Don Erickson

In the wake of Securing New Ground event in New York City in 2016, the Security Industry Association (SIA) published an inaugural “Security Megatrends” report that assessed for major “megatrends” for the security industry in 2017. 10 Major Megatrends Only days ago, SIA published “Security Megatrends: The 2018 Vision for the Security Industry,” again identifying 10 major megatrends to watch in the year ahead. SIA saw a great deal of activity unfold in 2017, as it predicted, and tweaked several of the major megatrends for the year ahead while also identifying fresh concerns for the industry to watch. For example, for 2017, SIA predicted the Internet of Things (IoT) would forge new integrations between a vast, ever-growing array of systems, sensors, devices and services. Physical security, once a separate process made up of a distinct continuum of items, grew more networked with other services and things across IoT connections. As we continue into 2018, SIA foresees consumer applications leading the networking of connected devices, deepening home security connections into IoT. Cross-industry Devices Take The Lead While enterprise investments have lagged in previous years, businesses will ramp up their use of connected solutions in the years ahead. Specific industry verticals, such as process sensors for electricity plants or real-time location devices in healthcare, will continue to drive enterprise investment in IoT.Going into 2018, cross-industry devices like those used in smart buildings, such as physical security systems, will take the lead Going into 2018, cross-industry devices like those used in smart buildings, such as physical security systems, will take the lead. Gartner Inc. expects cross-industry devices to reach 4.4 billion units by 2020 with vertical industry-specific devices at 3.2 billion in use. Transformation Of The Channel Hand in hand with IoT developments, we see the emergence of a new megatrend in 2018 with the Transformation of the Channel. Consumers will demand flexibility, and companies will deliver. Month-to-month contracts from professional providers along with no contract monitoring will challenge fixed models of two- or three-year contracts. Traditional security providers will focus more on deepening the customer experience and enhancing convenience and service. The rise of IoT also places an emphasis on cybersecurity, and security dealers will react by seeking manufacturers and technology partners with cyber-hardened network-connected devices.

The SIA Security Market Index rose to 74.6 in November 2014, up from 72.3 in September SIA 2014/2014 Review and Forecast: The Security Industry Association (SIA) has begun to conduct a bimonthly survey of select SIA members to measure confidence in the security industry through the SIA Security Market Index. Using a scale of 1-100, the SIA Security Market Index reflected growing confidence among security industry business leaders throughout 2014 and into 2015. The SIA Security Market Index rose to 74.6 in November 2014, up from 72.3 in September. That continues a climb that began with an index that weighed in at only 62 in July 2014. When asked about expected business conditions in the next three months, November respondents were optimistic. Thirty-eight percent expect much better business conditions and 42 percent expect things a little better. The most upbeat: systems integration, security video, identity, cybersecurity and access control. The more cautious: fire/life safety, consulting and officer services. When asked what they expect over the course of the next 12 months specific to their company’s aggregate level of capital spending, November survey respondents are even more bullish than in previous 2014 surveys. In November, 64 percent expect such spending to increase. Much of the discussion around challenges in 2014 at SIA conferences revolved around the impact of the Internet of Things (IoT) in the security industry. IoT promises a world of smart, connected devices that are able to monitor and communicate their own status and the status of interconnected systems to make automated decisions for human convenience and efficiency. Many of these devices will provide data streams that could be used as part of security and risk management. In the aggregate, they will also produce enough information that Big Data analytics become more important for the improvement of an organization's overall security posture. Many experts speaking at our 2014 Securing New Ground (SNG) conference this fall in New York City agreed the security industry will struggle with using of analytics effectively to make sense of and apply actionable intelligence to Big Data. Industry winners will make sense of collected data to empower security practitioners to mitigate or even to prevent incursions. See the full coverage of 2014/2015 Review and Forecast articles here

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has named Tracy Larson as the 2021 recipient of the Sandy Jones Volunteer of the Year award, which recognizes SIA volunteers who have made tireless efforts to expand SIA’s programs and services. SIA will present Larson with the award at The Advance, SIA’s annual membership meeting, which will be held on March 23, 2021 as a virtual event. Security industry veteran Tracy Larson is President and a Founding Partner of WeSuite, LLC. A security industry veteran, Larson has served in leadership roles throughout her career at Computer Associates, ITG Larson, Inc., Antar-Com, Inc., and Diebold Electronic Security Systems (Diebold Incorporated). She is a graduate of Cornell University, a recognized speaker at many industry events and a member of the Mission 500 Executive Board. The true honor for me is to follow in the footsteps of someone I idolize, Sandra (Sandy) Jones" “Thank you to SIA and the SIA family. I am truly blown away to be recognized for something I am passionate about and believe so strongly in, which is helping others by giving back,” said Tracy Larson. She adds, “The true honor for me is to follow in the footsteps of someone I idolize, Sandra (Sandy) Jones. Sandy has set an incredible example for all of us in the industry of what getting involved means and the rewards gained in self-improvement, giving back and expanding ourselves through interaction with others. Thank you Sandy, for inspiring me and making it easier today to be impactful.” SPM training seminars’ instructor Tracy Larson is a longtime member of the SIA Education and Training Committee and an instructor for SIA’s Security Project Management (SPM) training seminars. In 2020, she devoted significant time and effort to helping SIA update the SPM Common Body of Knowledge and developing a new review course for SIA’s Certified Security Project Manager (CSPM) certification program. She has shared her expertise and insights as a presenter at multiple SIA Education@ISC conferences, supported AcceleRISE 2020 by involving WeSuite, LLC as an event sponsor and participated as a subject matter expert in SIA’s Security Sales MicroLearning Series. SIA’s Women in Security Forum member She is also a member of SIA’s Women in Security Forum and most recently has become a mentor in SIA’s Talent Inclusion Mentorship Education (TIME) mentorship program for young security industry professionals. “Over the past year, Tracy Larson has gone above and beyond to ensure that SIA’s educational offerings meet the highest standards of quality,” said Security Industry Association’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Don Erickson. SIA volunteer opportunities Tracy is a steadfast advocate and spokesperson for SIA’s education, training and certification" Don adds, “Tracy is a steadfast advocate and spokesperson for SIA’s education, training and certification and actively promotes SIA programs as a means of professionalizing the industry through continuous learning and development. SIA applauds her valuable contributions to SIA and the security industry as a whole, and is proud to present her with the 2021 Sandy Jones Volunteer of the Year Award.” Inspired by Larson’s volunteer contributions? Employees of SIA member companies can make the most out of their memberships by getting more involved with the association. SIA’s Volunteer opportunities include joining SIA committees or groups, lending expertise to SIA’s education and training programs, participating in SIA’s advocacy efforts, contributing to SIA’s publications and thought leadership and getting involved in SIA events. The Advance 2021 The Advance 2021 will take place on Tuesday, March 23, at 1:30 p.m. EDT and be hosted as a virtual event. At this special membership meeting, attendees will review official association business, recognize volunteer achievements in 2020 and exchange market intelligence for the year ahead. In addition to presenting the Sandy Jones Volunteer of the Year Award, SIA will honor the 2021 recipients of the SIA Chairman’s Award, Member of the Year Award, Committee Chair of the Year Award and Standards Service Award.

