Vertical Insights Symposium Series
Gain Insight Into Securing Key Markets With These Virtual Events
About the Vertical Insights Series
Vertical Insights is a series of virtual events presented by the Security Industry Association (SIA) and focused on top vertical markets.
This series is designed to bring together practitioners, security integrators, solution providers, consultants and others involved in protecting key sectors like retail, education, transportation, health care and more.
Next Symposium:
Securing a Moving Target: How Transit Systems Keep Millions of Riders Safe
June 26, 2025, 1-3 p.m. EDT
Upcoming Vertical Insights Symposiums
June 26, 2025, 1-3 p.m. EDT
Registration Coming Soon!
About the Event
As ridership on public transportation continues to recover following a severe drop during the pandemic, security remains a persistent, and growing, challenge. Transit systems across the United States must protect millions of riders and billions of dollars in vehicles and infrastructure every day from criminals, vandals and even terrorists. This symposium will take a closer look at the threats to bus and rail and the policy, staffing and technological solutions that are deployed to manage these risks.
Can’t Join Us for the Live Event?
Register and we’ll send you the on-demand viewing link as soon as it’s archived.
Speakers Include:
Polly Hanson
Senior Director of Security, Risk and Emergency Management
American Public Transportation Association
Armando Leon
Senior Manager, Security and Infrastructure
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Past Symposiums Available for On-Demand Viewing
About the Event
With nation-state actors, domestic violent extremists and even disgruntled citizens all posing potential threats, government facilities require security systems that protect employees, the public and the work being conducted. From a municipal city hall to the Pentagon, the level of security varies, but the need to ensure continuity of operations is consistent. This webinar examines best practices for securing local, state and federal buildings and look at opportunities for solutions providers to work with government agencies.
Sponsored:
- Ameristar
- Axis Communications
Speakers:
- Christa Decker, vice president, Protective Design Group, Whitman, Requardt & Associates
- Wayne Dorris, program manager, cybersecurity, Axis Communications
- Daniel Genua, critical infrastructure resilience specialist, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
- Daryle Hernandez, director, Interagency Security Committee, CISA
- Sean Rice, government security expert, Ameristar
- Drew Weston, director of national accounts, Mobile Communications America
About the Event
With flash mobs overrunning stores, organized retail crime increasing and shops being forced to leave high-crime areas, retail security issues have rarely been so prominent. As the holiday shopping season approaches, this Vertical Insights Symposium will examine the threats that stores face, the legal and financial considerations they must weigh and the policy and technology solutions that can mitigate shrinkage, as well as the risk of harm to customers and staff. SIA is pleased to be able to partner with experts from both the Retail Industry Leaders Association and the National Association of Convenience Stores in the presentation of this online event.
Sponsored by:
Speakers:
- Sean A. Ahrens, project manager, Affiliated Engineers
- Scott Bohm, executive vice president, Entrance and Control Division. ZKTeco USA
- Amy Dunton, business development specialist, Ameristar
- Brian Hackett, special agent, Homeland Security Investigations
- Khris Hamlin, vice president of asset protection, Retail Industry Leaders Association
- Margaret Hardin Mannion, manager of government relations, National Association of Convenience Stores
- Rob Reiter, co-founder, Storefront Safety Council
- Billie Undesser, director of business development, EAGL Technology
About the Event
Games, concerts and other events regularly pack tens of thousands of people into stadiums and arenas, requiring security practitioners to both vet and protect a population equivalent to a small city – and to do it all in an unobstructive manner. This Vertical Insights Symposium, sponsored by Ameristar and presented in partnership with the Innovation Institute for Fan Experience, examined the safety and security challenges that must be addressed by stadiums, as well as the technology solutions and best practices that can be leveraged to protect attendees.
Sponsored by:
Co-presented with:
Speakers:
- John Cline, vice president of stadium operations, Baltimore Ravens
- Essam Choudhary, chief operating officer, Perimeter Security Solutions and IFI
- Michael Hartnett, vice president, venue security, Ilitch Sports & Entertainment
- Michael Hudson, vice president, insider threat and suicide prevention, ClearForce
- Sheryl Pinckney-Maas, CEO and founder, Guardian Zone
- Thushan Rajapaksa, vice president, business development, Western U.S., Allied Universal
- Cole Schrier, senior business development executive, SAGE Integration
- Russ Simons, chief listening officer and managing partner, Venue Solutions Group
About the Event
As demand for data storage, in general, and cloud services, in particular, grows rapidly, so does the need for data centers. At thousands of sites across the country, these facilities, each holding vast amounts of digital information essential to the operation of businesses and organizations, have effectively become a new component of critical infrastructure. This makes ensuring their security and resilience vital to the functioning of society. This symposium examines physical security and cybersecurity challenges that must be addressed by data centers, as well as technology solutions and best practices that can be leveraged to protect them.
