Home Article In brief: Pye-Barker adds, SimpliSafe expands, Hakimo raises

In brief: Pye-Barker adds, SimpliSafe expands, Hakimo raises

By SSN Staff

Updated 8:21 AM CDT, Wed July 15, 2026

ATLANTA—Pye-Barker Fire & Safety has expanded its presence in the Mid-Atlantic with the acquisition of ResponseTECH, Inc., a Rockville, Md.-based provider of security and life safety solutions. ResponseTECH provides intrusion and fire alarm systems, access control, central station monitoring, nurse-call systems and mass emergency notification solutions. The company serves customers across a range of sectors, including commercial, education and senior living, and provides services spanning system design, installation, testing and maintenance. Pye-Barker said ResponseTECH will join its existing Maryland operations, enabling the company to provide a broader range of life safety services to customers throughout the region. ResponseTECH owner Avner Skolnik says shared values played a key role in the decision to join Pye-Barker. “One thing has always emerged as a driver for me throughout my tenure in business: company culture,” said Skolnik. “It’s about outstanding customer service, honest business practices, long-lasting client relationships and giving back to the community. I see those values every day in Pye-Barker, which is why I’m so energized by this partnership.” Pye-Barker CEO Bart Proctor said the companies share a similar customer-focused approach. “I often say I can tell if a company will be a good cultural fit within five minutes of our first conversation,” Proctor said. “It was clear that ResponseTECH’s team shares our passion for customer relationships, and that together, we can deliver world-class service to our Maryland communities.” Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP represented Pye-Barker in the transaction.

SimpliSafe expands retail channel with Walmart deal

BOSTON – SimpliSafe’s home security solutions are now available at Walmart, marking an expansion of its retail channel. Walmart customers will have access to a curated selection of SimpliSafe's top-rated products to build a customized, whole-home protection package, the company said. The assortment includes a Walmart-exclusive seven-piece system for $199.99 that includes three door or window entry sensors, a motion sensor, glassbreak sensor, keypad and base station alarm. "SimpliSafe's expansion with Walmart is a natural extension of our founding principle that home security should be affordable, accessible and simple to set up," said Ty Shay, president, SimpliSafe. "Now that SimpliSafe's advanced security products are available in stores and on Walmart.com, we can help even more people protect what matters most to them. We also offer 24/7 professional monitoring that adds an extra layer of protection starting at around $1 per day." Walmart will also carry an assortment of SimpliSafe cameras and sensors for existing customers who would like to expand their SimpliSafe system, including the Smart Alarm Wireless Indoor Camera, entry sensors, motion sensors, glassbreak sensors and keyfobs.

Hakimo raises $12M to accelerate expansion

MENLO PARK, Calif. – Hakimo has closed a $12 million growth round led by existing investor Zigg Capital, with participation from existing investors Neotribe Ventures, Vertex Ventures, Defy.vc and Rocketship.vc. The financing will support accelerated product innovation, expansion across key verticals, and continued team growth. Over the past 12 months, Hakimo has tripled revenue year over year, expanded its customer base to 300+ customers and doubled its team, including the addition of Bret Knobelauch as chief revenue officer. With $32M raised to date, Hakimo has expanded into new verticals and launched new capabilities like AI-Powered Forensic Search, establishing itself as one of the most comprehensive AI security platforms on the market today, according to the company. Hakimo's customers range from Fortune 500 enterprises to real estate leaders and iconic buildings worldwide. "This financing allows us to move faster across every dimension of the business," said Sam Joseph, CEO and co-founder of Hakimo. "We're expanding our go-to-market efforts rapidly, deepening our product capabilities and growing the team to match the demand we're seeing. The opportunity to modernize physical security is enormous, and we're just getting started.” With the new funding, Hakimo plans to deepen its presence in real estate while accelerating expansion into other markets and geographies. The company also plans to invest further in extending its current capabilities to serve non-security use cases, such as safety, compliance, customer experience, etc., in addition to continued team expansion.

New privacy-first smart home platform raises $5M seed round

PHOENIX – One Raven, a privacy-focused smart home platform, has launched, backed by a $5 million seed round led by Fifth Wall. Every component of One Raven is designed to keep the home's intelligence inside the home. At its center is the One Raven Home Server, which allows every device to run locally and keeps homeowner data on the home network. Homeowners can securely access and manage the system remotely and configure each home with the devices they want—including thermostats, locks, leak detection and security sensors. One Raven was founded by Lucas Haldeman and Sarah Roudybush, the team behind SmartRent, a smart apartment platform in the real estate industry. "We spent a decade building the smart home for the renters and commercial owners of multifamily portfolios,” said Haldeman, co-founder and CEO. “One Raven is for every homeowner who wants a modern living experience while maintaining their privacy.” The capital will support scaled production of the One Raven Home Server and initial device suite, expansion of the company's local-intelligence software and growth of the sales and partnership teams. Fifth Wall, an investment firm focused on technology for the built environment, previously backed Haldeman and Roudybush at SmartRent. Fifth Wall founder Brendan Wallace joins the board.

