Tag: Russ MacDonnell
Rapid's expansion plans reach east and west
July 25, 2012Rich Miller
SYRACUSE, N.Y.—Double-digit growth at Rapid Response is fueling a two-pronged expansion strategy, with plans proceeding for a new central station in the western United States and $11.3 million of new construction proposed at the company's headquarters here.Last week, the Syracuse Industrial Development Agency granted Rapid preliminary approval for a tax break for its headquarters project. The City Council must still sign off on the deal, which would save the company more than $700,000 over...
Barnes Associates/SSN release results of 2012 Wholesale Monitoring Study
March 23, 2012Rich Miller
YARMOUTH, Maine—By most measures, the economy is slowly improving. But that doesn't mask the pain of the past four years, and for many sectors—the security industry included—the recovery has been a case of two steps forward, one step back. Caution still abounds and it continues to temper growth in jobs, investment and spending.In the face of this sluggishness, how has the monitoring industry fared when it comes to keeping and adding customers? To find out, Barnes Associates, a consulting...
Barnes/SSN survey takes pulse of industry
March 7, 2012Rich Miller
How did the wholesale monitoring industry hold up in 2011? Michael Barnes knows.
Barnes, founding partner of Barnes Associates, a consulting and advisory firm specializing in the security alarm industry, recently completed a joint survey with Security Systems News that involved the biggest players in the industry. It was the second year that Barnes has conducted the survey with SSN, and it provided some interesting insights.
Without completely tipping Barnes' hand, let's just say that the industry...
Proposed New York legislation causes major stir
January 20, 2011Daniel Gelinas
ALBANY, N.Y.—Proposed legislation being developed by an alarm association committee here has created such a stir that the New York Burglar & Fire Alarm Association has decided to conduct an open forum discussion at its Feb. 10 board of directors meeting.
The legislation in question, called Article 6-E, would require licensing of central station employees of any central station wishing to monitor alarms in the state of New York.
“While the NYBFAA took numerous steps to alert the...
Rockbridge buys Connect America in third 'largest PERS deal ever'
January 20, 2011Daniel Gelinas
DETROIT—It's the third largest personal-emergency-response-system company purchase, and it bodes well for the PERS industry, according to Connect America president and CEO Ken Gross.
Rockbridge Growth Equity on Jan. 12 announced it had acquired direct-to-consumer PERS company Connect America for an undisclosed sum in a deal that brings 75,000 accounts worth around $2.2 million in RMR to investor Rockbridge, according to Gross.
“The PERS industry should be proud of this transaction—this...