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The Communicator

Volume 2.22 Issue January 2026

 

Jim Carey

CASIA President

President's Message

 

Dear Members and Friends of CASIA,

 

What a fantastic way to kick off the year! Our Annual Meeting was a tremendous success, and the energy in the room made one thing very clear, CASIA is growing, evolving, and stronger than ever!

 

Highlights of the meeting included having our Lobbyist Andy Markowski join us for a State of the State Legislative update as well as Executive Director Shannon Few’s State of the Association update. The progress we’ve made together this past year is truly impressive and a testament to the strength of our membership and leadership.

Here are some of CASIA's key accomplishments in 2025:

  • Our total revenue increased by 16% over 2024, and net income rose an incredible 603%. These gains position CASIA to continue expanding the value we deliver to our members and our industry.
  • Education remains a top priority. We launched comprehensive online training for members and the industry here in Connecticut, featuring a full course catalog that supports both technicians and new entrants to our field. In addition, our 2025 webinar series brought timely and practical insights to members. If you missed them, the recording are available in our Member Resource Center!
  • We also expanded our event lineup with the launch of our brand-new October Fest Expo at The Vue!
    • This is a great new tradition for our industry right here in Connecticut.
    • Our signature events continued to thrive as well. The Annual Lobster Bake brought nearly 100 members together once again, and we set another record at the 35th Annual CASIA Golf Classic with 115 participants on the course.
  • Membership growth is another area worth celebrating. We welcomed 18 new members in 2025, and membership dues revenue was up 14% over 2024. It’s clear that companies across the state see the value of being part of CASIA.
  • Advocacy and professional development also saw meaningful progress. CASIA made significant strides representing our industry, delivered top-notch CEU opportunities, and hosted vibrant membership meetings throughout the year. We were proud to see Pat Remes honored by ESA for her decades of service to CASIA — a well-deserved recognition of her lasting impact.
  • Our digital engagement is growing too. The CASIA app is now widely used by members to access information, register for events, and stay connected. We also strengthened our industry presence by participating in NEACC and ISC East, and we wrapped up the year with a wonderful Holiday Party at our new venue, Carmine’s di Vega.

The bottom line is CASIA is moving forward with momentum, and that momentum comes from you, our members! I also want to thank Mircom for sponsoring our Annual Meeting as well as our Premier Partners: DSC, ISC East, Assa Abloy, BKFT and Security Central for their incredible support throughout the year of CASIA!

 

I’m already looking forward to seeing many of you at our next membership meeting on March 19th. If the Annual Meeting was any indication, it’s going to be another great opportunity to connect, learn, and continue taking the value CASIA delivers to new heights!

 

Thank you for being part of CASIA and for helping make 2025 such a successful year!

 

Sincerely,

 

Jim Carey

CASIA President

Annual Meeting Photo Gallery! 
Register for the March Meeting!
 

RMR Power Play: Turning Inspections,

Service & Technology into Long Term Value

 

We are pleased to welcome back Robert Few, Managing Partner with The Connection Xchange (TCX) as our Featured Speaker on March 19th!

 

In this session, Robert will explore how security and fire alarm companies can transform routine inspections, service calls, and technology upgrades into powerful drivers of recurring monthly revenue.

You will learn practical strategies to strengthen customer relationships, increase profitability, and build sustainable long-term value by integrating operations, innovation, and client care into one winning playbook for you and your team!

 

Please be sure to join us at Eli's on Whitney at 5:30pm on Thursday, March 19th!

 

SIAC Announcement!!

 

The Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC) is pleased to announce the election of industry veteran Grady Medcalf as its new board chairman. CASIA looks forward to working even more closely with SIAC and Grady in 2026!

Medcalf brings more than two decades of leadership experience in regulatory compliance, operations, and industry advocacy within the electronic security and life safety industries. He currently serves as Director of Licensing & Compliance at Comcast, where he oversees state licensing, compliance processes, and industry best practices for product installation and training across multiple markets.

Read Full Article Here 
 
Click Here to Register for our 2026 Events!
 

Vendor Spotlight 

 

Mircom is an independent leader for scalable and flexible building solutions. Engineered and manufactured in North America, Mircom offers best-in-class solutions to bring our customers—and their customers—the right safety solution for their needs. Our product portfolio includes Fire Detection & Alarm, Communications, Access Control, Mass Notification, and Building Automation.

