Career Highlights
- Started out as alarm installer with Chicago Fire & Burglary
- Began working for himself and developed patented tape-dialer in 1967
- Started Alarmtronics Inc., which later changed name to Emergency 24 (EM24)
- In late 1960s, led team of programmers and engineers in writing first software program for alarm monitoring
- In 1972, EM24 stopped competing with third-party monitoring customers and ceased installation activities
- EM24 targeted alarm dealers nationwide in marketing computerized alarm monitoring
Why He’s on The List
- Led EM24 to number of industry “firsts”
- Developed interactive software to enable communications between central station and dealers’ operations
- Established redundant central station operation
- Provided additional security services for dealers, such as LifeCard program
- Used the Internet as primary means of data transfer and communications with dealers and subscribers
- Came up with idea of nationwide, third-party central station operation employing computerized monitoring systems
Comments & Reaction: “It is a great honor to be recognized as a key industry figure. In 1970, I knew the computerized, third-party central station would be beneficial for dealers and subscribers alike. The third-party business has played an integral role in shaping the alarm industry.”
