Firstly let me start with a big apology for last month. Sadly my father passed away just as I was meant to be writing my gossip. His timing was always spot on, but thank you to all of you that heard and sent me flowers, cards, and well wishes.
So we have some catching up to do. OK; you may have heard that Phil Tennant has left Pelco and joined Norbain as the Sales and Marketing Director. Yes he is replacing Charlie Lacey, who is moving onwards and upwards, Charlie is staying within the Newbury group and taking up a COO (Chief Operating Officer) role for a company called Decco, which is where he held a number of positions before he moved to Norbain. Sadly Decco are more to do with DIY, home and gardens rather than the security industry. Phil as you will know has been around the industry for many years and is returning to the company where he was in 1993. It’s probably a bit different now I would suspect. He did move to Spain to set up a hot tub business with Beatrice, his lovely wife, but decided that they preferred the cold and wet so returned to the UK in 2011. And talking of Pelco. It seems that over the pond Chris Haun has also left after a mere 15 years and joined BCD Video as Technical account manager to manage their Titan Series product line.
Giants merge
Other big news out there; Johnson Controls and Tyco have completed their merger. The headline is that the combined company creates the global leader in buildings and energy solutions. Alex Molinaroli, Johnson Controls chairman and CEO said: “We are more than just two businesses that have come together – we are now one team uniquely positioned to create value. Our combined insights and world class technologies will help build even smarter, more secure and more sustainable environments that help our customers win and broadly move the world forward.” No pressure there then. With $30 billion in revenue and 117,000 employees (after an anticipated spin-off of the Adient automotive business), this giant covers fire, security, HVAC and energy storage. The firms speak of immediate opportunities for growth through cross-selling and complementary branch and distribution channel networks.
Distributor’s M62 man
Were you also aware of the news from Pro-Vision, Peter Ford told me on September 15. Steve Dunning was finishing with CBC after ten years and starting with the distributor on the Monday as area manager for the M62 corridor to replace Hamish Scott. “Steve is an experienced professional who will be a perfect fit in the Pro-Vision team and who we are delighted has decided to join us,” Peter said.
New hires
IDIS Europe have also been recruiting, Steve Klapiscak as Regional Sales Manager with John Reid taking the role of business development manager. Both are reporting to Jamie Barnfield, Senior Sales Manager, Jamie said, the new hires underpin the company’s continued infrastructure investment and builds upon their commitment to provide local sales support to UK integrators, distributors and end users. Jacksons Fencing has appointed Emma Harrison as Commercial Business Development Manager, covering the south of the country. Emma brings ten years of business development experience, starting in construction and architectural specification for hard wall and floor finishes. Stephen Lightfoot joins Redvision as Technical Manager. And at 360 Vision Technology, that Adrian Kirk has been promoted from National Sales Manager to Director of Strategic Accounts.
Charity
Seems quite a few of you are doing your bit for charity. Stuart Norris at Gratte Brothers is cycling to Paris for the second leg of his charity bike ride, to raise money for a cure for Parkinson’s which sadly his father suffered from. John Campbell is raising money for the Alzheimer’s Society by taking part in a ‘memory walk’. Gregg Stuttle from GJD, below left, raised over £4,000 with his colleagues for the British Heart Foundation by cycling over 245 miles in two days. Justin Bentley CEO of IPSA will be doing a 10km night time walk in his pyjamas to raise money for a local children’s hospice. You can sponsor them at the Justgiving website.
Events
I hope to see you all at Professional Security’s ST16 exhibition and conference in the Park Inn at Heathrow, pictured, on Wednesday, November 2, We have the charity dinner on the night before. We are bringing you speakers and over 70 exhibitors. You now have a personal invite from me to join us, please do. I guarantee you will see something you have never seen before, bump into someone you have not seen for a while or learn something new. We all learn something new each day, remember!