IntelexVision rebrands as Eluviant, launches Aurora Flow AI model

LONDON—Video intelligence company IntelexVision has rebranded as Eluviant and unveiled Aurora Flow, a generative artificial intelligence (AI) model designed to help enterprise users analyze complex events and behaviors across large-scale video surveillance deployments in near real time. The company said Aurora Flow is already operating in live environments and can process video from multiple cameras simultaneously, including deployments in isolated environments with no external network connectivity. According to Eluviant, the technology addresses a longstanding challenge in video analytics by analyzing movements and events over time rather than relying on information contained within individual video frames. The model builds on the company’s existing AI platform, which combines an unsupervised self-learning engine with its Aurora vision-language model. “We believe Aurora Flow is a frontier AI model in surveillance and a step change in what video intelligence can deliver, moving beyond detection and into genuine understanding of behaviors and actions in complex real-world environments,” said Callum Wilson, founder and co-CEO of Eluviant. Eluviant said the technology is designed to help organizations identify behaviors such as equipment tampering, unsafe climbing, theft, fighting and dangerous driving, enabling operators to better distinguish incidents requiring immediate attention. The rebranding from IntelexVision to Eluviant reflects both the company’s growth and the broader evolution of AI-driven video intelligence, according to Wilson. “Everything we have built under the IntelexVision name - our technology, customer relationships and understanding of what enterprise deployments require - is the foundation this moment stands on,” he said. “This is what that work was always building toward: the capability to deliver video intelligence at scale, securely, in the real world.”

Clear Response Monitoring launches funding program for alarm dealers

BATON ROUGE, La.—Clear Response Monitoring has launched a new Dealer Funding Program designed to provide alarm, fire and personal emergency response system (PERS) dealers with access to capital for growth initiatives. The program offers term loans and revolving lines of credit ranging from $150,000 to $2 million and is intended to help dealers acquire accounts, expand operations, buy out partners, refinance debt and pursue other growth opportunities. According to Clear Response Monitoring, the financing is tailored to companies that operate on recurring monthly revenue (RMR) models, with repayment structures designed specifically for the alarm and monitoring industry. Dealers that participate in the program will retain ownership of their businesses, branding and customer relationships. "Our dealers asked for a funding partner who actually understands their business, and that is exactly what we built," said Glen Carter, president of Clear Response Monitoring. "We know recurring revenue and we know this industry, so we can move faster and structure smarter than a traditional lender." The company said the funding initiative expands its portfolio of services for dealers, which already includes wholesale monitoring, video monitoring, live agent monitoring, answering services, account migration and billing support. Clear Response Monitoring, which provides UL-listed, 24/7 wholesale monitoring services nationwide, said the new program is aimed at helping dealers secure capital from a partner familiar with the operational and financial dynamics of the security industry. The Dealer Funding Program is available to operating alarm, fire and PERS dealers seeking financing for strategic growth and business development efforts.

ONVIF unveils draft cloud video standard aimed at interoperability

SAN RAMON, Calif.—ONVIF has released a draft standard designed to bring interoperability to cloud-based video surveillance systems, allowing security professionals to build cloud video deployments without being tied to a single manufacturer's ecosystem. The organization announced the Release Candidate for ONVIF Profile V, a proposed standard that extends ONVIF's interoperability framework to cloud video surveillance applications. The profile is intended to provide system integrators, consultants and end users with a standards-based approach to deploying cloud video systems using products from multiple manufacturers. Cloud-based video management systems reduce or eliminate the need for on-site servers by routing video through remote infrastructure, providing remote access and scalable storage. However, ONVIF noted that many cloud video platforms currently rely on proprietary architectures that require customers to use a single vendor's cameras, software and storage services. According to ONVIF, Profile V is designed to address that challenge by enabling conformant products from different manufacturers to operate together within the same cloud video ecosystem. "Standardizing cloud video surveillance is a natural next step for ONVIF," said Leo Levit, chairman of the ONVIF board of directors. "As more security systems move to the cloud, we want that shift to give customers more choice, not less. When the fundamentals are standardized, companies can build on top of them, and customers can trust that what they invest in today will still work with what they choose tomorrow." The development marks ONVIF's latest effort to expand interoperability standards as cloud adoption continues to grow across the physical security industry. For integrators and end users, a standardized approach could make it easier to mix and match cameras, software platforms and storage solutions while preserving flexibility for future upgrades. Under the draft specification, a conformant cloud-based video management system can connect to cameras located behind a local firewall without typically requiring port forwarding or virtual private network (VPN) configuration. Devices establish secure outbound connections to the cloud VMS and stream live video and audio using WebRTC technology. The profile also supports event notifications from devices to the cloud VMS and enables encrypted video and audio storage in cloud platforms such as Amazon S3 and Microsoft Azure Blob Storage. ONVIF said Profile V can be used alongside its existing video and access control profiles to support hybrid or integrated security deployments. Security requirements are included through the ONVIF Profile V Security Add-on, which mandates OAuth 2.0-based authentication and authorization as well as encryption for recordings being sent to cloud storage. ONVIF said the security requirements were developed as an add-on rather than being embedded directly into the profile so they can be updated independently as cybersecurity requirements evolve. The draft Profile V specification is currently available for review by ONVIF members. The organization said it expects to finalize the standard by the end of 2026.

