Steve Fisher

Open Options (acquired by ACRE, LLC), the pioneer in open platform access control solutions, has appointed Steve Wagner as the company’s new President. Steve began his career in the industry in 1986 as VP of Sales & Marketing for Checkpoint Systems. He moved on to become the COO with HID Global for 8 years. In 2009, Steve became the President of Mercury Security and successfully grew that business which was eventually sold to HID Global/Assa Abloy. Steve brings a wide breadth of knowledge and experience to the Open Options team. “Open Options has worked with Steve for a number of years at both HID and Mercury. Steve is a well-respected professional and Open Options will benefit from his long and distinguished career in this industry,” said Steve Fisher, Open Options Founder and CEO. “We look forward to having Steve join us as we continue our growth path and as a new member of the ACRE family.”

Open Options, based in Addison, Texas, provides a truly open access control architecture that will strengthen the ACRE portfolio and increase the breadth of solutions offered by the global provider of security systems. The acquisition of Open Options is also an opportunity for ACRE to focus on growth opportunities in North America and “balance the scales a bit,” says Joe Grillo, CEO of ACRE, which significantly grew its reach in Europe, the Middle East and Africa with the acquisition of Siemens Security Products in 2015. “Open Options is also a company that's growing, is profitable and fits seamlessly into our vision for the access control space in which we operate,” says Grillo. Independent Operations The strength of Open Options in the Southwest provides significant additional coverage for ACRE in that region of the United States The Open Options brand will continue to operate independently under the ACRE umbrella. Open Options CEO and Founder Steve Fisher will continue in his role as leader of the company, says Grillo. “There is a strong and competent management team in place that will continue to provide leadership going forward.” Open Options’ open-architecture access control solutions will add value to the solutions ACRE already offers under the Vanderbilt brand. In a market that has traditionally been proprietary, the open-platform solution offered by Open Options helps deliver more opportunity to offer customers a full-scale solution based on their needs, says Grillo. In addition, due to its origin as a Texas-based company, the strength of Open Options in the Southwest provides significant additional coverage for ACRE in that region of the United States. Technical And Financial Resources On the other hand, ACRE provides a greater level of technical and financial resources that Open Options can utilize to help them grow even faster. These resources were not as available to the company if it remained independent, Grillo notes. ACRE’s divestiture of Mercury Security in 2017 facilitated this investment. As discussions began earlier this year, ACRE realized the potential of adding to its access control portfolio in the North American market, says Grillo. Open Options and Mercury have been "partners" for 20 years; Mercury provides hardware panels for Open Options systems. Each company will manage and make decisions about their reseller channels independently “The Mercury brand continues to be a strong one, so we're interested in continuing to nurture that relationship, and in fact we have become a larger and stronger partner to Mercury as ACRE,” says Grillo. “After owning Mercury for a number of years, we had the understanding of the company, the product portfolio and the partner relationships that defined it, so we were confident that the deal would be a positive one for the ACRE brand.” Meeting Customer Needs “Open Options and Vanderbilt share some customers already and we can leverage that by gaining more share of their business while providing them with a portfolio that will meet a broader set of customer needs,” says Grillo. “Where possible, we can look for synergies in channel partners that are not currently shared to provide access to both brands. This will be a benefit to Open Options, Vanderbilt and our customer base. However, importantly, each company will manage and make decisions about their reseller channels independently.” Are there more acquisitions on the horizon for ACRE? “We're always looking for opportunities that fit into the nature of our business,” says Grillo. “Companies that have growth potential and share similar go-to-market strategies and visions for the future are of particular interest to ACRE. "We're still operating in a highly fragmented market, so we're going to see continued consolidation in both access control and beyond, which means ACRE will be looking for the right opportunities to follow along that path.”

