I am writing this two days before IFSEC, so let me make some predictions which you can test me on as by now you will have visited the show and should know if I am wrong. Or perhaps you never got to the show, or just missed these? If you missed the show then you can always pop to our next ST event, in Manchester on July 5. We have some 70 exhibitors waiting for you. As usual we will be holding our charity dinner the night before and don’t forget this will be followed by the charity casino which will be brought to you thanks to our friends at Canon, and that means there will be a Canon camera to be won by the person with the most chips at the end of the night. But let’s not take up my gossip with that as you can read more about it on this link.
Back to IFSEC. Did you notice on the Redvision stand Dermot Grace? Yesm he has left Tyco Security Products after almost being there for six years. I know, doesn’t seem that long does it, He has joined Redvision as the Managing Director. I think that means that Paul Hucker can start to enjoy more time on that golf course he so loves to be on. In fact Dermot also loves to play a round, so perhaps the next board meeting may well be in the clubhouse. Now not many of you will recall this but Dermot joined our industry way back in 1992 as Sales Director for Norbain where he left in 2010; that is, some 18 years later, wow.
Now talking of ex-Norbain directors did you also notice Andy Pigram on the Bosch stand? As he has joined them as the new Managing Director. Andy had left there in 2014 and has been at AMG ever since. I first met Andy in the 1990s when he was working for Sensormatic at their Harefield offices. Those were the days, I hear him saying now! This was when I was selling CCTV product of course, my contact there being Paul Wong of course Andy has replaced. It’s a small world, as you should know by now.
To NVT did you notice that Doug Gwilliams is working with these guys now after a brief spell with Panasonic (one year actually). Doug as you will know has been in the industry since 2000, he spent his first 12 years with Sanyo, so working for Panasonic was like going home as they bought Sanyo a few years ago. Likewise, like so many in our industry so don’t knock it, Doug is a Scout leader so if he is not talking cameras or transmission he is talking camp fires and often seen playing with his woggle! Or so I am told. The picture I have of Doug he won’t let me use, so you ask him.
Chris Whitting (I’m giving you both Ts this time, Chris) has joined Hanwha, (who were Samsung but now are known as Hanwha, so get used to it as I am not going to keep telling you this). Chris has joined to work specifically in the retail sector and is joined by Barry Clayton. Now Barry was the CCTV manager at Boots the chemist where he was responsible for developing the CCTV strategy for the company. You could say poacher turned game keeper; needless to say Barry knows his CCTV and his peers from retail. A good move by Simon Shawley there. Meanwhile Chris has loads of experience having worked with Sony, Bosch, Verint, CNL, and more recently Milestone Systems, making him an expert on IP CCTV I would suspect.
In brief and only cause I am running out of space, Sean Donaldson has joined Mayflex as director of sales, from NBM Distribution where he held a number of sales and management roles. And Positive Response has just appointed Jason Waybill as the new business development director.
Axis Communications the network video product company has acquired an IP intercom company 2N. The 2N brand will remain and the company will operate as a subsidiary within the Axis group.
The UK-based manufacturer of Magicard secure ID card printers has announced an investment from private equity firm LDC, part of Lloyds Banking Group, with CEO Andy Matko, and also from the company Andrew Cornelius, Alan Pickering, David Worsdell and Luis De La Cruz. As a result, the business exits the Ultra Electronics group and changes its name, from Ultra ID to Magicard Ltd.
Charity thanks
Greg Stuttle from GJD asked me to extend this to all those that helped him raise money for his cause. He said: “On behalf of the charity (Down Syndrome Extra 21) we would like to thank everyone who took part in this year’s go-kart race [pictured]. I hope that all of the 28 teams had a fantastic day. Once again the staff at Bickmore Park were the stars in the background and ensured everything ran smoothly and safely for all of us. Can you all please pass on our thanks to everyone who sponsored you and your teams. This year we have raised £23,838.32! This is an incredible achievement and one of the largest amounts we have raised for a number of years. Thank you all once again, and I look forward to seeing many of you again at next year’s race. I will send out the date later this year.”
And Peter French of SSR Personnel has asked you to join him at the Abridge Golf & Country Club, Epping Lane, Stapleford Tawney, Essex, RM4 1ST, on Monday, September 26 2016; for golf in aid of Embrace – Child Victims of Crime.
