Honeywell Security and Fire celebrated 25 years of its Authorized Dealer programs at CONNECT 2015 in Scottsdale, Ari., last month. Nearly 800 independent security dealers and integrators took advantage of valuable networking and learning opportunities.
The event kicked off with the first-ever “Community Service at CONNECT” event, where more than 100 dealers built hygiene kits with Clean the World, which were distributed to Tumbleweed.org, a nonprofit agency serving the homeless youth of Arizona.
Later in the event, Todd Rief, GM of Honeywell Security and Fire, Americas, and Inder Reddy, Leader for Honeywell Security Products Americas, addressed the group on partnership, execution, innovation and the future of the industry. Reddy cited a recent Honeywell marketing survey that showed more than 90 percent of homeowners want some type of home automation. “While connectivity is going to grow and consumers want more remote services, safety and security are still the foundation,” Reddy said. “This makes the people in this room the most ideally suited to go and offer the solution.”
Rief spoke about the Connected Building space, where although the customer pull is a little slower, the need for integration is there. “Security and productivity are at the top of the curve in terms of the needs of commercial decision makers,” Reif said.
The General Session concluded with Honeywell’s annual life safety presentation. This year, members of the Phoenix Fire and Police Department, who helped save two lives in an extreme flood rescue, were honored.
Another highlight were two keynote speakers who hit on very different but important aspects of running a business in today’s climate. Jason Dorsey, (genhq.com) explained the best way to reach Millennials; and Alison Levine, best-selling author and adventurer, showed how teamwork, determination and the ability to adapt to a changing environment are as critical in the workplace as they are on a mountain.
CONNECT 2016 will come to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., on Nov. 10-13. Visit http://connect.honeywell.com for info.
