Security Central opens educational facility

STATESVILLE, N.C.--Security Central, a third-party monitoring station, has opened a new facility to better serve the needs of its dealers, as well as to add space for its accounting department and executive offices. Courtney Brown, co-owner of the company with his sister Ellen Meihaus, said the creation of the facility represents an investment close to $1 million. The company moved its accounting, dealer services, sales and training departments into a 7,600-square-foot building on the Security Central campus late last year. The new facility includes a large classroom area that seats up to 61 people. Security Central is using this for on-site computer-based and instructor-led classes for continuing education. The company also plans to use the area to offer seminars with guest speakers and to enhance training for its operators. "We've been very fortunate," said Brown. "Business is good. We're growing our inside sales, we're growing dealer services. I had been renting space off site for trainings, but I wanted to house them here." Don Childers, also on the training committee for the NBFAA, has been doing trainings for Security Central. "I get a lot of bang for my buck with Don," said Brown. They also have other vendors come in and train on their products. "I can use it not only for my dealers and customers but also for my staff," Brown said. So far, Honeywell Video, Honeywell Security and Dedicated Micros have come in to train Security Central's dealers on their equipment. "It's worked out well--it's even better than I thought," said Brown. "We have 230,000 accounts, and 1,400 alarm dealers throughout US. When we do something, we make sure it's done right." For more on this story, see the April issue of Security Systems News.