SIA names 2024 recipients of Lippert, Progress, and Insightful Practitioner awards
The Security Industry Association (SIA) recognized three industry veterans at its Honors Night celebration.
SIA Honors Night is a premier event in New York City held concurrently with ISC East, hosted in collaboration with premier sponsor SIA. SIA Honors Night, which includes drinks and networking, a top-quality dinner experience, and live entertainment, celebrates exceptional members of the security industry for their leadership, commitment, and service to the industry and benefits the work of FAST. SIA Honors Night brings together and connects up-and-coming security talent with established industry luminaries for an evening of celebration and supporting the future of the security industry.
The Security Industry Association (SIA) has named John Nemerofsky as the 2024 recipient of the George R. Lippert Memorial Award, an honor presented annually to a distinguished individual for long-term, selfless service to the security industry and to SIA. Nemerofsky will be presented with the award on November 20 during the 2024 SIA Honors Night celebration.
John Nemerofsky is a beacon of leadership in the security industry. With a remarkable career spanning over 25 years, he has dedicated his career to advancing the innovation and integration of security technology—protecting the people, facilities, and reputations of enterprise clients nationwide. As a trailblazer in security integration, Nemerofsky is shaping the future, safeguarding enterprises, and inspiring the next generation of security professionals.
In 2019, he assumed the role of chief operating officer at SAGE Integration, a national security integration provider operating across 62 major U.S. metro areas and boasting a team of over 19,000 installer partner specialists. Under Nemerofsky’s strategic guidance, the company has become a formidable force in the security industry. During his tenure at Niscayah—now Stanley Security Systems—Nemerofsky was instrumental in the organization’s growth to over $1 billion in revenue.
Beyond his role at SAGE, Nemerofsky is deeply engaged in the security industry on multiple fronts. He sits on the boards of PSA and Security Sales & Integration Magazine and is chairperson of the SecurityXchange, highlighting his commitment to driving industry advancements. John contributes quarterly columns to Security Business Magazine, sharing his expertise for the betterment of the industry.
Nemerofsky serves on the SIA Board of Directors and is chair of SIA’s Member Engagement and Experience Committee. As vice chair for the Foundation for Advancing Security Talent (FAST), he is committed to nurturing the next generation of security professionals. Nemerofsky’s volunteer leadership extends to his championing of SIA’s training, certification, and standards programs, including the SIA Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP), the Security Project Management (SPM) training, and the Certified Security Project Management (CSPM) certification program. He has ensured that all SAGE’s project managers are CSPM certified, supported SIA events, scholarships, and other offerings, and encouraged his team’s active involvement in programs like Securing New Ground (SNG) and the SIA Human Resources Working Group. Notable for his industry contributions, Nemerofsky has been honored with a number of prestigious awards and is a frequent speaker at SIA events, including delivering sessions at ISC West and SNG and presenting the first-ever Security Technician of the Year Awards at ISC East 2023.
“SIA’s Lippert Award recipients represent the very best and most dedicated in our industry, with no better example than John Nemerofsky, and we are thrilled to recognize John as this year’s honoree,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “A truly kind person, John stands out in the security industry as a driving force in innovation, business excellence, and leadership and as a generous contributor of time, expertise, and goodwill through his active involvement in SIA, in other industry programs, activities, and initiatives, and in the larger community. We thank him for his impactful service to our industry, his commitment to giving back, and his passion for growing the security talent pipeline and fostering the next generation of industry leaders, and we look forward to celebrating him and his outstanding achievements at SIA Honors Night.”
Recognized for his outstanding industry contributions, Nemerofsky was awarded the PSA Captains, Hang 10, and High Ride awards at the PSA Convention in 2023. He also received SIA’s Sandy Jones Volunteer of the Year Award in 2024. Away from the professional arena, John finds fulfillment in giving back to the community. Away from the professional arena, Nemerofsky finds fulfillment in giving back to the community. As a proud graduate of the Fox School of Business at Temple University, he stays abreast of the latest industry trends, continuously expanding his knowledge to stay ahead in the ever-evolving field of security technology. As a board member of Mission 500, Nemerofsky dedicates his spare time to philanthropic endeavors, further solidifying his commitment to making a positive impact.
“Thank you to my SAGE Integration family for your unwavering support and to the entire Security Industry Association—Don Erickson, your staff, and your board of directors for your dedication and partnership,” said Nemerofsky. “Thank you to Aiden O’Brien and the FAST Board for all your energy and passion and to Mission 500’s Tracy Larson and Janet Fenner for your generosity and drive to help children and families in need. Finally, a special thanks to my wife, Holly, for always bringing energy, enthusiasm, and brilliant ideas as we work together to make our industry better every day.”
SIA’s Lippert Award is named in honor of George R. Lippert, who dedicated more than 20 years of his life to SIA and the security industry. When evaluating candidates for this award, SIA’s committee considers nominees’ long-term service to SIA and the security industry, the impact of their efforts on behalf of SIA and the industry, and the integrity, leadership, and diplomacy displayed in their industry dealings.
Alice DiSanto of Rajant Corporation has been named as the 2024 recipient of the SIA Progress Award, an honor presented by SIA’s Women in Security Forum (WISF) community celebrating individuals who pave the way to success for women in the security industry. SIA will present DiSanto with the award on November 20 during the 2024 SIA Honors Night celebration.
Alice DiSanto, who chairs SIA’s Women in Security Forum, is Rajant Corporation’s vice president of global marketing and former assistant vice president of marketing. She leads Rajant’s marketing team, dedicated to expanding worldwide market presence, demand generation, brand awareness, growth strategy, and channel engagement for this leader in industrial wireless networking.