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has named a new chair and vice-chair to lead the SIA Identity and Biometric Technology Advisory Board (IBTAB), an exclusive advisory panel to the SIA Board of Directors comprised of biometric and digital identification experts. Benji Hutchinson –president of U.S. federal government business at NEC Corporation of America – will serve as SIA IBTAB chair, with Jim Black – director of security standards and controls within Microsoft’s Cloud Operations and Innovation Physical Security Group – serving as vice-chair. Digital identification solutions In these new roles, Hutchinson and Black will lead the IBTAB in guiding SIA’s engagement with operators of critical infrastructure in the private and public sectors and promoting the advancement and adoption of innovative biometric and digital identification solutions. Benji Hutchinson has 20 years of experience in the IT, biometrics, identity, and computer vision industries and joined NEC Corporation of America in 2016. Hutchinson focuses on expanding NEC’s U.S. federal business, fueling innovation in the aviation sector In his role, Hutchinson focuses on expanding NEC’s U.S. federal business, fueling innovation in the aviation sector, and bringing to market new artificial intelligence solutions to enhance customer experiences and accelerate digital transformation across a variety of use cases. He previously served as senior director for U.S. federal government national security accounts at MorphoTrust USA and held biometric standards and identity intelligence technology consultant roles with the Pentagon’s Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and the U.S. Army Biometrics Task Force. Leveraging biometric technologies Hutchinson serves on the Board of Advisors for the International Center for Biometric Research at Purdue University and the Board of Directors at the IJIS Institute and holds master’s degrees in international affairs and French language and literature, along with a bachelor’s degree in international economics and French, from the University of Kentucky. “The security industry is working to leverage biometric technologies to make society safer and more secure for everyone while protecting privacy and civil liberties,” said Hutchinson. “I’m looking forward to working together with my colleagues to ensure we further develop and promulgate standards and principles that promote equitable uses of biometric technology. We plan to engage in public dialogue to educate and inform decision makers and practitioners about how to safely and effectively deploy these technologies and what it would mean to lose this capability.” Planning protective measures Black is credentialed as a Certified Protection Professional and Physical Security Professional through ASIS Jim Black has been with Microsoft since 2011; in his role, he oversees the physical security standards for the company’s cloud-critical infrastructures globally. Over the past two decades, he has been trusted by a diverse group of the nation’s pioneer companies in assessing risks, planning protective measures, and engineering physical security solutions for a majority of the nation’s critical infrastructure sectors. Black is credentialed as a Certified Protection Professional and Physical Security Professional through ASIS International and as a Certified Security Consultant through the International Association of Professional Security Consultants. “It is an honor to be nominated and elected by my colleagues to the vice-chair role on the SIA Identity and Biometric Technology Advisory Board,” said Black. “I’m excited and very much looking forward to offering perspective and insights to SIA leadership on critical technology issues impacting security, privacy, and society.” Securing critical assets “SIA’s robust education and advocacy efforts in the identification sector would not be possible without the support and leadership of members like Benji Hutchinson and Jim Black,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. We congratulate Benji and Jim on their new roles leading the SIA Identity and Biometric Technology Advisory Board" “We congratulate Benji and Jim on their new roles leading the SIA Identity and Biometric Technology Advisory Board and look forward to working with them to promote biometric and digital identification solutions as a catalyst for good in securing critical assets, protecting individual identity, safeguarding proprietary data and enhancing the consumer experience.” Providing technical expertise Founded in January 2021, the SIA IBTAB provides technical expertise to encourage informed buying decisions in technologies that include facial recognition systems, identity proofing, and verification solutions, biometric devices, and mobile identification platforms. The IBTAB guides the development of several initiatives, including a series of virtual networking roundtables with government officials and periodic SIA-led official meetings with policymakers and key agency procurement officials, and provides input into educational content developed by SIA, such as identity management tracks and sessions at SIA events and SIA’s Security Megatrends, and SIA standards activities.

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has named five young security professionals as the recipients of the 2021 SIA RISE Scholarship, a program offered through SIA’s RISE community, which supports the education and career development goals of young industry talent. Through this scholarship program, open to SIA student members and RISE members who are employees at SIA member companies each awardee will receive a $3,000 scholarship to use toward continuing education and professional development courses, SIA program offerings and/or other academic or education programs. Scholarship funds can be used to expand knowledge in the areas of business, human resources (HR), information technology (IT), marketing, sales, project management, security engineering, and/or risk management. Young security professionals “The 2021 SIA RISE Scholarship awardees are an extraordinary group of young security professionals who represent tomorrow’s industry leaders,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “SIA is proud to help foster the careers of these talented honourees, and I look forward to seeing their many accomplishments and successes to come.” Winners for the 2021 SIA RISE Scholarship Nadim Hammoud, Software Developer, Feenics As a key member of the software development at Feenics, Nadim Hammoud has contributed to multiple new features in production and bug fixes, built proofs of concept for prospective clients, and contributed new tests to the automated testing of the company’s web API. Hammoud plans to use the SIA RISE Scholarship funds toward a computer and network security course and certification in AI He has a strong interest in the latest technologies, including cloud computing and machine learning. Prior to his time at Feenics, Hammoud served as a teaching assistant at Carleton University and held engineering and software development positions at Bertrandt and Tactical Technologies Inc. He holds bachelor’s degrees in computer science and biomedical and mechanical engineering from Carleton University. Hammoud plans to use the SIA RISE Scholarship funds toward a computer and network security course, a professional certification in the field of artificial intelligence, and attendance at industry events. Olivia Peralta, Account Executive, Allegion In her role as an account executive at Allegion, Olivia Peralta works with teams around the world to plan and sell access control projects – from teaching the company’s security software to implementing hardware installations hosted on the cloud for physical security end-users. Prior to her time at Allegion, she served as an account executive at ISONAS Access Control and completed communications internships at Western Resource Advocates and the Oregon Natural Desert Association. She holds bachelor’s degrees in environmental sciences and communication and environmental studies from Northern Arizona University and a continuing education certification from Colorado Water Education’s Water Educator Network and is IPVM University Access Control certified. Peralta plans to use the scholarship funds toward earning SIA’s Certified Security Project Manager certification and pursuing an education that bridges the gap between strategy, design, and product delivery. Matthew Rios, Regional Sales Manager, Axis Communications Rios plans to use the scholarship funds toward completing the EC-Council MasterClass Certified Ethical Hacker certification In his role at Axis Communications, Matthew Rios promotes the use of IP video and Axis cameras to integrators, distributors, consultants, and end-users and maintains fluid and enthusiastic relationships with current and prospective customers. Prior to his time at Axis Communications, Rios held sales management roles at Hanwha Techwin America, Honeywell, and R&D Lock and Alarm. He holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in cybersecurity from Fordham University and a bachelor’s degree in the homeland and corporate security from St. John’s University. Rios plans to use the scholarship funds toward completing the EC-Council MasterClass Certified Ethical Hacker certification. Mary Sharp, HRA, Stanley Access Technologies As a key member of the HR team at Stanley Access Technologies, Mary Sharp is responsible for over 220 professional hourly, non-union service and install technicians and provides support on major change management and organization redesign efforts and issues pertaining to team cohesiveness, dynamics, and management. Prior to her time at Stanley Access Technologies, she held HR and administrative roles at Stanley Healthcare, Infrasource Underground Construction, and Frontline Private Security. She holds a bachelor’s degree in ethics and public policy from the University of Iowa. Sharp will use the scholarship funds toward obtaining the Society for Human Resource Management’s SHRM-CP certification. Trevor Zuerlein, System Designer, VTI Security Zuerlein plans to use the scholarship funds to pursue further education in IT, become a member of (ISC)², and to earn CISSP credentialTrevor Zuerlein started at VTI Security in 2017 as a security systems technician and now serves as a system engineer; Zuerlein is skilled in access control security systems, security cameras, computer repair, computer science, technical writing, and AC/DC electronics. Before his time at VTI Security, he held IT and sales roles with Time Warner Cable, Mead Lumber, and Archer Daniels Midland Company. Zuerlein holds an associate’s degree in information technology from Central Community College. He plans to use the scholarship funds to pursue further education in the IT field, become a member of (ISC)², and work toward his goal of earning the Certified Information Systems Security Professional credential. Networking events SIA RISE is a community that fosters the careers of young professionals in the security industry. In addition to awarding the annual SIA RISE Scholarship, SIA RISE offers fun networking events for young professionals, created the RISE Microlearning Series of mini-webinars on top professional development topics, hosts career growth webinars and trade show education tracks. Mentorship program The recently launched the Talent Inclusion Mentorship Education (TIME) mentorship program for early and mid-career professionals in the security industry and presents the annual AcceleRISE conference, an essential experience designed to ignite new thinking, strengthen leadership and sharpen business acumen in young security talent. RISE is available to all employees at SIA member companies who are young professionals under 40 or have been in the security industry for less than two years.

