Happenings at ESX 2016

The SDM 100 Gala took place during the Electronic Security Expo (ESX) in Fort Worth, Texas. Now in its ninth year, ESX is an event that draws top decision-makers and influencers from among electronic security and life safety professionals.

At the ESX closing keynote luncheon, sponsored by Napco Security Technologies and SDM, Dr. Alan Beaulieu provided security professionals with an economic forecast for business and answered many relevant questions from the audience.

*Angela White (left) was installed as the new president of the Electronic Security Association during ESX 2016. Here, she poses with CSAA president Pamela Petrow (right).*

ESX provided a blend of stimulating networking opportunities, peer-developed and peer-delivered educational sessions, thought-provoking business and industry presentations from the main stage, and next-generation products and services on the show floor. The Electronic Security Association and Central Station Alarm Association also held their general membership meetings and many committee meetings during ESX.

More than 40 sessions in five educational tracks were presented in the ESX conference program. Sharing his experience about the educational sessions, Greg Simmons, owner and vice president of sales for Las Vegas-based Eagle Sentry, commented, “As a proud CEDIA and ESA member, I think ESX has become a great learning experience for members on both sides of the systems integration world. It has become a must attend for me and my team.”

In addition, attendees were exposed to high-level keynote speakers on the main stage. Beginning with the OpenXchange, Tim Colleran of Qualcomm and Nate Williams from August provided a compelling view of the changing competitive landscape in a session sponsored by Qolsys. The opening keynote luncheon, sponsored by Security America Risk Retention Group, was also a big hit. Nicholas Webb, world-renowned business and technology futurist, author, award-winning innovator and strategist, touched on trends that will affect the industry in the future. “Security systems of the future will anticipate potential alarm incidents before they actually occur. This will allow business owners and homeowners alike improved protection through the use of external sensors and signal aggregation that will significantly improve the value of security,” Webb said.

During the industry excellence breakfast, Michael Jagger of Provident Security provided his company’s pursuit of greatness and how to find the remarkable inspiration around us. Security Dealer Network sponsored the public safety luncheon, where FBI Special Agent Philip Celestini delivered valuable intel on cyber security threats facing the U.S. and its interests. Dr. Alan Beaulieu, president of ITR Economics, correlated industry economic data points most relevant for ESX attendees during the closing keynote luncheon, sponsored by Napco Security Technologies. “Alan’s presentation proved that some economists can be both educational and entertaining,” Jagger, at Provident Security said.

This year, two new features were introduced in the ESX exhibit hall:―ESX Central and the Learning Lab. To spotlight best-of-breed products and services, the ESX Innovation Awards featured winners in 25 categories. In addition, the ESX TechVision Challenge, a “Shark Tank” style contest judged live at ESX by “industry sharks,” revealed the ESX 2016 “Best of Show” product: the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 all-in-one security and smart home platform.

Visit www.ESXweb.com for information.