2025 Security Industry Predictions: Tom LeBlanc, Executive Director, NSCA
Former Commercial Integrator editorial director tries his hand at predicting the future of the security industry in our ongoing series.
We’re continuing our ongoing 2025 Security Industry Predictions series with some future-looking thoughts by Tom LeBlanc, executive director of the National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA) and former Commercial Integrator editorial director.
Security Sales & Integration: These days, we’re all hearing a lot about the cloud migration, AI/machine learning, crime deterrence vs. crime reactiveness, etc. Which of these “hot topics” do you think is overplayed? Which ones do you think will truly transform the practice of security integration in the coming years?
LeBlanc: We don’t think AI is overplayed. It’s worthy of the enthusiasm that surrounds it. As a trade association, however, we are very careful here because we don’t want to fall into the trap of simply talking about how exciting AI is. It is exciting, but that’s not the whole story.
We often try to focus on the real ways that AI will impact integration companies’ business. The new phrase that everybody is hearing about that, “It’s not that AI is going to take your job; it’s the companies that leverage AI that will replace your job.”
Forward-thinking integration companies in the NSCA community will no-doubt be diving into AI and figuring out how it logically impacts their companies – but they’ll also no-doubt focus on implications on confidentiality.
There’s a clear risk of information shared with a generative AI tool becoming accessible by others. So it becomes a confidentiality issue for both integrators and customers. Be mindful of intellectual property issues. The general concession seems to be that integrators should not shy away from this technology; they should embrace the change but do so cautiously.
SSI: On the business and operations side, which single factor (e.g., interest rates, talent-related issues, geopolitical stressors) poses the biggest challenge for security businesses right now? How can business owners mitigate their downside risk?
LeBlanc: Talent continues to be a top challenge for many security integration companies. Typically, we talk about talent in the context of finding new qualified individuals to hire. That remains a challenge. Recently, NSCA has also elevated its focus on the need to prepare the next generation of leadership.
So many security integration companies have strong leadership, but just as many seem not to place enough emphasis on their leadership succession plans. We encourage security integration company leaders to look within their organizations and recognize if there are individuals that are rising stars that should be on a leadership track.
If so, we recommend they implement a training plan to get them ready to eventually take the helm. This would address a gaping void for many integration companies. NSCA launched a new event called Excellence in Business Operations (XBO) in 2024. Security integrators should consider making XBO part of their next-generation leadership training.
SSI: Finish this sentence: 2025 will be remembered as the year that the security industry …
LeBlanc: … became even more relevant than it already was as customers across every vertical market elevate demands for safe, secure, healthy environments. The role that a security integrator plays has never been more mission critical for its customers.
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