ACRE, global provider of state-of-the-art security systems, announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Open Options based in Addison, Texas. Strategic Acquisition Of ComNet And ACT This purchase will enhance ACRE’s strategic expansion plans for strengthening its access control business and product portfolio. This is the latest M&A activity since ACRE completed the acquisitions of ComNet (Danbury, Conn.) and Access Control Technologies “ACT” (Dublin, Ireland) businesses in 2016. Open Options will significantly increase ACRE’s position in the access control market, with emphasis on North America. Open Options, Access Control Solutions Firm For 20 years, Open Options has developed access control solutions that connect to leading security technologies to deliver a full-scale solution based on each customer’s unique needs. Open Options has been a Mercury Security partner since 1997 and is dedicated to delivering the most advanced open-platform access control solution available on the market. The acquisition of Open Options boosts Vanderbilt’s reach in the access control market" ACRE’s CEO, Joseph Grillo, stated that this transaction will continue to expand ACRE’s competitive position in a highly fragmented market with great growth potential. “The acquisition of Open Options boosts Vanderbilt’s reach in the access control market and enhances our product portfolio with the addition of an open architecture access control solution,” commented Grillo. “With the international portfolio fully integrated, it was time to turn our focus to North America.” Open Architecture Access Control “We are pleased to join the ACRE or with its strong global reach which will open new opportunities for the Open Options product range,” said Steve Fisher, Open Options Founder and CEO. Financial details of the transaction were not released. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Open Options, global provider of open platform access control solutions, will showcase their DNA Fusion access control platform and its powerful components from November 14-15 at ISC East 2018 in New York City. Considered one of the largest and most comprehensive security industry trade shows globally, ISC East hosts 7,000 security professionals and showcases a wide range of products and solutions from 250 global security brands. ISC East attendees are invited to visit Open Options at booth #563 to learn about the latest features in the DNA Fusion platform, including FlexAPI, Open Options’ application programming interface, OpenDX database exchange software, and DNA Fusion’s Mobile and Web applications. IT-Centric Access Control Solutions Attendees will also be able to learn more about DNA Fusion’s numerous partnerships and integrated solutions with industry leaders such as Milestone, Allegion, Vingtor-Stentofon, ASSA ABLOY, thyssenkrupp, Traka, and many more. “Our ability to provide the most IT-centric access control solution on the market is enhanced by unified partnerships and integrations with other leaders in the security industry, and we’re excited that ISC East will be our platform to announce the latest additions to our extensive partnership portfolio,” said Open Options’ Founder & CEO, Steve Fisher. Fisher adds, “Each new integration adds robust functionality that enhances the DNA Fusion user experience and provides even more opportunities to supply our customers with a best-of-breed solution.”

Open Options, a provider of open platform access control solutions, will showcase their DNA Fusion access control platform and its powerful components at ISC West 2018. Considered the largest security industry trade show in North America, ISC West hosts nearly 30,000 security professionals and showcases a wide range of products and solutions from hundreds of industry manufacturers. ISC West attendees are invited to visit Open Options at booth #3103 to learn about the latest features in the DNA Fusion platform, including FlexAPI, Open Options’ application programming interface, OpenDX database exchange software, and DNA Fusion’s mobile and web applications. Partnership With Industry Leaders Attendees will also be able to learn more about DNA Fusion’s numerous partnerships and integrated solutions with industry leaders such as Milestone, Allegion, Vingtor-Stentofon, ASSA ABLOY, thyssenkrupp, Traka, and many more. Each new integration adds robust functionality that enhances the DNA Fusion user experience “Our ability to provide the most IT-centric access control solution on the market is enhanced by unified partnerships and integrations with other leaders in the security industry, and we’re excited that ISC West 2018 will be our platform to announce the latest additions to our extensive partnership portfolio,” said Open Options’ Founder & CEO, Steve Fisher. Fisher adds, “Each new integration adds robust functionality that enhances the DNA Fusion user experience and provides even more opportunities to supply our customers with a best-of-breed solution.” Some Of Open Options’ Technology Integrations Include: Mercury Series 3 SIO modules Traka key and asset management integration Vingtor-Stentofon AlphaCom substation ASSA ABLOY Aperio Hub and lock Schlage LE series wireless mortise lock Bosch intrusion detection integration thyssenkrupp destination dispatch integration ISONAS Pure IP RC-04 reader-controller

