Rapid is 2016 CSAA Central Station of the Year

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Vivint and Vector Also Honored at ESX on June 9
CSAA is pleased to announce the four winners of the 2016 Excellence Awards:

Central Station of the Year: Rapid Response Monitoring Services, Inc.
Central Station Manager of the Year: Michelle Lindus, Vivint Smart Home
Central Station Operator of the Year: Amy Cerney, Vivint Smart Home
Central Station Support Person of the Year: David Carter, Vector Security, Inc.

Rapid Response’s core belief is three-pronged: people, training, and technology. The Excellence Awards judges determined that this outstanding company proved to deserve the spot at the pinnacle of our industry. Rapid’s application detailed extensive plans for disaster recovery, false alarm reduction, education and training, technology innovation, customer relations, and community outreach efforts including charitable activities. Its leaders are heavily involved in bettering the industry through volunteering with industry associations to advance important issues such as standards, public sector engagement, and legislation.

Michelle Lindus is Central Station Manager at Vivint, where she leads a team of 140. She participated in the establishment of Vivint’s HOME Quality Service policy to ensure world-class customer service and heads the team that specializes in false alarm reduction. A perpetual student who is always reading, researching and testing new ideas, Michelle has a passion for service in the alarm industry that compels her to work holidays alongside her team and volunteer her off time to CSAA education programs.

David Carter is East Central Station Tech Support Leader at Vector, where he started in 1997 as an operator in data entry. He is a key member of the Disaster Recovery Team and excels at quickly troubleshooting and solving phone carrier issues. Always striving to expand his knowledge, David is known for his willingness to travel to other sites for technical projects and to stand in as an operator or tech support representative whenever needed, and for his commitment to ensuring no piece of equipment ever fails.

Amy Cerney has been a Monitoring Representative at Vivint for ten years. Her responses are frequently featured in company-wide reports of exceptional service; she ably mentors new representatives; and is known as a comforting voice of calm for customers. She is a shining example of Vivint’s and the security industry’s core values to protect lives – last year, she donated a kidney to save the life of a Vivint co-worker.

The CSAA Central Station Excellence Awards recognize any FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL or UL-listed central station (CSAA 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 central station 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 central stations.

The CSAA Central Station Excellence Awards Program is sponsored by SDM Magazine.

Entries are judged by a blue-ribbon judging panel appointed by CSAA. The four winners were announced at the 2016 Industry Excellence Awards Breakfast at ESX in Fort Worth on Thursday, June 9. For past winners and more information, visit csaa.org/csaa-excellence-awards.

Chief McEwen to Receive 2016 Public Sector Award

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VIENNA, VA (June 1, 2016) – Chief Harlin McEwen is the recipient of CSAA’s 2016 Public Sector Award. This special honor is given by CSAA in recognition of a public sector individual’s contribution to the alarm industry. He will be presented with the award at the 2016 Electronic Security Expo (ESX) Public Sector Luncheon on Thursday, June 9, at the Fort Worth Convention Center.

“It is our pleasure to recognize Chief McEwen for his tireless efforts to advance the relationship between monitoring companies and our partners in the public sector,” said CSAA President Pamela J. Petrow.

Chief McEwen served for 13 years as the Chief of Police for the Cayuga Heights, New York Police Department before moving on to serve as the Deputy Commissioner for the NY State Division of Criminal Justice Services. He later returned to police work, serving as the Chief of Police for the City of Ithaca, NY, before taking the position of Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI.

In addition, he served for more than 37 years as the Chairman of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Communications & Technology Committee. During that time he was the principle representative and spokesperson for the IACP on matters relating to Communications & Technology. For this ongoing work, in 2000, the IACP honored him with a presentation of the first (and only) Lone Star Distinguished Award, and in 2006 he was elected as IACP Honorary President.

McEwen has also served as a distinguished Member of the Executive Steering Committee of the Global Advisory Committee, a Federal advisory group to the U.S. Attorney General. The GAC has been responsible for the development and implementation of numerous innovative justice information sharing standards and programs.

Since 2012 he has served as the Chair of the FirstNet Public Safety Advisory Committee. In this role he is leading the efforts of the 42-member PSAC to interact with the FirstNet Board and staff and the nationwide public safety community to develop and implement a new Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Wireless Network.

