SIA New Member Profile: NGA Security Advisors

New Security Industry Association (SIA) member NGA Security Advisors provides specialized technology and business advisory services to clients and partners within the electronic security industry. The company is headquartered in Jasper, Georgia.

SIA spoke with NGA Security Advisors Founder and CEO Charles M. Johnson about the company, the security industry and working with SIA.

Tell us the story of your company.

Charles Johnson: Since joining the security industry in 1995, I have always felt a calling to start a business in our industry. I have worked for, and learned from, some of the best small business owners, such as Steve Fisher at Open Options. I have also had frustrations with other disjointed and mismanaged companies who don’t seem to know how to treat people the right way. After taking a much-needed 12-month break, I felt this was the right time to use my expertise, passion and drive to help others. I had a lot of help early in my career, and I have always wanted to give back to our industry, and this is a great opportunity to provide that level of support to those who need guidance and support.

NGA Security Advisors is in Jasper, Georgia, which is known as the “First Mountain City” as you head north from Atlanta. This is the reason for the letters NGA, which means North Georgia. Our name simply indicates where we are located, but we will work with both foreign and domestic technology organizations within the security industry.

^{Black bear mama and cubs from Jasper’s mountain}

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

CJ: We will provide technology and business advisory services to both startups and existing companies who need specialized assistance, input and guidance on how to bring their solution to the North American market. I have had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know several emerging technologies, but understanding who to partner with and how to approach the North American market is a specialty where many have challenges. NGA can help provide a consultative suite of services such as market research and product validation, go-to-market strategies and channel partner program development and deployment to help with a successful and sustained launch and market acceptance within an ecosystem of technology partners.

What’s something we might not know about your company – or something new you’re doing in security?

CJ: Jonathan Berman, who was the president of Open Options, was instrumental to the growth and success we all experienced in the preacquisition years. We unfortunately lost him in 2018 at the age of 51. JB used to remind us that every day we must work hard to earn the position of “trusted advisor,” whether it’s with our channel partners, technology partners, security consultants or end users. He also reminded us that it takes a significant amount of time and energy to earn the “trusted advisor” position but only one phone call, meeting or email to lose it. It was because of JB that I specifically chose the word “Advisor” in the name of the company, instead of “Consultant,” because I want people to think of NGA as their “Trusted Advisor in the Security Industry.”

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

CJ: I am especially interested in helping the maturation and acceptance of the software/data aggregators within the public safety, law enforcement and smart cities vertical. The software platforms that ingest important data like video surveillance, toll booth/vehicle data, license plate recognition and facial recognition and provide our municipalities and law enforcement officers with the ability to make quick and informed decisions to keep us safe are a solution that I see as a significant growth market.

I am also intrigued with the emergence, adoption and deployment of artificial intelligence, machine learning and edge computing throughout every aspect of our industry. You can’t ignore when Dell, Intel, NVIDIA, Google, Microsoft, Cisco and the rest of Big Tech become more and more involved in the future landscape of our industry. We have only scratched the surface of how and where this technology can be deployed.

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

CJ: The biggest challenge facing NGA Security Advisors is simply to network within the industry and locate the forward-thinking, growth-oriented technology companies who are open to an unbiased, third party, industry veteran that need our expertise, support, input and guidance.

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?

CJ: Due to my service in the United States Marine Corps, NGA is a “SDVOSB,” which is a service-connected disabled veteran-owned small business. I look for any opportunity to help those in need, and therefore I am eager to give back and help those companies who want our assistance. I am especially excited about joining SIA and offer to provide any leadership assistance I can to the newly formed Veterans in Security group. We owe our current and former military a huge debt of gratitude, and I will be there to assist in any way possible. On our new website I am including a link to three 501(c) organizations that serve the military community and our fallen heroes: Wounded Warrior Project, the Gary Sinise Foundation and the Tunnel 2 Towers Foundation. They are organizations I personally support, and I hope our partners and clients will support them as well.   

How does your organization engage with SIA? What are you rplans for involvement in the next year?
CJ: For the first time in my 29+ year career I am working for myself, making the decisions that need to be made, and I am confident that NGA Security Advisors will not fail in our mission. I will be attending ISC East in November for the first time and look forward to connecting with new and existing colleagues within our 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.