Security Industry Mourns the Loss of Kenneth Mara
Mara, who passed away peacefully after a 4-year battle with brain cancer, was a well-respected businessman and entrepreneur.
Kenneth Mara, April 28, 1958 - June 23, 2020
LONG ISLAND, N.Y. — Kenneth Mara, who established World Wide Security in 1979, passed away June 23. He was 62.
Mara, who passed peacefully after a 4-year battle with brain cancer, was a well-respected businessman and entrepreneur. Under the banner of World Wide Security Group, Mara operated multiple security brands, including GC Alarm, Rainbow Protection, Telestat Security and Dart Security Services. The firm, which also operated a UL-Listed central station, offered intrusion detection, fire/life-safety systems and monitoring services to many thousands of commercial and residential accounts.
World Wide Security, which serviced the tristate New York metropolitan area, was acquired by Novidam Capital in 2016. In 2017, World Wide Security was integrated into Briscoe Protective Systems, which the private equity firm acquired that same year.
Many friends and other industry brethren posted online remembrances of Mara via Linkedin and Fairchild Sons Funeral Home. Among them:
“They do not make guys like Kenny anymore,” writes Richard Ginsburg, president and CEO of Alert 360. “He built some of the best companies in Long Island and New York City with hard work, great service, and integrity. Over the years he employed hundreds, if not thousands of people, and took care of them like his own.”
Peter Giacalone, principal of consulting firm Giacalone Associates and SSI “Monitoring Matters” columnist shared: “Ken was a great friend and colleague that I will miss. He was a great entrepreneur while always remaining a gentleman. I met Ken and [wife] Pat many years ago under very tough circumstances that immediately reflected how honorable of a man he was. Too much detail for a post but detail worth understanding and that’s why Ken and I remained friends over the years. We shared a variety of common ground and right to the end Ken stayed in touch. When I heard from Ken a few weeks ago by telephone and text at a point where he may have known how close he was to the end, he was upbeat and inviting me to hang out in his yard with him and his daughter. May our friend Rest In Peace and may his family hold on to his legacy that touched many.”
Security industry icon Ivan Scharer expressed: “I was fortunate to be associated with Ken and his team during my years at First Alert Professional. Ken was an outstanding leader who was a great credit to our industry. He was a real people person who cared a great deal about his team.”
Mara is survived by his wife Patricia and their children, Jack and Kylie. He is also survived by his brother Bruce, his Aunt Rosalie Jahelka, cousins Gina Mormile and Bob Jahelka, mother-in-law Margaret Garvey, brother-in-law of John Garvey (Arlene), Ellen McGovern (Kevin), James Garvey, Maureen Peyrot (Anthony), William Garvey (Teresa), Stasia Pearson (Christopher) and many nieces and nephews.
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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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So sad to read this. Ken was a great guy who ran a great company. “The Barter King”