Sponsored by:
Speakers:
- Nati Abebe, managing partner/cloud architect, CC Tech
- Amy Dunton, business development specialist, data centers, Ameristar
- Will Knehr, senior manager of information security and data privacy, i-PRO
- John Lineweaver, regional security manager, Meta
- David McWhorter, Ph.D., founder, The Homeland Security Consulting Group
- William Plante, director, Integrated Solutions Risk Group, Everon
- Christopher Walcutt, chief security officer, DirectDefense
- Shawn Wallace, director, critical infrastructure, Unlimited Technology
March 26, 2024, 1-3 p.m. EDT
About the Event
Casinos are long-time users of security technology, with personnel famously monitoring the gaming floor for decades via the “eye in the sky.” Advances in technology have brought both new threats, including hacking and high-tech cheating, as well as new countermeasures, such as analytics and automation, all while legal gambling has expanded beyond Las Vegas and Atlantic City to reach nearly every state in America.
This symposium examines how physical and cyber solutions protect the high-stakes world of casinos.
Sponsored by:
Speakers
- George Jenkot, vice president of security and surveillance, Firekeepers Casino
- Mark Folmer, president, Robotic Assistance Devices
- Sal Piacente, president, UniverSal Game Protection
- Robert Prady, area technical manager, Axis Communications
- Dan Viotto, channel business manager, Milestone Systems
Dec. 18, 2023, 1-3 p.m. EST
About the Event
Utilities and other critical infrastructure represent tempting and all too often unhardened targets for bad actors. This SIA Vertical Insights Symposium reviews the major physical and cyber threats confronting the nation's power and water plants and other critical sites and examines some of the technologies, policies and processes than can enhance security. This online session features:
- A keynote presentation from W. Barnett Jones, chief security and integrity officer, Great Lakes Water Authority
- A panel discussion of security solutions in the utilities sector
Attendees can expect to gain insights regarding:
- Identification of physical security and cybersecurity threat vectors in the utilities sector
- How to use security technologies to harden facilities
- Lessons learned from previous attacks
Sponsored by
Speakers
- Keynote Speaker: W. Barnett Jones, chief security and integrity officer, Great Lakes Water Authority
- Ike Atlas, chief security officer and director of security, Perimeter Security Solutions
- Alec Davison, all-hazards risk analyst, WaterISAC
- David Karsch, global account manager, security/CIP/regulated markets, Honeywell
- Zareh Megerdoonian, business development manager, ITS and smart cities, North America, Hanwha Vision America
- John Nemerofsky, chief operating officer, SAGE Integration
- Jennifer Lyn Walker, director of infrastructure cyber defense, WaterISAC
- M. Shawn Wallace, director, critical infrastructure, Unlimited Technology
Oct. 31, 2023, 1-3 p.m. EDT
About the Event
Providing security at the more than 5,000 public airports and nearly 15,000 private facilities in the United States is as challenging as it is critical. Each year, more than $200 million is spent on video surveillance and access control equipment alone, with the market expected to grow by 11% this year, according to a report produced by Omdia for the Security Industry Association.
The next SIA Vertical Insights Symposium will take a closer look at airport security and will feature expert analyses of threats and countermeasures.
Session topics will include:
- Securing a top 20 airport
- The federal role in air security
- Technology solutions for airports
- Vertical market research findings
Speakers
Dianna Davis-Small, Transportation Security Specialist and Strategic Planner, Transportation Security Administration
Scott Foley, Senior Analyst, Physical Security, Omdia
Jake Hoehn, Manager of Airport Security, Metropolitan Airports Commission (Minneapolis-St. Paul)
Alyssa Mathes, Aviation Strategic Account Manager, Convergint
Lewis Stallworth, Executive Manager, Smart Cities, Connected Communities North America, Bosch
David Stolerow, National Business Manager, Enterprise and Smart Buildings, Siemens
July 25, 2023
About the Event
During this SIA Vertical Insights Symposium, experts from government, law enforcement, higher education and industry addressed key concerns related to protecting the higher education sector.
