IN THE BOARDROOM™ with...

Kami Dukes
Director of Business Development
AMAG Technology

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Thank you for joining us today, Kami. We understand that AMAG has a business development team that is focused solely on consultants, before discussing that subject in greater detail, please tell us about your background and your role at AMAG.

Kami Dukes:  Everyone always has such a unique story to tell when joining the security industry. Mine is no different. I set out 15 years ago to be a police officer and worked in juvenile corrections fresh out of college with my B.A. in Criminal Justice. I disrupted those plans while chasing the Rocky Mountains and began my career in security technology as a Security Design Engineer for a Federal Defense contractor, LVW Electronics. I oversaw the design, installation, and commissioning of complex security systems, primarily in Japan and Korea, for the US Army, US Air Force, and US Marine Corps.

I came on board with AMAG Technology in 2012 and have since dedicated my time and passion to the security consultant community as the Director of Business Development for North America. Together, with my team, we drive new enterprise opportunities through design road-mapping, specifying, and systems execution planning. Our strategic vision, eagerness to forge new paths and relentless belief in possibilities brings true value to our customers and the security market.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Please give us an overview of your group. What is your perspective on the value added AMAG brings to the table in these consulting relationships ....in other words, “Why AMAG”?

Kami Dukes: My business development team at AMAG Technology is 100% dedicated to the security consultant community and architects and engineers. This community is the backbone of the security industry. They have power, much more than meets the eye, to drive some of the most meaningful work in the security space. The industry works collectively as a wheel that keeps churning with the ultimate goals of saving lives and protecting properties and assets. We have security end users that have a business to run and security plans to operate and execute on. We have technology developers, such as ourselves at AMAG, that provide innovative solutions the end user can rely on to optimize their security programs. And we have the systems integrators who bring the systems to life and maintain their health and long-term functionality. But what sets the wheels in motion is the physical security consultant.

The heart of a security consultant’s expertise lies in evaluating risk and laying the groundwork to do something about it in order to minimize the risk and better protect organizations from threats through their recommendations. However, no two security consultants practice the exact same way. Some are specialized in security management and security operations. Some are focused on technical security. And others focus on the legal aspects of the business while representing organizations in court litigations. At the end of the day, end users invest, or at least should, in security consultant services to help carry the weight of providing a safe and secure environment for their organizations. It’s a heavy load in a complex industry and that’s where my team comes into play.

It is our job to make the consultant look good. It is a bold statement, but mark it as truth. The consultant’s expertise cannot be in every nook and corner of the industry, yet from the end user’s perspective, and even to themselves, it needs to be. Security programs are about saving lives and the recommendations they make need to do just that. They need to lean into trusted resources and relationships to piece things together holistically with peace of mind. The AMAG Business Development team shows up for them and keeps showing up. We educate the consultants in the most meaningful way possible. We flex our Symmetry solutions to best fit their clients’ security programs and risk mitigation needs. We work closely with our marketing and products team to ensure that the consultants have the right documentation, specifications, drawings, design guides and access to engineers and support and anything else to make their jobs a bit easier. The BDMs guide the consultant’s designs and recommendations with proven and trusted product(s) that will reflect positively on their work and optimize the client’s security posture, and ensure a smooth installation via the integrator, empowering all involved to succeed.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: AMAG is hosting your Annual Security Engineering Symposium in Nashville TN - February 25-28, 2022 and one will read on your event site that, “Our Partnership Approach Means You're Always Supported”. Care to elaborate?

Kami Dukes: The SES event is my absolute favorite. Every year, we host a weekend-long event dedicated to our consultants. It is here that we develop and strengthen those important relationships and educate our attendees on our Symmetry solutions and company philosophy. We design the event to be exceptionally dynamic and highly charged with energy and attendee engagement. We believe that this environment is the catalyst for some of the best solutions both for our consultants and their clients as well as insightful feedback for us as technology developers to innovatively progress.

Our partnership approach means that we are always there for the consultant, throughout the lifecycle of a project and beyond, not just in the beginning stages when the specification is being written. It is about trust and that is what we work so hard to gain with the consultants. Our solutions help with more than just security. They help provide peace of mind and trust. They help end users to  save money and encourage cross-collaboration with other departments to operate more efficiently.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Want to mention any particular strategic partners, and industry trade groups, such as The International Association of Professional Security Consultants that your group is engaged with?

Kami Dukes: We work with the International Association of Professional Security Consultants (IAPSC) and recently attended their annual conference. It is here that we learn what the professional security consultants are looking for in a partner or manufacturer. We also have the opportunity to learn about the most pressing security challenges and concerns our industry is faced with from the most sophisticated security experts and practitioners in the industry. This sort of first-hand exposure and education is exactly what our BDMs need to help flex our Symmetry solutions to meet the needs of the consultants’ clients and for the product development team to push progression forward in the most meaningful way. These sorts of communities are invaluable to us and keep us abreast with exciting challenges.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Any success stories or testimonials you would like to mention?

Kami Dukes: We work closely with our consultants and strive to provide tremendous value to them. One consultant recently shared the following testimonial about AMAG and one of my team members, which means so much to me.

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

Kami Dukes: Thank you for having me. It’s been a pleasure.