The Security Industry Association (SIA), the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA) and the Electronic Security Association (ESA) announced this year’s recipients of two of the top honors in the security industry: Leo Guthart is to receive the George R. Lippert Memorial Award and Cecil Hogan is to be honored with the Triton Award at the Nov. 3 Tri-Association Awards Dinner in New York City.

Each year, the SIA, ESA and CSAA honor two members of the security industry at the awards dinner, which is held in conjunction with ISC Solutions. The Lippert Award, which was first presented in 1989, recognizes outstanding contributions to SIA and the security industry, while the Triton Award, which began in 2004, recognizes industry statesmanship and efforts to promote good working relationships among the three associations.

Leo Guthart is chairman of the Board of Directors of Topspin Partners of Roslyn Heights, N.Y. He was president, chief executive officer (CEO)and chairman of the Board of Ademco before it was bought by Honeywell, where he worked as CEO of the Security and Fire Solutions Group after the purchase. He serves on several corporate boards and is a member of the Board of Trustees of Hofstra University. He is involved in multiple philanthropic endeavors, including endowing the Leo Guthart Endowed Fund for Excellence in Engineering and Applied Sciences at Stony Brook University and the Laurie Carrol Guthart Professorship — named in honor of his late wife — at Harvard Medical School. In March, he was inducted into the Long Island Technology Hall of Fame.

“While several nominees are deserving of the award, the individual who stands out is, unquestionably, Leo Guthart," SIA CEO Richard Chace said. "It is difficult to identify another person who has had as much influence over so many of the fundamentals of how the industry operates. There were several dangerous times when the electronic security industry was at risk of being encroached upon by other disciplines. But Leo's strategic vision, coupled with his willingness to commit resources, strengthened the course that we took - a path that has resulted in our present status as a major influence in the marketplace as a cohesive group rather than simply an appendage of some other trade. Leo's choices for the future of the industry supported the environment that we tend to take for granted today.”

Cecil Hogan, founder and president of Security Consultants Inc. in Memphis, Tenn., sat on the ESA Executive Committee for 13 years and served as ESA president from 2002 to 2004. In 2004, ESA honored him with its Morris F. Weinstock Award in recognition of a “lifetime of service” to the industry. As president of ESA, Hogan, with the help of then-SIA President Allen Fritz and then-CSAA President Mel Mahler, worked to re-establish a relationship between the three associations. Today, because of these efforts, SIA, ESA and CSAA enjoy an affiliation that is beneficial to all three organizations and the industry, SIA stated in a press release.

The security industry owes Cecil a world of thanks for his contributions and commitment," ESA president Dom D’Ascoli said. "The untold hours he has poured into the association and his expertise in guiding major decisions that have impacted the entire security industry have helped everyone in business today.”

ESA vice president Ralph Sevinor added, “Cecil has worked tirelessly for the industry as a whole in building bridges."

The dinner is to be held at The Lighthouse on Chelsea Pier 61 in New York City on Wed., Nov. 3, 2010. More information is available at www.siaonline.org.