Construction boom aids W.V. firm

MORGANTOWN, W.Va.--Mitch Brozik says his full-service alarm company, Secure US is coming of age: this fall he inked two big contracts, opened a new office in October and he's got two acquisitions in the works. Founded by Brozik in 1996, the company had revenues of $3.2 million in 2004. He projects $4.5 million this year, and a hefty hike to more than $6 million in revenues in 2006. (See related story on page 23) "We are looking to increase annual sales by 20- to 25-percent again next year as a result of the projects we have under contract," he said. Brozik signed an exclusive contract in August with developers of a "city outside a city" called Charlespoint in Bridgeport, W.V., to do the structured wiring, install and monitor security systems, including fire, in every home and business. Charlespoint will have 3,800 homes and two million square feet of office and retail space. "The homes are on their way up. Some of the first office buildings are being built," Brozik explained. "There are already two hotels and an 18-hole golf course." Scott Rotruck, chair of the West Virginia Council for Community and Economic Development, said Charlespoint is located in the high tech corridor, which runs along Route 79 and includes many new companies and government facilities, such as the High Tech Consortium and the new FBI fingerprinting facility. "The economy is rocking and rolling here," Rotruck said. The proximity of West Virginia University and major metropolitan areas, such as Pittsburg and Washington, D.C., affordable housing and solid infrastructure have contributed to recent growth in the area, Rotruck said. Last month Brozik opened a fourth office at the request of developers of an ultra high-end residential development in Lewisburg, W.V., near the venerable Greenbrier Hotel. US Secure will install complete home automation including HVAC, home theaters, security and fire for the first 50 homes, which have a starting price of $2.5 million. Brozik expects the three-person Lewisburg office to grow as new commercial establishments are built. "We'll capitalize on the offshoot businesses that open here," he said. Is an IPO next for Brozik? "That's my ultimate goal, hopefully that will happen in a few years, depending upon how quickly we grow," he said. Brozik declined to give any details about two acquisitions that are underway, except to say that they are within his current geographic region of West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Kentucky. For the past three years, Secure US has been a Honeywell First Alert authorized dealer. It employs 52 people; its business is 50 percent commercial and 50 percent residential.