Kick Off ISC with the SAMMYs
The proverbial drum roll will take on added expectancy at this year’s SAMMY Awards when SECURITY SALES & INTEGRATION bestows its inaugural Installer of the Year honor. SSI has created the award to pay tribute to the multitude of ways installing security contractors must excel if “successful” is to be an applicable portrayal of their business.
A pair of top installer awards will be given at the March 31 SAMMY ceremony, held on the eve of ISC West at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas. The award designations are small to midsize company, 300 or fewer employees; and large company, 300+ employees.
SSI received an impressive collection of entries from across North America for the right to be named Installer of the Year. Each company was asked to submit essay-type answers to half-a-dozen 
judging factors, such as detailing business practices and marketing strategies the company uses to ensure its success, and a description of ways the company contributes to the security industry.
“There are so many facets to running what I would call a ‘model’ security installation business,” says SSI Editor-in-Chief Scott Goldfine, emcee of this year’s SAMMYs. “They all stem from top-flight management that exhibits everything from shrewd business acumen to super sales and marketing to top-drawer customer service to employee enrichment to generosity within the community to furthering industry causes. We decided to establish an award for companies that possess an abundance of such attributes.”
Following are the businesses lauded as finalists: Small to midsize: Atronic Alarms (Lenexa, Kan.); Provident Security Corp. (Vancouver, British Columbia); and The Protection Bureau (Exton, Pa.). Large: ASG Security (Beltsville, Md.), Diebold Security (North Canton, Ohio) and Stanley Convergent Security Solutions (CSS) Inc. (Naperville, Ill.).
With a jam-packed program in store, let’s take a look at some of the other action.
Stanley CSS Rolls Lucky 7
For each of the past 13 years 
the SAMMY Awards have strived to honor security dealers and systems integrators that demonstrate professionalism in their sales, marketing and installation endeavors. The 2009 installment of the industry’s only awards program like it will be no exception.
“I was delighted to see the high level of professionalism and creativity demonstrated with each entry,” says SAMMYs judge Leslie Stevens, president of Eclipse Marketing of Laguna Niguel, Calif. “It is evident that these companies strive for excellence and are willing to work hard for long-term success.”
Several companies are up for multiple nominations. In addition to being up for Installer of the Year, the Stanley CSS marketing muscle flexed like Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime to notch a total of seven SAMMY nominations. ASG Security, Provident Security Corp. and SecurTek will each be called as finalists in four categories. And Guardian Protection Services, a perennial victor, will have a shot at three SAMMY trophies.
SSI will profile the 2009 SAMMY winners and finalists in the June issue, while the Installer of the Year and Integrated Installation of the Year case study will be featured in the July edition.
SSI is indebted to the diligent work of our panel of judges. They are: Tom Brigham (Brigham Scully Communications), Jon Daum (Daum Weigle Inc.), Richard Hahn (Richard Hahn & Associates), Jerry Lenander (Syncomm Management Group) and Leslie Stevens (Eclipse Marketing).
To view the 2009 SAMMY Awards finalists, click here. For more information on the SAMMYs, visit www.thesammyawards.com.
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About the Author
Rodney Bosch, Senior Editor
Although Bosch’s name is quite familiar to those in the security industry, his previous experience has been in daily newspaper journalism. Prior to joining SECURITY SALES & INTEGRATION in 2006, he spent 15 years with the Los Angeles Times, where he performed a wide assortment of editorial responsibilities, including feature and metro department assignments as well as content producing for latimes.com. Bosch is a graduate of California State University, Fresno with a degree in Mass Communication & Journalism. In 2007, he successfully completed the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association’s National Training School coursework to become a Certified Level I Alarm Technician.
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