AGENDA (All Times EDT)
1:00-1:30 p.m.: Keynote Presentation
Joe Monroe, Chief of Police, University of Kentucky Police Department
1:30-2:10 p.m.: Physical Security and Cybersecurity Overview
David Johnston, Supervisory Protective Security Advisor, Maryland/Delaware, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
Bob Mueck, Assistant Director of Public Safety, Montgomery College
2:10-2:50 p.m.: Security Solutions Panel
Sean A. Ahrens, Project Manager, Affiliated Engineers
Tim Garrett, Regional Sales Manager, Talkaphone
James Marcella, Industry Relations Director, Axis Communications
2:50-3:10 p.m.: Vertical Market Research
Niall Jenkins, Manager, Building Technologies, Omdia
3:10-3:30 p.m.: Access Control Case Study
Christopher Colon, Director of Student Affairs Technology Services, University of Massachusetts Boston
Janet Fenner, Chief Marketing Officer, Sentry Enterprises
Jennifer Maitino, Associate Dean and Director of Housing and Residential Life, University of Massachusetts Boston
3:30-4:00 p.m.: Keynote Presentation
Lori Flor, Program Director, Library Safety and Security, University of California San Diego
SPONSORED BY:
Nov. 8, 2022
About the Event
From shoplifting to sweethearting to disgruntled customers, retail outlets face growing challenges in securing their assets and protecting their staff and patrons. During the next SIA Vertical Insights Symposium, experts from the retail and security worlds will address these issues in the context of pandemic impacts, the shift to online shopping, revised theft laws in certain states and other factors.
Keynote
Kennarios Kirk, Sr., Senior Regional Manager, Logistics Loss Prevention, Amazon
1-1:45 p.m.: Organized Retail Crime Panel
- David Lake, Co-Founder and CEO, Shadow Economy
- Jeffrey Slotnick, President, Setracon
- Scott Thomas, National Sales Director, Signature Brands, Genetec
1:45-2:15 p.m.: Keynote Presentation
- Kennarios Kirk, Sr., Senior Regional Manager, Logistics Loss Prevention, Amazon
2:15-3:00 p.m.: Security Solutions for Retail Panel
- Tony D’Onofrio, CEO and Managing Director, Global Retail Business Unit, Prosegur
- Troy McCanna, Vice President, Enterprise Solutions, Robotic Assistance Devices
- Michael Taylor, Vice President of Global Sales, Identiv
- Matt Kelley, Head of Retail - Go to Market, LiveView Technologies
Produced with support from:
June 7, 2022
About the Event
This SIA Vertical Insights Symposium addresses the unique security challenges of the cannabis sector. Security industry leaders, practitioners and other stakeholders will address such topics as:
- Financing the deployment of security systems when credit is unavailable
- Navigating the variations in legal status and security regulations across the country
- Securing businesses with large amounts of cash on hand
- The impact of security devices on operations
- And more!
This event provides an in-depth look at a fast-growing market.
Agenda (All Times EDT)
1:00 p.m.: Opening Comments
1:05 p.m.: Keynote Presentation
- John Cohen, agent in charge, Marijuana Enforcement Division, Colorado Department of Revenue
In this session, John Cohen will share insights from the nation’s most mature cannabis market, examining how security threats have evolved and how cannabis businesses and their security industry partners can best address them.
1:35 p.m.: Security Solutions Panel
- Niall Jenkins, consulting manager, Building Technologies Group, Omdia
- Justin Wilmas, president, Netwatch North America
- Robert Wood, director, global field application, Identiv
2:05 p.m.: End User Panel
- Jennifer Duey, vice president of physical security, Jushi Holdings
- Kevin Hill, national director of security, Trulieve
- Moderator: Steve Surfaro, chair, SIA Public Safety Interest Group
2:40 p.m.: Break
2:50 p.m.: Risk Panel
- Doug Esposito, renewable energy/construction and cannabis practice leader, Assured Partners; member, Risk Management and Insurance Committee, National Cannabis Industry Association
- Matthew Johnson, vice president, risk services, QuadScore Insurance Services
- Moderator: Bethany Moore, director of communications, National Cannabis Industry Association
3:25 p.m.: Keynote Presentation
- Michael Sampson, partner, Leech Tishman
In this session, Michael Sampson will provide an overview of the various legal environments in which cannabis is grown, transported, stored and sold, sharing his expertise on state and federal laws and the risks and potential liabilities that can be faced by businesses in the sector, as well as firms that work with them.
3:55 p.m.: Closing Comments
April 15, 2021
These are unprecedented times in health care security, with practitioners and their providers challenged to meet new demands in a rapidly altered environment. This half-day online event addressed several of these challenges.
Earn recertification credits: This event is approved for 2 CEUs for the IAHSS' CHPA certification.
