Wayne Alarm Systems presents first Charlie Darsch Memorial Award

LYNN, Mass.—Wayne Alarm Systems, Inc., a family-owned and operated provider of life safety and security solutions, recently presented one of its employees with the inaugural Charlie Darsch Memorial Award, named for the late alarm industry icon.

The 2025 winner was Charlie Townsend, a member of Wayne Alarm Systems’ IT department, who received the award during the company’s holiday party on Dec. 6.

Darsch’s daughters presented the award to Townsend, who was chosen in recognition of his embodiment of all four of Wayne Alarm Systems’ core values: we care, honest humility, pursuit to be the best, and capable work ethic. These are values that Darsch embodied as well, as anyone who met him would attest, the company said.

Through his work at Aritech and System Sensor (Honeywell), his time on the Security Industry Association (SIA) board, the ESA Historical Committee, and the Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC) board of directors - where he served with Wayne Alarm’s founder Ralph W. Sevinor - as well as his extensive consulting career, Darsch was well known and respected throughout the alarm industry before his passing in 2023 at the age of 92.

“We were delighted to have Charlie Darsch’s daughters Amy Atwood, Kristin Blanchard, and Julie Mogauro be part of the presentation, as well as having his wife Ellen in attendance,” Sevinor said. “Everyone who knew or interacted with Charlie Darsch was made better by their association.”

“In less than two years, Charlie Townsend has made himself an indispensable part of Wayne Alarm,” the company said. “His can-do attitude and relentless pursuit of a solution made him the perfect recipient of the 2025 Charlie Darsch Award.”