DMP names new sales directors for Southeast, Latin America

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.—Digital Monitoring Products (DMP) has named Zach Chambers director of sales for the Southeast and Ludi Bouwer director of sales for Latin America, expanding its sales leadership team with two experienced security industry professionals. Chambers joins DMP with nearly a decade of experience in the security industry, including managing multi-state territories and working closely with dealers, integrators and end users. Most recently, he served as director of global accounts, security and access solutions, at Honeywell, where he oversaw account management and developed strategies aimed at driving revenue growth and strengthening long-term customer relationships. In his new role, Chambers will support regional sales managers and help lead sales strategy and performance throughout the Southeast. “My goal is to be the strongest leader I can be,” Chambers said. “Not only for the southeast region, but for DMP. I’m excited to help elevate this territory to new levels of performance, and to lead with integrity, loyalty and ambition.” Bouwer brings more than 20 years of experience working with electronic security platforms, distributors, integrators and end users throughout the region. Over the course of his career, Bouwer has built sales and business development teams for several U.S.-based manufacturers and distributors serving Latin America. His experience also includes developing and implementing false alarm reduction programs and overseeing large-scale security system deployments. “DMP’s focus on quality, reliability and integrated solutions is a major reason why I chose the company,” Bouwer said. “I was also attracted to the fact that DMP is a strong, privately held U.S. manufacturer that can compete with the largest publicly traded manufacturers in the industry.” Bouwer will oversee sales efforts across South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean, focusing on developing new sales channels and supporting DMP dealers throughout the region.

Pye-Barker creates commercial services role, names Robbins president

ATLANTA—Pye-Barker Fire & Safety has appointed Peter Robbins as president of commercial services, a newly created role responsible for overseeing the company's acquisition strategy, growth initiatives and commercial operations. Robbins joins Pye-Barker from investment banking firm Baird, where he served as managing director in the Global Technology and Services Investment Banking Group and jointly led the firm's coverage of Facility, Industrial, Residential & Environmental (FIRE) services. In his new role, Robbins will report to CEO Bart Proctor and help shape the company's growth strategy, including how it evaluates, integrates and expands acquired businesses. Pye-Barker said it has completed more than 200 acquisitions to date as it continues its nationwide expansion. “Pye-Barker is one of the few companies I've seen scale this quickly without losing what made it worth scaling in the first place,” Robbins said. “The operational rigor, the culture, the ownership - what this team has built is truly special, and I look forward to being part of its continued growth.” During his time at Baird, Robbins advised on transactions across the fire and life safety industry, providing experience in the sector's operators, business models and market dynamics. He is also a longtime supporter of Ownership Works, the nonprofit organization that partnered with Pye-Barker on its ALL In employee ownership program. Proctor said Robbins' industry knowledge and approach to growth made him a strong fit for the company. “Peter has sat across the table from us, from our competitors, and from dozens of the businesses we've acquired,” Proctor said. “He understands this industry as well as anyone, but it was his commitment to the people that make this company great that truly stood out to me. “Our growth, while rapid, is also very intentional,” he added. “Peter's growth philosophy matches ours perfectly, and I look forward to seeing what we accomplish together.”

