SST adds Baltimore area office

COLUMBIA, Md. - Security Services & Technologies has seen business increase steadily since it became part of FirstService Corp. three years ago, and its security business in the Baltimore area is no exception. Business here has tripled in two years, said Howard Belfor, president of the Southern Mid-Atlantic region for SST, prompting the company this month to open a satellite office to serve more customers and some who were previously served from SST’s Alexandria, Va., location. “That will assist us in the Maryland market and Baltimore,” said Belfor. “A good portion of our customer base is currently in Maryland.” The new locations in Maryland and for the Chicago market (see related story above) are all part of SST’s strategy to expand its reach. “The keys are growing in other markets and to better serve national customers in the Midwest,” said John Nemerofsky, president of national accounts and the Northern Mid-Atlantic region for SST. He characterized the company’s growth as consistent and that is expected to continue through both organic growth and acquisitions. Nemerofsky said some acquisitions are currently in the works, but could not elaborate further. For SST, the new Columbia, Md., office is instrumental for its location and close proximity to the I-95 corridor in the Washington, D.C. area. That area is considered to have one of the worst commuting times in the nation. “The dilemma is how to serve our market with growing customer needs, while still maintaining a quality of life for our employees,” said Belfor. Belfor said the new office will open with a staff of between five and seven people, and grow as new contracts come on board. It will mark SST’s sixth location, many of which are located along the East Coast. The basis for SST’s growth in the Washington market came from the company’s Alexandria, Va., location, which saw personnel increase from 12 people two years ago to 40 employees today. SST picked up the location when Virginia Security and Automation or Vasec joined the company in 2001. The company was founded by Belfor and Keith Mulholland in 1993.