OnSSI is further expanding on its goal of delivering open-platform systems that provide the highest value and performance to customers with the integration of Ocularis 5 Video Management Software (VMS) with the latest version of DNA Fusion™ access control platform from Open Options. Ocularis 5 And DNA Fusion v6.4 Integration “This integration between Ocularis 5 and DNA Fusion v6.4 provides users with the ability to easily combine access control and video into a powerful, effective, intelligent solution that increases both security and situational awareness,” said Ken LaMarca, VP of Sales and Marketing, OnSSI. “Because Ocularis 5 and DNA Fusion are built on open-architecture platforms, this integrated solution is capable of delivering more robust intelligence across multiple platforms.” The integration between Ocularis 5 and DNA Fusion v6.4 provides live and recorded video associated with access control events from within DNA Fusion with auto call-up capability. Users can view multiple cameras from within the solution, control PTZ cameras, drag and drop saved recordings for playback, scan for cameras and more. “For nearly two decades, Open Options has provided superior access control solutions with a commitment to customer service and open-platform products,” said Steve Fisher, CEO, Open Options. “This integration with Ocularis 5 furthers our commitment to open architecture and consistently providing our customers with reliable, cutting-edge technologies.” Ocularis 5 Video Management Software Ocularis 5 provides stronger network and video security with features including 256-bit AES encryption from Clients to Recorders, a scrambled recorded video database to protect the integrity of recorded video, and the ability to record directly to a NAS anywhere on the network. Ocularis 5 is designed as an intelligent, cost-effective platform that simplifies workloads and system management. There is no need to register camera licenses and MAC addresses. It features automatic load balancing for managing recordings across system servers. Unique to Ocularis, Critical Camera Failover ensures continuous sight by switching to a failover camera in as little as two seconds. Ocularis 5 also allows for multiple different recorders to be combined under the same Base (including legacy Ocularis 4.X recorders) with centralized user and event management. DNA Fusion Access Control Software DNA Fusion, Open Options’ flagship access control software, is an open platform solution that interfaces seamlessly with other systems, such as video, biometrics, wireless locks and intercoms to provide a complete access control solution including door control, visitor management and photo ID management. DNA Fusion can be managed via a standard Client, the web or Apple and Android smartphones.

ISONAS announces its first integration with Open Options at ISC West 2016 in Las Vegas ISONAS Inc., a leading pure IP access control system manufacturer, recently announced that the company has partnered with Open Options, a premiere access control software manufacturer, to offer customers choice in access control software solutions. ISONAS continues to expand their open platform access control hardware solution and will announce their first integration with Open Options at ISC West. With the integration scheduled to launch in July, customers are now freed from complex software licensing and can reap the benefits that only a Pure IP open architecture hardware system can provide. ISC West attendees can learn more about the powerful new integration by stopping by the ISONAS booth #2077 from April 6th-8th at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Open Architecture IT-Centric Access Control Software Open Options has been delivering global, open platform access control solutions since 1998. The company was among the first to embrace a true open architecture in an industry that offers proprietary, closed systems that trap users into an expensive and limited model. DNA Fusion, Open Options' award-winning open architecture access control software, is the most IT-centric product on the market, interfacing seamlessly with leading security systems including video, biometrics, and intercom. "Since our founding in 1998, Open Options has preached the concept and value of open architecture system design for the security industry. We're pleased to announce a new partnership with ISONAS that further adds to the many competent options in the open architecture marketplace. Today's customers demand more options and interoperability in software than ever before and to stay pertinent in this industry during market maturations, we continue to listen to these needs and work to deliver the most cost-effective solutions available that demonstrate the real monetary value of an open architecture," states Steve Fisher, Founder & CEO of Open Options. ISONAS And Open Options Integration at ISC West "ISONAS is proud to partner with a world-class company such as Open Options and provide our customers with a simple, cost-effective access control solution. We are excited to announce this integration with Open Options at ISC West and show the industry the power of Pure IP hardware," states Rob Mossman, CEO of ISONAS. The "Internet of Things" is driving expectations and shaping requirements for everyone in all markets, making the user experience king. These expectations drive customers to demand choice in their system solutions. ISONAS has made the commitment to develop powerful integrations and offers the opportunity to its customers to use Pure IP hardware with any software, specifically like-minded access control manufacturers like Open Options. This integration is the first of many and will be instrumental in taking the access control industry to the next level with Pure IP technology. For more information on the Open Options integration, visit the ISONAS booth #2077 at the ISC West show.

