Pepper to receive Weinstock Award at CAA

SAN FRANCISCO--Well known in the security industry as a partner at Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp and principal author of the California Alarm Company Act, Alan Pepper will receive the California Alarm Association's George A. Weinstock Award for Lifetime Achievement and Service to the Security Industry at the Dec. 6-8 CAA annual convention. Some may not know that Pepper's security career started during his college days. "I started as a central station operator when I was in college. I went to work for that company after college and ultimately ended up managing it," he said. After about 10 years with that company, he decided he'd rather practice law. He's been practicing security-focused law for 33 years, during which time he's "represented buyers and sellers in 250 deals." This has been one of the most rewarding aspects of his career. It's fun, he said, "to see people achieve their lifetime goal, successfully selling or acquiring a business." Asked about the biggest change he's seen the industry, he said the "advent of the digital communicator that allowed the transmission of an alarm over normal telephone lines ... That permitted a lot of people to become alarm dealers ... It helped create the residential market." "The next big change that's coming, but is not fully developed, is the exploitation of Internet and the new communication capabilities that are out there," he said. Where previously, alarm companies were geographically limited, most only serving customers in their communities, now they can use the Internet to market products and provide services. That is a significant evolution, he said and one that's created opportunities as well as challenges. Pepper represented the Western Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (the predecessor to the CAA) in several telephone rate cases, which resulted in millions of dollars in reduced private telephone line charges for the industry. He is also chairman of the legal committee for the Central Station Alarm Association. Thomas P. Lambert, managing partner at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, said in a statement that Pepper is particularly deserving of this award. "His specialized legal counsel and representation of the CAA and security companies throughout the country has helped to shape that industry." "The California Alarm Association is a good organization to be associated with," Pepper said, "and it's one I hope to be associated with for a long time to come and I'm very much appreciative of the award they're going to give me in December."