McEwen played a critical role in the launch of CSAA’s ASAP program and has worked tirelessly in its promotion.

“I am deeply honored with being selected for this prestigious award and have enjoyed working with the members of the Central Station Alarm Association for many years,” said McEwen.  “The continued close working relationship between the public safety community and CSAA is resulting in greatly improved public safety services to the public.”

The award recipient must be nominated by one or more CSAA members in good standing. Two CSAA Past Presidents, Lou Fiore and Jay Hauhn, put McEwen’s name forward for consideration. Fiore noted that, “An essential component of ASAP is its connection to the Nlets network. Chief McEwen was instrumental in bringing CSAA’s ASAP program together with Nlets.”

“Chief McEwen’s leadership of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet)’s Public Safety Advisory Committee, and his commitment to engaging the alarm industry in FirstNet’s activities, has been critical to the advancement of our relationship with FirstNet and our favorable positioning for the future,” said Hauhn.

For more information, contact Elizabeth Lasko at CSAA, 703-242-4670 or ewlasko@csaaintl.org.

 

About CSAA International

The Central Station Alarm Association International (CSAA) is an internationally-recognized non-profit trade association that represents professional monitoring companies that are listed by a CSAA-approved Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, such as FM Global, Intertek/ETL or UL. CSAA is legally entitled to represent its members before Congress and regulatory agencies on the local, state and federal levels, and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) over the industry. Since its incorporation in 1950, CSAA has served its members’ interests through education, online training, meetings and conventions, certification, insurance, and industry standards. www.csaaintl.org. For more information, contact Elizabeth Lasko at CSAA, 703-242-4670 x 16.

ASAP® Network Widens with Addition of CMS

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Implementation of the “Automated Secure Alarm Protocol” is Building Nationwide

VIENNA, VA (November 3, 2015) — Criticom Monitoring Services (CMS), one of the largest wholesale alarm monitoring companies in the United States, went live with ASAP® in the city of Richmond, VA on October 21. “Awareness of ASAP’s very real benefits to PSAPs is spreading,” said Jay Hauhn, executive director of CSAA. “The program gathers momentum with each prestigious national monitoring company that comes on board. Having CMS go live is a big step in the process of implementing this service around the nation.”

“CMS is now live with its ASAP-to-PSAP adoption,” commented Tony Wilson, President, CMS. “Our hope is that the ASAP program will increase the speed and accuracy of our dispatches.” CMS serves more than 3,500 alarm companies and their 800,000 customers. Their broad range of monitoring services includes response to security, fire, Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS), environmental and interactive services such as two-way voice and remote video.

“It took about a year to launch the ASAP program,” continued Wilson. “We did this intentionally so that we could minimize the impact to our dealers. ASAP-to-PSAP is currently implemented for our 21 dealers located in the city of Richmond, VA; this affects approximately 500 subscriber accounts. Our Richmond contact, Bill Hobgood, was an excellent resource and helped to make this project easier. Our operators are excited for this new technology to communicate dispatches electronically and can’t wait for more and more PSAPs to follow suit. Over the next few weeks we will begin working on expanding our ASAP implementation to include our dealers located in Henrico County, VA and Washington, DC.”

ASAP was launched in 2011 as a public-private partnership, designed to increase the efficiency and reliability of emergency electronic signals from central station alarm companies to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). ASAP utilizes ANSI standard protocols developed cooperatively by the Association of Public Communications Officials (APCO) and the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA).

With ASAP, critical life safety signals and accurate information is processed more quickly, through the Nlets system of state-to-state PSAP communication, insuring that complete and accurate information is transmitted to the PSAP every time. The ASAP program has the potential to save PSAPs and emergency services millions of dollars.

Bill Hobgood, Project Manager, Public Safety Team Department of Information Technology City of Richmond, Virginia, has noted that “The percentage of alarm notifications transmitted to Richmond using the ASAP service has increased exponentially with the addition of each new central station to the ASAP program. In contrast, the Richmond Emergency Communications staff are receiving fewer telephone calls from central stations, which is one of the ASAP goals.”

For more information on ASAP or to access ASAP resources (videos, webinars, training and outreach materials), contact CSAA at asap@csaaintl.org or 703-242-4670, or visit csaaintl.org/asap.

