After 13 years, top brass changes

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The two founders of one of Florida’s largest systems integration companies have taken on new roles that provide them with more time to investigate new opportunities in the security market. Bob Newman and Jim Pasquarello, who started Security One together 13 years ago and have grown it to a more than $19 million a year business, have taken on chairman and vice chairman roles at the company, respectively. Newman was previously president of Security One, while Pasquarello served as vice president. The change is part of a plan to enable Newman and Pasquarello time to look at other opportunities in the security market. “There are a couple of business opportunities we’ve been working on over the last year and we felt like for us to really focus on them we were going to have to get people to manage the Security One business,” said Pasquarello, who was unable to provide further details about the new venture. The change in guard at Security One comes after several years of solid growth for the company that has included adding coverage in new markets. In six years the company has grown from a single location here to six offices in Florida and an office in Atlanta, and from 23 employees to about 100. Much of the growth has been attributed to Steve Crespo, who joined the company in 1997 as a sales advisor and worked closely with Newman. About two months ago Crespo took on the position as president of Security One. He was previously the vice president of sales and has worked in a leadership position at the systems integration company for more than two years. “We’re not in the position where I was hired as the president of a struggling company,” said Crespo. “We’re a successful company,” he said, “and we plan on taking it to the next level.” That could include growing the company in additional markets outside the state of Florida, said Crespo. Pasquarello concurred, adding that the company’s remote office in Atlanta will likely grow over the next year. Joining Crespo in an executive management role is Michael Walton, who has taken over for Pasquarello as vice president in charge of operations. Walton was previously regional operations manager. Company officials began planning for the executive management changes a year ago, but Newman and Pasquarello will still be available on a daily basis during a six-month transition period. Newman was on vacation prior to press time and could not be reached for comment for this story.