The Best Advice Q&A series rolls on with Guerry Bruner, program manager for ITS and unmanned infrastructure solutions for ASSA ABLOY Door Security Solutions. He talks about the best advice he’s ever gotten, gives tips for security industry newcomers and names his inspiration(s).
Security Sales & Integration: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Guerry Bruner: As an integrator back in 1993, the company president told me, “Figure out what the customer needs and satisfy that need. Everything else will follow.”
Sage advice and I have proven it to be very true over and over again!
SSI: What advice would you give to those looking to achieve success in the security industry?
Bruner: First, if you say you’re going to do something, be absolutely sure you do it. That is one of the foundations of building relationships, and relationships are the key to success in the industry. Secondly, security technology is moving faster than ever, don’t let it scare you, embrace it and accept the challenge! And don’t always think about how you can’t do something, think about how you could!
SSI: If you could point to one person in the security industry and tell up-and-comers, “Make sure to listen to what they have to say,” whom would you pick and why?
Bruner: Wow, there are so many brilliant people and industry veterans to point to, it’s very difficult to choose, so I have to list three, one from integration and two from manufacturing:
Peter Boriskin, chief technology officer, ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions Americas: Back in the early 2000’s Peter and I worked at Software House together, he in technical support and me in sales. It wasn’t long before Peter moved into the New York/New Jersey regional sales manager position on my team, so he and I worked very closely at that point.
I got to know Peter and his family well and, the more I did, the more he constantly impressed me with his technical knowledge. I’ve been in the industry for 41 years and I know and have worked with hundreds of very talented and intelligent people along the way.
To this day, Peter ranks #1 on that list of the most talented, capable and smartest people I know. And on top of that, he has a great personality to go along with it. He makes technology enjoyable! For those reasons, anyone coming into the industry, especially technology-driven young people, talk to and listen to Peter.
John (Nemo) Nemerofsky, chief operating officer at SAGE Integration: I’ve known John since the late 1990’s when he was a principal at SST, one of the best security integrators in industry history. John’s experience and knowledge not only of the industry but how to build and run a successful enterprise is just phenomenal.
Kahl Betham, chief executive officer at Gallagher Security: I was fortunate to work with Kahl during my tenure at Gallagher and he is one of the brightest young minds in the security and access control industry. Kahl has a vision of where products and technology need to be and where they need to go. He is leading Gallagher as one of the most innovative access control OEMs in the industry.
Click here to check out all entries in SSI’s Best Advice series!