Ideal for:
- Health care security leaders, including chief security officers, security managers, security directors and security support staff
- Systems integration company staff serving health care clients
- Consultants/specifiers/engineers
- Executive leadership and business development professionals working with health care clients
- Product managers responsible for solutions targeted for health care applications
Produced with support from:
Agenda (All Times EDT)
1:00-1:05 p.m. – Welcome
1:05-1:35 p.m. – Keynote Address: A Post-Pandemic Vision of Hospital Security
Hospital safety and security policies and procedures have changed significantly during the past year because of the pandemic. Will the future look more like 2019 or 2020? Or will it be something completely different?
- Mark Reed, Director of Support Services, Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital
1:35-1:55 p.m. – What Do the Numbers Say? Findings from Health Care Security Research
In this session, a leading researcher will analyze the data and trends from this unique era in health care security.
- Niall Jenkins, Consulting Director, Security and Building Technology, Omdia
1:55-2:25 p.m. – Meeting Compliance Demands: Guidance from the Joint Commission and CMS
Regulators will provide insights into how hospital security practitioners can deploy compliant policies and solutions.
- James Kendig, Field Director, The Joint Commission
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Speaker TBA
- Moderator: Bonnie Michelman, Executive Director of Police, Security and Outside Services, Massachusetts General Hospital
2:25-2:40 p.m. – Networking Break: Meet Other Participants
2:40-3:10 p.m. – A Cost Center No More: Leveraging Integrated Security Equipment for Operational Efficiency
Learn how hospitals are implementing innovative approaches that expand the functionalities of security equipment beyond protection and risk management.
- Robert Leahy, Senior Systems and Technology Manager, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Shawn Reilly, Risk Evaluation and Security Training Program Development, Tech Systems
- Chris Sessa, Director, Financial and Healthcare, Salient Systems
- Moderator: Ron Hawkins, Director of Industry Relations, SIA
3:10-3:40 p.m. – Securing the Digital Perimeter: Protecting Patients by Countering Cyberthreats
Cyber attacks can lead to data breaches, ransomware demands, a compromised physical security system and other devastating results. How can hospitals defend against them?
- Doug Coppola, Director, Health Care Solutions, LenelS2
- Lee Kim, Director of Thought Advisory, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society
- Avi Rubin, Director, Johns Hopkins University Health and Medical Security Lab, and Technical Director, Johns Hopkins University Information Security Institute
- Moderator: Joe Gittens, Director of Standards, SIA
3:40-4 p.m. – Good-Better-Best: A Guide to Implementing Security Systems in Health Care Facilities
Security leaders within the SIA membership developed this tiered approach to help practitioners identify the right solutions for their locations.
- Sean Ahrens, Security Market Group Leader, Affiliated Engineers
- Cameron Walker-Miller, Associate Director of Standards, SIA
4 p.m. – Closing
July 29, 2021
Produced in partnership with Endeavor Business Media, publisher of SecurityInfoWatch.com, Security Technology Executive and Security Business magazines, this highly engaging virtual symposium addressed current threats facing schools, how schools are investing in security solutions for post-pandemic in-person learning and other key topics for protecting the K-12 education environment.
Produced with support from:
Media partner:
Event Agenda (All Times EDT)
Welcome/Introduction – 1-1:05 p.m.
Safety and Security Challenges, New and Old: How the Pandemic Has Affected Student Behavior and Is Reshaping Schools – 1:05-1:35 p.m.
- Moderator: Jim Crumbley, owner, Risk Response Team
- Michele Gay, co-founder, Safe and Sound Schools
- Jeremy Gulley, superintendent, The Jay School Corporation, Portland, Indiana
- David Stolerow, national sales manager, smart buildings/security, Siemens Industry
Team Solve: Audience Breakout – 1:35-1:45 p.m.
Work together with other attendees to come up with creative solutions to a school security challenge.
Follow the (Guidance to Get the) Money: A Discussion of School Security Grants, Stimulus Funding and Other Revenue Sources – 1:45-2:15 p.m.
- Moderator: Jake Parker, senior director of government relations, SIA
- Bruce Canal, segment development manager, education, Axis Communications
- Judy Riffle, Ed.D., Senior Grant Consultant, EducationGrantsHelp.com, Lexipol
- Dominic Sorrentino, business development manager, education, Motorola Solutions
Break – 2:15-2:25 p.m.
Give Me Back My Data: Using Sound Cybersecurity Practices to Reduce the Threat of Ransomware – 2:25-2:55 p.m.
- Travis Paakki, Ph.D., senior director, Office of Technology and Information Services, Portland, Oregon, Public Schools
- Doug Levin, national director, K-12 Cybersecurity Resource Center
- Moderator: Christopher Painter, president, Global Forum on Cyber Expertise Foundation
Team Solve: Audience Breakout – 2:55-3:05 p.m.
