in the industry, I’ve remained dedicated to correct this discrepancy. My mission is to enhance the sector by focusing on solutions that make the best use of our combined resources and form true partnerships with public safety. My commitment to prioritized and verified alarm responses drives my enthusiasm to assume a more formal role within PPVAR (Priority Partners Verified Alarm Response) and actively contribute to these ongoing efforts.”

PPVAR ‘s Board of Directors is comprised of experts in Public Safety, Law Enforcement, Emergency Communications, the Electronic Security and Monitoring Industries, and consultants to these fields. We collaborate with all members involved in the alarm response process to maximize the effectiveness of all resources required to protect life and property.

The New DICE Opens ULC-Compliant Data Center for Canada

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The New DICE UL data center at its headquarters is now ULC compliant for Canada, meaning any central station that has dealers in Canada and the United States can now be hosted in the DICE center and operate in both countries simultaneously.

Even central stations that are not using Matrix Interactive, or any other DICE product, can take advantage of the ULC compliance, the company announcement says.

DICE’S Bay City data center is already UL Compliant. Previously, UL did not have a hosting standard in the U.S. They based and built the UL 827A standard on DICE’s data center.

As Canadian companies began hosting at the DICE data centers, they began pushing to use the UL standard that was built in the U.S. However, ULC chose to develop their own standard.

“Even though they based the new standard on our data centers, we had to make a lot of changes, which took about two years,” says Cliff Dice, president, CEO, & founder of The New DICE, in the company announcement.

“We spent quite a bit of time and money, but what helped is the fact that our sister company, IPtelX, is a registered Canadian carrier and ISP provider,” he says. “In fact, we are not only an infrastructure and security company, but also the backbone for most of the smart home systems in Canada as well.”

How DICE Data Center Became ULC-Compliant

To develop the Canadian standard, ULC looked at every detail of the DICE data center, including how the building is built, how the fire suppression systems work, redundancy, backups, failovers, power and infrastructure networks, telecom, receiver management, software management, and the disaster plans and procedures that are in place.

“Now those central stations that do not want to make the investment of building their own data center, can now use the DICE data center,” says Dice in the company announcement.

Join NAPCO in Congratulating Dave Sheffey on His Well-Deserved Retirement

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After 31+ years with Napco Security Technologies, as Western VP, and later, SRVP of Sales, for all the Napco RSMs across North America, Dave Sheffey will be retiring, having handed over the reigns and team to VP, Michael Venoit, earlier this year.  Dave has long been a key part of Napco Security Sales Management, an accomplished leader, industry icon and driver of Napco security sales and distribution channels.

Anyone who knows Dave, as most in the industry do, recognize the amiable, modest, super-intelligent guy who is comfortable speaking to virtually everyone, and always knows how to get things done and with whom. Never one to shrink away from a challenge, Dave is extremely knowledgeable and well-versed in all aspects of technology, applications, and product (as well as science, astronomy, and fine art, too).  Dave’s extensive security experience and industry knowledge have served him, his accounts, and NAPCO well. But two of Dave’s idiomatic phrases, sum up much of what may be his work philosophy, “I have a curiosity”, and on the flip- side, “Don’t poke a sleeping bear.” For those of us who know Dave, the neat part is, he seemingly always knows which to apply and when.

After decades of traveling across this great country and Canada, representing Napco, attending countless tradeshows and events, and visiting and supporting security professionals and distributors all along the way; for his well-deserved retirement, Dave is literally going to sail off (well, motor off) into the sunset of the Great Lakes on his boat, at least for a little while. Bon Voyage, Dave. You deserve the best- Enjoy retirement with your lovely wife, Beth and the cats. Stephen Spinelli, SVP, Sales, NAPCO Security Technologies, Inc, added, “On behalf of all of us at NAPCO, it’s been our pleasure to work with you.”

Axis Communications Opens New Experience Center in Cincinnati

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Axis Communications is celebrating its newest Axis Experience Center (AEC), located in Cincinnati. The new facility marks the company’s 16th experience center in the Americas and the second AEC location in its Mid-Atlantic Business Area.

The new location demonstrates Axis’ continued commitment to providing local customers, partners and business leaders with on-the-ground resources and support to test advanced security technologies in a simulated environment, according to an announcement.

The 6,924-square-foot Cincinnati AEC is located on the 11th floor of the Scripps Center in the heart of Cincinnati’s riverfront business district. The facility features panoramic views of downtown and overlooks the Great American Ball Park and Paycor Stadium, home to the Cincinnati Reds and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Notable design elements of the space include a scoreboard video wall, security operations center (SOC), a 2N/Axis intercom wall and dedicated training room. Most importantly, the space will allow customers and partners to demo the latest solutions, including new use cases for analytics, multi-sensors, audio and Axis’ newest video surveillance advancements.

The company’s expanded presence in the region will allow it to provide greater support to an array of local clients across industries, including retail, sports, entertainment and government, the announcement states.

“Ohio is home to six major cities and offers a robust and diverse economy — so it’s no wonder many Axis customers, integrators, and partners, and we’re thrilled to be growing our presence in the Cincinnati area,” said Paul Winsker, business area director, Mid-Atlantic at Axis Communications. “With security technology advancing at a rapid rate, our expanded presence in the Queen City gives us the opportunity to meet more end users and provide them with the opportunity to test the latest Axis innovations. We look forward to working with new and existing partners to solve their business challenges and help them achieve their goals.”