 

About CSAA International

The Central Station Alarm Association International (CSAA) is an internationally-recognized non-profit trade association that represents professional monitoring companies that are listed by a CSAA-approved Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, such as FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL or UL. CSAA is legally entitled to represent its members before Congress and regulatory agencies on the local, state and federal levels, and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) over the industry. Since its incorporation in 1950, CSAA has served its members’ interests through education, online training, meetings and conventions, certification, insurance, and industry standards. www.csaaintl.org. For more information, contact Elizabeth Lasko at CSAA, 703-242-4670 x 16.

CSAA Annual Meeting Draws Raves from Attendees

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First Year of Multi-Year Reimagining of CSAA’s Signature Event a Hit with Members

VIENNA, VA (October 22, 2015) – Security industry professionals explored their leadership styles, received tools and insights for dealing with health insurance trends, crisis communications and cyber security, and discussed technology trends and legal issues last week in Sonoma, CA. The 2015 CSAA International Annual Meeting garnered rave reviews from attendees, who attended at the highest rate since 2008.

The 2015 meeting marked the beginning of a multi-year reimagining of CSAA’s annual event. “We have been delighted with the member feedback on the revamped Annual Meeting,” said CSAA President Pam Petrow, President and CEO of Vector Security. “The responses have been overwhelmingly positive and confirm we are headed in the right direction.”

With the goal that attendees would have an experience that added value to their business, CSAA assembled a roster of expert presenters to share information to help members change and improve their business practices. So strong was the participation throughout the education sessions that the room was still full for the last session on the last day.

“President Petrow and I saw this meeting as a bellwether event for CSAA, where we would present a vision for where we wanted to take the association during her tenure,” said CSAA Executive Director Jay Hauhn. “We created an agenda that was much different from our traditional programs. We eliminated having the same speakers as in previous years, just giving updates on what’s changed in the last 12 months. We threw away the old agendas, and started from scratch with a laser focus on evolving member needs. Judging from our members’ participation and feedback, we succeeded in presenting a program that will have a real and meaningful impact on their businesses.”

“I thought every session held was relevant, to business and specifically our industry,” said CSAA member Howard Sanders, VP of Operations, Kings III. “I look forward to coming back next year!”

“The CSAA Annual Meeting was a great event,” said first-time attendee Justin Bailey, COO, AvantGuard Monitoring Centers. “I’ve learned a lot from the courses and from rubbing shoulders with some of the leaders of the industry. I’m planning on returning for 2016, and I look forward to what I can learn there and the connections I can make. “

The conference included plenty of networking opportunities for members, both onsite at formal and informal gatherings, and offsite at special events that took advantage of the setting in Sonoma wine country. This format allowed members to get acquainted and for associate and consultant members to engage with CSAA’s North American and international alarm company members. “[This was] actually one of the best and most relevant Annual Meetings I’ve been to,” said Chuck Speck, president of Bold Technologies. “As an associate member, it’s really encouraging to see the focal changes on the association becoming more geared toward growth, content and development. There’s a tremendous amount of value there, and I hope that message gains traction throughout the industry.”

A unique aspect of the CSAA Annual Meeting is the presence of Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) representatives. The 2015 event included the largest representation of AHJs in several years, including Chiefs of Police, Fire Chiefs, and Sheriffs. These groups were allotted time to meet separately by themselves and with the CSAA members, so that they could engage with each other and then bring their own unique challenges to the attention of the alarm industry.

“My expectations were exceeded tremendously at our CSAA annual meeting,” said Ralph Sevinor, president of Wayne Alarm Systems. “This was the first time we had our general manager, Jeff Kahn, attend, and he told me that he felt so motivated and confident after the event, and that he could not recall at any other industry event such an open dialogue at such a high level.”

“This CSAA annual meeting was an amazing experience,” Sevinor added. “People will really have to ask themselves why they were not there?”      

At the event, CSAA announced that the 2016 Annual Meeting will be held in Marco Island (FL) Marriott Beach Resort, October 22-27.  “We will continue to build on 2015’s success for the 2016 Annual Meeting and welcome comments related to content and format,” said President Petrow.

