Security Sales & Integration August 2021 - 64

Secure Perspectives
Presented by
Security Trends & Diversity Initiatives
This column is brought to you by the Security Industry Association's (SIA) Women in
Security Forum, supporting diversity through programs, professional development
and networking events. Here's a sampling of the complete perspectives posted
monthly at securitysales.com/tag/secure-perspectives.
▶ How did you get into the security
industry?
CHRISTINE LANNING
President, Integrated
Security Technologies
Christine Lanning: Like most others in the
security industry, I didn't grow up saying I want
to be a security professional. In college, I studied
business and information technology with hopes
that I would get a job at Microsoft. When my
husband and I started Integrated Security Technologies
(IST), I agreed to help in the evenings
and on weekends, while working a full-time job
and going to college. I didn't think much of the
security industry. Back then it was outdated with
no industry standards, and no one in the industry
looked like me. But I realized over the next
few years while the industry transitioned from
analog to digital that I didn't just understand
networking and software - I was good at it.
KELLE SHANKS
Senior Account Executive,
Convergint Technologies
▶ What do you see as important trends
in the industry?
CL: I know everyone wants to talk about the latest
in technology development when answering this
question, and I don't want to discount that. But
let's look at the human trend, the human potential
that the pandemic has delivered to our industry.
Last year and early this year, we were struggling
against other technology industries to find talent.
Today, the available talent pool of young, diverse,
technically-savvy applicants has increased tenfold
because of the pandemic's impact on so many
other sectors. Economies are seeing how valuable
security is, and workloads in our U.S. Department
of Defense and critical infrastructure sectors
are actually accelerating, bringing ever greater
opportunity to a newly hungry workforce. I feel
like this pandemic may turn the statistical tide of
our industry's aging workforce, and years from
now we will look back and see the impact of a
trend towards a more youthful, diverse approach
to solving security problems, solutions that lead
potentially towards a more human-centered and
more collaborative security industry evolution.
▶ What trends are you seeing in your
company's space of service-based
systems integration?
Kelle Shanks: Customers want immediate access
to real-time data about service calls and installations.
They want to be able to create reports
on metrics: dollars spent, where they were spent,
service costs and for what devices, etc. This is less
about " grading " the integrator than it is valuable
information for them to share with their management
for more resources or funding. Convergint
has very sophisticated systems that allow
us to provide this data, creating value for a client
in a way perhaps not previously considered.
▶ What are the biggest opportunities your
company - and the industry - are seeing?
KS: The security industry is growing in diversity. I
have been in the industry for 27 years, and I can tell
you that I am seeing more women being hired and
thriving than ever before ... in many areas, including
SIA, the ASIS Women in Security Council and my
own office. Here at Convergint we have created a
group called Convergint Women Connect (CWC),
of which I am a founding member. CWC was created
with the mission of connecting the women of
Convergint Nation to inspire them, support them
and develop their leadership mentality.
We host networking opportunities, offer learning
and development opportunities and advocate
on behalf of the women of Convergint. One example
of our work is our quarterly webinar event,
" A Day in the Life. " We use this series to highlight
Convergint women who perform roles historically
held by men in order to demonstrate how
many career paths are truly available to women, if
they choose to pursue them.
▶ What would you say to new upcoming
women in the industry?
KS: We need you in this industry! You can be
successful, respected and heard here. As a corollary,
I would also like to address the women who
are already successful in the industry: if you haven't
done so already, find someone to mentor. We
owe it to the next generation to leave a legacy, so
if you are at the top of the mountain, put out a
hand and pull someone up with you.
SECURITY SALES & INTEGRATION (USPS 511-590) (ISSN 1539-0071), Vol. 43, No. 8, is published monthly by Emerald X, LLC., 100 Broadway, 14th Floor,
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