Tag Archive for: ADT

ADT appoints Wayne Thorsen to Chief Business Officer role

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On January 9th,  ADT announced the appointment of Wayne Thorsen to the newly created role of Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer, effective immediately. Thorsen will be responsible for leading ADT’s product, innovation and new business development teams.

“Wayne is a seasoned executive who brings valuable experience in business development, strategic partnerships and product marketing and development,” said Jim DeVries, ADT President and CEO. “Wayne’s expertise will accelerate our strategy to sustainably grow our business and continue to attract strategic partners by showcasing ADT’s market leadership.”

“ADT’s innovation and strategic partnerships with fellow marquee brands, like State Farm and Google, are creating fantastic value that consumers are seeking from their preferred brands today,” Thorsen said. “It’s an exciting time for ADT, and I’m eager to join the teams building market-leading safe, smart and sustainable solutions for more customers in more places.”

Thorsen joins ADT from Google, where he served as Vice President, Devices and Services Business Development. Throughout his career, Thorsen held leadership roles at SoFi, Viacom, Telefónica Digital and Microsoft.

Ford and ADT to Form Joint Venture to Fortify Vehicle Security

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Ford (NYSE: F) and ADT Inc. (NYSE: ADT) will invest in a new joint venture called Canopy that combines ADT’s professional
security monitoring and Ford’s AI-driven video camera technology to help customers strengthen security of new and existing vehicles across automotive brands.

“The combination of our technologies and our deep security experience creates a new category
of protection for work and personal vehicles,” said Elliot Cohen, ADT chief business
development officer. “Vehicles represent the second-most-valuable asset for consumers, and
helping to protect them extends ADT’s safe, smart, and sustainable solutions far beyond the
home.”

Canopy plans to launch industry-first, multi-sensor security systems with available professional
monitoring early next year. The first products to be manufactured and sold will be available in
the U.S. and the U.K. for the industry’s highest-volume commercial and retail pickups and vans
– including the Ford F-150, F-150 Lightning, Transit vans and E-Transit – and will be easily
installable by customers to protect expensive work and recreational equipment.

“Thieves have been even more active during the pandemic and know business owners store
valuable equipment in vehicles, often hauling more than $50,000 of gear. Canopy is here for
those who’ve had enough of thefts that threaten their livelihoods,” said Franck Louis-Victor, vice
president, Ford New Business Platform. “Key to Ford’s software-led transformation are new
ideas such as Canopy and collaborating with other innovators such as ADT, which brings to
vehicle security their leadership protecting families, homes, and businesses.”

The FBI estimates [1] that stolen work equipment cost more than $7.4 billion in 2020 in the U.S.,
and theft of valuable work equipment is believed to be underestimated in stolen vehicle reports.
Small business owners face even greater opportunity costs with the deferral or loss of jobs while
replacing stolen items.

Canopy also plans to begin integrating camera security solutions in Ford vehicles next year for
seamless protection inside and outside vehicles. Canopy will seek factory-vehicle integrations
with other automakers over time.

  • Canopy’s first smart vehicle security system accessory offering will make use of acoustic
    sensors for vans, onboard cameras, radar, LTE, and GPS. The initial product will have a
    camera that can be mounted in either a van’s cargo area or on a pickup facing the bed. The
    platform will use AI technology to identify and report credible threats while reducing false alarm
    signals.
  • Customers will be connected to the system via the Canopy app to livestream video from
    the vehicle, get notified of suspicious activity, or review past events.
  • The system will trigger a smartphone alert of any indicators of potential criminal activity,
    such as breaking glass, metal cutting, or suspicious motion or sound near the vehicle.
  • Customers can warn potential thieves they are being monitored by speaking through the
    smartphone app, enabled by a two-way audio feature that will be available by next year.
  • The system’s AI is designed to distinguish true threats from benign acts – such as a cat
    jumping into a pickup bed or construction sounds near a vehicle – before alerting the
    owner or ADT monitoring agents of potential theft.
  • The system will alert ADT monitoring professionals if it detects a person loitering around
    or breaching the vehicle [2].