The 2015 CSAA Annual Meeting program included:

  • Meeting the Information Security Management Challenge: The Financial Implications of Cybercrime on the Alarm Monitoring Industry — Stan Stahl, Ph.D.
  • Protect Your Reputation: Crisis Management in the Cyber Age — David Margulies, Margulies Communications
  • “Why Can’t You Be Normal…Like Me!” — Robert A. Rohm, Ph.D., Personality Insights
  • This is Going to Pinch! National Market Trends in Health Care and How They Will Affect Your Bottom Line: A Panel Presentation by National Experts Representing Health Insurance Carriers and Brokers
  • Business Impact of Technology and Innovation Speaker: Jay Hauhn, Executive Director, CSAA
  • Legal Concerns in a Tech-Crazy World Speaker: Charles C. Eblen, Esquire, Partner, Shook, Hardy & Bacon, L.L.P.
  • The Communications Landscape Speaker: Syed Zaeem “Z” Hosain, Founder, SVP Engineering and CTO, Aeris Communications, Inc.
  • Innovation in a Services Based Economy–It’s Not Your Father’s Monitoring Business Anymore! — Steven Van Till, President and COO, Brivo Systems, Steve Trundle, CEO, Alarm.com

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About CSAA International

The Central Station Alarm Association International (CSAA) is an internationally-recognized non-profit trade association that represents professional monitoring companies that are listed by a CSAA-approved Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, such as FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL or UL. CSAA is legally entitled to represent its members before Congress and regulatory agencies on the local, state and federal levels, and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) over the industry. Since its incorporation in 1950, CSAA has served its members’ interests through education, online training, meetings and conventions, certification, insurance, and industry standards. www.csaaintl.org. For more information, contact Elizabeth Lasko at CSAA, 703-242-4670 x 16.

 

Diebold is Latest Central Station to Go Live with ASAP®

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Implementation of the “Automated Secure Alarm Protocol” is Building Nationwide

VIENNA, VA (October 20, 2015) — Diebold, Incorporated, a global provider of integrated self-service solutions, security systems and services, went live with ASAP® in the city of Richmond, VA on September 9. “The momentum with ASAP continues as we add another national provider,” said CSAA President Pamela J. Petrow. “We are excited to have Diebold now transmitting alarm activity through the network and look forward to their expansion into additional cities.”

“With ASAP, priority alarm signals are processed within seconds, not minutes, ensuring that complete and accurate information is transmitted from the Diebold Monitoring Center to the PSAP every time,” said Damon Kanzler, Diebold electronic security, vice president, centralized services and business processes. “This time savings will improve dispatching services for Diebold customers while reducing the volume of time-consuming alarm calls to local PSAPs and increase our dispatcher productivity.”

ASAP was launched in 2011 as a public-private partnership, designed to increase the efficiency and reliability of emergency electronic signals from central station alarm companies to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). ASAP utilizes ANSI standard protocols developed cooperatively by the Association of Public Communications Officials (APCO) and the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA).

With ASAP, critical life safety signals and accurate information is processed more quickly, through the Nlets system of state-to-state PSAP communication, insuring that complete and accurate information is transmitted to the PSAP every time. The ASAP program has the potential to save PSAPs and emergency services millions of dollars.

“The city of Richmond is delighted that Diebold, one of the largest national central stations, has joined the ASAP program and is using ASAP to deliver alarms to the City of Richmond,” said Bill Hobgood, Project Manager, Public Safety Team Department of Information Technology City of Richmond, Virginia. “The percentage of alarm notifications transmitted to Richmond using the ASAP service has increased exponentially with the addition of each new central station to the ASAP program. In contrast, the Richmond Emergency Communications staff are receiving fewer telephone calls from central stations, one of the ASAP goals. This reduction in the 10-digit telephone number call volumes has generated greater customer satisfaction by allowing the 9-1-1 call-takers to focus greater attention on the citizens who dial 9-1-1. Diebold is a welcome addition.”

For more information on ASAP or to access ASAP resources (videos, webinars, training and outreach materials), contact CSAA at asap@csaaintl.org or 703-242-4670, or visit csaaintl.org/asap.

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About CSAA International

The Central Station Alarm Association International (CSAA) is an internationally-recognized non-profit trade association that represents professional monitoring companies that are listed by a CSAA-approved Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, such as FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL or UL. CSAA is legally entitled to represent its members before Congress and regulatory agencies on the local, state and federal levels, and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) over the industry. Since its incorporation in 1950, CSAA has served its members’ interests through education, online training, meetings and conventions, certification, insurance, and industry standards. www.csaaintl.org. For more information, contact Elizabeth Lasko at CSAA, 703-242-4670 x 16.

