In The Boardroom™ With...

Aria Kozak
President and CEO
Elite Interactive

SecuritySolutionsWatch: Thank you for joining us today, Aria. It’s an honor to speak with the man who is recognized and respected throughout the security industry at the “Father of Remote Guarding”. Before drilling down into ELITE INTERACTIVE SOLUTIONS in greater detail, please tell us about your background.

Aria Kozak: Thank you for inviting me. It is always a pleasure for me to discuss Elite and the Security Industry in general because I love what I do and I am very passionate about it.

I began my career in the Security Industry after completing a distinguished tour of duty in the Israeli Military and migrating to the United States. From 1976 to 1990, I founded and built Universal Alarm Systems Inc. into one of the nation’s largest and most successful Burglar Alarm and Armed Guard Response companies. I sold Universal to ADT in 1990, and remained as a consultant. At the time of the sale, the company also included one of the nation’s most sophisticated UL Approved Central Stations. 

In 1996, I began a High-End Integration Company called IntelliSec Inc., which engineered, installed, monitored and serviced many of the most complex projects in the nation. In 1999, I accepted a partnership investment by Patricof Venture Inc., a New York based Venture Capital Group, to lead the Venture Fund’s efforts to acquire and consolidate other Integration companies. with a goal to grow IntelliSec into one of the nation’s largest Integrators. While retaining 33% of IntelliSec Holdings, Inc., I left the company in 2002 to begin work on my next exciting venture. 

SecuritySolutionsWatch: May we have a brief company history?

Aria Kozak:  I began Elite in 2007 and installed our first Elite Remote System and opened our Remote Guarding Command in a secure data center in 2008.

In 2009, we improved analytics to significantly reduce false positives.  

In 2010, we partnered with OEM manufacturers to develop AI Software and Cameras

In 2011, we moved to a larger facility in a secure data center that is a SAS 70 Certified Building that exceeds standards required for Sarbanes-Oxley and HIPAA 

2013- Received an award from FBI-LEEDA and established the Law Enforcement Advisory Board. 

In 2015, Elite designed state of the art commercial and command control software.

2016- Elite became the first ever Underwriters Laboratories Certified Remote Guarding Center and established a credit facility with CIBC bank. 

2017- Received an equity investment from The Beekman Group

2019- Recipient of the Police Dispatch Quality award in recognition of our impact on the safety of officers out in the field. 

SecuritySolutionsWatch: One will read at EliteISI.com that “Remote Guarding security solutions blend cutting-edge technology, time-tested processes, and experienced security professionals to prevent crime to an extent that is not possible using traditional security methodologies.” Please give us an overview, Aria, about how Remote Guarding works and what are the benefits?

Aria Kozak:  The benefits of Remote Guarding are numerous. With Elite, our clients build strong relationships with local law enforcement and receive priority response since dispatch knows that they are responding to an actual crime in progress and that officers will be guided remotely as they enter the scene and ultimately apprehend the suspect.

Our clients also realize cost savings and who doesn’t appreciate that?  Savings through reduction or elimination of Security Guards cost, Loss and Theft Prevention, Elimination of false alarm expenses, and insurance premium reductions.

Incident and accident claims from customers or employees can be extremely expensive for any business. Insurance companies will often opt to pay a large settlement simply because there is no hard evidence defending your position. Workers Compensation expenses continue to grow. Elite captures, stores and retrieves video in an organized, very user friendly and easily searchable manner. Employee accidents, customer incidents and other occurrences can be found, retrieved and archived for later use, including critical evidence for use in court or otherwise.

Elite Remote Guarding Solutions can increase employee productivity, helping you utilize virtual management tours, remotely access any site and conduct your own inspections. Staff perform better when they are monitored, and recorded video can be used to verify compliance with policies, procedures, dress codes, training, and other business process adherence concerns. It will also help ensure your customers are serviced professionally, courteously and in a timely manner.

Elite also offers unique services such as: 

Delivery Acceptance via security surveillance systems monitored by remote agents, After-hour escorts of staff to their vehicles, Facility opening and closing, Integration of business security systems through Elite’s system integration expertise, including Access Control, sensors, lighting, air-conditioning, GPS, RFID, Biometrics, etc.

Elite understands it cannot replace all guards in many cases. In those cases where onsite security guards are needed, Elite’s monitoring and security services include serving as the overall security coordinator for the client facility.

For many clients, the value of remote oversight of onsite guarding by Elite’s Agents helps to maximize productivity of onsite guards due to local staff knowing they are being observed by our expert staff. Working with Elite’s Security Operations Command Center agents in this way helps reduce the opportunities for sweetheart deals. These benefits are true whether Elite’s Remote Guarding agents provide complete command center management of onsite guards, or just provide oversight to onsite command centers operated by client guards.