ADT monitoring agents can then contact customers, fleet managers, or police to take additional
measures to help prevent theft. Credible threats will trigger additional responses, including
audible alerts and programmable voice recordings and two-way audio in future updates.
The first-of-its-kind Canopy products will be sold through vehicle dealerships, major retailers,
and online. Ford Pro will be an important launch partner delivering these solutions to
commercial and government customers of all sizes, helping drive business forward and
accelerate productivity at a global scale.

“Commercial customers around the world are laser focused on protecting investments from
costly replacements that can impact their bottom lines,” said Ted Cannis, CEO, Ford Pro.
“Canopy will help Ford Pro deliver another service to fleets helping to improve total cost of
ownership by staying productive and avoiding downtime associated with stolen tools and
damaged vehicles – including the majority with mixed fleets since Canopy technology will be
available across brands.”

The Canopy team has been developing and testing its first technologies for two years as part of
Ford’s New Business Platform innovation incubation group. They will now be headquartered in
Detroit and London and led by Interim CEO Christian Moran.

Canopy also will seek relationships with other automotive, insurance, and technology
companies to expand offerings, explore insurance benefits for use of the technology, and cocreate new innovations.
Ford and ADT’s investment in Canopy is subject to certain conditions, including regulatory
approvals, and initial funding is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022. The partners
expect to invest approximately $100 million during the next three years.

For more information, visit www.canopy.security

Footnotes:

1 U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Report.
2 Requires subscription to ADT professional monitoring tier

Affiliated Monitoring is TMA 2018 Monitoring Center of the Year

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ADT, Vector and Affiliated Honored with Personnel Awards

The four winners of the 2018 TMA Monitoring Center of the Year Awards were announced at the 2018 Electronic Security Expo (ESX) on June 19. They are:

  • Monitoring Center of the Year: Affiliated Monitoring
  • Monitoring Center Support Person of the Year: Beth Bailey, ADT LLC
  • Monitoring Center Manager of the Year: Carmelo Mosca, Affiliated Monitoring
  • Monitoring Center Operator of the Year: Patricia Fody, Vector Security

Single logo - color“All of us at Affiliated Monitoring are gratified to receive this honor,” said Daniel Oppenheim, Executive Vice President, Affiliated. “It validates our deeply held beliefs in professionalism, kindness and technological innovation. The Monitoring Association represents the best of our industry and being recognized in this way is very fulfilling. Affiliated looks forward to supporting our dealers and their customers through this exciting era of growth and opportunity.”

From left: Carmelo Mosca, Affiliated; Patricia Fody, Vector; Beth Bailey, ADT LLC

Affiliated 2

From left: Affiliated’s Stanley Oppenheim, SDM Editor Laura Stapanek, TMA President Ivan Spector

“This award belongs to our ADT team members on the phones right now protecting our neighbors, family members, and our communities,” said Support Person of the Year Beth Bailey, ADT Sr. Manager, Customer Care. “It is my honor to support them and my passion to find ways to make it easier for them to do what they do best – take care of our customers.” ADT had finalists in all four categories this year.

“I feel grateful and honored to receive this award from The Monitoring Association,” said Manager of the Year Carmelo Mosca, Managing Director, Monitoring Operations, Affiliated. “It’s a pleasure to go to work every day with the hundreds of caring and hardworking monitoring specialists in Texas and New Jersey. I’m proud of this personal award and how it reflects positively on the entire Affiliated family.”

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 Program is sponsored by SDM Magazine, which will publish a feature story detailing the accomplishments of the winners later this summer. Entries are judged by a blue-ribbon volunteer judging panel appointed by TMA.

“Each nominee must submit an extensive application detailing company systems like disaster recovery plan, education and training programs, technical innovations, and even community outreach,” said Lasko. “In the case of individual nominations, we ask for examples of how these employees go above and beyond their job descriptions to pursue excellence. Our judges had an extremely difficult time choosing winners from the amazing submissions we receive each year. We hope everyone will read SDM’s profiles of the winners this summer for inspiration!”

For past winners and more information, visit www.tma.us.

 

BBB Helps Fight Fraud at the Front Door by Teaming with ADT and Other Security Leaders

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As summer selling season kicks off, news conference with Louisiana State Fire Marshal features victims and tips on stopping deceptive sales in the security industry

Baton Rouge, LA (May 18, 2018) – Despite a downward trend in the number of home security customers victimized by fraudulent door-to-door security sales representatives, the Better Business Bureau is continuing to team with leading organizations, including The Monitoring Association, the Electronic Security Association, and ADT LLC, to educate consumers.