ADT is Live with ASAP®

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Automated Secure Alarm Protocol Now Available to PSAPs around the Country

VIENNA, VA (September 16, 2015) — ADT Security Services, ranked as the largest central station in the nation, went live with ASAP® in the city of Richmond, VA on August 25. CSAA executives cheered the news as ADT’s adoption will cause a surge in the availability of the ASAP program to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) around the country.

“Having ADT go live is a milestone for the ASAP program,” said CSAA President Pamela J. Petrow, CEO of Vector Security. “With the size of their account base, ADT’s utilization of ASAP brings instant benefits to most PSAPs.  This is critical because it allows the PSAP to better position the deployment of ASAP among their many initiatives.”

“Launching ASAP is consistent with our commitment to provide superior customer service,” said Steve Shapiro, Vice President, Industry Relations, ADT, and a member of the CSAA Board of Directors. “As more PSAPs adopt the use of ASAP, we look forward to using this technology that improves their efficiency and communications operations productivity.”

ASAP was launched in 2011 as a public-private partnership, designed to increase the efficiency and reliability of emergency electronic signals from central station alarm companies to PSAPs. ASAP utilizes ANSI standard protocols developed cooperatively by the Association of Public Communications Officials (APCO) and the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA).

With ASAP, critical life safety signals and accurate information is processed in seconds, not minutes, through the Nlets system of state-to-state PSAP communication, insuring that complete and accurate information is transmitted to the PSAP every time. The ASAP program has the potential to save PSAPs and emergency services millions of dollars.

“ADT’s implementation of ASAP is a win-win for ADT, the ASAP project, and the City of Richmond,” said Bill Hobgood, Project Manager, Public Safety Team Department of Information Technology City of Richmond, Virginia. “ADT will experience first-hand the benefits of using the ASAP program that so many other alarm central stations have experienced. This is the ASAP project’s biggest achievement yet. The city of Richmond’s Emergency Communications staff are thrilled about ADT joining the program and anxious for more alarm companies to follow.”

“ADT has supported ASAP thoroughly since its inception, and now that they are connecting, PSAPs throughout the country will take notice,” said Jay Hauhn, CSAA Executive Director. “With Protection One on line and other nationals at the doorstep, 2016 will be a great year for ASAP.”

In the August 2015 issue of APCO’s Public Safety Magazine (PSC), David Cutler, director of the Houston Emergency Center (HEC), reported savings of nearly $400,000 annually from reduced call volume following ASAP implementation. “These dollars were re-purposed within the department to expand training, supervisory and administrative positions,” Cutler said. He estimated that Houston will eventually achieve a 30% reduction in call volume as more alarm companies come on board with ASAP, for a savings of $1 million.

Also in PSC, Hobgood stated that “… all PSAPs currently using ASAP should experience a significant reduction in 10-digit call volume once ADT goes live with each agency. Those PSAPs will experience the luxury of having ADT’s alarm notifications delivered efficiently and accurately via the ASAP program. ADT monitors more than 6 million alarm systems, so the announcement is likely to [prompt] other alarm companies to step up and participate in the ASAP program as well.“

For more information on ASAP or to access ASAP resources (videos, webinars, training and outreach materials), contact CSAA at asap@csaaintl.org or 703-242-4670, or visit csaaintl.org/asap.

 

About CSAA International

The Central Station Alarm Association International (CSAA) is an internationally-recognized non-profit trade association that represents professional monitoring companies that are listed by a CSAA-approved Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, such as FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL or UL. CSAA is legally entitled to represent its members before Congress and regulatory agencies on the local, state and federal levels, and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) over the industry. Since its incorporation in 1950, CSAA has served its members’ interests through education, online training, meetings and conventions, certification, insurance, and industry standards. www.csaaintl.org. For more information, contact Elizabeth Lasko at CSAA, 703-242-4670 x 16.

