Firm builds footprint

BELLA VISTA, Ark.--Full-service alarm company Guard Tronic purchased the assets of Stet's Security Systems in June--a deal that builds business in an area where the firm had not conducted work in previously. Guard Tronic, which has more than 10,000 clients in the commercial and industrial space with some high-end residential mixed in, added approximately 350 monitored accounts as well as additional non-monitored camera installations to its roster. The deal, which David Gilbert, president of Guard Tronic, said would add up to approximately 500 accounts, are all located in a retirement community here. "This was a chance for us to scoop up some accounts all in one neighborhood," said Gilbert. "The deal fit well with our business." Gilbert said although the deal was not large in terms of size, it allows the company to have business already up and running in an area that is 30 minutes away from one of Guard Tronic's six offices and is close to the Missouri state line. In total, the company currently has a service area that covers seven states through the Southeast and Central United States. Both Stet's Security and Guard Tronic have been talking about a possible deal informally for a number of years. Pam Stettnisch, the former owner of Stet's Security along with her husband, Ruben, said that Stet's had explored selling the assets to five companies in and outside of Arkansas, but that Stet's Security fit better with Guard Tronic than with any other organization. "The things that were important to us were that the employees had longevity with the company, they were locally based in Arkansas and they would give our customers the best service of anyone we had talked to," Stettnisch said. Although the security end of the business is out of their hands, the Stettnischs will continue to run a locksmith business. Gilbert said the time had come for the former owners to divest the business.