ASIS attendees are encouraged to visit Open Options at Booth 3047 to experience the latest in access control software Leading access control provider Open Options will unveil DNA Fusion version 6.4 and exciting new integrations with Vingtor-Stentofon, Inovonics, and Bosch at ASIS International’s 61st Annual Seminar and Exhibits this September in Anaheim, California. New Partnerships “Our ability to provide the most IT-centric access control solution on the market is enhanced by strong partnerships with other leaders in the security industry and we’re excited that ASIS 2015 will be our platform to announce the latest additions to our extensive partnership portfolio — Vingtor-Stentofon, Inovonics and Bosch,” said Open Options Chief Executive Officer Steve Fisher. “Each new integration adds robust functionality that enhances the DNA Fusion experience.” ASIS attendees are encouraged to visit Open Options at Booth 3047 to experience the latest in access control software – Open Options’ DNA Fusion V6.4 – on its various platforms and to see how the latest integrations enhance the overall access control software solutions. Highlights Include: Vingtor-Stentofon Integration —  adds the AlphaCom exchange, as well as master and sub-station intercoms, to the DNA Fusion hardware tree, allowing users to receive events, add components to the graphics map, and take action in DNA based on the intercom system. Inovonics Integration — The Inovonics integration allows DNA Fusion users to easily view/monitor wireless input points, just like hardwired inputs, via the tree. Bosch Integration — The Bosch receiver integration features an alarm panel that can monitor multiple sites and zones via Bosch’s remote programming software. AXIS A1001 —special preview of beta testing of the AXIS A1001. PoE enabled, the A1001 Network Door Controller uses an intuitive, color-coded configuration wizard for easy install and is future flexible to accommodate DNA Fusion updates, upgrades, and system expansion.

Open Options makes key appointments to accommodate continued growth in the competitive security market Open Options, the open architecture leader in access control, has promoted key management personnel and has added new team members to accommodate continued growth and success in the competitive security market. “Open Options has changed dramatically over the last 18 years and we have positioned ourselves in the access control market for strong continued growth,” said Chief Executive Officer Steve Fisher. “We’re fortunate to have the top talent in the security industry and we’ve been working to place our team members in the best positions to maximize use of their skills and abilities.” Jonathan Berman Jonathan Berman — who started his career with Open Options in 1999 — has been promoted to President and General Manager. Berman started out in product management and sales support, shortly thereafter moving in to the sales role where he recruited dealers throughout the country. As Open Options and the sales force grew over the years Jonathan took on a sales leadership role serving as Vice President of Sales and Business Development. “The past 16 years with Open Options has afforded me tremendous experience, opportunity and the privilege of working with people who have become like family. One of our greatest strengths is recognizing that people and relationships are key to success, and always treating our partners and customers as we would like to be treated. This culture will continue to thrive at Open Options under my leadership along with our world class software that is driven by market requirements and always remaining open to our customers’ insights into product trends.” Ben Vestal Ben Vestal has been promoted to Vice President of Sales and Business Development. He most recently served Open Options as RSM for the Texas Region and has earned the achievement of top sales for six years in a row. Vestal, who just celebrated his 10th anniversary with Open Options, started off as Materials Manager and quickly worked his way up and has proven to be a leader in the organization. Scot Sturges Scot Sturges has been named as Regional Sales Manager for the Texas Region. Sturges has been with Open Options for over seven years and previously served as RSM for the Midwest United States. He has been based out of Open Options headquarters in Texas and is the perfect candidate to take over the top market given his successful track record in the Midwest region. Dan Cosgrove New to Open Options is Dan Cosgrove, who has been named as Regional Sales Manager of the Midwest. Cosgrove has a wealth of sales experience with leading security companies including Brivo Systems, Red Hawk Fire & Security, Alarm Detection Systems, SimplexGrinnell, and ADT Security Services. He has earned an MBA in Strategic Selling and Sales Management from Aurora University, a bachelor’s in marketing from North Central College, and an associate’s in accounting from the College of DuPage. “Almost half of our employees have been here for over ten years and we are grateful that they have committed to spending their careers with our Open Options family. This gives us a rich pool of leadership talent to draw from as we continue to grow and expand,” said Fisher. “We are also thrilled to have fresh ideas and support from our newest team members, as well. We look forward to this exciting time for our company.”