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has named a new chair and vice chair to lead SIA RISE, a community that fosters the careers of young professionals in the security industry. Erin Mann – strategy and marketing manager, multifamily at Allegion Canada Inc. – will serve as chair of the RISE Steering Committee, with Kelsey Carnell – regional sales manager, New England at Axis Communications – serving as vice chair. In these new roles, Mann and Carnell will help RISE deliver educational content and networking opportunities to young professional employees of SIA member companies, college students and recent graduates interested in the global security industry. Security forum scholarship Erin Mann has been with Allegion in a variety of roles of increasing responsibilities since 2016. In 2019, she moved to Toronto to work for Allegion Canada, with a focus on the multifamily market. Having a passion for people, Mann is an active member of Allegion’s Young Professionals Group, a founding member of the organization’s innovation group Creativity Unlocked, a member of Allegion’s Network of Empowered Women and a co-chair of Allegion Canada’s engagement group. Mann is a member of the Foundation for Advancing Security Talent (FAST) Board of Directors In addition to her work with RISE, Mann is a member of the Foundation for Advancing Security Talent (FAST) Board of Directors. In 2018, she was awarded the SIA RISE Scholarship, and in 2020, she was honored with the SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship. Mann is also a member of the SIA Women in Security Forum. She holds a B.A. in communications from DePauw University. Passionate young professionals “Joining the RISE committee in 2018 provided me with the most incredible community of dynamic, fun, engaging and passionate young professionals. RISE gave me a deeper understanding of the impact early-career individuals can have in our organizations and industry. I could not be more excited or grateful for the opportunity to lead the RISE group as chair for the next year, alongside Kelsey Carnell as vice chair,” said Mann. “Our committee is a team of dedicated and empowered individuals, and I am looking forward to the work that is ahead as we continue to collaborate with other groups, work towards more empowered and inclusive work spaces and build a network of excited leaders within the security industry.” Applications of IP video Carnell works with a dedicated inside sales account manager and field sales engineer In her role at Axis Communications, Carnell works with a dedicated inside sales account manager, field sales engineer and over 300 partners in the Western Massachusetts and Connecticut region, striving to share with integrators, distributors, consultants and end users the benefits and applications of IP video and Axis solutions. In 2018, she was selected as a recipient of the SIA RISE Scholarship. She holds a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Southern New Hampshire University and completed the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) course at Florida Atlantic University in 2019. Amazing young professionals “I am so excited and very honored to have been selected as vice chair of the RISE committee this year, working alongside some amazing young professionals. RISE has been such a rewarding, fulfilling and inspiring group to be a part of for the last few years,” said Carnell. “This team works so hard to make a difference, push the envelope and drive some positive and necessary change within the industry. We work to uncover new initiatives and offer scholarships, educational modules, networking events and more. I am so excited to see what this group continues to accomplish and look forward to making a difference in the coming years!” Fun networking opportunities SIA RISE is an essential resource to help young security industry professionals access high-quality education" “SIA RISE is an essential resource to help young security industry professionals access high-quality education and training, make valuable connections and take their careers to the next level, and RISE’s offerings would not be possible without the support of talented volunteers like Erin Mann and Kelsey Carnell and our outgoing SIA RISE chair, Matt Feenan,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “We thank Matt for his dedicated leadership of RISE over the last two years and congratulate Erin and Kelsey on their new roles, and we look forward to partnering with them to help propel the security industry’s future growth.” SIA RISE – which offers fun networking opportunities, career growth webinars and education tracks at ISC West and East, scholarships and the annual AcceleRISE conference – is open to all employees at SIA member companies who are young professionals under 40 or have been in the security industry for less than two years.

ASIS International and the Security Industry Association (SIA), the membership associations for the security industry, announce a partnership to produce an event designed to help security organizations and businesses around the world develop and implement diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) strategies. The free virtual event, titled Global DE&I Strategy: Policy and Practices that Produce Positive Business Outcomes, will be held 10 December 2020, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ET. Generating important conversations Diversity, inclusion, and bias are critical topics that have generated important conversations in recent months, and now, SIA and ASIS have joined together to create this learning experience for the security profession to focus on specific and practical resources that enhance the effectiveness of security enterprises. “This event’s program will help move the industry’s discussion about diversity forward,” said SIA’s CEO Don Erickson. “Creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture can help attract the next generation of employees to the security industry. Moreover, making these types of changes has been shown to improve an organization’s productivity, and that is why this event is focused on actionable learning.” Security membership associations We hope to dramatically expedite informed discussions and actions taken to advance DE&I" The focus will be on a strategic approach to diversity and inclusion, with the emphasis that a DE&I program can strengthen and deepen hiring practices by growing the pool of candidates, while increasing retention and engagement of team members and customers. “We believe that bringing together leading security membership associations to address diversity, equity, and inclusion issues is not only a step in the right direction, but behavior that could, and should, be modeled in other industries as well,” stated Peter O’Neil, FASAE, CAE, CEO, ASIS International. “By addressing these systemic issues collectively, we hope to dramatically expedite informed discussions and actions taken to advance DE&I throughout the security profession. When it comes to DE&I, we believe in leading by example.” Security industry professionals The event begins with a session designed to help leaders baseline current diversity related language and allow attendees to understand and ‘speak the same language.’ The event then turns to three current pain points facing security industry professionals, and these challenges will be addressed within individual breakouts designed to facilitate deeper conversations and action plans: Hiring policies and practices to create and retain a diverse candidate pool Best practices for facilitating difficult dialogs How to create a diversity program in the organization

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has stated that the decision by the City Council of Portland, Oregon, to ban facial recognition technology use by businesses in places of public accommodation, starting January 2021 and to prohibit all city government use of facial recognition technologies are shortsighted decisions that do not consider effective and beneficial applications of facial recognition. Ban on facial recognition tech use The Portland ordinance prohibiting private entities’ use of facial recognition technologies affects any business providing goods, services or other accommodations to the public and will impact businesses’ ability to protect workers, customers, facilities and property, since it effectively targets business use of security systems. “Turning back the clock on technological advancement through a complete ban on private-sector use of technology that clearly keeps our fellow citizens safe is not a rational answer during this period of social unrest in Portland,” stated Security Industry Association (SIA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Don Erickson. Educating masses on facial recognition technology It is hardly a model approach to policymaking that any government should adopt" He adds, “It is hardly a model approach to policymaking that any government should adopt. Let’s act together now to thoughtfully educate the public about the legal and effective use of facial recognition technology, while at the same time, being mindful of legitimate questions raised about the impact of this technology on all stakeholders, including communities of color.” Don further stated, “We continue to invite local leaders across the country to work with us to develop more sensible approaches to the use of facial recognition.” SIA’s Senior Director of Government Relations, Jake Parker, provided his testimony at the Portland City Council hearing on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2020, in opposition to these widespread prohibitions on the use of facial recognition technology. National Institute of Standards and Technology research paper As part of the council’s discussion, Portland City Councilwoman, Jo Ann Hardesty stated prior to the vote that the council would revisit the ban when there is technology that is not racially biased and is tested by independent third parties. SIA notes that such technology is available in the current scenario, and in July, SIA authored and submitted a letter to Portland’s Mayor and City Council, which noted the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s research paper that documented that high-performing algorithms perform equally well across different demographics. The letter stated, “The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the world’s renowned and foremost authority on this technology, found last year that the highest performing technologies had ‘undetectable’ differences across demographic groups, with accuracy rates well above 99% and undetectable false positive differences across demographics, even when tested against galleries of up to 12 million images.” Lawful, ethical and nondiscriminatory use of facial recognition SIA believes all technology products, including facial recognition, must only be used for lawful purposes SIA believes all technology products, including facial recognition, must only be used for purposes that are lawful, ethical and nondiscriminatory, and recently released and committed to a series of principles to be used in the development and deployment of facial recognition, ensuring the technology is used in a transparent and nondiscriminatory way that implements privacy protections and human oversight into its use. SIA welcomes working with cities and government on future facial recognition ordinances and policies to ensure decisions are based upon facts and a complete understanding of current technologies and that such policies consider widespread public support for the benefits of this technology. SIA protects and advances its members’ interests by advocating pro-industry policies and legislation at the federal and state levels, creating open industry standards that enable integration, advancing industry professionalism through education and training, opening global market opportunities and collaborating with other like-minded organizations.

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has selected 12 recipients for the inaugural SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship – a program developed by the SIA Women in Security Forum designed to further educational opportunities and promote advancement for a diverse security workforce. Through this new scholarship – open to SIA members and student members – each awardee will receive $6,650 to use toward continuing education and professional development courses, conferences or webinars, SIA program offerings, repayment of student loan debt and/or other academic or education programs. “The SIA Women in Security Forum continues to break new ground, inspire me and many others and provide unique opportunities for the widest spectrum of people possible to thrive in this field through initiatives like this new scholarship offering,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “We congratulate this talented and historic first class of SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship winners and look forward to celebrating their many accomplishments to come.” 2020 Scholarship winners The winners for the 2020 SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship are: Ryane Burke, Partner Marketing and Events Manager, Identiv Margurie Evans, SIA student member; Event Security Lead, Phoenix Suns Antoinette King, Key Account Manager – end-user, Axis Communications Kavya Madhusudhan, Senior Project Engineer, Allegion Erin Mann, Customer Experience and Strategy Marketing Manager, Multifamily, Allegion Canada Inc. Daphne Navarro, SIA student member Sheethal Rao, Mechanical Engineer, Allegion Jenna Rolfe, SIA student member; Junior Readiness and Security Policy Officer, Global Affairs Canada Joneka Russell, Security Offer, Allied Universal Holly Sanson, Marketing Manager, ADT Commercial Kerri Sutherland, Human Resources Business Partner, Axis Communications Rachel Wyatt-Swanson, Director of Business Development, Cherokee Nation Security & Defense These honorees were selected with the help of SIA’s Scholarship Selection Committee – a group comprised of volunteers from the SIA Women in Security Forum and SIA’s Human Resources Committee. SIA thanks the scholarship committee and its chairs for their work in evaluating the 2020 scholarship applications. The leadership of women SIA’s Women in Security Forum works to engage all security professionals to promote the leadership of women SIA’s Women in Security Forum works to engage all security professionals to promote, recruit and cultivate the leadership of women for a more inclusive and diversified industry. The forum’s key efforts and activities – in addition to the scholarship – include the SIA Progress Award, which celebrates individuals who advance opportunities and pave the way to success for women in the security industry. Activities also include a quarterly virtual education series; collaborative projects with other organizations that seek to empower women in the security and technology fields; sponsorship of the Women in Biometrics Awards. Biometric identity and security industry The initiative recognizes distinguished females in the biometric identity and security industry; thought leadership opportunities; and engaging networking and professional growth events. The SIA Women in Security Forum is open to all employees of SIA member companies. The 2020 SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship is generously supported by Diamond Level donor Axis Communications; Emerald Level donors Alarm.com, Allegion, Altronix and BCD International; Ruby Level donors Integrated Security Technologies, Brivo and Securitas. Donors Also, Sapphire Level donors Maureen Carlo, director of strategic alliances at BCD International, Ted Curtin, president of Repworks, Martha Entwistle, Women in Security Forum member, SIA CEO Don Erickson, John Gallagher, vice president of marketing at Viakoo, John Nemerofsky, chief operating officer at SAGE Integration, GSA Schedules Inc. Additionally, also supported by SAGE Integration, Security Specifiers, SoundSecure and Imperial Capital; and scholarship program affiliates SDM, SecurityInfoWatch, Security Matters, Security Sales & Integration and Security Systems News.

