Security Industry Association Names Dan Merkle as 2026 SIA Committee Chair of the Year

Dan Merkle, chair of the SIA Artificial Intelligence Advisory Board, will be honored at The Advance, SIA’s annual membership meeting.

SILVER SPRING, Md.—The Security Industry Association (SIA) has named Dan Merkle as the 2026 recipient of the SIA Committee Chair of the Year Award, which recognizes individuals for excellence in leading SIA committees and advancing member objectives. SIA will present Merkle with the award at The Advance, SIA’s annual membership meeting, which will be held March 24 during ISC West.

Dan Merkle is an active advisor, board member and investor focused on security-related enterprises. He serves as chair of the SIA Artificial Intelligence (AI) Advisory Board and on the executive board of the National Policing Institute. Merkle was the founding chairman and CEO of Lexipol, the nation’s leading provider of governance and compliance applications for public safety agencies.  He served as president of Veritone Public Safety through their IPO and chairman and CEO of the FaceFirst facial recognition platform. 

Under Merkle’s leadership, SIA’s Artificial Intelligence Advisory Board provides guidance on the safe, responsible and effective use of AI in security solutions. Merkle has contributed to the development of key resources from the advisory board, including SIA’s Glossary of AI Terms in Security Solutions and Guide to AI Uses Cases in Security, and during his time as chair the advisory board has grown All Things AI, a monthly newsletter on AI-related topics, and produced a steady stream of article and blog content. Merkle has been an active participant and speaker at ISC West on AI topics and will soon moderate a session on the role of agentic AI in security solutions at ISC West 2026. He supported the development of SIA facial recognition resources like the Principles for the Responsible and Effective Use of Facial Recognition Technology. Under his leadership, the AI Advisory Board helped drive SIA’s partnership with the Confederation of European Security Services (CoESS), which will include an upcoming joint webinar focusing on AI regulations.

“Artificial intelligence is impacting our world at a rate unmatched in modern history. The potential benefits for the security industry are diverse and widespread. With such significant impact comes responsibility for clear and accountable governance,” said Merkle. “I am grateful to work with SIA’s leadership and AI Advisory Board in exploring the tremendous value to our members and the public from AI implementation while acknowledging our role in addressing safety and governance of its use. Thank you to SIA for recognizing our advisory board’s work.” 

“SIA congratulates Dan Merkle, the 2026 SIA Committee Chair of the Year, and applauds Dan’s outstanding initiative, impact and leadership on the AI Advisory Board and in supporting key SIA programs,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “As chair of the AI Advisory Board, Dan has been instrumental in the group’s efforts to develop guidance on AI for the security industry and overseen the advisory board in producing a more robust array of content, including signature publications like the Guide to AI Use Cases in Security and expert-led articles and blogs on AI topics. We look forward to recognizing him at The Advance this year and continuing to work with him to build on SIA’s AI and emerging technology-related resources.”

Inspired by the noteworthy contributions of SIA volunteers like Dan Merkle? Employees of SIA member companies can make the most out of their memberships by getting more involved with the association. Volunteer opportunities include joining SIA committees or groups, lending expertise to SIA’s education and training programs, participating in SIA’s advocacy efforts, contributing to SIA’s publications and thought leadership and getting involved in SIA events. Learn more and get started here.  

Merkle will receive the Committee Chair of the Year Award at The Advance 2026, which will take place on Tuesday, March 24, at 10:30 a.m. in The Venetian Expo (Venetian 401/402) during ISC West. At this special membership meeting, attendees will review official association business, meet the SIA board nominees and participate in SIA elections, recognize volunteer achievements from the past year and exchange market intelligence for the year ahead. In addition to presenting the Committee Chair of the Year Award, SIA will honor the 2026 recipients of the SIA Member of the Year Award, Chair’s Award, Sandy Jones Volunteer of the Year Award and Standards Service Award. Learn more and register to attend.

About SIA

SIA is the leading trade association for global security solution providers, with over 1,600 innovative member companies representing thousands of security leaders and experts who shape the future of the security industry. SIA protects and advances its members’ interests by advocating pro-industry policies and legislation at the federal and state levels, creating open industry standards that enable integration, advancing industry professionalism through education and training, opening global market opportunities and collaborating with other like-minded organizations. As the premier sponsor of ISC Events expos and conferences, SIA ensures its members have access to top-level buyers and influencers, as well as unparalleled learning and network opportunities. SIA also enhances the position of its members in the security marketplace through SIA GovSummit, which brings together private industry with government decision-makers, and Securing New Ground, the security industry’s top executive conference for peer-to-peer networking.