The Season of Giving

Ah, ‘tis the season of giving.

It’s the middle of December, and that means it’s that time of year to take out your wallets and spend money on your loved ones for the gifts they have been yearning for.

Or perhaps you plan on donating to your favorite charity, or giving a little something to a teacher, or the mailman, or the newspaper delivery person during the holiday season as a token of appreciation for what they do throughout the year.

I’m definitely in the giving mood as 2022 comes to a close. Matter of fact, Santa Harris gave a priceless gift to 40 young security professionals earlier this week as Security Systems News announced the “40 under 40” Class of 2022!

Yes, Santa Harris looked at the list of nominees, was checking it twice, but it was certainly not about who was naughty or nice. It was all about who among the nominees was truly making an indelible mark in the security industry, not only based on what they have already achieved in their young careers, but also based on the feedback from their colleagues on the impact they have made at their respective companies and to the industry as a whole.

Comments like “He is an inspiring leader in security who is at the forefront of the development and leadership of corporate security programs in the industry,” to “She is an incredibly bright young mind in our industry,” to “She has consistently gone above and beyond in her ability to serve the customer and the industry” on our nomination forms were clear indicators to me that these next-gen professionals are the future leaders of the security space.

Trust me, it was a difficult process to whittle down the list of candidates to come up with the final 40, and quite honestly, any of these candidates could be winners any other year (until they hit 40, of course).

Speaking of the 40 winners, the feedback we have already received from the newly announced Class of 2022 has been overwhelming, to say the least. One of our “40 under 40” winners exclaimed, “What a great surprise this morning! It’s an honor to be recognized!” Another winner gushed, “What a phenomenal feeling to be recognized as one of the security industry’s 40 under 40 among some truly exceptional leaders! Thank you for the honor!” A third “40 under 40” honoree humbly stated, “I am so honored to be on this list amongst incredible peers!! Thank you for the recognition.”

Just reading those remarks had me bursting with pride knowing that their holiday seasons just got a little bit brighter, and that’s just such a great feeling.  As I mentioned when the “40 under 40” winners were announced, the industry is in good hands with these future leaders at the forefront.

Want to see the complete list of “40 under 40” winners? Click here for the Class of 2022.

Congratulations to all our winners! We will honor the “40 under 40” Class of 2022 with a special supplement next summer, so keep your eyes out for that.

As we wrap up 2022 (and presents, hee-hee), we at Security Systems News want to wish our readers a very joyous and Happy Holiday season!