ESA Announces 2023 Election Results: Welcomes Members to Board of Directors
Members of the Electronic Security Association recently voted for several open positions on its Board of Directors. Election
The purpose of a director on the ESA Board is to work collectively as a team to provide good governance of ESA affairs and to set direction to optimize the growth and performance of the organization. Each Board Member has a responsibility for ensuring strategies and policies that are developed, discussed and implemented will enable the organization to achieve its mission and vision, and to monitor the organization’s implementation of those strategies and policies.
In accordance with the recently amended and adopted ESA Bylaws, two (2) Integrator and one (1) Associate Member Director positions were open for two-year terms.
Voting opened on May 1, 2023 and concluded at 2:00pm (CDT) on May 26, 2023. In accordance with the ESA bylaws, all current ESA members were eligible to vote for all open positions on the Board. Balloting was conducted electronically through a third-party platform that maintained election integrity and security.
At the conclusion of balloting the following candidates were declared the winners of this election and will be inducted onto the ESA Board of Directors in July:
Integrator Directors (Two-year term)
Melissa Brinkman, CEO, Custom Alarm, Rochester, MN
ABOUT MELISSA
Melissa has served on the Board of Directors since 2021. Melissa started her career in the security industry after moving back to her hometown, Rochester, MN in December 1998. Since starting in the ‘family’ business in 1998, Melissa has held several positions within Custom Alarm from marketing to sales manager, business development director, and customer services manager. She was Chief Operating Officer before Leigh J. Johnson, founder and CEO at the time, announced his retirement and Melissa’s promotion to CEO in February 2014. She has always been very committed to learning as much as possible about the security industry and Custom Alarm with a focus on taking care of the customer.
Custom Alarm has grown to over 65 employees and has won numerous awards including being named one of the Best Places to work in SE Minnesota and SSI 2020 Installer of the Year.
In her spare time Melissa enjoys going to concerts, traveling, photography, and spending time with her kids.
Custom Alarm has grown to over 65 employees and has been in the SDM top 100 for 23 consecutive years. Melissa is proud of her team and the culture of Custom Alarm and has been named Best Places to work in SE Minnesota for 5 consecutive years and was named by SSI 2020 Installer of the Year (small to midsize).
“I feel honored to have been elected for another term by my peers.” says Brinkman. “The work we do is important for the industry and I look forward to continuing to collaborate alongside my other board members to support the work of ESA and our members.”
Jeremy Bates, President, Bates Security, LLC / Sonitrol of Lexington, Inc., Lexington, KY
ABOUT JEREMY
Jeremy has served on the Board of Directors since 2021. His family’s company is based in Lexington Kentucky and has a total of four offices. The company is serving primarily a commercial customer base but maintains a strong residential business as well.
The Bates family and their team have grown the company over the last several years and have earned several industry and local awards including being a two-time recipient of the SAMMY’s Installer of the Year for Small to Mid-Size Companies and is also a former recipient of Lexington’s Small Business of the Year. The Bates Family and their company are proud recipients of the 2018 SDM Dealer of the Year Award as well.
“I am honored to be re-elected to the ESA Board of Directors for a second term.” says Bates “ESA is such an important part of our industry and I look forward to working with other security industry leaders to help further the work of ESA and advancing the interests of the security industry.”
Associate Member Director (Two-year term)
Jason Lutz, Distribution Sales Leader, Resideo Technologies, Austin, TX
ABOUT JASON
Jason has served on the Board of Directors since 2018. Jason’s security industry career began over twenty-five years ago as a sales rep for a national company in Houston, TX. Through a twist of faith, he moved to his current home of Middle TN where he spent the next decade in Security Company ownership. During that time, he was a member of both the ESA and TNESA and received multiple levels of NTS Certification. In 2002, he joined the ranks of manufacturing as a District Manager for the Mid-West region of Resideo and since that time has moved up to his current role as Director of the Brand Ambassador Program. Throughout his career with Resideo he has always been active in the associations and sat on multiple industry boards. Jason resides in Thompsons Station, TN with his wife and family.
“I am honored to be re-elected to the board of ESA to represent the Associate Members.” says Lutz “The ESA staff has done an amazing job bringing in new and exciting Associates members and I look forward to what we can accomplish over the next two years.”
Congratulations to all elected board members! The installation of the Directors will be held at the first scheduled ESA Board meeting in July.