During a news conference hosted today by Louisiana’s State Fire Marshal, H. “Butch” Browning, BBB helped sound the alarm about deceptive sales practices.

“We applaud the industry for continuing to root out the few bad apples who practice deceptive sales and con consumers,” said Carmen Million of the Better Business Bureaus Serving Baton Rouge. “Through today’s outreach we hope to prevent more front-door fraud.”

In 2017, over 700,000 consumers across North America used BBB resources to research information about home security companies. But thousands also complained about dishonest and misleading sales pitches, or reported door-to-door scams.

jay at ADT BBB Baton Rouge Deceptive Practices event 2018

TMA Executive Director Jay Hauhn addresses the issue of deceptive practices in the security industry.

Two of those victims spoke out today and shared how unscrupulous sales reps tried to con them out of their contracts with ADT, an A+, BBB Accredited Business and National Partner.

“I was misled into signing a contract with a salesman whom I thought was representing ADT,” said 62-year-old James Bourg of Greismar, LA. “After he quickly installed a new security panel, I did my homework and found out I was duped. I cancelled the next day.”

In 2016, nearly 3,400 customers complained to ADT about deceptive sales from competitors. There were 800 less last year. While complaints are declining, ADT vows to keep fighting.

“Whether we are bringing offenders to justice in a court of law or educating consumers in the court of public opinion, ADT will continue trying to stop deceptive sales in our industry,” said P. Gray Finney, ADT Chief Legal Officer.

At today’s event, BBB shared tips for consumers who are considering a home security system (bbb.org/homesecurity), and also released advice to potential employees who are being recruited to spend their summers knocking on doors (bbb.org/alarmsales).

“We urge those who are selling security systems to abide by the BBB Standards for Trust,” said Million. “Tell the truth, honor promises, and embody integrity.”

Additional coverage:

For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. In 2016, people turned to BBB more than 167 million times for BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.2 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at bbb.org. The Council of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the local, independent BBBs in the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as home to its national and international programs on dispute resolution, advertising review, and industry self-regulation.

 

Finalists for 2018 TMA Excellence Awards Announced

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Four Winners to Be Revealed at ESX on June 19

VIENNA, VA (May 7, 2018) – The Monitoring Association is pleased to announce the twelve finalists for the 2018 TMA Excellence Awards. Listed in alphabetical order by company within each category, they are:

  • Monitoring Center of the Year Finalists
    ADT, Affiliated, Vector
  • Monitoring Center Operator of the Year Finalists
    Duane Hilton, ADT; Linda Reed, Dynamark; Patricia Fody, Vector
  • Monitoring Center Manager of the Year Finalists
    Shari Wilson, ADT; Carmelo Mosca, Affiliated; Bill Fisher, UAS
  • Monitoring Center Support Person of the Year Finalists
    Beth Bailey, ADT; Lamar Shroyer, Dynamark; Boris Pejic, G4S

“We congratulate our finalists for being recognized as the best of the best,” said Elizabeth Lasko, Vice President of Communications, TMA. “Our judges really had a challenging time choosing the finalists, let alone the winners, from all the nominations. Our applicants all submitted stories that clearly demonstrate the breadth of excellence in companies and individuals across our industry.”

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 2018 Electronic Security Expo (ESX) on Tuesday, June 19. For past winners and more information, visit www.tma.us.

Finalists for 2017 TMA Excellence Awards Announced

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Four Winners to Be Revealed at ESX 2017 on June 13

The judges for the annual TMA Excellence Awards were, once again, “simply amazed by the depth of talent, dedication, professionalism, and ability in our industry,” as one remarked. TMA is pleased to announce the twelve finalists for 2017:

  • Monitoring Center of the Year Finalists
    ADT, CRC, Vivint
  • Monitoring Center Operator of the Year Finalists
    Darlene Ardey, CPI; Dielle Holmberg, EPS; Stephen (Craig) Pierce, Safe Systems
  • Monitoring Center Manager of the Year Finalists
    Shari Wilson, ADT; Keith Godsey, Dynamark; Josh Sanders, EPS
  • Monitoring Center Support Person of the Year Finalists
    Laura Mellang, CRC; Eric Kantner, Protection Bureau; Mike Tupy, Vivint

“We congratulate our finalists for being recognized as the best of the best,” said Elizabeth Lasko, Vice President of Communications, TMA. “Our judges related how very difficult it was to choose the finalists, let alone the winners, from all the nominations. The applications that were submitted all told powerful stories of service, innovation, corporate culture, and the desire to constantly improve.”

