This article originally appeared in the April 2022 issue of Security Business magazine. When sharing, don’t forget to mention Security Business magazine on LinkedIn and @SecBusinessMag on Twitter.
For many of us, ISC West is our best chance to meet and entice current and prospective clients and customers – all while sharing the show floor with our most heated competitors, who are doing the same exact thing.
and Convergint; or even Security Business and Security Systems News can drop the sales competition for a little friendly competition, all in the name of helping others: The Mission 500 5K/2K event.
This year’s event raised a little more than $90,000 through sponsorships, registration and fundraising to help children in need. Additionally, 500 care packs made on the show floor were distributed to local families via Nevada Health Centers Inc. The top fundraiser was my 2K walking buddy Ronnie Pennington of Altronix, who raised $2,850 in just a few short months.
Now let’s be clear: I am NOT a morning person; in fact, there’s a hard rule in my house to not speak to me until I’ve had at least a cup of coffee and it is after 8:30. That said, even for a
“No matter how early in the morning this race is, at the end of the day, we have not only made a positive impact on the community, but we have also come away with some great moments and stories to tell,” says Janet Fenner, co-chair of Mission 500.
I can’t speak for those running the 5K (maybe one day), but walking the 2K is actually an exhilarating and fun way to start a tedious 12-hour day at a trade
show. Even the bus rides to and from the park were fun – for many a way to catch up on emails, but for me a chance to meet someone random and new.
The walk itself is, in a word, refreshing. Compared to the recycled, oxygen-pumped casino air, it is a welcome change of pace to take deep breaths of truly fresh morning air. You would think 2K is a long walk, but to me it felt just about the same as the walk from my hotel room in the Mirage to our booth in the Venetian Expo.
A total of 350 people signed up for the walk or run, including those who participated virtually. Kudos to those people, but I would challenge each and every person reading this who plans to attend ISC West and has never done this event before to take a chance: wake up early, take in the fresh morning air, hang out with your industry friends (and competitors), and help someone else before your trade show day. You won’t regret it.
Paul Rothman is Editor-in-Chief of Security Business magazine. Email him your comments and questions at [email protected]. Access the current issue, full archives and apply for a free subscription at www.securitybusinessmag.com.