PSA Network appoints Deatherage, Keller to board of directors

WESTMINSTER, Colo.—PSA Network has appointed Travis Deatherage, president of LINX Multimedia, and Pete Keller, chief financial officer of Integrated Protection Services (IPS), to its board of directors. Deatherage and Keller will help guide the strategic direction of PSA, a consortium of systems integrators, while supporting its efforts to provide education, networking opportunities, collaboration and business resources to members. PSA also operates Edge, an audiovisual buying group. “Travis and Pete each bring unique expertise and leadership perspectives that will strengthen our board and benefit the entire PSA community,” said PSA President and CEO Matt Barnette. “Their experience driving growth and supporting operational excellence will help us maximize the value that PSA brings to our members while advancing the future of both the security and audiovisual integration industries.” Deatherage brings more than 28 years of experience across audiovisual systems, telecommunications, software development and technology integration. He founded Solstice Multimedia in 2002 and later merged the company with LINX Multimedia in 2011. Under his leadership, LINX has expanded from a regional AV integrator into a national technology integration provider serving enterprise, healthcare, higher education, government and mission-critical customers. As an Edge member, LINX represents PSA's growing audiovisual integration community, and Deatherage said he looks forward to helping strengthen ties between the security and AV sectors. “I am excited for the opportunity to join the PSA Board at such a pivotal time for security and AV integration,” Deatherage said. “I understand firsthand the value organizations like PSA Security and Edge bring to their members and am honored to be working on the Board of a forward-thinking, collaborative, member-owned organization with leaders from across the security integration industry.” Keller serves as CFO of IPS, where he oversees financial strategy, planning and performance management. PSA said he brings experience in operational efficiency, strategic planning and financial stewardship, and is a frequent speaker on financial leadership and business growth. “I’m honored to join the PSA Board and contribute to an organization that consistently creates value for its members through creative benefits, collaboration, shared learning and industry leadership,” Keller said. “PSA provides a unique platform for member organizations to grow stronger together, and I’m excited to help advance that mission.”

SIA names Randy Clark director of member services

SILVER SPRING, Md.—The Security Industry Association (SIA) has appointed Randy Clark as director of member services, where he will lead the association's membership recruitment, retention and engagement efforts. In the role, Clark will oversee SIA's membership department, directing initiatives focused on member growth and value while helping member companies maximize their investment in the association. He also will oversee membership services and records management. Clark brings more than 20 years of membership and association management experience spanning consumer, professional and trade organizations. Most recently, he served as director of corporate development for the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW), where he was responsible for organizational growth and membership sales. He also led the development of new membership programs aimed at expanding revenue opportunities beyond NAW's traditional corporate membership base. “With Randy Clark joining our talented team, SIA is positioned to better serve our members through enhanced engagement and value,” SIA CEO Don Erickson said. “Randy’s over 20 years of experience as an association membership leader will be highly impactful as we propel SIA forward, faster.” According to SIA, Clark will oversee efforts to provide member value to security industry companies and professionals while supporting the association's overall membership strategy.

Vector Security hires Brandon Reich as chief product and solutions officer

PITTSBURGH—Vector Security has appointed Brandon Reich as chief product and solutions officer, adding a security technology executive with more than 25 years of experience in product leadership, technology innovation and enterprise infrastructure. In the role, Reich will lead the company's product and solutions strategy, overseeing lifecycle management across Vector Security's portfolio of security technologies, managed services and emerging offerings. He will work with teams across the organization to align customer needs, market opportunities and technology investments with the company's long-term growth plans. According to Vector Security, Reich's background includes product strategy, portfolio management, commercialization, recurring revenue models, artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled platforms and technology innovation. "Brandon's deep expertise in product strategy and innovation will be instrumental as we continue to evolve our offerings and meet the changing needs of our customers," said Vector Security President and CEO Pamela J. Petrow. "His leadership will help drive differentiation in the market and support our ongoing growth objectives." Before joining Vector Security, Reich held leadership positions focused on product development and business growth within the technology and security sectors. "I am honored to join Vector Security, a company with an outstanding reputation for customer service and operational excellence," Reich said. "As technology continues to transform the security industry, we are uniquely positioned to help customers leverage intelligent, connected solutions that deliver greater protection, insight, and value. "Vector Security said Reich will help guide the development of next-generation security and technology solutions as the company continues expanding its product and service offerings.

