The latest news on TMA’s 2023 Annual Meeting in Maui

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We have received several inquiries in recent days as to the state of our 2023 Annual Meeting, which is scheduled to take place on the island of Maui, Nov. 4-8th. With all communications down in the area, we have not been able to connect with our contacts at the Ritz Carlton, Kapalua, our host hotel. We have reached out to the Ritz Carlton main offices and requested any information that is available but have yet to receive a reply. Therefore, we have not made any decisions at this point.

As you can imagine, we remain in a holding pattern as of today. Once we receive word from the Ritz Carlton, the Board of Directors and staff will evaluate our options and decide how to best proceed based on the information provided to us.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. We will keep you informed as to the status of the host hotel, its property, and the surrounding areas as we learn more in the coming days and weeks.

Until then, please keep the people of Maui in your prayers.

As in years past, TMA will select a local charity for Annual Meeting attendees to support. The names of those who donate are entered into a raffle for a prize. We are currently researching local Maui charities for this year.

Considering the urgent and overwhelming need for aid in Maui today, we have identified several organizations that you may consider donating to prior to the meeting below.

DGA Mourns the Loss of VP Craig Dacher

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Call for participation in TMA-VMS-01 video procedural standard committee.We learned yesterday of the passing of TMA member Craig Dacher, Vice President, DGA. He passed unexpectedly at his home on August 13th. Craig joined DGA in 1983 and was an essential contributor to DGA’s success over the last 40 years. He leaves an indelible mark on both the business and its employees.

A warm and deeply caring person, Craig made it a point to know each DGA employee and took sincere interest in their personal lives and authentic pride in their professional growth. His personal friendships with employees, customers, vendors, and members of the broader security industry span decades and his loss will be felt by many.

Raised in New York City, his warm smile and zest for life was evident to everyone he met. Craig’s legacy will live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.

He is survived by his loving wife Lori, who he met while she also worked at DGA, and two sons, Richard and Matthew.

Gene Miller, Cen-Signal, Passes Away

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Gene Miller July 11, 1968 – August 5, 2023

In Honor and Remembrance

The following is a letter written and shared by the Cen-Signal family upon the death of their longtime colleague, Gene Miller.

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our esteemed colleague, Gene Miller, who left us on August 5, 2023. During his time with Cen-Signal, Gene made an indelible mark on both the company and the lives of those who had the privilege of knowing them.

Gene joined our team on August 4,1999, and quickly became an integral part of Cen-Signal. His dedication, passion, and expertise were evident in every project he undertook. He tackled challenges with a positive spirit and inspired those around him to strive for excellence. His willingness to go the extra mile and his warm, friendly nature made him not just a colleague, but a true friend to many.

Gene had a natural ability to connect with people on a personal level. Regardless if you met him for the first time during a trade show or if you had known him years. You couldn’t help being captivated by his warm personality, genuine kindness, or the unwavering dedication to the alarm industry. His passion for his work and loving kindness for people has left an enduring mark on all who had the privilege of crossing paths with him.

As we mourn the passing of Gene, we also want to acknowledge the invaluable contributions he made to our company and the alarm industry as a whole. We are committed to upholding the high standards he set and continuing his legacy by striving for excellence in everything we do.

Throughout his tenure, Gene demonstrated exceptional knowledge of the alarm industry and its continuing advancements. This knowledge contributed significantly to our projects and will leave a lasting impact on our team. His legacy will continue to inspire us as we move forward in his absence.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Gene’s family during this difficult time. Gene was survived by his devoted wife, loving daughter, adoring parents, and other family members. Gene has now been reunited with their grandson, whom he cherished. As we mourn the loss of an outstanding colleague and friend, we also celebrate the impact he had on our lives, the alarm industry, and the legacy he leaves behind.

Cen-Signal is profoundly grateful for the time Gene spent with us, and we will carry his memory with us always.

Huronia donates security equipment and services to Elmvale Foundation

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Huronia Alarm & Fire Security has made a $4,100 donation to the Elmvale Foundation, a non-profit research organization that provides environmental science education.

Elmvale, Ont., located about 25km north of Barrie, is famous for the purity of its groundwater.

Huronia has deep roots in Elmvale and the townships of Springwater and Tiny.

“This is a tight-knit community with families living here that go back generations. The residents are all keenly aware of the excellent work and environmental stewardship that The Elmvale Foundation has done to protect this unique natural water resource and the surrounding lands,” said Kevin Leonard, COO, Huronia, in a statement.

Huronia’s donation comprises security cameras, an alarm system and monitoring services for the farm property on which the Elmvale Groundwater Observatory is located.

The donated equipment and services “have taken a load off my mind. It’s also given my colleagues a safe and secure place to meet, plan our collective studies, and discuss our findings,” said Dr. William Shotyk, president and founder of the Elmvale Foundation.

Alarm.com launches “Gopher Info” AI assistant for tech

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Alarm.com announced the launch of Gopher Info, an AI-powered assistant for technicians and service providers.

