With more than 700 manufacturers exhibiting at the International Security Conference (ISC) Las Vegas March 26-28, one might think that just visiting the exposition floor would be enough. Indeed, ISC’s 200,000- square-foot show floor is going to be bigger and better organized than ever, with specialized pavilions for access control/biometrics, CCTV, information security, security hardware, systems integration and home automation.  ISC’s organizers anticipate that overall attendance will exceed last year’s 11,280.

But anyone who has attended ISC Las Vegas in the past knows that this event is more than just a product showcase. It’s an opportunity for all who attend to network with other like-minded security professionals. Those in search of news about the ever-changing security industry can choose from any number of association meetings.

Others who want education (including National Training School [NTS] certification) on the latest technology and business practices can attend seminars catering specifically to dealers and integrators. And for the fun-loving, there is the Sales and Marketing (SAMMY) Awards presentation, which will take place Tuesday, March 25.

With all of this activity, no one who attends should come away from ISC empty-handed.

SAMMY Awards Move to the Desert

Kicking off ISC on Tuesday, March 25 at 5 p.m. will be Security Sales & Integration magazine‘s 8th annual SAMMY Awards. Dealers and integrators with the best marketing programs and installations will be honored at the gala.

Taking place at the Venetian, this is the first year that the SAMMYs is being held in conjunction with ISC Las Vegas, as well as the first time that ISC is co-sponsoring the event. “We are thrilled that ISC West will be sponsoring the SAMMYs this year,” says Michael Zawinski, publisher of the magazine. “There are a lot of dealers/integrators who have great sales and marketing programs that deserve recognition, and there’s no better place than ISC West to honor their achievements.”

Program categories include: Best Direct-Mail Piece/Basic Brochure, sponsored by ADEMCO; Best Sales Brochure: Residential, sponsored by MasterCard; Best Sales Brochure: Commercial, sponsored by Fire•Lite; Best Newsletter, sponsored by Dedicated Micros; Best Yellow-Page Advertisement, sponsored by Alarm Cap Alliance; Best Television/Radio Advertisement, sponsored by Altronix; Best Promotional Item, sponsored by LeadTracker; Best Company Logo/Vehicle Design, sponsored by Ionit; Best Business Card, sponsored by Bosch; Best Web Site, sponsored by ADI; and two new grand prize categories – Best Integrated Installation of the Year: Residential and Best Integrated Installation of the Year: Commercial; both sponsored by DSC. (For a complete list of finalists, see page 60 of this issue.)

All industry professionals are encouraged to join the staff of Security Sales & Integration for cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a presentation featuring the finalists and winners. Admission is free.

The SAMMYs promises to be a great networking opportunity for systems contractors, as well as a valuable learning experience for those who did not enter but would like to pick up some useful ideas on how to improve their company’s marketing and installation programs.

NBFAA Focuses on Alarm Response

Immediately following the SAMMYs on the same evening, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Venetian, will be the Alarm Industry Research and Educational Foundation (AIREF) Gala and Awards Presentation, sponsored by the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA). This formal affair includes dinner as well as the NBFAA’s presentation of the Weinstock and Sara E. Jackson Awards. Tickets should be purchased in advance by calling (301) 585-1855.

Additionally, the NBFAA has a full schedule of meetings for its members. In response to the ever-present false alarm problem, two very important meetings will be held: “Understanding Alarm Response” (12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday, March 27) and “Law Enforcement and the Private Sector” (Friday, March 28, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.). For a complete schedule of NBFAA events, go to www.alarm.org.

Former CIA Head to Deliver Keynote

The Security Industry Association (SIA) is also going to be extremely active at ISC, holding numerous industry group meetings.

The New Product Showcase (NPS) awards will take place at SIA’s booth on Wednesday, March 26 at 4 p.m. According to ISC and SIA, this year, there will be several enhancements to the program, including an on-site new product center that will open a half- hour prior to the show on March 27 and 28. Other enhancements include an improved on-site judging process and the distribution to all attendees of an NPS CD-ROM containing photos of the showcased products.

Following the NPS, the association will host a special reception on the show floor from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. All current and prospective SIA members are invited. For more information, go to www.siaonline.org.

SIA is also presenting its annual Industry Summit, sponsored by ISC West and the California Alarm Association (CAA). This event will take place at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 26 and will feature former CIA Director Stansfield Turner.He will comment on the current state of national and international security, and address security issues that face our nation today. Turner will also talk about the role the security industry will play in addressing Homeland Security.

Learn How to Get Government Jobs

Homeland Security will also be the main emphasis of ISC’s seminars. Governmental industry leaders – such as Sandia National Laboratories, the Access Card Office of the Department of Defense, and the Pentagon Protection Agency – Washington Headquarters Services Defense – will all be presenting conference sessions.

Of particular interest to dealers and integrators is a session with presenters Lynn de Seve, president of GSA Schedules Inc., and Alan Searsy, director, Supply Acquisition division of GSA Federal Supply Service. The seminar entitled “Reaching the Federal Market – Important Insight Into GSA’s Federal Supply Schedules Program,” will cover the GSA’s Federal Supply Schedules program, which allows federal agencies to obtain the latest in commercially available products and services.

This course will provide valuable information on how dealers/integrators and manufacturers can obtain a schedule contract and how to market it after the award.  Also covered will be implementation of the contract and other start-up requirements, including understanding how to use the GSA contract to sell. The seminar will also include information on educating buyers, contract compliance requirements, the new contractor assessment requirements, what to do when GSA visits and getting paid.  This course will be held Wednesday March 26, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

“Understanding Federal Government Security Design Criteria” is another seminar pertaining to Homeland Security and will be held Tuesday March 25, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. This course outlines the parameters of what is policy and what are the variations possible within given agencies in order to meet the government’s security design criteria.

As Usual, CCTV Will Be a Hot Topic

Of course, besides Homeland Security, CCTV will be a subject of keen interest for many attendees. There will be seminars covering this topic as well.

The “Remote Video” seminar will feature Security Sales & Integration’s contributing market analyst, Joseph Freeman. He, along with experts from ADEMCO, Axis Communications and GE Interlogix, will provide information on the size and growth of the market. The panel will be available to answer questions regarding remote video’s impact as well as the technology’s future.

“Digital Video Recording Across the Network” will cover the development of digital recording technology; video transmission through LANs, WAN

If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!

Related Content