Another benefit is Elite’s outstanding Preventive Maintenance Services package, which commences on the first day of the Interactive Monitoring, Security and Management Agreement, and designed to provide complete coverage for the security surveillance systems based Custom Digital Guarding System for the lifetime of the contract between ELITE and the Client. Unlike extended warranties or time and materials maintenance “deals” the Agreement provides:

• Complete coverage for parts and labor, which means no additional client expense for repairs and regular maintenance

• 24/7 self-diagnostic systems, combined with priority service response results in repairs performed immediately

• Monthly remote health check and reports

• Annual on-site system inspection and tune up

• No additional cost for software upgrades

Elite works with a nationwide network of authorized alliance partners to provide client site maintenance and support. This means that local service is provided by local specialists with a vested interest in your account. Response times are faster than typical in-house service agencies due to the close proximity of each office.

Elite maintains 24/7 help desk and customer service support via live phone contact with Security Operations Command Center staff.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: These metrics speak volumes about Elite ISI capabilities and market positioning: over 110,000 crimes prevented and over 2,000 arrests made. 

This actual arrest video showing Elite in action is also truly impressive. Care to elaborate, Aria?

Aria Kozak: Another primary force in Elite’s drive towards transforming the monitoring and security industries involves developing powerful, mutually beneficial partnerships with Law Enforcement. Elite has been successful in building such relationships due to its leadership in developing Remote Surveillance services that represent the State of the Art of Guarding today. Elite’s Law Enforcement relationships range from communications with police dispatch center staff and officers mobilized as a result of actions taken by Elite’s highly trained remote surveillance agents in our Security Operations Command Center, to law enforcement command personnel that desire to implement and benefit from the latest developments in the monitoring and security industry.

SecuritySolutionsWatch:  At the end of the day, Aria, what is the unique value proposition that Elite ISI delivers to your customers, in other words “why Elite” and “what is the Elite difference?”

Aria Kozak:  Elite’s Differentiation is multi-faceted.

We are the only company in the industry that is endorsed by FBI-LEEDA, a premiere organization of over 6,000 Chiefs of Police across the United States.  Our clients get priority response because the police department knows that they are responding to a crime in progress in real time. They know that we will guide them as we see them arrive on scene and that we will stay with the officers so that they are not walking into the unknown in the dark of night. This provides critically needed safety to the officers. Our agents can identify suspects as they are apprehended and brought into our agents view for identification purposes.

We were the first remote guarding company to be endorsed by Underwriters Laboratories

Why would that be important to potential clients? Elite is governed and licensed by a third party accredited by insurance companies. As such, we need to have a huge investment and expertise in our Security Operations Communications Center in order to comply with the UL standards. 

Your business is your livelihood; why would you want to risk your livelihood to a company that is not accredited by Underwriters Laboratories?

We address Cyber Security:

We bring our expertise onto your site being mindful of the times and the critical risk of rampant Cyber Security breaches. All the devices we install are monitored and secured so that they cannot be used by hackers as an open back door into your business. That could be catastrophic. 

Elite offers Subscriptions:

There is no capital expenditure on the client’s part. Under the subscription program, Elite is responsible to perform engineering, provide equipment, installation, future service and monitoring; all inclusive. The risk is on Elite. 

We have many Testimonials from satisfied Clients;

Elite successfully monitors over $100 Billion worth of assets every day. We have clients that are very significant and successful companies in their industry that use our services for their security needs. Most of them have migrated from some of the largest traditional security and guard companies in the United States. They would not give us their endorsements if they did not have exceptional experiences with us. Why would they?

SecuritySolutionsWatch: This perhaps said it all and says it best, 

“Elite has saved us considerable, time, money and energy. I would highly recommend Elite to any other property management company, as we couldn’t be happier.”    

Paula Langevin, Athena Property Management

Please tell us more about your target markets ?

Aria Kozak:  We are in many vertical markets including Multi-family Housing and Property Management, Utility Industry, Logistics, Office Buildings (Campus HQ), Commercial/Industrial Facilities, Banks, Schools, Hospitals, Parking structures, Warehouses, Refineries, and Critical Infrastructure 

SecuritySolutionsWatch: The ELITE Law Enforcement Advisory Board reads like a “Who’s Who” in the law enforcement space. Please tell us more.

Aria Kozak: Our distinguished Law Enforcement Advisory Board consists of individuals with vast backgrounds as Chiefs of Police in different areas throughout the nation, Cyber Crime experts, Marshall in the Sheriff’s department with valuable various security related experience. We pride ourselves on being the only Remote Guarding provider to have such deep ties with law enforcement. Our incredible Law Enforcement Advisory Board works to build partnerships with local law enforcement agencies across the nation resulting in reduced crime, false alarms, and lives lost. 

SecuritySolutionsWatch: Are free demos and consultations available to help companies get started with Elite ISI ?

Aria Kozak:  Yes, of course. Our website is www.EliteISI.com and that would be a good way to start becoming familiar with who we are and what we offer. We have links to testimonies and a lot more information. We also have a link for a potential client to provide their contact information so we get started with them and provide Elite Security. 

SecuritySolutionsWatch: Thanks again for joining us today, Aria.  Any other subjects you’d like to discuss?

Aria Kozak:  Thank you!