In The Boardroom With...

Mr. Robert Sawyer
President & CEO
AMAG Technology, Inc.
www.AMAG.com

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Thank you for joining us today, Robert, and congratulations on the branding you have achieved with AMAG. Few companies can boast of a 40 year track record, with over 30,000 systems installed in over 110 countries. Please tell us about your background and a brief company history.

Robert Sawyer: Thank you Martin. I have been President and CEO of AMAG Technology, Inc. since 1995, however I've been with the company for over 30 years. I started out as the Controller when the company was known as American Magnetics. I graduated from Colorado College in 1970 where I majored in Economics. AMAG Technology is part of G4S Technology, a leading manufacturer of scalable, integrated security management systems headquartered in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England.

Robert Sawyer: AMAG's Symmetry Security Management System provides a powerful integrated solution for organizations requiring automated security. Solutions are available for facilities of any size - from small offices requiring just a few card readers or cameras to large corporations or high security facilities spread over multiple sites and countries. In addition to our Symmetry access control software and intelligent controllers, we offer Symmetry Video Management with Visualizer Encoders and Symmetry Intrusion Detection to provide our customers with a total solution. We are also getting ready to launch our own network camera line, truly making AMAG a one stop shop for a total security solution. In addition, we integrate with best-in-breed technology partners in the industry to offer in-demand solutions to our customers.

Robert Sawyer: The past few years we've had tremendous success in healthcare and mid-sized airports, along with utilities. Symmetry meets special requirements imposed in each of those markets, making it a good choice. For example, Symmetry meets the NERC requirements needed by utilities, and helps healthcare officials with their HIPAA requirements.

Our solution performs well in the education market as well. Symmetry's feature set works well with a school districts overall security plan, which includes many parts. One part is access control. Symmetry controls access throughout a building or campus and can instantly lock or unlock doors at the touch of a button. In certain situations, this quick response could save critical minutes and therefore lives.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: The recent tragedy in Newtown, CT has highlighted the need for more security in K-12 schools. Please tell us about the solutions AMAG delivers to the education market.

Robert Sawyer: I was so sad and shocked to hear the news about Sandy Hook Elementary school. Protecting a school environment is a huge undertaking that involves many components to be successful. From detailed crisis management plans, a threat and vulnerability analysis, an active, trained and involved staff, video cameras and communication between school district staff and the local police force or police liaison if a school has one. AMAG's Symmetry System provides one component in this comprehensive list of items needed to successfully secure a school. We provide the technology to lock doors. Symmetry controls access throughout the day and can change the level of security based on the time of day, a special event such as a snow day or holiday, or an immediate threat. In emergency situations, AMAG's Threat Level Manager allows users to put a whole school on lock down with the click of a mouse. Symmetry's remote monitoring feature allows the police or outside staff to watch what is happening inside the school. This information can help authorities make quick decisions and interact with staff inside. On a calmer note, Symmetry provides an identity management and visitor management solution that properly identifies who is who walking around the school so everyone is aware of who each other is and why they are in the building. This is good for parent volunteers, contractors and delivery drivers who are not in the building every day.

Robert Sawyer: I am extremely proud of the government work AMAG has done and as stated, it started in the 1990's with the Navy's MARC program. We offer our own line of government products, starting with the Symmetry Homeland Security Management System. Symmetry Homeland is a physical access control system (PACS) designed to provide powerful integrated access control and security management solutions for those users that need to comply with Federal regulations such as FIPS 201, FIPS 197, SP800-116, M-11-11 and HSPD-12 in support of smart card programs such as PIV, CAC, TWIC and FRAC. Symmetry Homeland also supports non-PIV visitors through included visitor management, badging, and optional DESFire card encoding.

AMAG proudly secures several government agencies, national critical infrastructure and military operations including the Department of Homeland Security, Hoover Dam, and various Department of Defense installations. We have an office in the DC area staffed with our Government Systems Group. The office houses a state of the art training center where area resellers can get trained on Symmetry Homeland. Federal end users can visit our Technology Center and participate in an interactive demonstration of the products. We are committed to the government market and proud of the work we've done.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Care to elaborate on 1 or 2 success stories in the government space?

Robert Sawyer: AMAG's Symmetry Homeland SMS was chosen by SPAWAR Systems Center Charleston as the next generation of access control and security management systems equipment for the Marine Corps Electronic Security System (MCESS) program. To date, 30-plus systems have been deployed at Marine Corps installations worldwide. All existing MCESS equipment will eventually transition to Symmetry.

Automated Installation Entry or AIE is a Symmetry-based electronic entry control system that integrates with authoritative DoD databases that enables security personnel to positively identify authorized individuals and to vet personnel requesting access to Army installations as required by HSPD-12. The system has been deployed at 15 Army installations within the Continental US to date and will be deployed at as many as 35 more over the next four years.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: And, what about integrating security management systems with high rise elevator systems? Please tell us about the solutions AMAG has delivered to ThyssenKrupp, Otis, and Schindler.

Robert Sawyer: AMAG's Symmetry Security Management System integrates with four of the six major elevator companies. High rise building owners tend to choose their elevator system prior to their security management system. To make things easy for the building owners, we went ahead and developed integrations to the major elevator companies. When it comes time for a building owner to choose their security management system, they will see that AMAG's Symmetry already integrates. This is convenient, and saves time and money for them. The integration is done, and they are more likely to choose a security system that integrates with their elevator of choice. By completing the integrations ahead of time, AMAG has an advantage. If a building owner chooses a security system that doesn't integrate, they will have to pay for that integration themselves, and wait approximately four months for the integration to be completed.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: What special services and support does AMAG offer its resellers and end users?

Robert Sawyer: AMAG Technology's philosophy is to provide Exceptional Customer Service in all circumstances, whether it's to the reseller, end user, or amongst our internal staff. In adopting that philosophy, we created our Professional Services department. When a customer invests in a Symmetry system, they invest in our company, and in turn our company works to provide the best service, support and product to them. Our Professional Services group is available to assist with any special services needed. Whether a customer needs to leverage their security system to its fullest potential, a reseller needs assistance in planning a large system deployment, or a complete Symmetry lifecycle program is needed, AMAG's Professional Services group is committed to customer satisfaction and support.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Thanks again for joining us today, Robert.