According to the company, the tool “leverages large language models to improve service provider efficiency and operations – from training and sales to installation and support.”

Gopher Info contextualizes, processes, and summarizes information from Alarm.com installation guides, product summaries, specification sheets, troubleshooting best practices and training materials.

Gopher Info is accessible through the Alarm.com Partner Portal and Alarm.com’s mobile app for service providers, MobileTech. It is currently in limited release and will be available more widely later in the summer.

“Innovation is in our DNA and we are always looking for ways to use new technology that enhances service provider efficiency,” said Jason DaCosta, senior vice-president of customer operations, Alarm.com, in a statement. “This is a significant advancement for the security industry and sets a higher standard for support usability.”

Service providers can use Gopher Info to answer questions such as:

• Can you explain to me how Smart Arming and Arming Schedules work?
• How do I install a Smart Gateway?
• Do I need a power module to install a VDB750 with mechanical chimes?
• How many Video Analytics rules can my customers create on their video doorbells?

DHS announces additional $374.9 million in funding to boost State, Local Cybersecurity

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The Department of Homeland Security has announced the availability of $374.9 million in grant funding for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP). State and local governments face increasingly sophisticated cyber threats to their critical infrastructure and public safety. Now in its second year, the SLCGP is a first-of-its-kind cybersecurity grant program specifically for state, local, and territorial (SLT) governments nationwide to help them strengthen their cyber resilience. Established by the State and Local Cybersecurity Improvement Act, and part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the SLCGP provides $1 billion in funding over four years to support SLT governments as they develop capabilities to detect, protect against, and respond to cyber threats. This year’s funding allotment represents a significant increase from the $185 million allotted in FY22, demonstrating the Administration and Congress’s commitment to help improve the cybersecurity of communities across the nation.

“In today’s threat environment, any locality is vulnerable to a devastating cyber attack targeted at a hospital, school, water, or other system,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “The Department of Homeland Security is helping to ensure that every community, regardless of size, funding, or resources, can meet these threats and keep their residents and their critical infrastructure safe and secure. These cybersecurity grants will help state, local, and territorial governments do just that, and I strongly urge communities nationwide to submit an application.”

SLCGP is jointly administered by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). CISA provides expertise and guidance on cybersecurity issues while FEMA manages the grant award and allocation process. Award recipients may use the funding for a wide range of cybersecurity improvements and capabilities, including cybersecurity planning and exercising, hiring cyber personnel, and improving the daily services that citizens rely on.

“State and local governments are facing increasingly sophisticated cyber threats to their critical infrastructure and public safety,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly. “As the Nation’s Cyber Defense Agency, CISA is pleased to make available yet another tool that will help strengthen cyber defenses for communities across the nation and bolster our collective cybersecurity.”

“Building resilience requires more than mitigating against natural hazards,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “As our threat landscape continues to evolve, the funding provided through the state, local, and territorial cybersecurity grant program will increase capability to help communities better prepare and reduce cyber risks.”

State and local governments have until October 6 to apply for this FY23 grant opportunity. For more information and helpful resources on the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, visit CISA’s webpage: cisa.gov/cybergrants.

CPI Security Partners With Lumos to Offer Fiber Internet in the Southeast

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CPI Security announced a partnership with high-speed fiber internet provider Lumos to offer homeowners in the Southeast with Wi-Fi that will better support their customized smart home security systems.

Lumos is the leading all-fiber optic internet and total home Wi-Fi service provider in the Mid-Atlantic region, according to the announcement. Based in Charlotte, N.C., CPI Security is the largest privately held security and home automation company in the Southeast.

Video surveillance is becoming more integral to home security, with more than 70 percent of homeowners adding video devices to their home security systems, the announcement states. Integrating multiple video streams and Wi-Fi-enabled smart security devices increases the demands put on home Wi-Fi networks. Lumos’ fiber optic Internet connection allows families to use home security systems, while having an abundance of remaining bandwidth to work from home, stream movies, upload large files, play video games and more.

“Our goal is to give our customers the best possible experience, and that’s why we are partnering with the best Fiber Optic Internet provider,” CPI Security CEO and Founder Ken Gill said. “Lumos’ high-speed internet services, combined with our cellular technology, will help our security systems perform more efficiently, and we can introduce Lumos customers to the best in smart home security.”

Lumos is building an all-fiber optic infrastructure that delivers up to 385 times faster upload speeds and 30 times faster download speeds than a cable connection, the announcement states. Additionally, fiber is more resilient against disruptions from heat, bad weather and power outages.

“Homes with Lumos’ fiber service, particularly a gigabit connection, will have more than enough bandwidth to support CPI’s cameras, locks, and monitors, while also allowing residents to seamlessly work from home, stream online classes in high definition, take advantage of advancements in telemedicine and more,” states Lumos CEO Brian Stading.

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.

Call for participation in TMA-VMS-01 video procedural standard committee.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 curiosityâ€, 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.â€