In The Boardroom™ With...

Matt Barnette
CEO
PSA Security

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Thank you for joining us today, Matt. Congratulations on the news…PSA Names Matt Barnette As Chief Executive Officer Upon Retirement Of Bill Bozeman. Your track record of accomplishments and experience in the security space for the past thirty (30) years is second to none….before we drill down into your vision for PSA, opportunities and upcoming events, please summarize your background for us.

Matt Barnette: I began my security career in 1991 and have over 20 years’ experience in management and executive roles. I’ve overseen sales, marketing, operations and corporate activities and initiatives. I joined Mercury Security in June 2016 as President. After the successful sale of Mercury to HID Global in October 2017, I maintained the operational responsibility for the Mercury business worldwide, in addition to, leading the HID Government Solutions Business (PIV) and the HID Global Accounts organization. In July 2020, I took over leadership of the newly created HID North American Market (NAM) Business Unit, providing leadership through this reorganization while implementing change management and keeping the focus on the customer during a tumultuous pandemic year. Prior to Mercury / HID, I was President of AMAG Technology – a G4S Company and spent 12 years working in various roles within the global organization.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: PSA is the world’s largest systems integrator consortium made up of the most progressive security and audio-visual systems integrators in North America. Combined, PSA members boast over 500 branch locations, employ over 13,500 industry professionals and are responsible for over $4.5 billion annually in security, fire, life safety and pro audio-visual installations. As we head into 2021, what are your goals for PSA in the new normal.

Matt Barnette: I plan to continue to grow on the successes that PSA has had under Bill’s leadership. PSA is structurally a very sound organization that, like others, needs to continue to grow and innovate to remain relevant in the future. For PSA that means helping our integrators continue to adopt a recurring revenue model, install cloud-based solutions and be leaders in cybersecurity. Our industry has fared better than most through the pandemic, but PSA must continue to find products and services for our members so they can meet the ever-changing needs of their end users.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: TEC 2021 May 3-6 in Denver, is around the corner. What will attendees see, hear, and learn this year?

Matt Barnette: PSA TEC will look different this year than in years past as I’m sure all events will. We are planning for a small in-person event for executives from our member and owner organizations. The education will be focused on leadership topics. We will also host a virtual component of TEC that will feature certifications and content covering sales, procurement, next generation leaders, marketing, managed services, cybersecurity and more that will be open to a wider audience. We will follow all social distancing and safety protocol, and while it will be different, the quality of the education will remain as outstanding as it always has whether in person or online.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: What is your perspective Matt on “why join PSA”? Want to discuss PSA Products, Services, Education, Resources that are available?

Matt Barnette: There is a reason why PSA attracts the best systems integrators in North America. Our team carefully selects the partners on our line card to ensure we are providing the highest quality products and services that meet the needs of our integrators. Our industry saw many products proliferate due to COVID-19, but PSA was steadfast in its due diligence to ensure we weren’t chasing fads. Likewise, PSA education is second to none. From our live events and webinars to content on PSAeducation.com, SIs know they can come to PSA for top notch training. I’ve also found the collaboration among the network is astounding. I’ve been attending PSA committee meetings in my first few weeks and am very impressed by the knowledge exchange that takes place in the Network. There are other offerings the team is working on this year to ensure we are constantly providing our owners and members with the tools they need to succeed.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: We understand that PSA’s footprint at the present time is mostly in the USA (90%), Canada and Latin America. Do you see any changes to that mix on the horizon?

Matt Barnette: I won’t rule out growth in the international markets. Our society becomes more global every day and as our integrators expand to serve international markets, I’d like for PSA to be able to grow with them.

SecuritySolutionsWatch.com: Congratulations to you as well Bill on the outstanding job you have done at PSA. Please tell us about the extensive process that you followed in selecting Matt Barnette?

Bill Bozeman: The process was quite methodical and took over a year as it was exacerbated due to COVID-19. Our board of directors oversaw the search and formed a succession planning committee to lead the efforts. We hired executive search firm Kingsley Gate to manage the process and they started with over 100 candidates before narrowing it down to 20 and finally 10. Ultimately our management team was able to meet the final round of candidates and provide input in the selection. We are extremely pleased with the outcome; we know Matt well and believe he is an excellent fit for the position.