Hwpconverse

In every business I have been in, there was always a mentor.  A veteran of the industry that I trusted, who has been there and done that and wanted to invest in the next generation.  It was always great to have someone to bounce ideas off.  Whether it was a campaign I was working on, or looking to make a career change.  I sat down with Kyle Baker at Sophia Consulting and Integration.  Kyle was looking to solve a couple problems.  He needed good technicians and what to help an under-reached, under-served community.  So Kyle decided to mentor a young gentleman that wasn’t sure what he wanted to do after high school.  Kyle decided to invest in him.  I don’t want to spoil the ending, but this was a really moving podcast for me.  Take a listen. Join the movement to help others. And of course Cohee’s 14 fun questions. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the show. 

A switch is a switch, right?  I mean, there are so many brands out there.  Who should I be using? What switch is best for what I’m trying to do? What company should I partner with? For me, there is only one answer, Transition Networks.  But Cohee, Why Transition Networks?  I sit down with James Powell, Regional Sales Manager at Transition Networks and find out what is so special about Transition Networks. We talk the 3 P’s: People. Partnership and Products. All that and Cohee’s 14 fun questions. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the show. 

It’s Season 3, Can you believe it? In celebration of our third season, I decided to take a look back at the year that was 2020.  What a year!?!?! It started with such hope and excitement and then the bottom dropped out.  Next thing you know, I’m at home on zoom calls all day and what do you know, my kids are home too.  It seems like they were home from March to October.  Could you pipe down?  I’m trying to work up here. But there was some cool stuff.  I look back at my favorite podcasts from 2020.  From 30 minutes with John Honovich to HWP turning 50 to the changing world of training.  I also answer the question, How did the Coffee with Cohee podcast come about.  All that and I get on the hot seat and answer Cohee’s 14 fun questions. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the show. 

The reminder pops up on your phone.  You have training in 15 minutes.  You just drop your head and exhale.  Another death by powerpoint. Who’s been there? Training just leaves a bad taste in your mouth.  But we aren’t talking about any training, we are talking about ASSA ABLOY Training.  I sit down with Russ Anderson from Assa Abloy.  He is the commandant of training.  We talk about the importance of training.  Why your company should invest in it and what makes his trainings so good.  All that and Cohee’s 14 fun questions. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the show 

Why Pelco? Seems like a simple question.  We all know Pelco from back in the day when they ruled the analog camera world.  But now, in this world if IP and IoT, there are hundreds of camera manufacturers  from every part of the globe.  Why Pelco? What makes it so special? Why should I choose them for my camera needs? They knew analog, but IP is different.  Why Pelco? In this episode, I sit down with Nate Smith, Business Development Manager with Pelco.  We try to answer this simple, yet complex question, Why Pelco?  I also hit him with the complexities of Cohee’s 14 Fun Questions.  So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the show. 

In this episode, I sit down with Tony Green, Regional Sales Manager for Assa Abloy.  We are talking power.  Not the song by SNAP. We are talking Securitron power.  Everyone knows the great Mag Locks, push buttons and accessories that Securitron offers.  But did you know they have a complete line of power supplies.  We talk about about how you too can have the power.  All that and Cohee’s 14 Fun Questions.  So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the show. 

In this episode, I sit down with Marcus Myers, Principal and Director of Operations for HWP.  Recently, HWP announced that after 50 years, the rep firm is changing to a PSO?  What exactly is a PSO and what do they do? Two of the many questions that Marcus and I tackle.  Find out “Why?” HWP is changing their model to a PSO and how it can benefit your company. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the show. 

As the world combats the global pandemic of COVID-19, every organization has had to modify their operations to accommodate infectious disease control factors.  For over three months, the work world has been turned upside down.  Dining room tables have become classrooms and boardrooms.  As we move from working at home and open up offices and facilities, there are many questions  on what that will look like.  How do you protect your employees from infectious diseases.  What is your plan for reopening? How will our security systems and procedures change as we return to work.  I sit down with Mark Schreiber with Safeguards Consulting.  They recently published a paper titled 2020 Infectious Disease Hardening fro COVID-19 and Other Biological Risks.We talk about COVID-19, how it has changed how we work and how we can use physical security technology to help mitigate the risks as we return back to the office.All this and Cohee's 14 Fun Questions.So grab a cup of coffee and have a listen.