Cellebrite expands partnership with SkySafe to bolster drone investigations

TYSONS CORNER, Va.—Cellebrite has expanded its partnership with drone detection and airspace intelligence provider SkySafe, combining drone-related intelligence with digital forensic investigations in a single workflow. The agreement makes Cellebrite the exclusive digital forensics partner for SkySafe's unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capabilities, building on the relationship between the two companies following Cellebrite's acquisition of SCG Canada earlier this year. According to the companies, the expanded partnership will integrate SkySafe's drone detection and airspace intelligence capabilities with Cellebrite's digital investigative platform, allowing agencies and organizations to correlate real-time and historical drone flight data with mobile device forensic evidence. The combined offering is designed to help investigators identify patterns, uncover connections between digital evidence and drone activity, and accelerate investigations involving UAV-related incidents. "This partnership bridges the critical and often life-saving divide between digital forensics and real-time intelligence," said Shiven Ramji, president of products and technology at Cellebrite. "By working closely with SkySafe, we can help empower organizations to protect their communities, safeguard infrastructure and respond to emerging threats with unprecedented speed and clarity." Grant Jordan, founder and CEO of SkySafe, said the partnership will provide investigators with additional intelligence throughout drone-related investigations. "Effective drone investigations begin with trusted airspace intelligence," Jordan said. "Together with Cellebrite, we're helping agencies and organizations detect, analyze and act on drone activity using comprehensive forensic data that supports both immediate response and long-term investigations." The companies said the partnership is intended to expand the digital intelligence available to investigators by combining SkySafe's drone detection and airspace intelligence capabilities with Cellebrite's forensic and investigative technologies. Cellebrite and SkySafe said they also plan to pursue future development opportunities serving public safety, defense and enterprise customers that require increased visibility into drone activity and related digital evidence.

Checkmarx earns FedRAMP Moderate certification for government AppSec platform

PARAMUS, N.J.—Checkmarx announced that its Checkmarx One for Government application security platform has achieved FedRAMP Moderate certification and is now listed in the FedRAMP Marketplace, allowing federal agencies to more easily procure and deploy the platform. According to the company, the certification comes as federal agencies seek tools to secure increasingly complex software development environments while complying with government cybersecurity requirements. “In an AI-driven world where the velocity of software development is accelerating and the threat landscape is multiplying even faster, application security has never been more critical,” said Sandeep Johri, CEO of Checkmarx. “Federal agencies making long-term security investments need a platform that provides visibility, governance and risk-based prioritization across the entire software lifecycle.” Checkmarx said more than 100 government agencies already use its technology. Kevin Hayes, senior director of public sector sales, said the certification process provided insight into the challenges facing federal development and security teams. “This process gave us direct insight into the challenges federal development and security teams specifically face, including fragmented security tooling, accelerating software delivery cycles, and increasingly complex compliance requirements,” Hayes said. “Checkmarx One for Government was built to help agencies address those challenges with comprehensive testing and centralized risk management.” FedRAMP Moderate certification enables federal agencies to adopt the platform through a streamlined security review and procurement process. Checkmarx noted that the Moderate baseline supports most civilian agency workloads while additional deployment options are available for organizations with more stringent security requirements. Checkmarx One for Government combines multiple application security capabilities within a single platform, including static application security testing (SAST), software composition analysis (SCA), malicious package detection, infrastructure-as-code security, container security and application security posture management (ASPM). The company said its ASPM capability provides a consolidated view of application risk across source code, open-source dependencies, infrastructure, containers and cloud environments. By correlating findings across security domains, the platform is designed to help organizations prioritize vulnerabilities, reduce remediation times and maintain compliance throughout the software development lifecycle. Checkmarx said the certification represents another step in its efforts to help organizations strengthen software security as development environments become increasingly complex.

Delinea achieves FedRAMP High Authorization for Secret Server

SAN FRANCISCO—Delinea has announced that its Secret Server privileged access management (PAM) platform has achieved Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) High Authorization to Operate (ATO), making the solution available to U.S. federal agencies through the FedRAMP Marketplace. The authorization was achieved in partnership with UberEther. FedRAMP High is the federal government’s highest baseline for protecting sensitive, unclassified information in cloud environments. The company said the authorization comes as federal agencies face increasing pressure to modernize identity and access management strategies while addressing security, compliance and emerging artificial intelligence (AI)-related risks. “Federal agencies are under real pressure to modernize access controls for the AI era while meeting strict compliance requirements,” said Art Gilliland, CEO of Delinea. “Secret Server gives them a fully authorized PAM solution that enforces just-in-time authorization, reduces standing privilege and makes every access decision defensible.” According to Delinea, Secret Server enables agencies to store privileged credentials in an encrypted vault, discover and manage privileged accounts, automate password management, enforce role-based access controls and monitor privileged sessions for potential misuse or security threats. The company said its partnership with UberEther helped support the authorization effort by combining Delinea’s PAM technology with UberEther’s federal cloud and compliance expertise. “FedRAMP High Authorization is a significant achievement that reflects both technical excellence and execution discipline,” said Matt Topper, CEO of UberEther. “Our partnership with Delinea ensures federal agencies now have access to a fully authorized, identity-first PAM solution that strengthens cyber resilience, reduces operational friction and supports mission-critical outcomes.” Delinea said the authorization expands the availability of its identity security offerings to federal organizations seeking to strengthen cybersecurity protections, reduce privileged-access risks and meet federal compliance requirements.

