Here we are at the end of another year and getting ready for 2019. So let me be the first to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a fantastic New Year.
We ran our last ST18 event at Heathrow just the other day which means we have been running these events for six years now . We raised a round £2000 for the Suzy Lamplugh Trust. I’m pictured with the trust’s chief Rachel Griffin after the ST dinner. In fact I was asked how much money we had raised at these events over the years for charity. I thought I would add it up and I can tell you it’s just under £80K which has been shared out to a number of security-related and other deserving charities. It is a fantastic achievement but only made possible by the help of all those that contributed to prizes, all those that helped run the events and all of you that bought tickets and took part in our heads and tails games. You see we get so much out of the events, as they’re great networking opportunities, a time to launch and promote products and services, and meet your peers, friends and customers. They are educational and we have all learnt something from them. A huge thank you for supporting them in whichever way you have, whether you have been an exhibitor, a speaker or a visitor. You are all truly valued.
This is our last publication of 2018 and next year is the magazine’s 30th anniversary. My, how things have changed over the years. I mean, I had hair back then, and remember that back then 911 was a car, Apple and Blackberries were just fruit and CCTV cameras were massive and using tubes. Prince Harry had just been born. The average house price was just £37,000 and the Ifsec show was in Olympia! That makes this our 360th magazine. To think of all those people that we have featured, some, maybe many, are no longer with us; think of all those new products we have seen and written about some come and some gone, Terminator was released with its sci-fi ideas that are now reality such as artificial intelligence, driverless cars and intelligent robots as we featured last issue. What can we expect in the next 30 years? I will have even less hair, assuming I’m still here? Can it be flying cars, will it be robots running our lives and doing our jobs or will we all be banished to Mars with Elon Musk who has very strong views on its direction and the control of it. But you will still want to receive a print copy of the magazine I’m sure to read that gossip, talking of which.
Martin Morris has joined NetVu as a senior Business Development Manager. You may recall Martin was at the distributor Mayflex, and Panasonic, joining NetVu from Merit Lilin. But did you know he started his career at Karcher, yes the industrial cleaner range of products which means he has the cleanest drive in the business.
The distributor Oprema has appointed Emma Holloway as Business Development Executive to cover the South East region. Emma brings 25 years’ experience in the security industry within distribution, installation and manufacturing. She’ been at another distributor, Norbain, and more recently Controlsoft where she managed key accounts and expanded her industry knowledge across all disciplines.
Comelit UK tell me that after their launch into fire detection, they have brought in Tim Swift, as a dedicated Business Development Manager.
TDSI has appointed Richard Money as Distribution Channel Manager. In his new role Richard will be a central point of contact for TDSi’s Distribution Partners including ADI. Norbain, EET, Advanced Axxess, Enterprise and Anixter.
And we say bye bye to Val Whitney who has retired from Norbain – apparently she spent most of her last day crying over the outpouring of lovely messages, flowers, visits and presents from all of her customers and colleagues. The industry and Norbain will miss her – she was sales support and then internal Sales for National Accounts and Sub-Distribution team during her time at Norbain. A connoisseur of red wine and shared Andy Coles passion for Northern Soul.
Finally, we started with charity so let us end there too. “Team Oprema” had a Halloween FUNdraising day to raise money for the fight against MS. Their staff were apple bobbing, bush tucker trialling, leg waxing and fancy dressing on October 30, to raise funds for the UK Multiple Sclerosis Society. Gareth, Tim, Ross all had their legs waxed, as some of them were particularly hairy individuals; it hurt for sure!?! but all for a fantastic cause. As part of the Halloween FUNdraising day! Plus, they manage to raise over £1500, and Financial Controller Tom will be having his chest waxed! But did he?
