November already?! Please be careful with those fireworks especially the way that 2020 has panned out. We don’t need any more issues, do we. I keep seeing people posting that the clocks are going forward but can we switch them forward to 2021?!
I hope you are all safe but more to the point obeying the rules. When will this be all over? I wish I could say but meanwhile we need to pick ourselves up and get on with it as best as we can. Firstly, let’s talk about marketing, as I see that Oprema have recruited Shaunna Bowen into their team as the graphics designer. Now I know that is a very similar name to Shaun Bowie also from the industry based in Wales but do not get confused, I see that Shaunna is hoping to win the Lottery and disappear on holiday; don’t we all! It’s not quite fire-fighting which is what she wanted to be as a little girl but I am sure as deadlines start to approach it will feel like fighting fires?!
Talking of Shaun he announced nearly four years ago that he was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia. He has been treated by the amazing NHS since then and finally last month had the news that he had achieved MMR4 with a PCR of 0.009 per cent (This is good, I am told.) Still a long way to go, but I thought it was appropriate to mention it and that he is doing really well. Well done Shaun.
Zara Taylor has joined the access control firm TDSi as Marketing Manager. Zara, pictured, who is based at the company’s head offices in Poole, is overseeing their digital and marketing strategies. TDSi’s Managing Director, John Davies said: “We’re excited at the prospect of seeing Zara’s skills being put to work, as we take our marketing activity to the next level with a good dose of Millennial thinking and knowhow. Zara’s knowledge of the digital and social landscape will add fresh impetus to our marketing drive, as we bring new products out of our development pipeline and augment our sales channel strategies, both at home and abroad. I know that Zara will have a positive impact on our activities, and I’m delighted she’s now a part of the team.”
360 Vision Technology have appointed Christianne McMillen as Sales and Marketing Executive. Christianne, who started her security sales career at Norbain, is well-known in the industry and comes to 360 with a background in senior sales team management, most recently at Mayflex, where she led the internal sales teams to deliver multi-million pound growth year on year. She joins fellow new recruit, Effie-Mae Sims, in the Internal Sales Team at 360 Vision. Is that the same Christinanne that’s married to Jamie at Suprema I wonder or just a coincidence?
Now if you have been one of the unlucky ones to find yourself looking for a new role, then get in touch, as we are aware of a number of vacancies and work with a number of recruitment consultants. You can take a look at the jobs page on our website as there have been many vacancies loaded up there by our friends at Zitko. There might be just the job you’re looking for.
If you have not had chance yet then why not join the 15,000 visitors that have been and looked at our Virtual Event online, STVE for short. It’s on our website 24/7 under Security TWENTY, see ST Virtual or if you are reading the magazine online, like so many of you are these days then click on here https://library.myebook.com/professionalsecurity/stve-2/2652/.
There are 20 plus exhibitors with interactive stands that have videos and products on display; there is a conference room with a number of key presentations especially recorded for the event – not something you will have seen before; and we have a library of books that have been evaluated by our editor Mark Rowe, if you are looking for something different to read or studying for qualifications. I wonder if anyone has found the Dragons and wizard page?
And finally it is with great sadness that I need to report of two passings this month. Firstly Mark Novak sadly lost his fight against cancer at the age of 54. I went to his funeral which was very sad especially when his 12-year-old son played Hallelujah on his guitar in front of his dad’s coffin. Grannie his wife did an excellent eulogy to Mark as did Mark Weatherley his manager from Avigilon. Mark was always upbeat and had a great story to tell even if you didn’t understand some of the words he used. Likewise Donie O’Callaghan has died at the age of 70. Donie was known to everyone in the security industry especially those in Ireland, and in the European chapters of ASIS. Mark Rowe has written about Donie on page 84 of the November print edition, so I will say no more other than our hearts and souls go out to both Mark and Donie’s families. Stay strong guys as that is what those guys would have wanted.
