SSI Industry Hall of Fame Class of 2018 Inductee: Marc Mineau

Mineau initiated and led several education initiatives that have had substantial impact on the electronic security industry.

Founded in 2004 to represent the highest commendation for going above and beyond in professionalism, conduct and achievement, the SSI Industry Hall of Fame now numbers nearly 100 members.

SSI is proud to welcome Marc Mineau (1954-2017), former exec with Kantech, DSC, Tyco and Brivo Systems, to the class of 2018.

Why He’s on the List

  • More than 30 years of distinguished leadership in the security dealer, integrator and manufacturing sides of the industry, as well as exemplary trade associations service
  • Created dialog and unity that brought together security manufacturers, central stations and dealers from the United States, Canada and Latin America
  • From 1973-1992, founded (at 18 years old) and operated dealer-integrator Omnitron and Omnitron Security Systems, which was bought by Diebold
  • From 1992-1998, founded and served as president of Kantech Systems (sold to DSC/Tyco and now part of JCI), bringing to market user-friendly and affordable access control products
  • From 1998-2003, stayed on as director of global business development for DSC and vice president of business development for Tyco Safety Products
  • From 2004-2006, served as president and product architect for Brivo Systems
  • A founding member of CANASA in 1977, his roles included three terms of president
  • Spent more than 10 years in several roles for SIA, including president

Keys to Success

“Marc was a unique and brilliant individual and when spending time with him you would be quick to realize that he would have been a success in any industry he would have been involved in. I believe his biggest impact was the focus he put on education and bettering the industry. Marc recognized the security industry lacked professionalism, and to achieve that education was of primary importance. I hope today’s security professionals realize Marc was looking into the future when he embarked on this mission. No one realized it would become one of the most important principles embraced by successful alarm companies looking to improve and grow.” — Ivan Spector, President, Sentinel Alarm

Closely Associated With Associations

Mineau initiated and led several education initiatives that have had substantial impact on the electronic security industry. As president of SIA from 1999-2001 he established a $500,000 development fund for industry education programs. Also, as an advocate for NBFAA’s [ESA today] apprenticeship program, he founded a $100,000 fund to support the development of that important professional accreditation.

“Marc has been absolutely instrumental in pioneering and championing security education, not just in North America but beyond. For example, we’ve shared some of our security education courses with SIA, a U.S. and global security association, as well as ALAS, the Latin American security association,” CANASA Executive Director Tracy Cannata said in 2005.

Ethical Foundation as Springboard

“It was an interesting time for the alarm business when Marc founded Omnitron. With the development of digital communicators a monitoring station could be started relatively inexpensively and without many of the costs associated with them today. Labor was cheap, it was the hardware that was expensive. The only way to learn was to steal installers from established alarm companies and pair them with new employees. Commercial systems typically relied on direct wire type connections and their associated receivers. Systems were robust but limited in their ability to identify zones and user-friendly was a term not yet invented. Marc believed that if the industry was better it would allow everyone’s boat to float higher. He believed in professionalism, he believed in servicing the client and he believed in ethics.” — Ivan Spector

Building Business Acumen

Upon launching first business Omnitron Alarms he quickly learned how to survive in a very competitive market. Through the years he developed the ability to focus on high quality customer service, advanced product offerings, sales/marketing programs and market positioning. Among other knowledge he picked up that helped him succeed in moving over to the manufacturing side of the industry was finance and cash, managing a multifaceted business with locations in three cities, employee motivation, consumer and industrial direct selling, developing forward-looking business plans, and championing customer satisfaction. At DSC, he oversaw five acquisitions and played a key role in obtaining financing of $152 million from a consortium of banks.

Put People Before Products or Profits

“Marc was so well respected because he had a knack for challenging people and that would bring out their best. He was a stimulating man to be around, and he believed in questioning everything. He loved to travel and see new things and was acutely that everyone had a story. And Marc was masterful at getting people to open up and tell them. He was charming, disarming and had a contagious smile and sense of humor.” — Ivan Spector


The Mineau File

♦Born 1954 in Montreal

♦Eldest among two brothers and two sisters; father was a lawyer who worked for Price Waterhouse, mother was a homemaker

♦Married wife Diane and together they had a son and a daughter, and four grandchildren

♦Attended University of Montreal Business School

♦If career had taken a different path might have ended up in computers, software or technology R&D

♦Honors included George R. Lippert Award (2004), SIA Board Service Award (1999), SIA’s President Award (1998) and CANASA’s RH Henderson Award (1998)

♦Other interests included family travel, fine dining, cooking and being a wine connoisseur

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