ISC East 2020, scheduled for November 18-19, 2020, in New York City, has been canceled due to the ongoing impact of COVID19 as further discussed below, and continued restrictions on large events. While the in-person event for 2020 cannot convene, Reed Exhibitions, along with Premier Sponsor SIA (Security Industry Association), announced that ISC East in partnership with ASIS NYC Chapter, will collaborate to host a virtual event on November 18. The ISC East 2021 event will take place at the Javits Center on November 17-18. Amidst extensive travel restrictions across the majority of the U.S., health and safety concerns due to the pandemic and the essential workers’ responsibility of security and public professionals during this time, it is not viable to meet in person for the event in 2020. ISC East virtual event As a means to help connect the community and to recognize the hard work and achievements of security and public safety professionals and leaders in 2020, ISC East, along with SIA and ASIS NYC, will be hosting a half-day ISC East virtual event on Wednesday, November 18, 2020 including the prestigious ASIS NYC Person of the Year Award and curated education sessions. In addition, ISC East attendees and supporters are all welcome and encouraged to participate in the ISC West 2020 Virtual Event, taking place online October 5-7, which is free for all to attend. Positive growth path “ISC East has seen tremendous growth over the past few years, including being named as a 2019 Fastest 50 honoree by Trade Show Executive Magazine. With the strong support from premier sponsor SIA, plus the collaboration and partnering with the ASIS NYC Chapter and other regional tri-state Associations, we are confident that we will continue on a positive growth path. We all have a mutual commitment to excellence in security and public safety for the tri-state area and Northeast region, and are excited to roll out a bigger and better than ever ISC East in 2021,” said Mary Beth Shaughnessy, ISC Event Director. Education sessions “ISC East is widely recognized as a major platform for industry networking in the tri-state area each fall anchored by innovative exhibitors and compelling education sessions delivered through SIA Education@ISC,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “SIA is excited to continue our work with ISC Events and the ASIS NYC Chapter to support the Person of the Year award program as part of the ISC East virtual event on November 18th, 2020, and to produce an impactful ISC East next year.” “We are grateful for the partnership the ASIS NYC Chapter has established with ISC East. We look forward to the collaboration with ISC East and SIA to produce an impactful and meaningful virtual 2020 Person of the Year Award and Education Programs on November 18, 2020. Look for the ASIS NYC Chapter’s Security Director Magazine which will be sent digitally in advance of November 18th and will have our Person of the Year on the cover,” said Ray Dean, ASIS NYC Chapter – Annual Conference Chairman.

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has announced the 2020 winners of the SIA New Product Showcase Awards, the flagship awards program in partnership with ISC West recognizing innovative security products, services and solutions. Top among the winners – who were recognized July 9 during a virtual awards show – was Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, receiving the 2020 Best New Product Award. Since its inception in 1979, the SIA New Product Showcase 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 2020, following significant deliberations, the 30 judges presented awards for technologies covering 23 product and service categories. Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, received the Best New Product honor for its 3D Surveillance with Leica BLK247, submitted in the Emerging Technologies category. Building security The 3D Surveillance with Leica BLK247 is “a first-of-its-kind reality capture sensor for building security and operations,” said Leica Geosystems. “It is the latest product in the company’s BLK product line, a collection of reality capture, scanning and photogrammetry hardware and software. The BLK247 offers continuous, 24/7 LiDAR-based 3D monitoring and change detection within spaces. It does this using LiDAR, 3D digital fencing and continuous scanning to monitor buildings and spaces 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.” The prestigious Judges’ Choice Award was presented to Suprema Inc. for the Airfob Patch product, submitted in the Access Control Devices & Peripherals Hardware – Wireless category. “Airfob Patch is the world’s first mobile-to-RF-card signal translator, enabling mobile phones to communicate with the existing RF card readers,” said Suprema Inc. “Wire, batteries nor construction is required for installation. Airfob Patch charges itself by using the existing RF field signals transmitted from the RF reader. It transforms the RF fields into its own power source.” New Product Showcase Merit Award SIA is proud to present John Spooner with the 2020 SIA New Product Showcase Merit Award" Additionally, John Spooner – executive vice president at Alarm Detection Systems and an active volunteer judge in the SIA New Product Showcase program. Spooner received the New Product Showcase Merit Award, which recognizes an individual or company who, through their support of the New Product Showcase, 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. “SIA is proud to present John Spooner with the 2020 SIA New Product Showcase Merit Award; John has not missed a single SIA New Product Showcase event since he began as an active volunteer judge in the program 17 years ago,” said Chris Grniet, chair of the SIA New Product Showcase Committee. “He has always been a fair and honest participant and has never hesitated to jump in and help whenever we need him. He has been exemplary in his commitment, participation and ability to help the group reach consensus.” Services and contributions “Following hours of panel-driven judging and technology demonstrations, SIA is thrilled to recognize the 2020 winners of the SIA New Product Showcase Awards for their innovative products, services and contributions representing the best new offerings in the market,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “SIA applauds all the honourees who received awards in 2020 and particularly Leica Geosystems and Suprema Inc. for standing out in this highly competitive field of entrants to earn the Best New Product and Judges’ Choice distinctions. Additionally, we congratulate John Spooner on receiving the 2020 New Product Showcase Merit Award in recognition of his many valuable contributions to this premier program.” Award winners The 2020 SIA New Product Showcase winners are: Best New Product Award Winner – Leica Geosystems, Part of Hexagon: 3D Surveillance with Leica BLK247 Judges’ Choice Award Winner – Suprema Inc.: Airfob Patch New Product Showcase Merit Award Winner – John Spooner, executive vice president, Alarm Detection Systems Category Awards Access Control Devices & Peripherals Hardware – Wireless Winner – dormakaba: BEST Switch™ Tech Access Control Software, Hardware, Devices & Peripherals – Wired Winner – Swiftlane: Swiftlane Access Control Honorable Mention – Altronix Corporation: Tango Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection and Biometrics Winner – Gibraltar Perimeter Security: G-1441 Ultra-Shallow Bollard Winner – IDEMIA: VisionPass Commercial Monitoring Solutions Winner – IronYun Inc.: AI NVR Edge Analytics Communications and Networking Solutions Winner – Axis Communications, Inc.: AXIS C8210 Network Audio Amplifier Convergence and Integration Solutions Winner – Blue Light: Blue Fusion Design, Diagnostic and Installation Tools Winner – Alarm.com: On-Site Wrap Up Emergency Communication Systems Winner – Verint: NowForce Emerging Technologies Winner – BioConnect: BioConnect’s Unified Mobile Access Solution Winner – IPVideo Corporation: HALO IOT Smart Sensor 2.0 Fire/Life Safety Winner – Kidde: Kidde Optica Smoke Detectors Hosted Solutions/Managed Services Winner – SiteOwl: SiteOwl Intrusion Detection and Prevention Solutions (Physical) – Wireless Winner – Alula: Slimline Touchpad Honorable Mention – Cartell: CW-SYS Wireless Driveway System Lock and Key Solutions Winner –Medeco: All Weather Padlock Honorable Mention – Abloy Oy: ABLOY® BEAT Mobile Solutions (Connected) Winner – CloudScann: Visual Intelligence Control Center (VICC) With VisualC3 Mobile Honorable Mention: Rapid Response Monitoring: rapidSMS Smart Home Solutions Winner – Alarm.com/Building36: Smart Water Valve+Meter Threat/Risk Management Software Applications Winner – Splan Inc.: SIVI™ – Splan Intelligent Visitor Insights Video Surveillance Advanced Imaging Technologies Winner – Axis Communications, Inc.: AXIS Live Privacy Shield Video Surveillance Cameras (HD/Megapixel) Winner – Bosch Security and Safety Systems: MIC IP Ultra 7100i Honorable Mention – Hanwha Techwin: PNM-9085RQZ Video Surveillance Data Storage Winner – Dragonfruit AI: Dragonfruit LiveArchive Video Surveillance Hardware and Accessories Winner – EIZO Inc.: FDF2711W-IP Video Surveillance Management Systems Winner – Airship Industries, Inc.: Airship EMS v5.4.5 During the 2020 SIA New Product Showcase virtual awards ceremony, in addition to the presentation of the overall and category-specific awards, attendees enjoyed hearing insights from New Product Showcase judges into innovations driving product advancements in the security industry.

