For this installment of On the RISE, the Security Industry Association spoke with Hannah Sengvilay, door hardware specification consultant at Allegion and a recent winner of the SIA RISE Scholarship.
Security Industry Association: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your career path.
Hannah Sengvilay: I started living on my own and paying bills at 17. At 18, I began working for Allegion and, about eight months later, I moved back home for 1.5 years because my father suffered a traumatic brain injury.
I then moved away from home again, started my education and returned to Allegion. I was a customer support representative for single-family Schlage locks and would walk customers through installation and tech support.
During the 2.5 years I was in my position, I was also attending school full time while working 40-50 hours a week since we had the option of overtime.
I then realized the different career paths Allegion had to offer outside of the residential department.
SIA: What first got you interested in security and safety as a career choice?
Sengvilay: At first, it was a job to help me pay my bills and allow me to attend school. Then I realized the importance of safety and security and how big a role locks and door hardware can play in making people feel safe.
Growing up, my home got broken into twice through windows or the back garage door. I now reflect and think about how vulnerable and unsafe I felt. However, I now keep my doors locked and monitored, and having extra security allows me to be comfortable and feel safe in my home.
SIA: Who has influenced or mentored you — either within the security field or outside?
Sengvilay: I’ve had a handful of very strong, influential people in my life. My first honorable mention would be my aunt Julie. She has encouraged me to keep pushing and has always been a strong role model in my life.
A few others who have influenced me in the workplace would be my old manager, Alex Peasley, who always pushed me to improve my professional skills, and Shannon Tracey, who trained and taught me door hardware and continues to encourage me outside of the program.
My professional mentors would include David Johnston, who led me through our mentorship program to develop my professional speaking skills and career development. Another mentor would be Gerald Hassebrock, who has taught me everything I know about door hardware and always picks up the phone when I need help.
SIA: What’s something most people don’t know about you?
Sengvilay: My stepfather suffered a traumatic brain injury, which caused me to temporarily leave Allegion for two years to become a caregiver for him. My boyfriend also joined me to help, along with my uncle.
During that time, I also raised my sister, all at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, so we were both attending school remotely. This made it extremely difficult, but somehow we made it work.
SIA: What are some challenges and advantages of being a young professional in security?
Sengvilay: Some challenges of being a young professional are that when speaking to others, you’re reminded you are the youngest in the room and a lot of times your knowledge of your role may be questioned.
It serves as a challenge because I tend to question myself whether I am in the right spot and if I should be here. However, it serves as an advantage because at times I think to myself that I am not doing what others my age are doing, yet I remember that I am trying to set myself up for the future.
I think the main advantage of being a young professional is that we bring new and fresh ideas and lots of energy. We also have lots of room for growth and development.
SIA: What advice do you have for young professionals just starting out in the industry?
Sengvilay: My advice to others starting is that you don’t have to know everything. Knowledge, confidence and skills come with time and the main thing to understand is to be able to learn.
Something that stressed me out when I started my role was the little information on products, though I was heavy on motivation and encouraged to learn as much as possible. Another thing that helped was the ability to network.
Networking with others in similar positions made me realize we all had the same feelings and experiences.
SIA: What do you enjoy most about being at your company — and in the security industry?
Sengvilay: What I enjoy most about being a part of Allegion is the encouragement I receive to attend conferences to build my professional and personal skills. I am always pushed to pursue things I am passionate about and feel supported when I address my concerns.
I feel that my company wants to see me succeed in my goals and supports my educational needs. I really enjoy being a part of the security industry because, as big as the industry seems, everyone knows everyone. It truly is a great industry — or, as I like to call it, community — to be a part of.
SIA: How do you define success?
Sengvilay: Success is immeasurable. I range my success from “I woke up in a bed and was able to drive to work today” to “I completed a goal that took me five years.” All in all, I define success by achieving my goals and finding fulfillment.
SIA: How do you think the SIA RISE community can help foster the careers of young people in the industry? What does RISE offer that is most important to you/your company?
Sengvilay: SIA RISE has helped me a lot in my career and education. I received a scholarship after attending a RISE event and it has helped me graduate six months sooner.
SIA’s AcceleRISE conference was a great event to attend to help me network and overcome my imposter syndrome. There were very inspirational speakers and open discussions, which opened my eyes, and I brought a lot of great information back to my office.
RISE allowed me to bring back a lot of great team-building and connection practices to my team. Ever since attending AcceleRISE, I have noticed an improvement in my role development along with my networking skills.
SIA: What are some key components of your role with Allegion?
Sengvilay: I write specifications and give plenty of presentations on door hardware and life-safety building codes.
SIA: What key challenges, opportunities and/or trends do you see as most important to the industry — or more specifically to those in the door hardware/manufacturer space?
Sengvilay: A key challenge I have seen is classroom doors, as teachers like to hold classroom doors open or force them shut in the event of an emergency. Of course, using hardware to keep a door shut is against code, and classroom doors tend to be an ongoing conversation.
SIA: What drew you to your past roles in customer support and then sales, and how have you used what you learned in previous roles in your current position with Allegion?
Sengvilay: I use my customer support skills to deal with hard conversations. Now that I am in a consultant role, I can ensure the best possible service for the project. I ensure that my concerns for a successful project come before all else.
When walking through a project, I also ensure the validity of the safety of the building.
SIA: What has been the most rewarding accomplishment or experience in your career in the security industry?
Sengvilay: I think the most rewarding accomplishment would be my scholarship. I have never received anything so rewarding, and I have worked very hard on my education while working full time. Receiving the scholarship made me feel heard and that I’m on the right track.
In high school, I was never a scholar or got good grades, so receiving something so rewarding made me feel very accomplished and proud of myself.
SIA: What are your predictions for where the security industry may be headed in the next five to 10 years?
Sengvilay: I believe that just about all buildings will be controlled and monitored by access control. I also see AI having major influence on the way things work in the security industry for CCTV and other types of security monitored electronically.
On the RISE is a column by the Security Industry Association (SIA) in partnership with Security Sales & Integration profiling the next generation of security industry leaders. This column is part of SIA RISE, a community that fosters the careers of young professionals in the security through networking and career growth events, education and professional development offerings and scholarship and mentorship opportunities.
