In celebration of a signature year of achievement and change 77 members and guests attended the May 20, 2010 Annual Meeting. Eleven Awards were given to Wisconsin Electronic Security Association members and their staff who provided exceptional service to the security industry during the past year. The Awards Committee, consisting of past presidents, chose members in six service categories for Member of the Year Awards, one special support acknowledgement and a special achievement award.
Created to honor individuals deserving recognition for dedication, generosity, significant contribution, and excellence in their work on behalf of the security industry in Wisconsin, the Robert W. Shirley Achievement Award was first presented in 2005. This highest honor of the Association is not an annual award but is reserved for special achievements.
WIESA Past President, Chris Utter was chosen to receive the second Robert W. Shirley Achievement Award. In presenting the award, the first honoree and Past President Mike Horgan stated that, “Nobody has done more for this association and the Wisconsin Alarm industry during recent times. Nobody has attended more meetings, taken more calls, faxes, e-mails, and other correspondence, done more lobbying, done more relationship building, especially with the city of Milwaukee, but elsewhere too”. Thanks in large part to Chris Utter, WIESA has a strong relationship with Milwaukee’s Neighborhood Services Department, and has a real voice in the City of Milwaukee Private Alarm Systems Taskforce. No one has shown more enthusiasm, more determination, more passion, and more care for the association and the security industry.
In the 2010 Members of the Year categories, top honors went to H&S Protection Systems, Inc recognized as the Dealer Member of the Year and also receiving the Administration Person of the Year award was H&S Protection Systems, Inc, Administrative Assistant Renee Smith.
The Associate Member of the Year Award went to Honeywell Security, represented by Mike Witchie. Lead Alarm Technician, Tim Johnson, Engineered Security Solutions, Inc received the Technician of the Year award. Salesperson of the Year honors went to Sherman Salter, Stanley Security Solutions, Inc and Richard Paur from the Department of Neighborhood Services, City of Milwaukee was recognized as the Public Safety Member of the Year.
A WIESA Support Award was presented to Carl Johnson, General Manger, Broadview Security for his support of employee involvement in WIESA activities. Outgoing WIESA President, Chris Utter, paid honor to three members with Presidents Awards. Receiving those awards were Bob Wolf, Past Education and Training Chairman and Retired NTS Trainer who returned to teaching for special needs of the Association; Gary Talma, Broadview Security & WIESA Chairman of Education and Training who provided many hours of NTS planning, organizing and teaching to meet the new certification requirements in Milwaukee, and Maureen Mecham, Engineered Security Solutions, Inc, Past Member-At-Large and Marketing Chairperson who was strategic in the planning and implementation of the first WIESA/ESA Youth Scholarship Program.
The following members were elected to serve as directors of the WIESA Board of Directors for a two year term from May, 2010 through May, 2012.
- President, Tom Binish, A&A Fire & Security
- Vice President, Josh Manring, Per Mar Security
- Treasurer, Mark Weidemann, Stanley Security Solutions
- Secretary, Dave Fontecchio, TECC Security
- Member at Large, Jill Greenwood, A&A Fire & Security
- Associate Member at Large, Brandon Dobratz, APD
- Immediate Past President, Chris Utter, Magnasphere