The TMA Central Station 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 ATMA-Excellence-Awards-2017wards Program is 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 2017 Electronic Security Expo (ESX) on Tuesday, June 13. For past winners and more information, visit www.tma.us.

 

 

— Elizabeth Lasko, TMA, May 3, 2017

CSAA’s Hauhn Joins ESA, ADT in Warning of Deceptive Alarm Sales Practices

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On May 25, CSAA Executive Director Jay Hauhn participated in a press event in Salt Lake City to raise awareness of deceptive home security sales practices. The event was co-hosted by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and ADT. Merlin Gilbeau, executive director of ESA, also spoke at the event, which featured two individuals who had been the target of sales scams relating their stories to the media. Hauhn and Gilbeau both spoke about the deep integrity of the vast number of security companies.

In 2015, consumer complaints about home security sales ranked in the top 25 of the 3500 business categories BBB tracks. CSA members can share BBB tips about buying a home security system with their potential customers; visit www.bbb.org/homesecurity.

Check out media coverage of the event at the links below.

 

WS of Room

ESA’s Merlin Gilbeau, CSAA’s Jay Hauhn, and BBB CEO Jane Driggs address the media. Photo by Bob Tucker. 

Finalists for 2016 CSAA Excellence Awards Announced

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Four “Phenomenal” Winners to Be Revealed at ESX on June 9

Once again, the nominees for CSAA’s annual Excellence Awards were, in the words of one of the judges, a “simply phenomenal” group of companies and individuals. CSCSAA-Excellence-AwardsAA is pleased to announce the twelve finalists for 2016. They are:

Central Station of the Year
ADT LLC; Rapid Response Monitoring Services, Inc.; Vector Security, Inc.

Central Station Manager of the Year
Ernie Cole, Doyle Security Systems; Michelle Lindus, Vivint Smart Home; Tom Tardiff, Kastle Systems

Central Station Operator of the Year
 Hollie Smith, Universal Atlantic Systems; Morgan Dieterle, Tyco (Fifth Third Bank); Amy Cerney, Vivint Smart Home

Central Station Support Person of the Year
David Carter, Vector Security, Inc.; William Sims, Kastle Systems; Dave Mann, Kings III

“Our finalists are to be congratulated for being recognized as the best of the best,” said Elizabeth Lasko, Vice President of Communications, CSAA. “Our judges related the extremely difficult time they had choosing not only the winners, but just the finalists from all the nominations. There were some amazing stories of customer relations, innovation, and corporate culture.”

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 will be 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.

 

ADT Goes Live with ASAP in Boca Raton

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March 1, 2016 — ASAP Subject-Matter-Expert Bill Hobgood reported that today “ADT went live with Boca Raton at 1:30 p.m. and received the first actual alarm within one minute of going live.”

ADT Boca(Right to left) Tonya George, ADT MAStermind Administrator; Tammie Hilend, ADT Vice President of IT; Bill Hobgood, Project Manager, Public Safety Team, Department of Information Technology, City of Richmond, Virginia; and Cindy Cevallos, Boca Raton Project Manager. The picture was taken shortly after ADT’s go-live with Boca Raton.

ADT follows Vector Security, Rapid Response, Monitronics, Affiliated, Protection One, and Guardian as the first alarm companies to connect with ASAP in the state of Florida. For more information about ASAP, visit csaaintl.org/asap.

ASAP-Concept1D

 

ADT is Live with ASAP®

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Automated Secure Alarm Protocol Now Available to PSAPs around the Country

VIENNA, VA (August 27, 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. The news was met with cheers from security industry leaders who noted that it will cause a surge in the availability of the ASAP program to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) around the country.

ASAP-Concept1D“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.”

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.