Elite Interactive Solutions, a remote video guarding pioneer using proprietary intelligence to achieve proven crime prevention, announces that company Founder and CEO Aria Kozak has been inducted into the Security Industry Hall of Fame.
Considered the electronic security industry’s highest recognition for lifetime achievement and excellence, Kozak was among the five Class of 2024 recipients officially enshrined during a presentation on the main expo stage of the International Security Conference (ISC) in Las Vegas.
The Father of Remote Guarding
Kozak is known as “The Father of Remote Guarding,” but was inducted for the totality of his impactful, nearly 50-year security career.
Dedicating himself to the security industry after completing a distinguished tour of duty in the Israeli military, his success as a business maverick and technology innovator emanates from deep experience and a lifelong commitment to preventing crime.
Kozak’s milestones
- 1976-1990: Founded and built Universal Alarm Systems (UAS) into one of the nation’s largest and most successful burglar alarm and armed guard response companies. At that time, the industry relied solely on tape dialers and was hesitant to embrace new technology. As soon as digital technology became available, he implemented it by using Radionics. UAS also began incorporating two-way audio.
- Early 1980s: UAS established a successful marketing program with telephone solicitation and direct mail to businesses. Kozak’s company charged $0 to install new, better-performing equipment than the competitors. UAS’ RMR average was a previously unheard-of $120+, with an amazing 4% attrition rate.
- Late 1980s: Recognizing the power of video monitoring, Kozak was the first early adopter when Radionics introduced OmegaVision. It marked the beginning of video verification for the industry. Throughout this time, he also oversaw the building of three UL-approved central monitoring stations. During that time, he also introduced groundbreaking financing for customer contracts by approaching TOPA Thrift and Loan, Imperial Thrift and Loan, and Inglewood Thrift and Loan. Previously, the industry had been unable to attract that type of monetary commitment from established financial institutions.
- 1990: Kozak sold UAS to ADT and remained as a consultant. At the time of the sale, the company included one of America’s most sophisticated UL-listed central stations.
- 1996: Kozak launched a high-end integration firm called IntelliSec that engineered, installed, monitored, and serviced a variety of highly complex projects.
- 1999: Kozak accepted a partnership investment by a New York-based venture capital group to lead its efforts to acquire and consolidate other integration companies, to grow IntelliSec into one of the U.S.’ largest Integrators. While retaining 33% of IntelliSec holdings, he left the company in 2002.
- 2007: Kozak founded Elite Interactive Solutions as a real-time crime-prevention provider incorporating leading-edge technologies, including custom-calibrated video analytics and AI, highly skilled command center agents, and trusted law-enforcement partnerships. It was the company he’d wanted to start since the beginning of his career, one focusing on crime and catastrophe prevention. Having prevented many thousands of crimes, Elite was the first to be UL-certified for remote guarding and the only monitoring center in the nation to report zero false alarms to law enforcement, while at the same time assisting police in thousands of arrests and detainments.
Security Industry Hall of Fame honorees
In addition to Kozak, the other four distinguished new Security Industry Hall of Fame honorees are (in alphabetical order): Kelly Bond, Partner, Davis Mergers & Acquisitions Group; Andrew Lanning, Co-Founder, Integrated Security Technologies; Kirk MacDowell, President and CEO, MacGuard Security Advisors; and Jeffrey Zwirn, President, IDS Research and Development. Full coverage of the Hall’s Class of 2024 can be found in the April issue of Security Sales & Integration or at securitysales.com.
