TMA President Honors Retiring TMA CEO with Mel Mahler Award

On Thurs., June 19^th, in front of a crowd attending the closing luncheon of ESX 2025 in Atlanta, TMA President Steve Butkovich honored TMA CEO Celia T. Besore for her “leadership, advocacy and unwavering dedication to her field” by presenting her TMA’s most prestigious Mel Mahler Award. Formerly known as the President’s Award, this award is bestowed at the discretion of the TMA president in recognition of outstanding contributions within his/her tenure. This award represents extraordinary commitment to the values of the advancement of the professional monitoring industry.

In his remarks, Steve stated, “Celia has shaped policy, elevated standards, and built bridges across the alarm and monitoring landscape. Her name is synonymous with leadership, advocacy and unwavering dedication to her field. Across decades of service, her influence has been felt not just in her work at The Monitoring Association (TMA), but by the countless professionals she’s worked with and inspired along the way. She’s not only devoted her career to supporting this industry, but she’s helped to define it.  Her passion, integrity, and tireless efforts embody the spirit of the Mel Mahler Award and its enduring legacy.”

ESA Chairman Kevin Stone also honored Celia for her many contributions to the industry.

Celia announced her retirement just weeks ago after 19 years at TMA. In receiving the award, she shared, “It’s going to be very hard to walk away. Mel Mahler was someone I knew well. He was a mentor. This award means so much to me.”