Westec Interactive gains new owners
By Chelsie Woods
Updated Thu November 4, 2004
November 4, 2004
IRVINE, Calif. - Westec Interactive, one of the first companies to offer interactive video monitoring, has come under new ownership.
The company was bought Oct. 29 by Level 5 Security, an installation and video monitoring firm in Boca Raton, Fla. Terms of the transaction were not released.
The transaction provides Level 5 Security with an interactive video monitoring application, an area of the security market that Level 5 Security’s Chief Executive Officer Jerry Vento considers the future of the industry.
“He is a visionary,†said Michael Upp, vice president of business development at Westec Interactive. “He sees interactive as the next trend he wants to get behind.â€Â
According to Mitch Johnson, who took over as president of Westec Interactive, Level 5 Security’s plan is to grow the business.
Westec Interactive currently serves more than 100 customers and monitors more than 1,700 locations. The company employs 80 people.
Level 5 Security bought Westec Interactive from Secom, a security company based in Japan. Westec Interactive began operations in 1996, as part of a spin off from Secom’s residential business, Westec Security.
But over the past few years, Secom has sold its security interests in the United States, including Westec Security. Westec Interactive was reported to be Secom’s last remaining U.S.-based business.
Comments