​It is with mixed emotions that I share the news that I will be winding down ThinkReps.  When I started the company five years ago I thought that this would be the role I would have until I (hopefully) retired.  I started the business during a recession, I am ending during a pandemic, and the time in between has been a pretty wild ride.  There are a number of people I wish to thank because, without them, we would never have gotten off the ground. 

First and foremost, Ivan Fried.  When Ivan said he was willing to join ThinkReps and help me launch the business, it actually made the idea of ThinkReps a reality.  He took the hits alongside me as we navigated gaining and losing lines, good commission months and bad, and dealing with all types of personalities that come with managing multiple product lines.  His mentorship and experience were extremely helpful to me even if I did not always appreciate it at the moment.  I wish that I could have built the company that we both could have retired from someday.  I am happy he found a role with BLVS.  They are lucky to have him.  Our industry is generally not one that people aspire to.  Teenagers don’t dream of the days that they can schlep around a trunk full of cameras.  Most of us just ended up here.  Because of that, finding people who are willing to do the work is very hard.  Ivan is always willing to do the work.  Thank you, Ivan.

Harrison Baron, I met when he worked for one of our clients.  He was (is) a very confident young guy with a positive attitude.  He invited me to be on his podcast Brutally Honest with Harrison Baron.  Harry was interviewing local entrepreneurs and business people and asked me if I would come on.  It was a very interesting experience.  Zero preparation.  He told me to show up to the studio at 6 pm and after a quick soundcheck, we were recording. We did an hour that felt like 10 minutes and I knew immediately that Harry was someone I wanted to work with.  I reached out to him a few months later when I heard he decided to start his own marketing firm.  I offered him a job with ThinkReps.  He declined, kind of. In a very millennial fashion, he did not want to be an employee, he wanted to be a contractor while still having the leeway to build his own business.  We worked out a deal and he joined the team, bringing fresh energy and great technical and marketing knowledge to our team.  I know Harry will be very successful in growing what is now multiple businesses and I will likely work for him someday.  Thank you, Harrison.
​
You can not have a rep firm without lines so I would like to name a few of the people who took a chance on a startup here. Each of these folks was very important in making ThinkReps a success. Rob Lydic (Isonas), Tom Cook (Hanwha), Jay Mele and Tom Chamard  (Salient), Mike Stoll (Aeroturn), David Schulman and Jeremy Damato (KBC), Rick Caruthers and Ralph Jones (Galaxy).  There are others but this core represented 95% of ThinkReps revenue over the past five years.  I am thankful to each of you.

You also can not have a successful company without customers.  But there are too many customers to name.  If you ever bought any of our products or even allowed us to demo a solution to you, I am very grateful and look forward to a continued relationship as I will be staying in touch with all of you.

Last but not least I would like to thank Monique Merhige.  Mo was the second person I called after I decided to start my own business.  I told her I was going to need some help with public relations, but after we spoke we realized that ThinkReps and her firm Infusion Direct Marketing were selling to the same audience.  We came to an agreement and Infusion was the first line under contract with ThinkReps.  Mo has been a great friend and business partner.  We have had many successes and a lot of fun while working together.  We have acted as each other’s sounding board.  When you own a business there is nobody to complain to when things are not going right.  Or at least no one who really understands the struggle. I believe that we helped each other greatly in growing our businesses and staying relatively sane while doing so.  Thank you, Monique.

So what is next?  This is the exciting part.  I will be joining Qumulex as a Regional Sales Manager.  Qumulex is a startup from the founders of Exacq Technologies, Integral Technologies, and others.  I worked for Exacq for five years and I have told anyone who would listen it was the best job I ever had.  (No offense to anyone else I worked for.)  We had a great management team, a strong product, and a tremendous staff overall.  I am thrilled that Tom, Dan, Dave, Jack, TJ, Jeff, Libby, and Nick have allowed me to rejoin them in this new venture.  There is no group I could be more excited about joining to build the future together.

I will send out all my new Qumulex contact information once I have it, but all the following will continue to work, so please, if you read this, stay in touch.

