XSPONSE - Experts & Thought Leaders

XSponse, a provider of connected safety and emergency response technology, announces the appointment of Richie Perna as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), effective September 19. Perna will lead XSponse’s national go-to-market strategy as the company moves into its next phase of growth and market expansion. Perna joins XSponse at a pivotal point in the company’s growth. Following a recent strategic investment from Armory Capital, XSponse is accelerating its national expansion and moving from a period of rapid product development into a more aggressive phase of market development, demand creation and commercial growth. Emergency response technology The appointment also reunites Perna with XSponse CEO Lee Mandel, with whom he spent nearly eight years building strategy, expanding into new markets and scaling a security business through a successful exit. “Richie is not a traditional CRO, and that is exactly why I wanted him in this role,” said Lee Mandel, CEO of XSponse. “He is a market maker. He understands customers and this industry, knows how to create demand where it doesn’t yet exist, and has the ability to build relationships and open doors that very few people can. I’ve already built a business alongside Richie, and I know what happens when we put the right product in front of him. Bringing him to XSponse full time is a major part of our plan to take this company nationwide.” Broad connected technology ecosystem As CRO, Perna’s role will extend well beyond traditional sales leadership, with broad responsibility for how XSponse is positioned, brought to market and expanded nationally. He will lead the company’s go-to-market strategy, strategic partnerships, channel development and demand creation, with K-12 as a core focus, while building the market presence and commercial momentum needed for XSponse’s next stage of growth. A major part of that strategy will be simplifying how XSponse goes to market. The company has developed a broad connected technology ecosystem in a relatively short period of time, and Perna will focus on bringing those capabilities to customers through clearly defined solutions built around specific operational and safety challenges. Life-safety technology “We have incredible technology, but great technology by itself doesn’t build a great company,” said Perna. “The market has to understand it, customers have to want it, and partners have to know how to bring it to their customers. That’s where I see the opportunity. My job is to help make XSponse a company that people across this industry know, create real demand for what we’ve built, and put us in the rooms and markets where we belong.” Perna most recently served as Chief Strategy Officer at Day Automation / Stark Tech, where his work centered on strategic growth, market development and large-scale school safety and security initiatives. His experience spans physical security, public address and intercom systems, emergency communications and mass notification, access control, video surveillance, lockdown systems and integrated life-safety technology. Public safety stakeholders Throughout his career, Perna has worked closely with school district leaders, technology and facilities professionals, public safety stakeholders, consultants, manufacturers, integrators and other industry partners. His approach has consistently centered on understanding the customer’s actual operational challenge first, then bringing together the technology, relationships and strategy needed to solve it. “Security and communications have become too fragmented,” Perna added. “Customers need technology that connects seamlessly with their operations, strengthens performance and delivers meaningful value. They need systems that work together and give people better information when something happens. XSponse has an opportunity to become the connective layer across that environment. That’s a much bigger story than any one product.”

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has announced the 2025 winners of the SIA New Products and Solutions (NPS) Awards, the flagship awards program presented in partnership with ISC West, recognizing innovative security products, services, and solutions. Top among the winners, who were recognized April 2 during an award ceremony at the Bridge Stage on the ISC West show floor, was Vaidio, receiving the 2025 Best New Product Award. SIA NPS product and service categories SIA NPS has been the security industry’s premier product awards program Since its inception in 1979, SIA NPS has been the security industry’s premier product awards program. New products are reviewed by a panel of judges with extensive industry experience, and in 2025, following significant deliberations, the 38 judges presented awards for technologies covering 33 product and service categories.  