The new facility provides added space to address Open Options’ continued expansion Due to remarkable growth, Open Options, the open architecture leader in access control, has moved its headquarters to a larger facility within the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The new Open Options headquarters is located at 16650 Westgrove, Suite 150, in Addison, Texas, 75001. While the physical address has changed, the post office box address remains the same: P.O. Box 703822, Dallas, Texas, 75370. “The new facility is larger than the previous location in nearby Carrolton and provides added space to address Open Options’ continued expansion”, said Chief Executive Officer Steve Fisher. “Our phenomenal growth over the past few years demands that we continue to grow our office facilities. Like so many growing companies, adequate space always seems to become a concern over time,” said Fisher. “At this exciting time, we’re moving into a brand new facility which has been designed with our core business functions in mind.” Open Options — developer of DNA Fusion software — has been a leading provider of innovative access control solutions with a commitment to customer service and open platform products since 1998. Complete access control security solutions — without proprietary limits — include visitor management, photo ID, and seamless integration with other systems including video, biometrics, and intercom. The move to the new facility follows Open Options’ expansion of the sales team and the development of more focused territories to allow representatives to build deeper relationships with dealers, vendors, and system users. The software development and technical support teams have also experienced growth over the past year. “Like our commitment to cutting-edge technology, we’ve upgraded our facility to provide an environment for our employees and customers that accommodates growth and fosters creativity,” said Fisher. “We’re very proud of our new corporate headquarters in Addison, Texas, and we welcome all of our partners and customers to stop by and see what access control without limits is all about.”

DNA Fusion Web v2.5 offers a convenient method of access control management to mobile end users Open Options, an industry leader in open platform access control solutions, will showcase the latest release of DNA Fusion, Fusion Web and highlight exciting new integrations with AXIS Communications and Milestone Systems at ASIS International’s 60th Annual Seminar and Exhibits this September in Atlanta. “Open Options is excited to provide the thousands of security professionals who visit ASIS the most up-to-date and advanced version of our access control software platform,” said Open Options CEO Steve Fisher. “We are also eager to highlight our integration with AXIS’ entry into the physical access control market and Milestone’s new Access Control Module.” ASIS attendees are encouraged to visit Open Options at Booth 2455 to experience the latest in access control software – Open Options’ DNA Fusion V6.2 – on its various platforms including the new Fusion Web v2.5. DNA Fusion Web v2.5 — which can be securely accessed from most Internet browsers — offers a convenient method of access control management to mobile end users who require versatility in their security management. In addition to video integration and the ability to capture photos, DNA Fusion Web v2.5 offers enhanced smart card modifications that include magnetic stripe encoding, ID badging, Prox/iCLASS enrollment, and biometric card enrollment for Schlage Handkey 2 and Bioscrypt 4G fingerprint readers. Open Options will also demonstrate exciting new integrations with industry-leaders AXIS and Milestone. DNA Fusion access control software has added a driver for integration with the AXIS A1001 Network Door Controller — Axis’ new IP access control hardware platform. Using the same IP technology AXIS pioneered in video surveillance and based on the ONVIF standard.  The A1001 Network Door Controller is a great solution for both small and enterprise systems. PoE enabled, the A1001 Network Door Controller uses an intuitive, color-coded configuration wizard for easy install and is future flexible to accommodate DNA Fusion updates, upgrades, and system expansion. Because access control and video surveillance often partner to provide a comprehensive security solution, the ability to use features from both components — without having to toggle between software applications — is key. DNA Fusion version 6.2 includes FLEX API (Application Programming Interface), a clean and easy-to-use mechanism for developing third-party interfaces to Open Options’ powerful access control software. Via FLEX API, Milestone Systems’ new ACM (Access Control Module) allows XProtect® Enterprise and Corporate users access to DNA Fusion from within their own VMS Smart Clients. Considered the “world’s most influential security event,” ASIS International will be held Sept. 29-Oct. 2, 2014, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. The event showcases operational and cyber security across the distribution channel with more than 600 companies displaying their latest offerings.