Security Industry Association Announces Program for 2026 Securing New Ground Conference 

Top C-suite, national security and business leaders—including keynote speakers John J. Sullivan and Curtis Dubay—will headline the security industry’s executive conference happening Oct. 20–21 in New York City. 

SILVER SPRING, Md.—The Security Industry Association (SIA) has announced the schedule, speaker lineup and program for the 2026 Securing New Ground (SNG), the security industry’s executive conference, taking place Oct. 20–21 in New York City. At SNG 2026, the security industry will gather for top-level information sharing, networking and business analysis. 

This year’s Securing New Ground conference will shape industry trends and offer opportunities to engage with the leaders who are driving the future of security. The 2026 program will explore the most current issues, like the impact of artificial intelligence for systems integration, how CSOs can automate corporate security practices, what CSOs really want from vendors and integrators, GSOC evolution and hyperscale data center security, along with continual themes like cybersecurity, industry investments, smart buildings and evolving business models. The mission of SNG is always to share executive-level insights into the trends, technologies and business strategies transforming the security industry, and is typically attended by executive leaders from industry along with top corporate security leaders from enterprise organizations. 

“The 2026 SIA Securing New Ground program presents an even stronger strategic event bringing together the executives from each component of the security ecosystem to connect and discuss the marketplace, regulatory and technology factors shaping the industry,” said SIA CEO Don Erickson. “The conversations that take place at SNG among peers validate or challenge business strategy, challenge conventional thinking and lead to collaborations that strengthen the industry. SNG is quickly becoming an event is recognized as ‘the Davos of the global security industry.’” 

Highlights of the 2026 SNG program include: 

• A special dinner keynote event featuring a can’t-miss conversation with John J. Sullivan, former U.S. ambassador to Russia (2019 to 2022) and author of the award-winning and critically acclaimed memoir Midnight in Moscow, sharing stories and perspectives drawn from his four-decade career spanning five U.S. presidents and senior leadership across multiple federal agencies 
• A dynamic keynote presentation on economic conditions with U.S. Chamber of Commerce chief economist Curtis Dubay 
• An exclusive interview with Justin Anderson, principal of Ares Privacy Equity Group, about private equity strategies related to the security industry 
• A session on the customer perspective and what the industry needs to hear featuring Frank Dawson, director of operations—corporate security at Southern Company 
• Compelling executive conversations with Sean Kay, senior vice president for sales at Flock Safety; Björn Lidefelt, executive vice president and head of the Global Technologies business unit at HID; Kumar Sokka, CEO of Acre Security; and Michael Wong, CEO of Gene; and Billal Hammoud of Honeywell Building Automation 
• The return of key popular sessions, including the Investment Insights panel that breaks down the numbers behind industry investments, mergers and acquisitions activity, lending and private equity; and SPARCing Real Conversations: Security Practitioners Speak! hosted by SIA’s Security Practitioners Advancing Real Conversations (SPARC) community 
• Three sessions diving into key Security Megatrends—one featuring executives each sharing the “one big thing” they’re watching for the future; one on what AI means for the business of integrated systems and how integrators operate; and one on where hardware goes next and hardware’s future for security applications 

Executives speaking in the event program represent major industry sectors like corporate security (physical and converged), access control, video surveillance, systems integration, distribution, finance, identity and more. 

In advance of Securing New Ground, SIA’s SPARC community will be meeting, and after the conference, SIA’s leadership development program The Table will be convening for its in-person presentations and sessions. 

Registration for SIA members starts at $995 (a savings of $1,000 off the regular rate) for those who register by Friday, Aug. 28. Security practitioners (chief security officers, corporate security directors and their immediate teams) are invited to attend for $100, and government security leaders are provided complimentary access; learn more and register here. 

SNG 2026 is supported by Elite Sponsor Genetec; Premier Sponsors Acre Security, ASSA ABLOY, Brivo and M.C. Dean; Executive Sponsors Allegion, Bosch, Convergint, dormakaba, Hanwha Vision, HID, Honeywell, Houlihan Lokey, Motorola Solutions, SAGE Integration, Unlimited Technology, Verkada, Wachter and Wesco; and Event Sponsors Axis Communications, Cento, CoreWillSoft, Egis Capital Partners, Gallagher Security, Genea, ISC Security Events, Kastle, Mesirow, Milestone, Raymond James, Salto and Siemens. 

About SIA 

SIA is the leading trade association for global security solution providers, with over 1,700 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.