With the ever increasing need for bandwidth, it seems like we need more fiber.  I think my doctor has told me that before.  But seriously, as mega-pixels increase and multi-sensor cameras are used more and more not to mention video analytics and AI and all the vast amounts of data being collected, we need the ability to transport more and more data and quickly.  Fiber. You need more Fiber, but fiber isn’t always cost effective or available.  What do we do? Do they make Air Fiber? I sit down with Alex Doorduyn from Siklu WIreless.  We discuss the word of Air Fiber and millimeter waves and how Siklu is different.  And wait until Cohee's 14 Fun Questions.  I'm not sure where Alex is from, he's lived on a least 3 continents. Maybe he can clear that up too.  So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy.

Turnstiles have a bad rap and it’s not unjustified.  Just think of those ones in the library or the metro station. Those 3 armed monsters are after you. They are dirty, greasy, and never work right.  You always impale your thigh or hip when you are trying to get through. At lets be honest, if your company owns a few of those, they are probably broken more than they working.  In this episode, I sit down with Mike Stoll from Aeroturn.  Mike has 20 years of design, development and production in the turnstile industry. He sets me straight on Aeroturn Turnstiles and how they debunk the myth that turnstiles are a money pit.  We also get into why you need turnstiles and you won’t believe it, but you can customize them.  All that and Cohee’s 14 Fun Questions..  So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the show. 

In this episode, I sit down with Trey Gunter, one of the principals at HWPco.  HWPco is the premier manufacturer’s representatives in the SouthEast.  We are celebrating 50 Years of HWP.  We talk about how HWP went from just a handful of employees to over 25 strong and 5 business units.  HWP isn’t your typical rep firm.  Hear about what makes us different and what challenges lie ahead.  All this and Trey is put on the hot seat with Cohee’s 14 Fun Questions.  So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the show. 

In this episode, I sit down with Kurt Takahashi, CEO of Pelco.  Pelco is a well known company in the Physical Security Industry.  However, there has been a number of changes.  It’s not the same Pelco from years past.  Kurt answers the question of Who is Pelco?  Spoiler Alert: They aren’t owned by Schneider Electric anymore. Take a listen and hear about where Pelco is going, what about Pelco lured him away from a great job, and all the great changes.  So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the show. 

NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act), TAA (Trade Agreement Act) and COOUS (Country of Origin United States) have been in the news a lot lately.  What exactly does these acronyms mean?  How will they effect the security industry?  How will they effect integrators and end users?  Why is it important to buy NDAA or TAA or COOUS product? In this episode, I sit down with Bob Maldoven.  A 30 year security veteran, Bob is currently the Government Vertical Manager at Pelco.  He helps navigate us through the alphabet soup that is government acronyms and programs. So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the show.

Description for Season 2 Episode 11: GSA: It’s not just a contract, it’s a program. In this episode, I sit down with Bob Maldoven.  A 30 year security veteran, Bob is currently the Government Vertical Manager at Pelco.  We talk about the ins and outs of GSA and how it works.  GSA isn’t for bid chasing.  It’s a program that allows to you to conduct business with the Federal Government.  Bob answers all the questions you were afraid to ask, like what does GSA stand for? Why should I use GSA? How can I use Pelco’s GSA contract? All this and he answers Cohee’s 14 Fun Questions.  So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the show.