Carrie Ruddy

Business Development Manager

M: 781-464-0667

cruddy@mircomgroup.com

www.Mircom.com 

 
 

Please Contact

Bill Pitcher - President/Owner BKFT

wepitcher@aol.com or 917-863-0657

 

CASIA's Online Training powered

by Alarm Academy is a Game Changer!!

 

The Freshest Industry Content, Affordable Courses, and

Career-Boosting Education for Security & Life Safety Professionals

 

Be Sure to Check Out the Details on Our New Bundled Packages Below!

We Make Training Your Team Affordable & Effective!

 

Training Spotlight:

Effective Project Management

Builds Long Term Success!

 

Shannon Few

CASIA Executive Director

In our industry, technical skills and relationships may get you in the door, but project management discipline is what determines long-term success.

 

As integration projects grow more complex, margins tighter, and timelines shorter, the companies that consistently perform well are not just great at installation. They are great at process. They plan thoroughly, document consistently, communicate clearly, and manage every phase of a project with intention. That level of precision doesn’t happen by accident.

It comes from having the right systems in place and teams trained to use them. Strong project management impacts every part of your business ensuring:

  • Jobs stay on schedule
  • Budgets remain under control
  • Change orders are handled professionally
  • Communication improves between office, field, and clients
  • Documentation protects both your company and your client

When any one of those areas breaks down, profitability and reputation are at risk. When they work together, projects run smoother, customers notice the difference, and your team operates with greater confidence.

 

That’s exactly why CASIA is proud to offer our Project Management Course that comes with dozens of templates for you to take and customize for your business! The course is designed specifically for low-voltage installation companies and provides practical, field-relevant instruction built for the way our members actually do business.

 

This comprehensive course equips your team with the tools to establish a repeatable, reliable project management system. Attendees will learn practical strategies, effective procedures, and essential documentation techniques that improve organization, streamline workflows, and strengthen communication from kickoff to closeout.

 

What Participants Will Learn

This course is structured to give your team a complete operational framework, including how to:

  • Understand the benefits and overall structure of effective project management
  • Identify the phases, workflows, and core tasks within a project lifecycle
  • Apply clear processes and procedures that create consistency across jobs
  • Use forms and documentation to maintain control and accountability
  • Implement tools that help manage a project from start to finish
  • Manage the critical financial components including budgets, purchasing, change orders, and documentation

These are the systems that separate reactive companies from proactive ones. When your team knows not just what to do, but how and when to do it, projects become more predictable and profitable.

 

Operational excellence is not about working harder, it’s about working smarter with structure and discipline. Investing in project management training is one of the most direct ways to improve performance across your entire organization.

 

If your company is ready to reduce chaos, improve consistency, and deliver projects with greater professionalism and control, this course is a must. Click here to purchase it today!

 

We look forward to helping you build stronger processes and even stronger results.

 

CASIA's Alarm Academy Training!

 

Our New Bundled Online Course Packages offer you the very best value for your team! Every business is different and requires different combinations of training. We have developed options for your new technicians as well as anyone joining your company that is new to our industry!

Choose from 8 options all discounted at 50%+ in savings versus buying the courses individually!

 

Need help navigating which packages are best for your various team members? Schedule a call here with Behrens Watkins today!

Sign Up Your Team Here!
 

Security Business

2025 State of the Industry Report 

 

 

This year's State of the Industry report reveals fascinating data on the state of business for security integrators and consultants. In addition to hard revenue and economic numbers, we also took a deep dive into the impact of artificial intelligence, cloud services, workforce development, and more. 

 

After you digest all that data, Security Gives Back is the perfect palate cleanser. Read about how your fellow integrators and consultants gave back to their communities in 2025. 

Read the Full Report!
 

Have You Logged into the CASIA Website Yet?

 

Our website is full of Member Resources, Access to CASIA's Alarm Academy online training and so much more! If you didn't receive our welcome email inviting you to login to the site, please reach out to Shannon Few at shannon.few@casiact.org to ensure we have all of your current contact information so we can keep you informed!

 

When you login and update your profile information, it will make your online experience with us super easy moving forward when you need to register for our events, training, and take advantage of member benefits! 

 

Special Thanks to Our Premier Partners!!

 

Diamond Premier Partner:

 
 

Gold Premier Partner:

 

Silver Premier Partners:

 
 
 
 
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Connecticut Alarm & Systems Integrators Association | P.O. Box 7230 | Wilton, CT 06897