The Security Industry Association (SIA), the globally renowned trade association representing security solutions providers, has released its new policy principles guiding the development and deployment of facial recognition technology. facial recognition technology SIA believes all technology products, including facial recognition, must only be used for purposes that are lawful, ethical and non-discriminatory. “SIA recognizes that some community leaders have expressed deeply-held views calling for the end of facial recognition technology use by law enforcement and the private sector. We respectfully but firmly disagree. Facial recognition technology offers tremendous benefits to society when used effectively and responsibly and with appropriate safeguards,” said SIA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Don Erickson. He adds, “We invite all stakeholders to review these well-thought-out principles and engage with us in meaningful discussions leading to common-sense approaches to how this technology is used.” Policy principles in facial recognition tech use SIA believes that the principles should apply to deployment of facial recognition tools across safety and security applications SIA has committed to the following principles to be used in the development and deployment of facial recognition technology. SIA believes that that these principles should apply to implementation of facial recognition tools across safety and security applications, in both public- and private-sector settings, and that they should be reflected in development of any organizational or public policies addressing these uses of the technology. SIA’s core principles include: Ensuring transparency surrounding the use of facial recognition Establishing a clear and defined purpose for the use of facial recognition by organizations Using high-performing and accurate technology Incorporating human oversight and review Protecting data security Ensuring privacy by design Training and educating users of technology Improving or eliminating biased or discriminatory software Maintaining ethical acquisition of facial recognition technology Lawful, ethical use of facial recognition technology These core policy principles were developed by and with input from many SIA members, including members of the SIA Facial Recognition Working Group, the SIA Data Privacy Advisory Board and the SIA Executive Committee. In addition to these core principles, the new document includes guidelines around the use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement and the public and private sectors. SIA looks forward to continuing to lead industry around the lawful, ethical and non-discriminatory use of facial recognition technology.

Suprema, a global provider of access control, time & attendance, and biometric solutions, has announced that the company’s Airfob Patch won the Judges’ Choice Award from SIA (Security Industry Association) New Product Showcase Awards. SIA New Product Showcase Awards Since its inception in 1979, SIA New Product Showcase Awards has been the security industry’s premier product awards program recognizing innovative security products, services and solutions. The awards program, in partnership with ISC West, presented this year’s winners in virtual format. The Judges’ Choice Award, which recognizes the most innovative product within the physical security category, was given to Suprema for its Airfob Patch. Airfob Patch Airfob Patch harvests power from the RF field signals transmitted from the reader and stores it until needed Airfob Patch is a retrofit adhesive-backed device that attaches to existing RF card readers to make them compatible with mobile credentials. When attached to existing card readers, Airfob Patch acquires credential compatibility, power, and OSDP or Wiegand communication with the reader and adds Suprema's Mobile Access credential capability. Airfob Patch harvests power from the RF field signals transmitted from the reader and stores it until needed. The wireless method of power and data transfer eliminates the need to splice a reader’s pigtail for installation. Bluetooth-based wireless communication “Airfob Patch is the world’s first mobile-to-RF-card signal translator, enabling mobile phones to communicate with the existing RF card readers via Bluetooth,” said Young S. Moon, the CEO of Suprema Inc, adding “Installation is as easy as adding a sticker. No wire, batteries or construction is required.” Suprema Mobile Access and Airfob Patch were developed by MOCA system, a Suprema affiliate company that began in 2019 to focus on mobile access card solution. MOCA system has developed solutions that use stable Bluetooth-based wireless communication method that are being evaluated for patents. “SIA congratulates Suprema Inc. for being selected as the recipient of the Judges’ Choice Award in SIA’s 2020 New Product Showcase,” said Don Erickson, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SIA, adding “It’s this type of continual innovation and drive to succeed that advances the security industry and which contributes to the safety and security of our world.”

The Security Industry Association (SIA), the trade association representing security solutions providers, announced its strong opposition to the introduced bicameral Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act. The bill would impose a blanket ban on most federal use of nearly all biometric and related image analytics technologies, incorrectly labeling all such technologies as surveillance regardless of application, while forcing essentially all state and local governments to do the same. Long-stayed technology The legislation looks to impend the safety of Americans by eliminating certain tools that have been in use for a decade or more to solve thousands of crimes, prevent fraud, allow access to critical infrastructure and, overall, keep Americans safe, while negating the research put into improving and developing safe, reliable and unbiased technology. Speaking about the use of facial recognition by the public sector, Don Erickson, CEO of SIA, said “When used effectively and responsibly, facial recognition technology keeps people safe and brings value to our everyday lives. While SIA welcomes a constructive dialog over the use of facial recognition technology, the Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act is regrettably not a workable solution to address reasonable concerns about the use of facial recognition. Alternatively, SIA would enthusiastically support legislation that ensures appropriate transparency, procedures and oversight.” The technology behind facial recognition is highly accurate and has vastly improved in the past few years. Government must use high-performing facial recognition technology for a given application, validated using sound, scientific methods, such as through the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Facial Recognition Vendor Test program across demographic groups. Facial recognition in decision-making SIA encourages facial recognition to be used transparently, accurately, securely and always with a human in the loop when used in identification process that result in consequential decisions. As a matter of principle, its use in law enforcement must be as a secondary tool in investigations to assist personnel, who ultimately use other means to make an identification. Facial recognition increases the effectiveness and accuracy of this work and can actually limit the effects of inherent human bias in such applications. Value of facial recognition technology Kansas Department of Revenue’s use of facial recognition software Led to the investigation of forced labor trafficking case in the region, all through identifying cases of driver’s license fraud in their facial recognition database. In New York City, facial recognition technology Was used by the New York City Police Department to identify a man who had left suspected bombs in rice cookers in and around an underpass station. Airports safety and criminal information Facial recognition technology is deployed in dozens of airports across the United StatesAnd continues to grow. U.S. Customs and Border Protection and airport officials match passport photos to a database to verify the identity of thousands of travelers entering and leaving the U.S. each week. The technology is proving to be an important tool for border security. As of June 2020, nearly 300 individuals have been intercepted attempting to enter the U.S. under a fraudulent identity. Since 2015, the non-profit group Thorn has used facial recognitionAs part of a tool used to help rescue 15,000 children and identify 17,000 human traffickers. For example, after seeing an online post about a missing child from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a law enforcement officer used Spotlight to return a list of sex ads featuring the girl. According to a WIRED story, the girl had been “sold for weeks,” and the officer’s actions initiated a process that “recovered and removed [her] from trauma.”

