Hot Seat

Paul Cronin is senior vice president of Atrion, a Warwick, R.I.-based IT services company, and former CEO of 1nService discusses challenges integrators face in the midst of evolving market trends.

As the new Chairman of the Steering Committee for the Open Network Video Interface Forum, Per Björkdahl of Axis Communications is now leading the organization’s charge to create and promote IP standards within video surveillance and other physical security areas. He joins the conversation to discuss ONVIF’s work.

After introducing IntelligentHome in Southern California, the Carolinas and Upstate New York less than two years ago, Time Warner Cable (TWC) will spend 2013 rolling out the life safety and home automation product suite across the nation.  The cable operator’s Mitchell Christopher, vice president of technical operations, joins the conversation to discuss the service offering and his view of the marketplace.

With a membership of more than 65 manufacturers and systems integrators, the Physical Security Interoperability Alliance (PSIA) works to develop standards for and promote interoperability of IP-enabled devices across all segments of the security industry. PSIA Executive Director David Bunzel joins the conversation to discuss the group’s work as well as issues surrounding competing standards body, ONVIF.

As the alarm industry undergoes a rapidly shifting landscape, its stakeholders contend with altering business models, new technologies and services, and other changes to their traditional ways of doing business. Industry veteran Stanley Oppenheim, president of New York City-based Affiliated Central and DGA Security Systems, joins the conversation to discuss the current state of the industry.

In announcing changes to its North American operations this summer, Panasonic revealed its plans to become a business-to-business solutions organization. The intention is to implement a vertical market, more partner-centric approach. Greg Peratt, director of sales, video solutions integration at Panasonic, joins the conversation to explain the restructuring in detail.

Curtis Paradzick is vice president of sales for Vector Resources Inc., a physical security and IT systems integrator based in Torrance, Calif. Paradzick, whose experience includes serving as a regional sales vice president at AT&T, is a specialist in recruitment, training and team building. He joins the conversation to lend his advice on how installing security firms can do a better job at recruiting and holding on to sales and technical talent.

John Knox, proprietor of Knoxville, Tenn.-based Life & Property Security Systems, will be installed as president of the Electronic Security Association (ESA) during the Electronic Security Expo (ESX) in Nashville this month. SSI caught up with Knox to discuss his goals for ESA and other industry topics.

SSI caught up with a pair of Schneider Electric executives at ISC West to discuss the firm’s technology offerings, including the Pelco video brand.

American Video and Security Owner Larry Folsom talks leveraging video to verify alarms in the latest "Hot Seat."

Tyco Security Products President Mark VanDover joins us to discuss Tyco's recent Visonic acquisition, plans for Tyco Int'l to split into three independent companies and more.

In keeping with February's Business Issue theme, SECURITY SALES & INTEGRATION sought Will Schmidt's, managing director of CapitalSource's Security Lending Group, projections for 2012 as well as his insights on current financing trends and challenges.

Tri-Ed/Northern Video Distribution Director of Network Solutions Jeffrey Stout joins the Hot Seat to lend his expert insights and advice for installing security contractors that haven't exactly jumped headlong into the IP waters as yet.

Siemens recently launched a new Fire Safety and Security (FSS) unit following the merger of its fire and security businesses. In creating the new unit, Siemens said the move came at the request of its customers for more integrated and intelligent solutions. Bob Suermann, who was appointed business unit head, discusses FSS and other industry matters.

Remote video services, such as remote video monitoring and remote guarding, are providing newfound recurring revenue streams for independent installing security contractors. Although the marketplace continues to develop, providing these advanced video services is not without challenges, says Jerry Cordasco, vice president of operations for the G4S Technology security monitoring center in Burlington, Mass.

As efforts to diminish security threats in commercial and corporate facilities remain paramount, the marketplace continues to shift from mechanical locks to electronic devices that leverage IP network infrastructure. Martin Huddart, vice president of electronic access control for ASSA ABLOY, joins the conversation to discuss how this technology progression brings with it new channel opportunities as well as introduces new challenges.

As chief technology officer and vice president of industry relations of ADT North America, Jay Hauhn has many irons in the stove on any given day. Hauhn's work to advance and broker industry relations among disparate associations and other stakeholders has earned him much praise among his peers.

Michael Sherman, president and CEO of AES Corp., a provider of wide area wireless mesh communications equipment, discusses three bills under consideration in Congress could potentially result in the auctioning of radio spectrum used by the alarm industry.

John Romanowich, president and CEO of SightLogix Inc., is uniquely positioned to tackle complex security needs for critical infrastructure ...

Scott Harkins, president and general manager of Honeywell Systems, explains why integrators can expect to be increasingly called upon to design and install scalable access control solutions ...

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