SSI Industry Hall of Famer Dale Eller Dies at 64 After Brief Illness
2021 Hall of Fame inductee Dale Eller spent more than 40 years as an industry advocate, consultant and leader of prominent associations.
MILLCREEK, Pa. — Dale Eller, a 2021 SSI Industry Hall of Fame inductee and security industry veteran with more than 40 years experience as an advocate and leader of prominent associations, died Monday, April 29, 2024, at age 64 after a brief illness.
Eller was a 1977 graduate of McDowell High School. He served in the U.S. Navy for six years. After the service, he joined his family business, Glenwood Fire and Security, which was later renamed Doyle Security.
He started security management company ITZ Solutions in 1998 and worked there until his death.
He was married to his wife Paula for more than 41 years and the couple shared a daughter and son.
More About SSI Industry Hall of Famer Dale Eller
During his time in the U.S. Navy, Eller earned several communications and electronics certifications and received the U.S. Navy Good Conduct and Navy Achievement Medals. His security honors include the PBFAA Leadership Award (1987, 1999, 2010), ESA/NBFAA Executive Director of the Year (2000, 2002) and ESA NTS Instructor of the Year (2013).
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Eller hosted a monthly talk show on a local radio station for six years and was an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan who also liked looking for hidden treasures with his wife at garage sales, antique shops and rummage sales.
“I have always thought that being a dealer in a small market as opposed to a major market or large city helped me, as a dealer, diversify product/service offerings,” said Eller in his 2021 SSI Industry Hall of Fame induction announcement. “One day you might be called on to sell/install an intrusion system, tomorrow it could be CCTV, the next day access control and by the end of the week a fire alarm system.
“That diversity provided an insight on the nimbleness necessary to compete in our, or any, marketplace. As I later moved to the association side of the industry, that same insight helped me relate to dealers, appreciate their challenges and ultimately identify ways for the association groups to pivot or adapt to dealers’ needs,” he said.
Friends are invited to call at Brugger Funeral Homes & Crematory, 1595 W. 38th Street at Greengarden Blvd., in Erie, Pa., on Friday, May 3, from 3 to 7 p.m., and may attend a funeral service there on Saturday at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Wounded Warrior Project, 600 River Ave., Ste. 400, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, or the U.S. Navy Memorial, 801 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, D.C., 20004. Condolences may be sent to www.bruggerfuneralhomes.com.
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About the Author
D. Craig MacCormack, Digital Editor
Craig MacCormack is a veteran journalist who joined Security Sales & Integration in June 2023 as digital editor. He covered AV, IT and security with SSI's sister publication, Commercial Integrator, from January 2011 to June 2021.
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