SIA New Member Profile: Connect-Air Wire & Cable

New Security Industry Association (SIA) member Connect-Air Wire & Cable specializes in the distribution of commercial low voltage wire and cable for HVAC, security, building automation, lighting, data/telecom and fire alarm industries. Besides selling and supporting installers, contractors, dealers and distributor partners, the company works closely with original equipment manager clients to design and customize wire and cable to their specific product/equipment needs. Connect-Air Wire & Cable is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, and has 15 warehouses throughout North America.

SIA spoke with Sarah Monteleone, vice president at Connect-Air Wire & Cable, about the company, the security industry and working with SIA.

Tell us the story of your company.

SM: Connect-Air Wire and Cable was founded in 1978 as a distributor of cable assemblies and low-voltage cable.  Many of our original customers were HVAC and building automation/controls contractors. A large percentage of these integrators moved into the security markets in the mid-90s. As their security installations grew, they had more and more need for a specialty cable supplier, like us, to service their unique applications. Security is now Connect-Air’s fastest-growing market segment!  

What solutions/services does your business offer in the security industry? And what makes your offerings/company unique?

SM: Connect-Air works directly with security equipment manufacturers as well as contractors and installers. We have also designed cables for data center end users. Our inventory is geared towards HVAC/commercial building applications, and our salespeople understand constructions and applications in the security market. Typically anything in a commercial building environment, we can supply the low voltage cable.

What is something we might not know about your company – or something new you are doing in security?

SM: Connect-Air is not only the sole authorized cable provider for Aiphone applications but also stocks and sells Aiphone equipment as well.

What is your company’s vision, and what are your goals for the security industry?

SM: Connect-Air is currently hiring security experts to help us get into the security hardware business as well as expand our wire and cable offering to meet new technology demands.

What do you think are the biggest opportunities in the security industry right now?

SM: For Connect-Air, Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP) cables hold the most promise for growth.

What are your predictions for the security industry in the short and long term?

SM: Short- and long-term predictions are the same – the protection of personal security, whether that is our physical well-being (alarms, cameras, etc.) or personal information (internet/cyber), will stay in the forefront.

What are the biggest challenges facing your company and/or others in the security industry?

SM: The challenge, and our greatest strength, is to have our inventory reflect changes in the security industry.

What do you enjoy most about being at your company – and in the security industry?

SM: Being at Connect-Air is our employees, our customers and our vendor partnerships. The security industry is ever evolving. Connect-Air enjoys how quickly the security industry embraces new technologies and puts that new technology into practical applications.

What does SIA offer that is most important to you/your company? And what do you most hope to get out of your membership with SIA?

SM: SIA offers Connect-Air information and technology advancements that help us with our own product development, assists us in showcasing our brand and our capabilities and helps our employees grow in their own security industry knowledge. Our hopes are that SIA helps us be a better company.

How does your organization engage with SIA? what are your plans for involvement in the next year?

SM: Connect-Air will engage with SIA through ISC and local security organizations, product development and information. There are also individual employees that have plans to investigate participating in certain committees.

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.