Corey Russell, a Technical Solutions Specialist at Gallagher Security, has been recognized with the 2026 Security Innovator Award by Security Business and SecurityInfoWatch.com.
This accolade is notable as it is determined through peer nominations within the industry.
Innovation in Access Control Systems
Russell's work addresses a common challenge in the security sector: migrating from legacy access control systems.
His contribution was instrumental in the development of Gallagher's QuickSwitch, a tool designed to streamline and economize the migration process.
Corey Russell's Technical Expertise
With a foundation in programming using Python, Russell delved into the complexities of legacy ODBC-style databases. He identified a method to map this data to Gallagher's Command Centre platform, allowing for seamless data extraction and transformation from legacy systems.
This innovation removes significant obstacles for end users aiming to transition systems.
Benefits of the QuickSwitch Tool
QuickSwitch cleans & prepares data for integration, reducing manual input during system changesJeff Ogborn, Gallagher's Director of Complex Solutions, who nominated Russell for the award, highlighted the impact of QuickSwitch. "Way too often the data/software side of conversions is pushed off to 'someone else,'" Ogborn noted, emphasizing Russell's role in simplifying end user experiences.
QuickSwitch provides tools to manage and clean data before integration, reducing the manual input traditionally required during system changes. Users report considerable time savings and decreased need for manual database reconstructions.
Feedback and Acknowledgments
Russell shared his thoughts on receiving the award, saying, "It's an honor to be recognized as a 2026 Security Innovator, especially for work that grew out of trying to solve a very practical problem for our customers. I'm grateful to Jeff for the nomination and for recognizing the work behind QuickSwitch."
The Security Innovator Award celebrates a broad spectrum of industry professionals, including developers, consultants, field leaders, and executives, highlighting the diverse expertise within the security sector.
Gallagher Security is proud to celebrate Corey Russell, Technical Solutions Specialist - The Americas, as a recipient of the 2026 Security Innovator Award from Security Business and SecurityInfoWatch.com - the industry's only recognition program based entirely on peer nominations.
Recognition
Corey's recognition centers on a problem most of the industry had simply learned to live with: the pain of migrating a site off a legacy access control system. When Gallagher's team set out to build QuickSwitch, a tool to make that migration simple and cost-effective, Corey asked the question that shaped the solution development: what happens to the data?
About Corey Russell
A self-taught programmer who started out writing basic Python scripts, Corey used that grounding to dig into how legacy ODBC-style databases store their data, then found a way to map it cleanly onto Gallagher's access control platform Command Centre. The result was a solution that extracts and converts data from a range of legacy systems, removing one of the biggest barriers End Users face when they want to switch.
End user benefits via QuickSwitch
"Way too often the data/software side of conversions is pushed off to "someone else”, said Jeff Ogborn, Gallagher Director of Complex Solutions, who nominated Russell for the award. “Corey’s contribution to this program removes yet one more obstacle for End Users and contributes to the streamlined approach that QuickSwitch offers."
That End-User first instinct led Corey to build a window viewer that lets users pull connective data into standard CSV files, clean it up, correct errors, and add any missing configuration - all before it's imported into the new system. It's a small step that removes a large amount of manual, error-prone data entry from what used to be one of the most tedious parts of any system conversion.
End Users migrating to Gallagher have taken notice. Feedback consistently points to significant time savings and relief at no longer having to manually rebuild databases from scratch during a system switch.
Corey Russell's comment
"It's an honor to be recognized as a 2026 Security Innovator, especially for work that grew out of trying to solve a very practical problem for our customers," Russell said of the recognition. "I'm grateful to Jeff for the nomination and for recognizing the work behind QuickSwitch. This project has really been about listening to the people doing these migrations, understanding where the process creates unnecessary friction, and finding ways to make that experience faster, easier, and more reliable."
This year's Security Innovator honorees represent a diverse range of security industry experts spanning developers, consultants, field leaders, and executives across the security industry.
