SIA New Member Profile: CNL Software

CNL Software, Ashburn, Virginia, is a global provider of physical security information management (PSIM) software, designed for complete integrated situation management. A new member of the Security Industry Association (SIA), the company has deployed its IPSecurityCenter™ technology to secure major cities, critical infrastructure and global commerce. SIA chatted with Mike Mostow, CNL Software General Manager-Americas, to learn more! Visit CNL Software’s website at https://www.cnlsoftware.com.

1. How did your company get its start? How did it get involved in the security industry?

CNL Software got its start in 1999 as a reseller, installer and maintainer of Internet Protocol (IP) video surveillance systems. It was the first company to bring Milestone Systems to what was and remains one of the largest closed-circuit television (CCTV) markets in the world in the United Kingdom. Because many our customers asked us to integrate their video surveillance systems with other physical security and life safety systems, we quickly evolved into a full-service systems integrator. The challenges associated with that work—the integrating of otherwise unconnected and often very proprietary systems—led us to develop and release the first version of our current PSIM platform, IPSecurityCenter, in 2004.

Shortly thereafter, the company made the decision to focus exclusively on the further development of IPSecurityCenter. In the years that followed, additions to the platform included features to help reduce the clutter that often impedes situational awareness; promote quicker, more consistent incident acknowledgement, assessment and response times; automate business rules to ensure compliance with policies; and collect and report insightful data in support of enterprise optimization and decision making.

Ease of use features and installation efficiencies were also high on our list of priorities and continue to be.

Today, IPSecurityCenter is most often deployed to secure major cities, government buildings and military installations, to protect public and private critical infrastructure, to help public and private organizations manage risk and protect corporate assets, and to keep transportation facilities and networks operational and the people that rely on them safe. Hundreds of IPSecurityCenter systems are installed and operational on six of seven continents around the world.

2. Who are the prominent executives at your company? If someone wanted to meet a key person at an industry networking event, who would that be?

Keith Bloodworth has been the CEO of CNL Software since its inception in 1999. With a 40-plus year career in many IT areas, he has been part of creating fast-growing companies that focused on innovation and industry-changing software. Before CNL Software, Keith was a founder of highly successful companies including Axis Communications, AFP Solutions and the FormScape Group. His ability to bring best practice from the IT industry and introduce these concepts and ideas to the physical security community has helped catapult industry practices from closed, antiquated and expensive to engaged, informative and valued. Today, Keith is guiding CNL Software in pushing the boundaries of technology and helping redefine the integrated security market.

James Condron is CNL Software’s Global Vice President of Sales and Marketing. James has 25 years of experience in IT and security technology. He has been involved in many of the largest, most complex and ground-breaking safety, security and emergency management system integration projects in the Americas, Europe and the Middle East. He worked with some of the world’s leading public and private organizations in homeland security and defense, transportation, public safety, finance, technology, and critical infrastructure.

Mike Mostow is responsible for CNL Software’s operations in the Americas. He has 20 years of experience in the security technology industry. Prior to joining CNL Software, Mike led and managed commercial and technical teams for Leidos’ Integrated Security Division. He held senior government and critical infrastructure focused sales management positions at industry leading companies, such as AMAG Technology, ICx Technologies/FLIR Systems and Johnson Controls.

Keith, James and Mike regularly attend major SIA events like ISC West, SIA GovSummit and Securing New Ground.

3. What’s your company’s biggest challenge right now?

Staffing. We have been fortunate to achieve compounded annual growth of more than 20 percent over the last four years, and we are in a very tight job market. If you have an enterprise software background, and you are smart, hard-working and seeking to help make the world a safer place, please inquire at https://www.cnlsoftware.com.

We are always in need of good people. The pace of innovation can also sometimes be a challenge for us, if for no other reason than the demanding and critical nature of the security missions of many of our customers and the hundreds of technology partner relationships and integrations that we maintain on their behalf.

4. What trends does your company foresee for the security industry in the next year?

Cybersecurity—to include the challenges associated with a more connected world, accessible sensors and devices, and the continued convergence of physical security, life safety and building management systems—remains a priority for many of our customers. Many of our customers are also looking for tighter IT log reduction, analytical, and monitoring/alerting tools and big data/analytics engine integration to improve situational awareness and their ability to predict as opposed to simply react. The convenience and constant connectivity enabled by the cloud, Web and mobile solutions also continue to represent big opportunities for the physical security industry.

5. What does your organization receive from membership in SIA?

Membership in SIA provides us a unique opportunity to network with industry peers and to maximize the benefits of participating in events like ISC West, SIA GovSummit and Securing New Ground. Many of the issue and policy priorities of the SIA Government Relations Committee are also important to our business.

6. How do you plan to be active in the association in the near future? Will your company participate in an upcoming event with SIA such as ISC West, New Product Showcase or SIA GovSummit? If so, what aspect of the event appeals most to your company?

We look forward to the opportunity to participate in a few of the many SIA committees and industry working groups. Government and homeland security, transportation, public safety and critical infrastructure initiatives are the most relevant to our business.

We exhibit at ISC West and plan to attend at least SIA GovSummit and Securing New Ground. ISC West provides an efficient opportunity for us to meet with current and potential channel and technology partners and end customers in a very convenient, accessible and productive setting.

SIA GovSummit offers an opportunity to gain insights on current market drivers, technology requirements and policies shaping the government market and industry, and to meet with representatives of the various government agencies and program offices that attend the event.

Securing New Ground provides an opportunity to meet with industry executives to network and exchange ideas, intelligence and thought leadership across the development/manufacturing, systems integration/service, end customer and investment communities.

The views and opinions expressed in guest posts and/or profiles are those of the authors or sources and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Security Industry Association (SIA).