Camelot Secure names former IBM executive Victor Brown CTO

COLUMBIA, Md.—Camelot Secure has appointed former IBM federal executive Victor Brown as chief technology officer (CTO). Brown brings more than 30 years of experience in information technology, enterprise architecture, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing and federal market leadership. In his new role, he will oversee the continued development of Camelot Secure’s Secure360 platform and work across engineering, product management and development teams to strengthen customer cybersecurity capabilities. Prior to joining Camelot Secure, Brown served as vice president and CTO for IBM’s U.S. public and federal market business. During his tenure at IBM, he also held technical leadership positions including Distinguished Engineer and IBM Quantum Ambassador, advising federal agencies and Fortune 500 organizations on AI adoption, hybrid-cloud environments and cybersecurity modernization initiatives. According to Camelot Secure, Brown’s appointment comes as organizations face increasingly complex cyber risks driven by artificial intelligence, cloud adoption and evolving threat activity. “Vic brings a rare combination of cybersecurity leadership, technical innovation, and federal market expertise that aligns perfectly with Camelot Secure’s mission,” said Stan Oliver, CEO of Camelot Secure. “His experience helping organizations navigate AI adoption, cloud transformation and evolving cyber threats will strengthen our technology strategy and enhance our ability to provide customers with proactive, intelligence-driven security solutions.” As CTO, Brown will focus on advancing the Secure360 platform, which the company said is designed to help organizations improve threat visibility, strengthen cyber resilience and address compliance requirements

Channel Championz adds Roy Miller to support OEM, product development initiatives

ST. LOUIS—Channel Championz has appointed security industry veteran Roy Miller as special projects director, a move the company said will strengthen its capabilities in original design manufacturing (ODM), original equipment manufacturing (OEM) and specialty security hardware projects. Miller brings decades of experience in the security hardware market, including previous leadership roles as president of ASSA ABLOY Mul-T-Lock and director at NAPCO Security Technologies. Based in the Asia-Pacific region, Miller will work directly with manufacturing partners across China, Taiwan and other Asian markets to support project development and help align customer requirements with manufacturing capabilities. “Roy brings something increasingly valuable to this industry: true, ground-floor security hardware knowledge combined with a global manufacturing perspective,” said Jerry Burhans, founder of Channel Championz. “Having Roy on our team gives Channel Championz and our partners more capability to turn hard-to-solve security problems into commercially viable products.” Channel Championz said Miller's appointment comes as security hardware manufacturers increasingly look to integrate mechanical products with technologies such as mobile credentials, biometrics, wearable devices and connected security platforms. “Security hardware can no longer be evaluated only by the strength and quality of the hardware itself,” Miller said. “The way that hardware interacts with the user is changing. People now interface with the world through smartphones, biometrics, wearables and connected devices.” In his new role, Miller will support Channel Championz partners on ODM initiatives, global sourcing efforts, OEM manufacturing coordination and product design projects.

Automatic Systems names Jeff Kernohan business development manager for NA

BROSSARD, Quebec—Automatic Systems has appointed Jeff Kernohan as business development manager for North America. Kernohan brings more than 27 years of experience in physical security, enterprise risk management, critical infrastructure protection and security consulting. Before joining Automatic Systems, he held leadership positions with consulting firms including Kroll and Guidepost Solutions, where he advised clients on enterprise security risk management programs, physical security assessments, security technology strategies and operational resilience initiatives. Throughout his career, Kernohan has worked with organizations across multiple sectors, including data centers, corporate campuses, healthcare, higher education, government, transportation, sports and entertainment venues and critical infrastructure environments. “Automatic Systems is proud to welcome Jeff to our team,” said David Enderle, North American president and general director of Automatic Systems. “His experience spans program development, security design, executive advisory services, and the implementation of security solutions that align organizational objectives with effective risk mitigation strategies.” Kernohan will report to Chris McClelland, U.S. sales director, and will support customers across the North American market, according to the company. The appointment comes as Automatic Systems continues to expand its North American operations following the launch of its AS1 vehicle gate and the introduction of the SlimLane EVO speed gate turnstile.