Axis and local dignitaries and partners will celebrate the grand opening with a three-day event and a formal ribbon cutting on Aug. 3. Guests will be able to participate in a partner showcase with Axis ecosystem partners Genetec, Milestone, BriefCam, YourSix and Wasabi. Attendees will also have the opportunity to explore the Mid-Atlantic Axis Experience Vehicle (AEV), a mobile technology center, which will be parked across the street at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

Fourth Maryland ECC Goes Live with TMA’s Automated Secure Alarm Protocol

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The Queen Anne’s County MD Emergency Services is the 131st Emergency Communications Center (ECCs) in the United States to implement The Monitoring Association’s (TMA) Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP). Launched in 2011 as a public-private partnership, TMA’s ASAP service is designed to increase the accuracy and efficiency of calls for service from alarm monitoring centers to Emergency Communication Centers (ECCs).

Queen Anne’s County ECC is the 4th ECC in the state of Maryland to implement ASAP. The Center went live the week of July 17, 2023 with: Vector Security, Rapid Response Monitoring, Johnson Controls, Securitas (Stanley Div), Securitas, CPI, Security Central, Brinks Home Security, United Central Control, Protection One, National Monitoring Center, Vivint, Affiliated Monitoring, Guardian Protection and ADT.

Learn more about TMA’s ASAP at www.tma.us/asap/.

TMA Past President Sevinor Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

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TMA Past President and longtime volunteer leader Ralph Sevinor, Wayne Alarms, received the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award from TMA Associate Member Resideo. Resideo is hosting its #CONNECT22 at the JW Marriott Beach Resort in Marco Island, FL.

Look for updates as additional details are available!

TMA Mourns the Passing of Daniel Demers

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Shared by Patrice De Luca, Consultant

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of friend and business mentor Daniel Demers. He passed away Nov. 10th after an 18-month battle with sarcoma, an aggressive and relentless form of cancer. As always, he faced this final challenge with dignity and determination.

Daniel entered the electronic security industry in 1993 as Director of Finance for Protectron, a division of Videotron. He was promoted to President and CEO in 1997. During his 22 years at the helm of Protectron through four successive majority financial owners (Videotron, Wellspring Capital, Reliance Income Trust, Alinda), Daniel has grown a $10 million annual regional business into a $160 million Canadian national player with 400,000 subscribers to its monitoring services. In 2014, he led the sale of Protectron to ADT for $500 million USD. Throughout this journey, Daniel has consistently secured seamless financing to support the company’s growth and development. He also ensured that the investor-owners understood that high quality products and services were the foundation for sustainable growth.

A few years after the sale to ADT, Daniel also led the creation of GardaWorld Security System from 2017 to 2020.

Over the years, Daniel established himself as one of the leading figures in the North American security systems and monitoring industry, leading Protectron to the 15th position on this list and within a few months of the number one position in Canada before the sale to ADT. A self-taught entrepreneur, he has built a solid and fast growing organization. He has created a “Work Hard Play Hard” culture and a strong sense of belonging by always insisting on total integrity. He also built an extensive business network in Canada and the United States, which allowed the organization to share best practices with many of North America’s best-run companies.

Daniel will be missed as a father by his daughter and son, both in their twenties, as a spouse and as a brother. He will be missed by many as an influential business leader and mentor, and as a true and genuine friend to those who were fortunate enough to be closer to him.

Enter the 2023 TMA/SDM Excellence Awards Beginning Dec. 1

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Looking for a way to differentiate your company and brand in today’s crowded and competitive landscape? Awards are one of the best ways to stand-out and convey your commitment to quality and to your customers. The Monitoring Association (TMA) and SDM magazine joined together nearly 20 years ago to establish the Excellence Awards. A combination of five awards is presented annually to recognize excellence demonstrated by monitoring centers and outstanding monitoring professionals. The winners are recognized in an SDM feature article.

The application period for the 2023 TMA Excellence Awards will open December 1, 2022. Applicants must be a member of TMA. The submission deadline will be January 6, 2023. The awards will be presented virtually in conjunction with TMA’s Mid-Year Meeting in April.

Go to http://tma.us/events/awards/excellence-awards/ for complete award details. If you have any questions, please contact communications@tma.us.

Reduce Wasted Time While Increasing Operational Efficiency

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The need for speed When it comes to customer satisfaction and operational efficiency in the alarm monitoring business, the ability to respond quickly and efficiently to an incident is paramount. Being able to offer reduced  response time can mean the difference between keeping a customer or losing one. Your customers want the quickest possible response […]

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Town of Leesburg VA Police Department Goes Live with ASAP-to-PSAP

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The Town of Leesburg VA Police Department Emergency Communications Center (ECC) is the 117th ECC in the United States and the 21st agency in the state of Virginia to implement the Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP).

The Leesburg ECC went live on Thursday, November 3, 2022, with: Vector Security, Rapid Response Monitoring, Stanley Security, Tyco (Johnson Controls), Brinks Home Security, Affiliated Monitoring, the National Monitoring Center, Securitas, Guardian Protection, Protection One, United Central Control, Security Central, Vivint, and ADT.