Jerry Marks, founder of Beachwood Security and a 25-plus year security industry pioneer, passed away on September 3, 2010, his son, Michael Marks, told SDM. In 1973 a fire engulfed Jerry’s home in Beachwood, Ohio while Jerry was traveling on business. His wife Judy, whom he later divorced, and six sons, aged 12 through 2 at the time, escaped within minutes of their home being totally destroyed.

 

Upon rebuilding the home, Jerry installed a fire and burglar alarm system and was so intrigued by the industry he decided to start an alarm company in 1974. After installing a few systems with tape dialers, Jerry, an early adopter of technology, began installing alarms with digital dialers as they become available.

 

Jerry’s company, Beachwood Security, became one of the first Radionics “Key Customers” and by the early 1980s had more than 1,000 installed and active recurring revenue customers. By the late 1980s, Jerry’s company was one of the largest independently owned security companies in the United States, and was included in the inaugural SDM 100 Report.

 

In 1992 Jerry sold Beachwood Security and retired to Boca Rotan, Fla., where he lived before moving to the The Villages in northern Florida for the past three years.

 

Jerry is survived by his wife Carol of 16 years, and six sons, Mitchell, Michael, Ricky, Robert, Eric and Evan, their wives and 17 grandchildren. Son Michael is a founder of SedonaOffice, which provides business management and financial applications for the security industry.

 

The SDM team offers its sincere condolences to the Marks family.