 

2015 CSAA Marketing MARVEL Award Winner is COPS Monitoring

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VIENNA, VA (July 17, 2015) — CSAA International announced the winner of the CSAA 2015 Five Diamond Marketing MARVEL Award on June 25 at the Electronic Security Expo (ESX) in Baltimore, MD. COPS Monitoring was honored for promoting its CSAA Five Diamond status to gain a competitive edge in the marketplace.

The CSAA Five Diamond Marketing MARVEL Awards Program recognizes CSAA Five Diamond companies that have used their CSAA Five Diamond designation to better position themselves in the marketplace. This program is sponsored by Security Sales & Integration (SSI). 

“We are proud to be named as this year’s Marketing MARVEL Award winner,” said David Smith, Director of Marketing for COPS Monitoring. “We work hard behind the scenes every day for our dealers helping to safeguard their customers and hard-earned reputations. We believe when we win, our dealers win. We hope that proudly advertising our network of CSAA Five Diamond central stations and being named last year’s Central Station of the Year not only help give our dealers peace of mind, but also contribute to their competitive edge in the marketplace.”

The company submitted an integrated marketing plan that prominently featured their CSAA Five Diamond status on advertising, newsletters, their website, exhibits, company overview, sales literature, and even business cards.

“CSAA is pleased to recognize COPS for their exemplary and creative efforts to use their Five Diamond status to increase their visibility in the marketplace,” said CSAA Executive Director Jay Hauhn. “When our CSAA Five Diamond companies spotlight their certification through public promotion, consumers become more aware of how important it is to choose high-quality professional monitoring. Congratulations to COPS for making Five Diamond such an important part of their marketing plan!”

The CSAA Five Diamond Program is a balanced certification program providing its companies a distinction in the central station monitoring marketplace because it signifies five points of excellence:

  1. Commitment to random inspections and quality criteria standards by a nationally recognized testing laboratory such as FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL and UL.
  2. Commitment to the highest levels of customer service.
  3. Commitment to ongoing job-related education and testing by having 100% of its central station operators certified using the CSAA online training series.
  4. Commitment to raising the industry standards through CSAA membership and participation in its activities.
  5. Commitment to reducing false dispatches.

The purpose of the CSAA Five Diamond Marketing MARVEL Awards Program is to:

  • Recognize and honor companies that have used their CSAA Five Diamond designation in creative ways to gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
  • Inspire others to market their CSAA Five Diamond advantage.
  • Help other CSAA Five Diamond companies create their own CSAA Five Diamond Marketing Toolkit.
  • Heighten awareness of the CSAA Five Diamond Program to CSAA members and the industry at large.
  • Inspire ALL companies engaged in security monitoring to enrich their operations by educating them about the “best marketing practices” of CSAA Five Diamond companies.
  • Elevate the profile of CSAA Five Diamond companies and CSAA for their professionalism in the eyes of the mainstream media and general public.

All CSAA Five Diamond Marketing MARVEL Award entries are reviewed by a panel of judges selected by CSAA and members of the CSAA Five Diamond Marketing MARVEL Awards Program Subcommittee. The judges are not affiliated with any currently-operating central station.

Watch for coverage in SSI and CSAA Dispatch later this summer. Contact Elizabeth Lasko at CSAA for photographs and more information.

 

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 About CSAA International

The Central Station Alarm Association International (CSAA) is an internationally-recognized non-profit trade association that represents professional monitoring companies that are listed by a CSAA-approved Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, such as FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL or UL. CSAA is legally entitled to represent its members before Congress and regulatory agencies on the local, state and federal levels, and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) over the industry. Since its incorporation in 1950, CSAA has served its members’ interests through education, online training, meetings and conventions, certification, insurance, and industry standards. www.csaaintl.org. For more information, contact Elizabeth Lasko at CSAA, 703-242-4670 x 16.

 

Guardian Protection Services is CSAA Central Station of the Year

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CSAA Excellence Awards: 2015 Central Station of the Year is …
Guardian Protection Services

Three Individuals at CSAA Member Companies Also Recognized for Performing at the Highest Level

VIENNA, VA (July 8, 2015) – CSAA International announced the winners of the CSAA 2015 Excellence Awards on June 25 at the Electronic Security Expo (ESX) in Baltimore, MD. The winners are:

 

  • Central Station of the Year: Guardian Protection Services
  • Central Station Support Person of the Year: Kyle Johnson, DMC Security Services
  • Central Station Operator of the Year: Susan Farris, Security Central Inc.
  • Central Station Manager of the Year: Randy Ambrus, Cooperative Response Center

“The entire Guardian Protection Services team is honored to receive this prestigious recognition,” said Mike Overby, vice president of customer service. “The Central Station of the Year Award embodies CSAA’s dedication to the electronic security industry and exemplifies the unwavering effort of each Guardian employee in the pursuit of the delivery of unparalleled excellence. I want to commend Guardian’s Central Station teams, led by Jason Bradley, Guardian’s Director of Central Station Operations; I know that they are especially proud and humbled by this award.”

