SIA names Jeff Huggins as 2025 Committee Chair of the Year
The Security Industry Association (SIA) has named Jeff Huggins of ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions as the 2025 recipient of the SIA Committee Chair of the Year Award, which recognizes individuals for excellence in leading SIA committees and advancing member objectives. SIA will present Huggins with the award at The Advance, SIA’s annual membership meeting, which will be held April 1 during ISC West.
Jeff Huggins is the Vice President for Government Programs and National Accounts at ASSA ABLOY Door Security Solutions. He served in and ultimately retired from the U.S. Marine Corps after 22 years, working in the intelligence/reconnaissance field throughout his career, with over 15 years of that service stationed at overseas locations or on deployments to the Middle East, Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, South America, North Africa, and Arctic regions of the globe.
Upon retirement from the Corps, Huggins started his civilian career working in the security industry, supplying access control, intrusion, and video solutions to the financial/banking industry. He has subsequently spent his time in the security industry in leadership roles throughout his career running installation, service, sales, and business development programs.
Huggins has been with ASSA ABLOY since 2014, where he currently leads the government and national accounts programs. He was instrumental in the establishment of the ASSA ABLOY Veterans Network, which has established veterans groups at the company’s various locations across the country and conducts various “give back” activities in support of its veteran employees and local community veterans groups. Since 2024, Huggins has served as the first-ever chair of SIA’s Veterans in Security community, which focuses on the issues and concerns of veterans and active military members who are in—or are interested in joining—the security industry.
“I would first like to acknowledge all of the hard work that all of the committees throughout SIA do to support the security industry,” said Huggins. “Each are volunteers and have very important roles in their own organizations and our collective mission to keep America safe! I am certainly honored to receive this award but would like to do so on behalf of all of those veterans that this committee has been established to serve. For those currently serving, SIA’s Veterans in Security community wants them to know we recognize how important their mission is, and as they choose to transition to the civilian sector, we want them to know they are a natural fit for our industry, and SIA and their member companies welcome them with open arms. The honor, courage, commitment, and loyalty traits exhibited by the veterans community are a model for future generations of leaders!”
The SIA Veterans in Security community is the newest SIA community and provides resources, programs, and events for both veterans—as well as Guard and Reserve members—who work in the sector and actively serving military members who are planning their transition to the civilian world. Membership in the community is open to veterans, members of the Armed Forces, and supporters, both with and without direct military affiliations. As chair, Huggins leads the SIA Veterans in Security Advisory Board, which includes eight industry leaders and veterans and brings immense value to the community’s efforts to support veterans and active military as they join and work in the security industry.
Under Huggins’ leadership, the Veterans in Security community has held events, including a networking reception featuring insights from James Rodriguez, assistant secretary for veterans’ employment and training service at the U.S. Department of Labor, and a special event in honor of Veterans Day at President Lincoln’s cottage. In December 2024, Huggins was influential in guiding the community’s launch of the SIA Veterans Employment Exchange, which specializes in matching veterans and separating military members with open positions in the security industry. The unique online tool is free to all SIA members and job seekers.
“SIA is pleased to recognize Jeff Huggins for his extraordinary initiative, contributions, and leadership on the SIA Veterans in Security Advisory Board and with our industry’s veteran community,” said Scott Dunn, chair of the SIA Board of Directors and senior director of business development at Axis Communications. “It is challenging to start a new initiative, and Jeff didn’t hesitate to take on this challenge. He dedicated valuable time to help recruit and onboard members of the Veterans in Security Advisory Board and played an instrumental role in the development and launch of the SIA Veterans Employment Exchange, a key element of SIA’s efforts to strengthen veteran employment outreach. Jeff’s enthusiasm and dedicated leadership drove strong engagement among advisory board and community members that has only grown since the launch of this community, and we look forward to recognizing him at The Advance this year and to continuing to collaborate with him as SIA builds on its programs for veterans and military members.”
On April 2, SIA will host RISE to Service, a special dinner event at ISC West presented with support from SIA Veterans in Security. This event of charitable giving, cocktails, and an elegant dinner will allow SIA’s young leaders and veterans communities to jointly raise funds benefiting the National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership. Learn more and register here.
Inspired by the noteworthy contributions of SIA volunteers like Jeff Huggins? Employees of SIA member companies can make the most out of their memberships by getting more involved with the association. Volunteer opportunities include joining SIA committees or groups, lending expertise to SIA’s education and training programs, participating in SIA’s advocacy efforts, contributing to SIA’s publications and thought leadership, and getting involved in SIA events. Learn more and get started as a volunteer.
Huggins will receive the Committee Chair of the Year at The Advance 2025, which will take place on Tuesday, April 1, at 10:30 a.m. in The Venetian Expo during ISC West. At this special membership meeting, attendees will review official association business, meet the new SIA board members, and participate in SIA elections, recognize volunteer achievements from the past year, exchange market intelligence for the year ahead, and enjoy a dynamic keynote presentation from Sonny Tai, president of Actuate. In addition to presenting the SIA Committee Chair of the Year Award, SIA will honor the 2025 recipients of the SIA Member of the Year Award and Sandy Jones Volunteer of the Year Award. Learn more and register to attend.