In this episode, we continue in our series on House of Worship Security, this time from the prospective of the church.  I sit down with Mike Gambrell.  Mike is a 30 year veteran of law enforcement.  He has held ever position at the police department from officer and detective all the up to Chief of Police.  He has been the Director of Safety and Security at Brushy Creek Baptist Church since 2007.  Mike talks about how church security has two different plans, Sundays and large events where there are lots of people on campus and then Monday thru Friday when it is just church staff in the building.  We also talk about the history of church security and what got him and Brushy Creek Baptist focused on it.  He gets into how technology and security teams work together to protect people and property.  All this and he answers the toughest questions, Cohee’s 14 Fun Questions.  So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the show.

In this episode, I sit down with Chad Lingafelt.  Chad is the Managing Partner at Loc-Doc Security in Charlotte, North Carolina. We dive into the Core Values and how they are the foundation of Loc-Doc Security.  We talk about why they are so important and getting buy in from the team.  Loc-Doc doesn’t just look at Core Values as another document that new hires have to sign.  They review their Core Values weekly at their team meeting.  If they have a business problem to solve, they use their core values as a guide.  Take a listen at how Core Values have changed the vibe and culture at Loc-Doc.  And listen to Chad squirm as he has to answer Cohee’s 14 Fun Questions.  So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the show.Thanks for checking out the Coffee with Cohee podcast.  We are going to be talking about all things security from multiple angles.  Every week we will have a different guest from a different part of the security industry.  From manufacturers to integrators to consultants to end users and everythi

In this episode, I had the privilege of spending 30 minutes with John Honovich, President and Founder of IPVM.  We discuss IPVM, who they are and why they were started.  Then we talk about the State of Security.  How the Chinese manufacturer ban, National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and Trade Agreement Act (TAA) have affected the security industry.  We wrap it up with new technologies Artificial Intelligence and VSAS (Video Surveillance as a Service) and Coronavirus.  So grab a cup of coffee and get some great insight on the security industry.

Securing our Schools is a hot topic today.  How do we keep our children safe while still fostering an environment of learning and fun?  This is the first of many in a series I am calling “Securing Education”.  In this episode we do an introduction to Securing K-12 schools.  It seems like school shootings are in the news every week.  While this is a nightmare scenario that we must plan for, there are many other issues regarding securing a school.  We cover a broad range of topics from securing the grounds, securing the building and securing the classroom.  We even touch on a controversial topic, cameras in the classroom.  What if I told you there was a way to lower classroom incidents by 85% given teachers back countless hours of instruction time? I sit down with Tony Mangum from Design Phase and pull from his expertise regarding School Security. Grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the show.To hear Tony’s responses to Cohee’s 14 Fun Questions, check out Season 2 Episode 6: Technology Architect: What you t

In this episode, I sit down with Tony Mangum from Design Phase.  Tony is the Principal and Chief Technology Architect.  We drive into what is a Technology Architect and how he can help your company maximize the value of your technology dollars with the right products and best methods for your technology needs. We get into the 4 phases of a project and how Design Phase can help you throughout the project process. With over 75 commissioned schools to their name, Design Phase is the one call you need to make if you are building or remodeling a school. All this and Cohee’s 14 Fun Questions.  So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the show.Thanks for checking out the Coffee with Cohee podcast.  We are going to be talking about all things security from multiple angles.  Every week we will have a different guest from a different part of the security industry.  From manufacturers to integrators to consultants to end users and everything in between.  Not only will we get their take on the security industry, but w

We wrap up our series “Securing Manufacturing”. Loren Bergstrom from Convergint – Greenville is our guest.  We concentrate on the external security of a manufacturing facility.  How do you harden the target to deter unwanted visitors.  We also talk about pitfalls for business owners.  What questions should you as your integrator. Is this the right integrator for you? What will this system cost me in 3-5 years?  So grab a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy the show.Thanks for checking out the Coffee with Cohee podcast.  We are going to be talking about all things security from multiple angles.  Every week we will have a different guest from a different part of the security industry.  From manufacturers to integrators to consultants to end users and everything in between.  Not only will we get their take on the security industry, but we will also see what makes them tick.  We will end every podcast with a handful of fun questions in the hopes that we get some interesting answers and fun stories.  So sit back, re