The Security Industry Association (SIA) and SecureIDNews have selected five distinguished biometrics and security experts as the 2020 winners of the Women in Biometrics Awards – a globally recognized program co-founded by SIA and SecureIDNews and co-presented with sponsors IDEMIA, Biometric Update and the SIA Women in Security Forum. The honorees will be recognized during the 2020 SIA GovSummit, SIA’s annual government security conference, which will be hosted as a free virtual event June 1-4. On June 3 at 1 p.m. EDT, attendees will enjoy a special keynote panel session honoring the award winners – The Women in Biometrics Awards Presents the Future of Biometrics in Government Security Applications. Biometric exit solutions The Women in Biometrics Awards honor the efforts of top female experts helping drive the biometric identity and security industry. Nominees and past winners include those working for biometric companies, peripheral suppliers, system integrators, academia, government and security and IT departments at a variety of organizations in the United States and internationally. The 2020 winners of the Women in Biometrics Awards are: Jeni Best, Branch Chief, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Jeni Best has extensive program management experience running large-scale programmes and working with external stakeholders, exemplified in her work on CBP’s Biometric Exit Program as well as in developing and implementing Automated Passport Control and Mobile Passport Control. Leading the CBP charge in implementing biometrics at airport touchpoints, Best has operationalized CBP biometric exit solutions at 27 U.S. airports and 2 international locations. Biometric mandate For much of 2019, she served as the acting director of biometric air exit operations at CBP Best contributed to the development of CBP’s exit roll-out strategy, which leverages stakeholder engagement and partnerships to achieve CBP’s biometric mandate. For much of 2019, she served as the acting director of biometric air exit operations at CBP – often referred to as “biometric boarding.” Best has over 20 years of experience with CBP and its predecessor agencies working on issues related to immigration, travel and tourism, business transformation initiatives and biometrics. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Sam Houston State University and a master’s degree in criminal justice from Boston University. Records management systems Anne May, Biometric Support Center Lead, Identity Operations Division, Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Anne May has 25 years of program management experience in the public sector, including 17 years of experience with biometric technologies. She began her government career with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), where she was the program manager for large-scale records management systems and also served as biometrics portfolio manager, overseeing budget and system business operations for the INS biometrics program. Specialized biometric hardware Anne has excelled in her leadership and dedication filling multiple critical roles as an irreplaceable subject matter expert May has worked at US-VISIT since its inception in 2003, managing the implementation of multi-year, multi-agency projects and responsible for the deployment of specialized biometric hardware to over 550 border patrol and immigration enforcement field sites. After over a decade of service to the OBIM, Anne has excelled in her leadership and dedication filling multiple critical roles as an irreplaceable subject matter expert in the field of biometrics. Anne is the lead manager for the DHS 24/7 Biometric Support Center, an integral piece of the identity mission for worldwide U.S. government missions. She has also applied her expertise in support of building the next-generation DHS biometric system, Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology. Face recognition evaluation Mei Ngan, Computer Scientist, Image Group, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Mei Ngan is a scientist in the NIST Image Group, which develops standards, measurement methods and best practices for biometric technologies, promoting accuracy and interoperability and the gold standard for biometric testing and evaluation worldwide. She is an accomplished computer scientist who has produced creative and outstanding work in the fields of face morphing detection, tattoo recognition and face recognition evaluation providing the needed science and framework to underpin the successful measurement and assessment of technologies for operational viability. Face morphing detection Ngan led the NIST project supporting the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity Janus program Ngan is the project lead for the NIST Face Recognition Vendor Test (FRVT) MORPH program – an ongoing project focused on evaluation of automated face morphing detection capabilities – and has become an integral part of the FRVT activities at NIST. In 2014, she launched the Tattoo Recognition Technology Program, the first NIST program to provide a measurement and testing foundation to support the operational needs and applications for image-based tattoo recognition. Ngan has also led the NIST project supporting the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity Janus program, targeting the development of advanced face recognition algorithms for unconstrained images. Terrorism detection capabilities Lauren Reed, Senior Program Director for Biometric Forensics, IDEMIA National Security Solutions (NSS) In her role at IDEMIA NSS, Lauren Reed leads the deployment of large-scale multimodal biometric systems to U.S. government foreign partners, enabling them to advance their crime and terrorism detection capabilities. She has been working in biometrics and forensics for more than 20 years; prior to joining IDEMIA NSS, she was the first woman to serve as director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory at the Defense Forensic Science Center, which provides forensic and biometric laboratory services in seven scientific disciplines to the military criminal investigative agencies of U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) globally. Multi-modal biometric examination She was instrumental in standing up multi-modal biometric examination operations for the DOD Reed also previously served as the first chief of the Biometric Examination Services Branch for the Defense Forensics and Biometrics Agency in Clarksburg, West Virginia, where she was instrumental in standing up multi-modal biometric examination operations for the DOD’s Automated Biometric Identification System with expansion of services to include face and iris in addition to fingerprints. In 2012, she received the FBI Director’s Award for Exceptional Public Service for leading a latent print sharing initiative between the DOD, FBI and DHS resulting in more than 500 identifications associated with terrorist and national security cases. Reed holds a Bachelor of Science from Washington State University, a Master of Forensic Science from National University and an executive MBA degree from Kennesaw State University. Seamless airport implementation Annet Steenbergen, Co-Founder, Aruba Happy Flow Project Annet Steenbergen is a visionary Dutch national who is well respected in the U.S. and internationally as the co-founder/initiator of the Aruba Happy Flow project for the government of Aruba, the first seamless airport implementation of its kind in the world, a single-token initiative that creates a seamless flow of passenger facilitation from curb to gate through the reuse of biometrics and advanced cooperation between the public and the private sector. Steenbergen took stakeholder cooperation to a new level between the governments of Aruba and the Netherlands, KLM Airlines, the Aruba Airport Authority and the biometric vendor to provide biometric-based security while substantially enhancing the passenger experience and creating room for expansion of Happy Flow to other airlines and countries. Seamless travel solutions She holds a master’s degree from Leiden University and has also studied at University College London She has more than 20 years of international experience working in the field of border control, border management and public-private cooperation at airports, previously holding roles with the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service at Schipol Airport and at headquarters in the policy department for border management. Besides her work for the government of Aruba, Steenbergen is a consultant on passenger facilitation innovation with a strong focus on seamless travel solutions, where biometrics are used as a baseline for facilitation, security and GDPR-compliant privacy, or “privacy by design.” She holds a master’s degree from Leiden University and has also studied at University College London, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and the University of the Witwatersrand. Enhancing cutting-edge fields “Each year, the Women in Biometrics Awards recognize the best and brightest talent helping to advance biometrics technologies, which are essential to securing identities today, and the achievements of these female industry leaders are improving processes like air travel, enhancing cutting-edge fields like facial recognition and working to keep people safe,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “SIA applauds the 2020 honourees for their impressive dedication, innovation and leadership in this critical technology market and looks forward to honouring this outstanding group during SIA GovSummit.” Private industry technologists The 2020 class of Women in Biometrics Award winners astound me with their contributions to the security industry" “Once again, the 2020 class of Women in Biometrics Award winners astound me with their contributions to the security industry and society in general,” said Chris Corum, editor and publisher, SecureIDNews. “Their collective work keeps international borders secure, fights terrorism, aids law enforcement and makes our daily lives safer and more convenient.” SIA GovSummit – the annual government security conference hosted by SIA – brings together government security experts and private industry technologists for top-quality information sharing and education on security topics affecting federal, state and even local agencies. Facial recognition technology Attendees will hear keynote presentations from Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.); Brian Harrell, Assistant Director for Infrastructure Security at DHS’ Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA); Daryle Hernandez, Chief of the Interagency Security Committee within DHS CISA; and Kathleen McGuiness, Auditor of Accounts for the State of Delaware. Additionally, GovSummit 2020 will feature specialized sessions on cutting-edge topics such as emerging applications of facial recognition technology, trends in federal procurement of security products and services, drones and counter-UAS technology, fever detection and camera technology in pandemic recovery and using robotics in security operations.

The Security Industry Association (SIA) is now accepting applications for its new scholarship program, the SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship program. This initiative, developed  by the SIA Women in Security Forum, which offers programs, professional development opportunities and networking events to support the involvement of women in the security industry, will offer multiple scholarships worth at least US$ 3,000 each to further educational opportunities for awardees and help them thrive in the industry. Women in Security Forum Scholarship program SIA created the Women in Security Forum Scholarship program to support SIA members’ professional development and educational goals. The funds may be used towards: Registration for SIA education or certification programs and/or conferences Registration for other industry education and certification programs or webinars Tuition for accredited trade, vocational or academic degree programs related to the security industry Repayment of student loan debt The SIA Women in Security Forum works to grow and retain leaders in the security industry" “The SIA Women in Security Forum works to grow and retain leaders in the security industry,” said Gloria Salmeron, Director of Human Resources at Brivo and Co-Chair of the SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship Committee. Gloria adds, “With the addition of this new scholarship, we look forward to helping bring opportunities for further education and advancement to as wide a spectrum of people as possible and inviting individuals to participate in the Women in Security Forum.” SIA’s Women in Security Forum SIA’s Women in Security Forum works to engage all security professionals to promote, recruit and cultivate the leadership of women for a more inclusive and diversified industry. The forum’s key efforts and activities, in addition to the scholarship, include the SIA Progress Award, which celebrates individuals who advance opportunities and pave the way to success for women in the security industry. Women in Biometrics Awards It also includes a quarterly virtual education series, collaborative projects with other organizations that seek to empower women in the security and technology fields, sponsorship of the Women in Biometrics Awards, which recognizes distinguished female leaders in the biometric identity and security industry, thought leadership opportunities, and engaging networking and professional growth events. The SIA Women in Security Forum is open to all employees of SIA member companies. The SIA Women in Security Forum is open to all employees of SIA member companies “The launch of the SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship program is a key element of our career development program to foster a path to success for individuals currently working in the industry and students who may one day lead our industry,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. Criteria for SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship Each applicant for the SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship must be either, 1) A SIA student member enrolled in an accredited trade, vocational or higher education academic degree program related to the security industry, or 2) A member of the SIA Women in Security Forum and an employee of a SIA member company with at least two years of professional experience in the security industry. Applications for the 2020 SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship must be submitted by Monday, June 15, 2020 with winners slated to be announced in late July 2020. SIA is accepting donations from SIA member companies and individual members to help support the SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship program.

