Lamenting the Loss of Cecil Hogan, Past ESA President

Cecil Hogan, founder and president of Security Consultants, Inc. in Memphis, Tenn., and president of ESA from 2002-2004, passed away on Saturday, April 24, 2021.

Hogan served 13 years on the ESA Executive Committee and in 2004, he was awarded the industry’s most prestigious award, the ESA Morris F. Weinstock Award, which recognized his lifetime of service to the electronic security and life safety industry. During his ESA presidency, Hogan, with the help of then-SIA President Allen Fritz and then-CSAA President Mel Mahler, worked to re-establish a relationship between the three associations. Because of these efforts, CSAA, ESA and SIA enjoy an affiliation that is beneficial not only to all three organizations, but the industry at large.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Cecil,” says Merlin Guilbeau, executive director and CEO, ESA. “As a businessman, owning and operating a security company for almost 40 years, he leaves a legacy of kindness and generosity that the industry will greatly miss — but should also learn from and emulate.”

An example of Hogan’s heart … he kept a dying man on his payroll for over a year so that man’s family would be taken care of and not go without.

Past ESA President and owner of Knox Integrated Systems, John Knox, remembers meeting Cecil for the first time at an industry trade show in Atlanta in the late 1980s.

“I can say if you ever had a chance to speak with Cecil, it is highly unlikely you would forget him,” he recalls. “He was one of the first people to encourage me to get involved in the Tennessee Alarm Association at a time when I did not understand the value.”

For over 25 years, Knox witnessed Hogan donate countless hours to our industry.

“At times, I know he spent more time working with ESA and TNESA than he did his own company,” Knox says. “He donated his time unselfishly and never expected anything in return.”

Past ESA President Dom D’Ascoli also remembers the long hours Hogan dedicated to the association and industry.

“The untold hours he has poured into the association and his expertise in guiding major decisions that have impacted the security industry have helped everyone in business today,” D’Ascoli says.

For information about Hogan’s funeral, where to send flowers as well as an opportunity to leave a message on his virtual memory wall, please visit Hernando Funeral Home.

“Our industry has lost a great husband, father, mentor and friend,” Knox laments.