Work together with other attendees to come up with creative solutions to a school security challenge.
School Security How-To: The PASS Guidelines – 3:05-3:35 p.m.
- Moderator: Mark Williams, chair, Partner Alliance for Safer Schools
- David Woodward, director of student services, Carmel Clay, Indiana, Schools
- Paul Timm, vice president, Facility Engineering Associates
- Kevin Wren, school safety advocate, A3 Communications
Team Solve: Audience Breakout – 3:35-3:45 p.m.
Work together with other attendees to come up with creative solutions to a school security challenge.
Leveraging Technology to Keep Students Safe: A Case Study – 3:45-4 p.m.
Register for Free & Unlock Access to SIA's K-12 Market Research Report
Your registration for the July 29 K-12 School Security Symposium includes a copy of SIA's exclusive 2021 K-12 education market research report produced by Omdia. This report covers market size and growth forecasts and research into the use of video surveillance, access control and identity management in school facilities.
Nov. 9, 2021
As a component of the nation’s critical infrastructure, the oil and gas sector faces a broad range of security challenges. Just this year, the nation saw the massive impact that a single vulnerability can have not only on oil and gas businesses, but society as a whole.
SIA’s Vertical Insights Symposium on energy sector security examined the physical security, cybersecurity and resiliency issues with which oil and gas firms and their partners must contend.
Agenda (All Times EST)
1:00-1:05 p.m. – Welcome
1:05-1:35 p.m. – The View From CISA: Protecting Industrial Control Systems From Cyber Threats
- Mark Bristow, branch chief, cyber defense coordination, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
1:35-2:10 p.m. – Protests and Security: When Activism Becomes Threatening
- Katie Domansky, Ph.D., chief analyst/director, Welund North America
- Scott De Graaf, corporate security supervisor, Eastern United States, Marathon Petroleum
- Jeff Gunnulfsen, senior director, security and risk management, American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers
- Niell Irvin, security and emergency manager, Marathon Oil
2:10-2:40 p.m. – A Conversation About Business Drivers
- Darin Dillon, vice president, energy, Pivot3
- Chris Earleywine, senior director, vertical market solutions, LenelS2
2:40-2:55 p.m. – Break
2:55-3:30 p.m. – An All-Hazards Look at Security, From the Perimeter to the Network
- John Bryk, cybersecurity and physical threat intelligence analyst, Downstream Natural Gas Information Sharing & Analysis Center
- Dennis Hackney, senior technical advisor, industrial cybersecurity, ABS Group
- Joe Morgan, segment development manager, Axis Communications
3:30-4:00 p.m. – Colonial Pipeline and Beyond: Federal Guidance for Ransomware Threats
- Sonya Proctor, assistant administrator for surface operations, Transportation Security Administration
4 p.m. – Closing
Dec. 13, 2021
In 2019, Americans rode public transit 34 million times every weekday. Providing security for all of these passengers – plus nearly a half million employees – is a daunting challenge for the nearly 7,000 organizations that run these systems. SIA’s Public Transportation Vertical Insights Symposium examined several of the key security issues in the sector, including:
- Personal safety of passengers and staff
- Cybersecurity
- Impact of the federal infrastructure bill
- “Good-Better-Best” guidelines for transit security
- And more
With speakers from the transit community, the security industry and the federal government, this event provided invaluable insights into how security technology helps to keep America moving.
Agenda (All Times EST)
1:05-1:35 p.m.: Cyber-Physical Security in Transit
- Arielle Baine, cybersecurity advisor, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
1:35-2:10 p.m.: Good-Better-Best – Comprehensive Best Practices for Implementing Public Transportation Security Systems
- Sean Ahrens, project manager, Affiliated Engineers
- Julie Schneider, director of safety, security and risk management, Milwaukee Transport Services
- Cameron Walker-Miller, associate director of standards and technology, Security Industry Association (SIA) (moderator)
2:10-2:30 p.m.: BREAK
2:30-3:10 p.m.: Key Cybersecurity Learnings for Public Transit
- Brandon Thomas, researcher, Mineta Transportation Institute, and partner, Grayline Group
3:10-3:30 p.m.: What the Infrastructure Bill Means for Transit Security
- Jake Parker, senior director of government relations, SIA
3:30-4:00 p.m.: Technologies and Practices to Keep Passengers and Staff Safe
- Mimi Bolaffi, director of security programs, Bay Area Rapid Transit Police Department
- Polly Hanson, senior director of security, risk and emergency management, American Public Transportation Association
- David Mayhew, principal engineer, Intelligent Automation
- Ronald Hawkins, director of industry relations, SIA (moderator)
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