Before joining Rajant, DiSanto was with Sharp Electronics and positioned their first-ever outdoor robot to earn five industry awards within the initial 18 months, a distinction unmatched by other early entries to the ground-based robotics security market. She conceived and curated Robolliance, the security industry’s original awareness forum founded by Sharp, to drive understanding and adoption of autonomous technology. She also serves as a member of the SIA Autonomous Solutions Working Group. Disanto has been actively involved with SIA since 2014 and is a founding member of the SIA Women in Security Forum Steering Committee and former chair of the forum’s charitable giving subcommittee, and she assumed the role of WISF chair in 2023.
“The SIA Progress Award is a tremendous honor. To be recognized shines a bright light on the SIA Women in Security Forum’s collaborative work, which focuses on a bolder presence for women in security,” said DiSanto. “The glory of this moment goes to the many women and men behind the scenes who are agents of proactive and positive change. They are the champions of progress. I thank every one of you.“
In her role as chair of WISF, DiSanto has structured the community’s subcommittees into new categories to help WISF grow and build engagement with SIA members. She has worked tirelessly to promote progress in the security industry and is responsible for the success of many key WISF programs, including the CAN DO Challenge to combat hunger each holiday season, the Essentials 4 Job Security Giveback supporting the efforts of Dress for Success, and other activities related to the WISF UpliftHER subcommittee. DiSanto oversaw the development of the PropelHER subcommittee, which is dedicated to streamlining the entrance of collegiate and professional women athletes into the security industry, and leads the subcommittee’s efforts. She is a three-time honoree in WISF’s Power 100 program, which recognizes exceptional women who lead, inspire, and innovate in the security industry.
“SIA is honored to recognize Alice DiSanto as the 2024 recipient of the SIA Progress Award. Alice is not only a consummate volunteer, trailblazer, and innovator, but also a thoughtful and effective leader in our industry who is more than deserving of this special award,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “Alice has been a steadfast supporter and champion within the SIA Women in Security Forum who has expertly guided the community’s charitable giving programs and efforts to advance women in security. We applaud her for her inspiring, transformative, and inclusive leadership and look forward to celebrating her at SIA Honors Night.”
SIA’s Progress Award recognizes SIA members who have shown excellence in their advancement of opportunities and success for women in the security industry. Each year’s recipient is determined based on their contributions to fostering women in the industry, promotion of women’s professional growth through mentorship and/or sponsorship, recognitions and awards for related activities, and demonstration of the highest levels of professionalism and integrity in the security industry.
The Security Industry Association (SIA) has named Scott M. Gross, facility security officer at Con Edison, as the 2024 recipient of the SIA Insightful Practitioner Award, an honor recognizing excellence in promoting the implementation of innovative security solutions. SIA will present Gross with the award on November 20 during the 2024 SIA Honors Night celebration.
Scott Gross has over four decades of experience in security and fire protection. In his role at Con Edison, he has played a critical role in improving security practices for one of the nation’s most extensive and complicated utility companies. All this, coupled with his long experience in deploying the latest state-of-the-art security technologies and proactive stance toward emerging threats, has made him an industry trailblazer. Since joining Con Edison in 2004, Gross has played an invaluable role in mitigating the growing menace of drone activity over critical infrastructure, integrating airspace security solutions to monitor and respond to drone incursions, and ensuring comprehensive surveillance and real-time threat assessment. His innovation and strategic vision have made Con Edison much more capable of protecting its operations from potential disruptions.
Gross has been proactive in advocating for legislative changes to enhance the authority of critical infrastructure operators in mitigating drone threats, contributing to broader security strategies at the state and national levels. Leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning, he has ensured that Con Edison’s security systems autonomously and accurately detect, track, identify, and differentiate drones. In addition to his leadership at Con Edison, Gross is an active member of various industry organizations and advisory boards, using his knowledge and vision to help shape the future of security practices. He holds SIA’s Certified Security Project Manager (CSPM) credential.
“I am honored to receive the Insightful Practitioner Award. The Security Industry Association gives me the platform to work with and coordinate with other integrators, consultants, and end users to better understand the threats on an international as well as a domestic level against the critical infrastructure,” said Gross. “Together we can work to create a multilayered approach to securing and monitoring all the critical infrastructure systems of this great country.”
Gross is a prominent security thought leader and has participated in a number of SIA events, conferences, and initiatives. His many contributions to SIA and the industry include serving on the SIA Utilities Advisory Board, which develops recommendations and guidance for the physical security and cybersecurity of utilities infrastructure, offers formal responses to security rules and guidance proposed by regulatory agencies, shares knowledge with related industries, and develops content for SIA events and publications; sharing his expertise as a speaker at ISC East and ISC West; actively participating in a variety of SIA projects and activities related to critical infrastructure security; and supporting SIA’s efforts related to counter-drone solutions.
“SIA is proud to announce Scott Gross as the 2024 recipient of the SIA Insightful Practitioner Award. Scott is an inspiring industry luminary whose zeal for innovation and drive for legislative change have made a great impact on the security landscape, both locally and nationally, and whose deep knowledge and commitment to critical infrastructure protection have made him a sought-after thought leader in our industry,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “We commend Scott for his impressive accomplishments and valuable contributions to our industry and look forward to recognizing him with this special award at SIA Honors Night. We appreciate the trust he has placed in SIA as an effective platform for security practitioner-security supplier collaboration and information sharing.”
SIA’s Insightful Practitioner Award was created to honor security practitioners who demonstrate leadership and excellence in promoting the implementation of innovative security solutions through education, advocacy, and teamwork with the security industry and other stakeholders.