Echodyne opens new manufacturing facility to expand radar production capacity

KIRKLAND, Wash.—Echodyne has opened a new manufacturing facility in Washington state that the company says will significantly expand production capacity for its Metamaterials Electronically Scanned Array (MESA) radar technology amid growing global demand for counter-drone, defense and critical infrastructure applications. The 86,350-square-foot facility will serve as a dedicated manufacturing and operations hub and eventually be capable of producing more than 30,000 radars annually, according to the company. Echodyne said it has begun end-to-end manufacturing operations at the site and plans to transition all manufacturing activities from its headquarters to the new facility in the coming months. The company said the expansion is intended to support increasing demand from U.S. and allied government customers, as well as commercial markets requiring airspace monitoring capabilities. “Our global customer base is demanding more radar to be delivered as fast as possible,” said Eben Frankenberg, CEO of Echodyne. “While radar performance will always be the dominant consideration, product availability both now and in a predictable and consistent manner over time is quickly becoming a requirement for any global supplier.” Echodyne said it invested $40 million in the site, which includes approximately 74,350 square feet of manufacturing space and 12,000 square feet of warehousing space. The facility is expected to support more than 100 new jobs initially, with staffing potentially growing to 200 employees at full production capacity. The company cited increasing demand for radar across several markets, including counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS), force protection, border security, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, critical infrastructure protection, and beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations. Echodyne's MESA architecture uses metamaterial technology for electronic beam steering and is designed to reduce the size, weight, power requirements and complexity associated with traditional electronically scanned array radar systems while supporting commercial-scale manufacturing. According to the company, the facility's production model is designed to support multiple radar product lines and accommodate future product introductions. Echodyne said its modular manufacturing approach allows production capacity to be adjusted based on customer demand and market requirements. The company said recent contract awards and growing international demand contributed to the need for additional manufacturing capacity. Echodyne's radar technology is currently integrated into defense and security systems deployed worldwide and is used in programs involving companies such as Anduril, Axon, Moog and Northrop Grumman. Most recently, Echodyne was selected as the primary radar provider for Trust Automation's Small UAS Detection System platform, which is being supplied to the U.S. Air Force under a $490 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract.

Cawamo appoints Scott Goldfine chief marketing officer

FORT WORTH, Texas—Cawamo, developer of the artificial intelligence (AI)-powered VisiGuard intelligent remote video monitoring platform, has appointed security industry veteran Scott Goldfine as chief marketing officer and strategic growth advisor. In the role, Goldfine will oversee the company's global marketing strategy and serve as a strategic advisor to CEO David Yakov and the executive leadership team. His responsibilities include corporate marketing, brand development, demand generation, product positioning, strategic partnerships, public relations, analyst relations, sales enablement and growth initiatives. "Remote video monitoring is rapidly becoming the new standard for protecting commercial properties, critical infrastructure and other environments," Yakov said. "Organizations are demanding smarter, more scalable, AI-driven solutions that improve security while reducing operating costs. Adding someone with Scott's experience, industry credibility and strategic vision strengthens our ability to execute at a much higher level." Goldfine brings nearly 30 years of experience in the security industry, with a background spanning channel marketing, business development, public relations, corporate communications and content management. He has also been active in industry associations and conferences throughout his career. "Cawamo represents where the security industry is headed," Goldfine said. "AI is changing how organizations protect people and assets. The companies that successfully combine AI, automation, intelligent workflows and human expertise will define the future of security operations."

Titan Protection receives 100% score during UL certification

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Titan Protection and Consulting’s Security Operations Center has been certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), an independent safety and reliability verification company. Titan’s Kansas City-based operations center received a 100% score during its annual audit for UL 827B, one of the security industry’s most rigorous certifications for managed video monitoring services. “This certification is a testament to Titan’s blended approach to security – combining highly-trained personnel with advanced technologies to improve effectiveness while reducing costs,” said Ryan Smith, founder and president of Titan Protection. “When a client entrusts us with protecting a data center, distribution facility, construction site or corporate campus, they depend on our operations center to perform flawlessly every hour of every day. This certification provides independent confirmation that we’re built to meet that responsibility.” At the company's 24/7 command center, trained security professionals monitor more than 5,500 cameras and drones across client locations. The facility was purpose-built with multiple layers of redundancy to maintain uninterrupted service during power outages, network disruptions and other unexpected events. In June alone, the center processed more than 605,000 alarms across the sites it protects. Those alerts led to multiple real-world interventions – including 36 arrests so far in 2026. The UL certification verifies that Titan's operations center meets independently established standards for physical security, infrastructure, personnel qualifications, operational procedures and service delivery. Auditors found no deficiencies across any evaluated category, an uncommon achievement even among UL-certified monitoring centers.

