SIA New Member Profile: Secure Access & Digital Systems

New Security Industry Association (SIA) member Secure Access & Digital Systems is a provider of state-of-the-art identification systems, card readers, card printers, printer ribbons, peripherals, lanyards and the latest radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology products. Founded in 2005, the company provides services to a wide range of clients including financial institutions, general corporations, higher education and health care facilities. Secure Access & Digital Systems is headquartered in Long Beach, New York.

SIA spoke with Jake Brown, who oversees business development and operations for Secure Access & Digital Systems, about the company, the security industry and working with SIA.

Tell us the story of your company.

JB: Having held multiple leadership roles at different companies within the security industry since 1986, our founder, Lynn Brown, started Secure Access & Digital Systems in 2005. Lynn has made substantial contributions to the growth of the security industry over the years as well, fulfilling every officer role in the New York City chapter of ASIS International, including chairman. Additionally, he has served on the board of directors for the New York Hospitals Security & Safety Directors Association.

Our mission is to ultimately guarantee the safety and well-being of our clientele by providing them with powerful access control products that will contribute to the protection of their workplaces, assets and employees and the overall ability to carry out business functions on a daily basis, while continuing to be known for our exceptional customer service, persistence and effective products.

Founder and CEO Lynn Brown (pictured with Jake Brown) receiving the ASIS Eugene J. Casey Award in May 2019 for his dedicated service to the New York City chapter of ASIS International

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

JB: We provide smart cards, card readers, card printers, printer consumables, peripherals, custom lanyards and advanced RFID technology products to customers in industries such as finance, real estate, hospitals, education, IT and energy. We work on many service bureau projects with companies on a global scale, such as mass custom badging production services.

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

JB: We are a family-owned business – our president, Lynn, happens to be my father! I always knew I wanted to go into the business. As I was growing up, meeting my father’s colleagues and clients at different security charity functions truly sparked my interest in the security industry. I went to Syracuse University and enrolled in the business school (the Whitman School of Management) to further prepare myself for joining and ultimately expanding the business. I felt that joining the business upon graduating and learning the ropes from the ground up would be a positive supplement for my career growth as I got older.

Over the past few years, we have increasingly been utilizing RFID technology for many different applications. Primarily to assist companies in asset tracking, we apply different secure RFID chips in products such as lanyards, cards, badge holders and even wearables such as bracelets. For example, with the Javits Center, we help monitor all contractors and visitors that are working at the facility. In the case that something went wrong, they can rapidly track these individuals. Additionally, using this technology has helped clients streamline their payroll processes. The software that is used picks up each time an employee hits the turnstile, so it tracks hours worked, in turn automating the payroll process on the back end of things.

As employees return to work, we are doing everything we can to help companies ensure they are providing the safest work environments possible. We are working closely with an amazing company called RightCrowd, specifically their new product called “Rapid Entry.” What this ensures is rapid, contactless visitor ID checks and data entry for facilities. Using a handheld scanner, all of the data is digitally captured, safe social distancing is maintained and the visitor gets registered within seconds. 

Founder and CEO Lynn Brown receiving the ASIS Eugene J. Casey Award in May 2019 for his dedicated service to the New York City chapter of ASIS International

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?

JB: SIA constantly presents new educational and networking opportunities for us, which is essential for company growth in the long term. We hope to continue to acquire the benefits of being a SIA member and growing with SIA. Trade shows like ISC East and West have provided us incredible learning opportunities within this rapidly changing world.

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

JB: I have been a member of the SIA RISE Steering Committee since February, which has been beyond an incredible experience so far. Everybody is so welcoming and friendly, and I cannot wait to meet everyone in person! Specifically, I work closely with the Scholarship Subcommittee, where we assist and fund young professionals in the industry with scholarships to be used toward academic degree programs, professional training, SIA program offerings and security industry certifications.                 

Most recently, I have participated in the 2020 virtual AcceleRISE conference. Although we all wish we were together in person, the experience has been incredible. The keynotes were super insightful – I felt extremely rejuvenated after the sessions – and the virtual networking hour was a blast! For me, as a 24-year-old in the industry, I feel it’s really important that I take advantage of all networking opportunities because over the past few years, I’ve seen how crucial relationship building is in this industry.

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.