ASIS International and the Security Industry Association (SIA), the membership associations for the security industry, have entered into a partnership to best aid in the COVID-19 recovery and rebuilding efforts of its diverse group of 34,000 member professionals and over 1,000 member companies respectively. The partnership will begin by addressing two primary areas of focus – business operations and advocacy – as well as content development and coordination. SIA will lead a team composed of representatives from SIA and ASIS government relations/affairs departments as well as ASIS’s digital strategy office. Business continuity and communications The primary responsibilities of this team will be to: Review and analyze rules pertaining to the final enactment of COVID-19 aid package(s) expected to be passed by Congress Review the supply chain and any changes in federal rules that may be needed Provide any information about preparedness grants to members ASIS will lead a team composed of representatives from SIA and ASIS learning, editorial, marketing and industry relations departments. The primary responsibility of this team is to develop and implement a coordinated approach to be a clearinghouse for information on COVID-19 and related knowledge and learning. This outreach will include virtual learning opportunities, so members can participate on their own schedules Providing members support in aspects such as health, well-being, business continuity and communications, this outreach will include virtual learning opportunities, so members can participate on their own schedules. In addition to these two primary objectives, other goals related to this partnership will include developing targeted collaborations with academia and aligned health care associations and evaluating the unique needs of small and medium-sized business members. Addressing the needs of security professionals “This collaboration between ASIS and SIA is a perfect example of putting the industry first to help suppliers and practitioners navigate through uncertain and unsettling times,” stated Don Erickson, CEO, SIA. “Together we can help our members respond today to the far-reaching impact of COVID-19 and guide them with information and education that prepares our industry for a renewed future.” Moving forward, information and announcements related to this partnership will be posted jointly on the SIA and ASIS websites. “This partnership marks the security industry’s top associations coming together in an unprecedented way,” according to Peter O’Neil, CEO, ASIS International. “The COVID-19 crisis has provided a unique opportunity for us to create a paradigm shift to address the growing needs of security professionals both here in the US and across the globe. Our partnership reinforces the message that the security industry is stronger when it comes together.”

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has selected Efrain Pardo as the spring 2020 recipient of the Denis R. Hebert Identity Management Scholarship, a program presented in partnership with the Center for Identity at the University of Texas at Austin offering $5,000 scholarships for SIA members to help further their education in the field of identity management. This scholarship program – named after Hebert, President of Feenics Inc. and a past member of SIA’s Board of Directors who served as Chair from 2016 to 2018 – is designed to support the professional development goals of individual SIA members and student members who specialize in identity management – a field involving the systematic control of access, authenticating users, securing assets and protecting privacy. Identity management encompasses many aspects of risk management, public policy, fraud prevention, privacy, data analysis, risk and governance, information technology and security. Identity management expertise Pardo – a SIA student member who has a proven track record of experience in network and information security – serves as a flight operations implementation specialist at Horizon Air. He is pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in networking and cybersecurity at Green River College and will use the scholarship funds to further his network and cybersecurity education. “SIA congratulates Efrain Pardo for being selected as the spring 2020 Denis R. Hebert Identity Management Scholarship winner and for his impressive accomplishments and dedication to helping to advance this foundational security space,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “SIA is proud to help cultivate members’ identity management education and career development through this unique scholarship program; it is critical that we continue to build on our identity management expertise to better address identity threats, protect privacy, secure assets and foster innovation.”  Center for Identity Prior to his time at Horizon Air, Pardo held IT, research, sales, analyst and customer service roles with Prime Strategy, the Kline Group, Venues & Events – Global Travel, IDC and IBM. He holds a Master’s Degree in sales and IT from the United Kingdom’s University of Lincoln and a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering and Information Systems from Monterrey Tech and is currently working toward certifications with the PM Institute and CompTIA. Applications are now open for the Fall 2020 Denis R. Hebert Identity Management Scholarship The Center for Identity at the University of Texas at Austin works closely with its public-private partners, including corporations, state and federal government agencies and law enforcement, to deliver innovations for consumers, businesses and government that help them to better protect people’s identities. Access and identity management As a critical component of its mission, the center conducts research to better understand how emerging technology such as biometrics affects consumers and organizations alike and how standards and expectations of privacy are evolving. Applications are now open for the Fall 2020 Denis R. Hebert Identity Management Scholarship. Each applicant must be either a SIA student member or a full-time employee of a SIA member company and have 1-5 years of professional experience in the security industry or a verified plan of study in the field of access and identity management. Scholarship funds must be used toward post-secondary education programs, including training courses, accredited college courses, certifications or other credentialing programs related to identity management.

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has named three leading experts from industry and government to join the list of high-profile keynote speakers and other security luminaries appearing at the 2020 ISC West as special guest speakers for key SIA events at the United States’ largest converged security trade show. ISC West 2020 will take place March 17-20 at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada. SIA’s The Advance On March 17 at The Advance, SIA’s annual membership gathering, attendees will hear featured remarks from William Wilkins, executive director of global security operations at Valero Energy Corporation. Wilkins’ presentation – “Lifelong Learning of a Global Security Officer: The One Lesson That Took Me the Longest to Learn” – will highlight the chief security officer framework and key lessons security professionals can learn from. In addition to Wilkins’ remarks, attendees at The Advance will review official association business, recognize outstanding volunteer achievements, exchange market intelligence and enjoy complimentary lunch and networking. SIA InteropFest & Cocktail Reception on March 18 will feature insights from special guest speaker Daryle Hernandez SIA InteropFest The SIA InteropFest & Cocktail Reception on March 18 will feature insights from special guest speaker Daryle Hernandez, chief of the Interagency Security Committee (ISC) in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Infrastructure Security Division. SIA InteropFest, which showcases interoperability among physical security solutions leveraging SIA’s Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP) technology standard, will also include technology interoperability demonstrations, examples of how integrators and security professionals implement SIA OSDP and free cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and networking. SIA Women in Security Forum Breakfast On March 20 at the SIA Women in Security Forum Breakfast, attendees will hear a presentation from Jaime Paris Boisvert, General Manager for Siemens Smart Infrastructure based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Attendees will also enjoy complimentary breakfast and top-tier networking with women in the industry and learn about SIA’s Women in Security Forum, an initiative to engage security professionals in promoting, recruiting and cultivating women’s leadership to promote a more inclusive and diversified industry. In addition to hearing from these experts at SIA’s events, ISC West attendees can hear top-quality keynote presentations from Charles Burns, Head of Security – New Mobility at Uber; Michael MacKenzie, General Manager of Amazon IoT connectivity and control at Amazon Web Services (AWS); and Brigadier General (retired) Christopher Fowler, Former Deputy Chief of Operations for the City of Seattle Police Department. Securing a connected future with IoT On Wednesday, March 18, in the presentation Scaling Enterprise Risk Management at the Speed of Global Transportation, Burns will explain how Uber navigates a challenging landscape by using technology to enable their business, secure company assets and ensure the safety of riders and drivers globally. 'The Threat from Within’ will address the threat of workplace violence involving current or former employees On Thursday, March 19, MacKenzie’s morning keynote address – On the Edge of Transformation: Securing a Connected Future With IoT – will explain how AWS IoT enables organizations to protect the evolving security-focused Internet of Things ecosystem, built on the rapidly progressing marketplace underscored by the convergence of our digital and physical worlds, in order to secure the connected world of tomorrow. ‘The Threat from Within’ Later that day, Fowler’s presentation – ‘The Threat from Within’ – will address the threat of workplace violence involving current or former employees, what we can do before incidents take place to help prevent them and how to optimize processes to address an event if it does happen. The ISC West keynote series is free and open to all attendees of the show. “Each year at ISC West, thousands of security professionals gather to explore the latest innovations in security technology, unlock top-quality networking and education and get actionable insights to help their businesses succeed,” said Don Erickson, SIA CEO. 2020 SIA Education@ISC conference program Don adds, “SIA is thrilled to welcome Jaime Paris Boisvert, Daryle Hernandez and William Wilkins as the featured speakers for SIA’s key 2020 events at ISC West. These luminaries will be a valuable addition to the robust lineup of security industry leaders featured in the ISC West keynote presentations and the SIA Education@ISC conference program, and we look forward to their high-impact, informative presentations to SIA members and attendees.” ISC West and SIA are partnering to present the 2020 SIA Education@ISC conference program ISC West and SIA are partnering to present the 2020 SIA Education@ISC conference program, the top industry resource for vendor-agnostic security and network training. The 2020 SIA Education@ISC conference program  includes nearly 100 accredited sessions covering hot topics in connected security, unmanned systems, smart cities, loss prevention and supply chain and more. Countering global security threats The program is designed to provide the necessary knowledge security professionals require to prevent threats and make a real-world impact in an increasingly converged security landscape. ISC West attendees can purchase single-session passes or one-, two- or three-day packages for the SIA Education@ISC program to unlock critical information on the newest technologies in security. Register now to save $100 off the onsite conference registration rates. Additional SIA events at ISC West include the Market Leaders Reception – a cocktail and networking reception and the premier kickoff to the trade show on Tuesday, March 17 – and the SIA RISE Happy Hour at Topgolf Las Vegas, a lively outing for young security professionals and those new to the industry on Thursday, March 19. SIA will also unveil the winners of the 2020 SIA New Product Showcase Awards – the flagship awards program at ISC West honoring innovative security products, services and solutions – on Wednesday, March 18.