The CSAA Central Station Excellence Awards recognize FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL or UL-listed central stations and outstanding personnel that 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. Entries are judged by a blue-ribbon panel appointed by CSAA.

The CSAA Central Station Excellence Awards Program is co-sponsored by SDM. The finalists and winners were announced by Laura Stepanek, SDM editor, at a special breakfast event during ESX.

“The purpose of our awards program is to establish and promote the inherent value of central station services in general, to honor those who have made the most significant contributions to the service, and to promote the distinct level of professionalism attained by NRTL-approved central stations,” said Jay Hauhn, CSAA Executive Director. “The electronic security industry has so many companies and individuals providing superior service to those who count on our protection; our Excellence Awards recognize those that particularly stood out this year. We congratulate our nominees, finalists and winners on their accomplishments, which are a testament to the quality of our industry every day.”

An in-depth report about the Excellence Awards winners will appear in the August issue of SDM and the fall issue of CSAA Dispatch. Read on for the complete list of nominees and finalists.

Support Person of the Year Nominees

  • Marcha Moni-Erigbali, Ackerman Security Services
  • Mike Saxer, Amherst Alarm, Inc.*
  • Laura Mellang, Cooperative Response Center
  • Jesse T. Hall, COPS Monitoring*
  • Erich Jackson, Diebold Security
  • Kyle Johnson, DMC Security Services*
  • Melissa Jones, Protection 1

Operator of the Year Nominees

  • Tonya Mackson, Ackerman Security Systems
  • Alex Doll, Amherst Alarm, Inc.*
  • Tiffany Miller, Cooperative Response Center*
  • Chantel Northrup, COPS Monitoring
  • Betty Myers, DMC Security Services
  • Beth Cadman, FE Moran
  • Lisa Pierson, Protection 1
  • Susan Farris, Security Central Inc.*

Manager of the Year Nominees

  • Christine Jones, Ackerman Security Systems*
  • Rick Whalen, Amherst Alarm, Inc.
  • Randy Ambrus, Cooperative Response Center*
  • Elle Daley, COPS Monitoring
  • Bob Boland, Custom Alarm*
  • Karen Huntley, FE Moran
  • Amy Cooper, Protection 1

Central Station of the Year Nominees

  • Ackerman Security Systems
  • Amherst Alarm, Inc.
  • Cooperative Response Center
  • F E Moran*
  • Fifth Third Bank
  • Guardian Protection Services*
  • Protection 1*
  • Universal Atlantic Systems

*finalist

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About CSAA International

The Central Station Alarm Association International (CSAA) is an internationally-recognized non-profit trade association that represents professional monitoring companies that are listed by a CSAA-approved Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, such as FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL or UL. CSAA is legally entitled to represent its members before Congress and regulatory agencies on the local, state and federal levels, and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) over the industry. Since its incorporation in 1950, CSAA has served its members’ interests through education, online training, meetings and conventions, certification, insurance, and industry standards. www.csaaintl.org. For more information, contact Elizabeth Lasko at CSAA, 703-242-4670 x 16.

SD&I Monitoring Resource Guide CS Contact Listing

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Security Dealer & Integrator has published it’s state by state central station contact listing including all CSAA Five Diamond monitoring centers.  Click Here to Preview

 

SecInfoWatch

CSAA Signals Volume 20 – September 29, 2014

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CSAA Signals

 

 

 

 

 

In this issue

  • Fall Ops Seminar
  • CSAA Interim Executive
  • CSAA Annual Meeting
  • Wage and Salary Survey
  • Industry News
  • New CSAA Staff
  • Next Legal Virtual Q&A
  • SSI Survey Deadline
  • Free Customer Service E-Book

Click Here to Preview