Telaeris, Honeywell integrate platform

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Telaeris has announced a new integration between its XPressEntry platform and LenelS2 Elements, Honeywell’s cloud-based access control and video management solution. Built for organizations seeking modern, scalable security without the burden of legacy servers and software, LenelS2 Elements gives administrators a flexible, cloud-first way to manage access control and video. With XPressEntry, that flexibility now extends into the field, enabling security teams to validate credentials, verify identities and account for personnel wherever security decisions need to happen. “We are excited to expand our support for LenelS2 and Honeywell customers with this new XPressEntry integration for LenelS2 Elements,” said Dr. David Carta, CEO of Telaeris. “Telaeris already supports a wide range of LenelS2 and Honeywell security environments, including certified integrations with LenelS2 OnGuard and NetBox, as well as integrations with Honeywell MAXPRO, Pro-Watch and WIN-PAK. With Elements, organizations can now extend their cloud-based access control system into the field with handheld badge validation, mobile mustering and biometric verification tools that improve both safety and security.”

With XPressEntry, organizations using LenelS2 Elements can now perform:

Handheld badge verification: Validate permissions and authenticate identities on the go in locations where fixed readers are impractical or simply unavailable.

Emergency evacuation mustering: Quickly account for employees, contractors, and visitors during emergencies to improve response times and personnel safety.

Handheld biometric verification: Strengthen identity assurance in higher-security areas using biometric and multi-factor workflows.

Entry and exit tracking: Capture movement at temporary entrances, remote gates, or controlled gathering points to support accountability and occupancy awareness.

Corporate events and training: Use existing access credentials to manage access at meetings, training sessions and special events.

Additional field use cases: Guard tour, time and attendance, bus entry validation, guest and visitor tracking, remote parking enforcement, mobile enrollment, confined space management and badge-linked employee surveys.

Arlo Technologies announces expanded partnership between Aloe Care and Home Helpers

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Arlo Technologies has announced an expanded partnership between Aloe Care Health and Home Helpers Home Care, a nationwide provider of comprehensive in-home care services. Aloe Care’s new ConnectAI wellness calling solution will be incorporated into Home Helpers’ line of Direct Link powered by Aloe Care’s solution suite. “ConnectAI is designed to help organizations make care more proactive, personal and scalable,” said Evan Schwartz, SVP at Arlo Technologies. “By combining conversational AI with the in-person work of Home Helpers’ professional caregivers, we are helping improve outcomes, reduce avoidable falls and emergencies, and keeping older adults more meaningfully connected.” Home Helpers has incorporated Aloe Care’s voice-activated medical alert and communication technology into its care model since 2022, helping extend support beyond traditional in-person visits. The addition of ConnectAI will complement Home Helpers’ existing use of Direct Link powered by Aloe Care’s Smart Hub, Mobile Companion and related technology as part of the Home Helpers Cared-4SM program, designed to address key factors that help clients remain safe, healthy and independent at home.

ESA forms advisory council for Industry Research Center

DALLAS—The Electronic Security Association (ESA) has announced the formation of the ESA Industry Research Center Advisory Council, a group of industry leaders tasked with helping guide the association’s research initiatives and future industry intelligence efforts. According to ESA, the council will provide strategic input on research priorities, identify emerging trends and help shape the direction of the ESA Industry Research Center, including development of the forthcoming ESA Industry Performance Index (IPI). The inaugural council members are:

Michael Barnes, founder of Barnes & Associates
Kirk MacDowell, president of MacGuard Security Advisors
Scott R. Elkins, executive chairman of Zeus Fire and Security
Ken Francis, executive vice president of Digital Monitoring Products (DMP)

ESA said additional members will be announced in the coming weeks. “The ESA Industry Research Center was created to provide independent, data-driven intelligence that helps security professionals make better business decisions,” said Merlin Guilbeau, CEO of ESA. “Our Advisory Council ensures that our research remains grounded in the real-world challenges and opportunities facing integrators, dealers, manufacturers, and the broader security community. Their collective experience will help keep our research relevant, practical, and focused on the issues that matter most.” The council will serve in an advisory capacity, working with ESA leadership and Beacon Economics, the association’s research partner, to provide guidance on research topics, industry trends and areas of greatest value to security professionals. ESA said the council will also help inform the expansion of the Industry Research Center’s portfolio of benchmarking tools, economic analysis and educational resources. “One of the greatest strengths of the Industry Research Center is that it is being built with input from the industry,” Elkins said. “This council represents leaders with diverse experiences across the security market, and together we have an opportunity to help ensure the research reflects the realities businesses face every day.” The ESA Industry Research Center was established to provide economic intelligence and market insights designed to help security companies better understand industry trends, benchmark performance and make strategic business decisions.

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