The 2025 SIA NPS Awards entries will be on display through Friday, April 4, in Booth #25075 on the ISC West show floor, adjacent to the Bridge Stage (Booth #25059). Vaidio 9.0 advanced models Vaidio received the Best New Product honor for its Vaidio 9.0 AI Vision Platform product, submitted in the Loss Prevention and Article Surveillance Solutions category. “Vaidio 9.0 enhances loss prevention by combining advanced (artificial intelligence) models, heuristic rules and intelligent compute management to deliver precise analytics for detecting theft and reducing inventory shrinkage,” said Vaidio. “Its unique orchestration of CNN, transformer and VLM models increases accuracy, reduces compute consumption and improves speed, while integrating seamlessly with existing infrastructure.” AI-driven engagement The prestigious Judges’ Choice Award was presented to RAD for the SARA The prestigious Judges’ Choice Award was presented to Robotic Assistance Devices (RAD) for the SARA – AI Security Agent for Autonomous Threat Detection and Response product, submitted in the Threat Detection and Response Solutions category. “SARA revolutionizes (global security operations centers) and monitoring by transforming passive surveillance into real-time, AI-driven engagement,” said RAD. “This autonomous security agent detects threats, interacts with individuals, verifies intent and escalates incidents as needed, enhancing security efficiency, reducing operator fatigue, preventing overlooked events and ensuring faster, smarter and more effective incident response across diverse environments.” Amazing new products and solutions “This year’s SIA NPS program has had another fantastic year with amazing new products and solutions presented to our judging panels,” said Christine Bergeron, chair of the SIA NPS Awards Committee and senior director of global physical security technology at Visa. “Thank you to our expert judges and committee members for your dedication to the program and lending your expertise and valuable time to contribute to a successful 2025 SIA NPS program.” Advancement of SIA and the security CyberLock received the NPS Merit Award, which admits an person or company who, through their support of SIA “The SIA NPS Awards are a renowned global platform for highlighting new offerings each year, and earning recognition is an impressive accomplishment,” said Elisa Mula, vice chair of the SIA NPS Awards Committee and founder and protection management specialist at EM Designs. “SIA applauds this year’s winners, who impressed our judges after an extensive process of tech demonstrations and panel-driven judging.” Additionally, CyberLock received the NPS Merit Award, which recognizes an individual or company who, through their support of the SIA NPS Awards, demonstrates a commitment to the vision and mission of the program, contributes to its success and promotes the advancement of SIA and the security industry overall. New security technology solutions “SIA congratulates all the winners of the 2025 SIA NPS Awards, and especially Vaidio and Robotic Assistance Devices, whose products stood out among the entries to earn the Best New Product and Judges’ Choice distinctions, as well as SIA NPS Merit Award winner CyberLock,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “Each year, NPS presents the most cutting-edge products available on the market today, and our judges’ dedication, support and thorough consideration are invaluable in maintaining it as the most trusted awards program for launching new security technology solutions.” 2025 SIA NPS award winners  Best new product award Winner: Vaidio – Vaidio 9.0 AI Vision Platform Judges’ choice award Winner: Robotic Assistance Devices – SARA – AI Security Agent for Autonomous Threat Detection and Response SIA NPS Merit award Winner: CyberLock Category awards Access Control Devices & Peripherals Hardware – Wireless Winner: Sure-Fi – Sure-Fi Access Pro Bridge Access Control Software, Hardware, Devices & Peripherals – Wired Winner: Safetrust – IoT Neural Sensor Honorable Mention: Accessia – Accessia Reader Antiterrorism/Force Protection/Armed Aggressor Winner: Xonar Technology – TruePort Biometrics Winner: Intel RealSense + Ones Technology – BioAffix Gate Vision Powered by Ones Technology and Intel RealSense ID F450 Communications and Networking Solutions Winner: Commend Americas – Ivy Live Translation – Ivy Virtual Assistant’s Multilingual Real-Time Translation Capabilities, Part of Commend’s Symphony Cloud Solution for Security Communication Convergence and Integration Solutions Winner: AURA – AURA Auto Guard Dispatch Data and Systems Cybersecurity Winner: SWEAR – SWEAR Security Design, Diagnostic and Installation Tools Winner: dormakaba – EntriWorX Insights Enhanced Project Delivery Winner: Vaidio – Vaidio 9.0 Environmental Monitoring Systems Winner: XSponse – X-Shield Honorable Mention: Secure Passage – Truman Fire/Life Safety Winner: Honeywell – Connected Life Safety Services (CLSS) Compliance Manager With Auto-Pass Honorable Mention: Honeywell – CLSS Cloud-Connected Horizon Identification Management and Credentialing (Nonbiometric) Winner: Wavelynx, rf IDEAS and Idemia (Founding Companies of LEAF Community) – LEAF Community Intrusion Detection and Prevention Solutions (Physical) – Wired or Wireless Winner: SPOT AI – SPOT AI Remote Security Agent Honorable Mention: Hexagon – HxGN dC3 LidarVision Key/Equipment Assets Management Solutions Winner: CyberLock – ValidiKey Pro Law Enforcement/Public Safety/Guarding Systems Winner: 3Si Security Systems – DirectToDispatch Honorable Mention: Eagle Eye Networks – Eagle Eye 911 Camera Sharing Lock and Key Solutions Winner: dormakaba – CenconX OTC Safe Lock Honorable Mention: Securitech ASSA ABLOY – PARAMAXX Loss Prevention and Article Surveillance Solutions Winner: Vaidio – Vaidio 9.0 AI Vision Platform Managed Services Winner: ADRM – DEFENDER Honorable Mention: Allied Universal – Unified Command Center Mobile Solutions Winner: Intel RealSense + Ones Technology – BioAffix Vision Mobile Powered by Intel RealSense ID 450 Threat/Risk Management Software Applications Winner: Bearing – Bearing Honorable Mention: Sign In Solutions – Sign In Solutions – Risk Insights Threat Detection and Response Solutions Winner: Robotic Assistance Devices – SARA – AI Security Agent for Autonomous Threat Detection and Response Honorable Mention: Xtract One Technologies – Xtract One Gateway Video Analytics Winner: Lumana – Lumana Video Intelligence Platform Video Surveillance Advanced Imaging Technologies Winner: Axis Communications – ARTPEC-9 Video Surveillance Cameras Winner: Hanwha Vision America – 4CH AI Multi-Sensor Camera With WAVE VMS Powered by the NVIDIA Jetson Platform Honorable Mention: Axis Communications – AXIS Q1809-LE Bullet Camera Video Surveillance Hardware and Accessories Winner: Spectrum Camera Solutions – F200 Series Explosion-Proof Housing System Video Surveillance Management Systems Winner: Monitor Computer Systems – Sentinel

XSponse, a pioneering force in the security technology sector, proudly announces the official launch of its cutting-edge AI security ecosystem, an initiative led by CEO Lee Mandel and founded by CTO John Gehlsen. This launch marks a significant step in redefining enterprise connectivity and integrated security solutions. Lee Mandel brings a wealth of expertise and a strong track record of innovation to XSponse, having previously transformed the security landscape for various sectors, including schools, businesses, and government agencies. His vision emphasizes the integration of technology and actionable insights to enhance security measures. Challenges of modern security John Gehlsen, an industry-renowned technology pioneer, has been instrumental in shaping XSponse’s AI-driven platform. His technical acumen and commitment to innovation have ensured that XSponse delivers robust, scalable, and seamless solutions for modern security challenges. XSponse is committed to addressing the evolving security needs of modern enterprises,” said Mandel. “Our groundbreaking AI security ecosystem not only provides seamless integration and actionable insights but also empowers organizations to connect their security solutions effectively.” Challenges of the dynamic threat landscape AI-driven platform from XSponse features advanced solutions like audio-visual notifications The AI-driven platform from XSponse features advanced solutions such as audio-visual notifications, classroom video monitoring, in-duct vape detection, and wearable badges for real-time location tracking. These innovations are designed to tackle the complex challenges of the dynamic threat landscape. “Today’s security demands more than just technology; it requires comprehensive solutions that evolve with changing environments,” said Blake Albertsen, Chief Revenue Officer of XSponse. “Our platform is built by integrators for integrators, ensuring practicality and power in deployment.” XSponse’s support for various applications XSponse’s offerings support various applications, including: Classroom Safety: Enhanced video monitoring and mass notification systems designed to integrate seamlessly with any VMS using standard video protocols, ensuring compatibility without competition. As the first to market with a mechanical shutter over the camera, we address privacy concerns while delivering rapid incident response. Health and Wellness: In-duct vape detection technology to promote healthier environments. Enhanced Security: Wearable badges and fully PoE solutions for immediate location tracking and streamlined lockdown systems. Emergency Integration: Coordination support for medical, security, and 911 needs. XSponse’s intuitively designed and scalable software platform, Guardian, provides users with unparalleled situational awareness and operational control, ensuring efficiency and reliability for enterprises of all sizes.