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has announced details for the second annual AcceleRISE conference – an essential experience for tomorrow’s security leaders. AcceleRISE 2020 will be held July 29-31 at the Omni Austin Hotel Downtown in Austin, Texas. AcceleRISE – hosted by SIA’s RISE community for young security professionals and those new to the industry – was created to ignite new thinking, strengthen leadership and sharpen business acumen in young security talent. The conference features a diverse array of premier learning sessions, interactive workshops and fun activities geared toward rising stars in the industry. Dynamic and approachable speakers Austin will be the perfect backdrop for making connections, fostering ideas, inspiring creativity “SIA is thrilled to present the second annual AcceleRISE – an event that’s unlike your standard conference. At AcceleRISE it’s about dynamic and approachable speakers, unique sessions and activities to help young security talent take their careers to the next level and engaged attendees who are ready to make valuable connections and have fun,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “For this year’s event, we have selected a location that’s known for being different – Austin, Texas. Austin will be the perfect backdrop for making connections, fostering ideas, inspiring creativity and helping AcceleRISE attendees grow into stronger leaders and contributors at their organizations.” Insights on the leadership AcceleRISE 2020 attendees will leave with: Insights on the leadership and business skills needed to be more productive A unique understanding of the latest security trends and how they impact the industry Tools and guidance to help in accomplishing goals and forging a security career path Workshops on critical security topics SIA RISE is a collaborative community that fosters the careers of young professionals in the security industry “AcceleRISE has addressed a gap in the security industry by helping young talent build meaningful connections, learn about emerging trends and discover fresh perspectives,” said Katie Greatti, Associate Director of Certification at SIA, Staff Liaison for the SIA RISE committee and Conference Manager for AcceleRISE. “For the 2020 event, SIA will offer attendees a mix of blended learning sessions including team-building exercises, keynotes, panel sessions, networking activities and workshops on critical security topics, business and career management and more.” Conference proposals are now being accepted for AcceleRISE 2020; SIA is seeking fresh ideas and speakers for this year’s event. Priority will be given to proposals that address critical topics like corporate social responsibility, cybersecurity, career progression, business management and leadership, security 101, finance, sales and marketing, networking, artificial intelligence and SaaS models. Vendor-neutral and educational Proposed content must be vendor-neutral and educational in nature and designed to contribute to the general knowledge base of the security industry. Proposals are due Wednesday, April 1. SIA RISE is a collaborative community that fosters the careers of young professionals in the security industry. RISE is available to all employees of SIA member companies who are under 40 or who have been in the security industry for less than two years. RISE hosts fun in-person networking events during top trade shows and in major cities around the United States and offers career growth webinars on a variety of topics, thought leadership opportunities, career tracks at ISC West and East and a scholarship program for security industry education and professional development.

PSA, the internationally renowned security and systems integrator consortium, and the Security Industry Association (SIA), global trade association for global security solution providers, has announced CyberTEC powered by SIA, an exclusive cyber security track for PSA TEC 2020. CyberTEC will feature sessions on cyber-attack risk mitigation, cyber security managed services, cyber hygiene compliance and more. PSA TEC 2020 PSA also announced TEC 2020 keynote speaker Alec Ross, a New York Times best-selling author and former senior advisor for innovation with the U.S. Department of State. The keynote address will be presented by SIA and take place on Wednesday, April 22, at 7:30 a.m. in the Plaza Ballroom. We are thrilled to work together with SIA in developing our cybersecurity education for PSA TEC 2020" “We are thrilled to work together with SIA in developing our cybersecurity education for PSA TEC 2020 and presenting Alec Ross as our keynote speaker,” said Anthony Berticelli, vice president of operations for PSA. “SIA’s team has invaluable connections in the industry, and partnering with them has raised the bar for the CyberTEC track. Likewise, the insight that Mr. Ross can provide will be thought provoking for all security industry professionals.” CyberTEC track Ross is one of America’s renowned experts on innovation, having worked with the US State Department during the Obama administration on goals of maximizing the potential of technology and innovation in the service of America’s diplomatic goals. He advanced the State Department’s interests on a range of issues including internet freedom, cyber security, disaster response and the use of network technologies in conflict zones. Ross’ best-selling book, The Industries of the Future, explores the technological and economic trends and developments that will shape the next decade, from cyber security and big data to the commercialization of genomics to the code-ification of money, markets and trust. Security and audio-visual markets event PSA TEC 2020 will be held April 20- 23 at the Sheraton Downtown in Denver, Colorado, and is the premier education and networking event for all professional systems integrators in the security and audio-visual markets. This year’s conference will feature over 125 education sessions, workshops and certification offerings from top industry experts and partner organizations categorized into dedicated learning tracks focused on job function. Attendees will leave TEC with ways to improve operational efficiencies and add additional value to their businesses The educational content includes sessions for systems integration professionals with a desire to stay relevant and thrive in changing markets through personal and professional development. Attendees will leave TEC with ways to improve operational efficiencies, add additional value to their businesses and their customers’ journeys and support emerging market trends from their own vantage points. A complete list of the sessions can be found here. Spreading awareness of cyber security “SIA and PSA have worked effectively together to improve the industry’s awareness of cyber security. The CyberTEC track powered by SIA reinforces the commitment both organizations have made to ensuring the industry has access to the training it needs to reduce cyber risk and open doors to new business opportunities,” said Don Erickson, CEO, SIA. “We’re also very happy to sponsor TEC keynote speaker Alec Ross; we believe his message perfectly captures the spirit of innovation that PSA operators and SIA members deliver in their businesses and security technology solutions.” SIA is the globally renowned trade association for global security solution providers, with over 1,000 innovative member companies representing thousands of security leaders and experts who shape the future of the security industry. PSA is the international systems integrator consortium made up of the most progressive security and audio-visual systems integrators in North America.

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has named ASSA ABLOY as the recipient of the 2020 Member of the Year Award, which honours SIA member companies that have shown noteworthy involvement in SIA committees and working groups, SIA events and the SIA Education@ISC conference program; leadership activity; recruitment of SIA members; and contributions to SIA thought leadership and the industry overall. SIA will present ASSA ABLOY with the award at The Advance, SIA’s annual membership meeting, during ISC West. ASSA ABLOY – the global provider of access solutions – is a long-time SIA corporate member that takes an active role in participating in SIA’s array of programs, products and services and fully supports its employees’ involvement in SIA committees, working groups and advisory boards. The company is a regular sponsor of key SIA events, including the Market Leaders Reception at ISC West, SIA GovSummit and Securing New Ground. On-demand training courses SIA is proud to honor ASSA ABLOY as the 2020 SIA Member of the Year and applauds the company for its invaluable engagement “SIA is proud to honor ASSA ABLOY as the 2020 SIA Member of the Year and applauds the company for its invaluable engagement, thought leadership efforts and contributions to SIA, our members and the security industry overall,” said Scott Schafer, Chairman of the SIA Board of Directors. “Thanks in large part to the outstanding support of members like ASSA ABLOY, SIA is able to continue building on its robust suite of resources, programming and education and training offerings to better serve our members and the industry.” ASSA ABLOY is a contributing member to the SIA Center of Excellence, SIA’s online repository of vendor-neutral, vetted information – including on-demand training courses, e-learning modules, articles and webinars – to foster industry knowledge and help organizations keep at the forefront of market demands. Significant resources and services Additionally, the company has contributed content to SIA Technology Insights, SIA’s journal distilling the most current thinking for applying today’s security technologies and moderated webinars in partnership with SIA and Security Systems News, and ASSA ABLOY executives have spoken at SIA events including Securing New Ground. “ASSA ABLOY is honored to receive SIA’s Member of the Year Award. Since serving on the SIA Board of Directors, my eyes have been opened to the significant resources and services provided by the SIA management team and staff under the leadership of Don Erickson and Scott Schafer,” said Martin Huddart, Head of Smart Residential for ASSA ABLOY. Vast network of member volunteers The Advance will take place during ISC West 2020 on Tuesday, March 17, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m" “I have also been impressed by the vast network of member volunteers who work on important committees and support SIA events – I think this is a reflection of the relevance and vitality of this trade association. I’d like to thank not only the ASSA ABLOY volunteers that led to this recognition, but all SIA members who contribute their time to the advancement of security in the workplace and in our homes. We shouldn’t forget that our collective impact makes a real difference in the world.”  The Advance will take place during ISC West 2020 on Tuesday, March 17, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Exchange market intelligence In addition to the presentation of the SIA Member of the Year Award, attendees will enjoy a high-impact presentation from William Wilkins, Executive Director of Global Security Operations at Valero Energy Corporation, on the Chief Security Officer framework and key lessons for security professionals. SIA will also review key association business, exchange market intelligence for the year ahead and present the SIA Chairman’s Award, Committee Chair of the Year Award and Sandy Jones Volunteer of the Year Award. Attendees of The Advance will receive complimentary lunch and have the opportunity to network with industry colleagues.