All the Best,

Adam

adam@thinkreps.com 
631-838-1127

Any and all December promotions being offered by ThinkReps Vendors will be listed here:

Click below to download the latest WyreStorm Dealer Promotion

ScanSource is offering a Free iPhone with Hanwha orders over $50K

Save 78% OFF MSRP on select Hanwha Techwin security products* click this link

ThinkReps LLC, a leading security manufacturers’ rep firm in the New York Metropolitan area, today announced that the company has expanded and added a new team member, Kenneth C. Kraemer, to its roster. ThinkReps is a manufacturer's representation firm based in New York and focused on enhancing the sales and market awareness of the best physical security solutions in the industry. The company is committed to providing top notch sales and support to its customer base and continues to raise the bar on sales management. ThinkReps was looking for a veteran security expert to add to the team; and Kenneth fit the role perfectly.

Kenneth has been in the security industry for over 40 years and specializes in working with the A&E community and is a subject matter expert on electronic security systems. With a diverse security background that includes running an integration business for over 13 years to managing security at all three New York airports for the Port Authority; to handling border security in eight countries and working as a top engineer for Raytheon in Russia; Kenneth has done it all when it comes to security. He now brings his wide array of security expertise to ThinkReps and will help manage territory sales in the New York Metropolitan area. In his role at ThinkReps, Kenneth will focus on educating Architects and Engineers on the technical merits of products within the ThinkReps line card and work to ensure that those products become specified on future projects. “We are extremely excited to bring Kenneth on board to help broaden our relationships in the A&E community and continue to build momentum for the security manufacturers that we represent,” states Adam Messina, President at ThinkReps LLC.

ThinkReps is committed to its manufacturers and confident that bringing Kenneth on board will add to its customers’ success. “I’m extremely excited to be part of the ThinkReps team and to go back to the original community of engineers and help get our products out there and implemented,” states Kenneth C. Kraemer, Sales Rep at ThinkReps LLC. With a broad background in designing and overseeing the installation of Enterprise Level Integrated Security Systems for the US DoD / DTRA throughout Eastern Europe, Africa & Asia; Kenneth is a perfect addition to the ThinkReps team.

For further information on ThinkReps, visit http://www.thinkreps.com.

About ThinkReps LLC

ThinkReps provides Territory Sales as a Service for solutions providers in the New York and New Jersey Metropolitan market. The company is focused on enhancing the sales and market awareness of the best solutions in the security industry. For further information, visit http://www.thinkreps.com.

Company Contact:

Adam Messina, President 
ThinkReps LLC 
Phone: (646) 278-4588 ext 301 
Email: adam@thinkreps.com

PR Contact:

Monique Merhige, President 
Infusion Direct Marketing & Advertising, Inc. 
Phone: ​631-846-1558 
Email: monique@infusiondirect.com

The attached PDF is an excerpt from the March issue of Locksmith Ledger International.  Our friend David Gonzalez discusses the benefits of using an Electronic Access Control System. 

Leading event security specialists helps educate ISC West attendees on the latest drone vulnerability to public safety

 Boca Raton, FL –April 5, 2018:  EventProtek, a leader in event security solutions, today announced that the company will be presenting at the ISC West show’s Unmanned Security & Safety Expo Complimentary Education program aimed at educating attendees on the drone vulnerability that can negatively impact public safety.  The education program titled, “Invasion of the Drones:  Should We Be Afraid Yet?” will take place at the ISC West Show at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas on Thursday, April 12th from 3:45 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.  Mark Eklund from EventProtek and Nimo Shkedy from ApolloShield Counter-Drone Systems have joined forces and will be presenting on this important topic.

Developed by experts from Israel Defense Forces and currently serving more than 25 countries, ApolloShield is the world leader in detecting and blocking drone intrusions, as well as tracking down and arresting unauthorized drone operators. With current civilian US regulations prohibiting drone denial, ApolloShield offers a unique legal and safe choice for proactive directors of security who want to do more than just detect drone intrusions. Attendees can stop by booth #4137 for further information and to see first-hand how EventProtek and ApolloShield are working together to protect the public with the latest drone detection technology. With 6 million commercial and recreational drones sold to date, a completely new threat to Homeland Security, public safety, and corporate security is rapidly emerging as Security Directors are scrambling to deal with this vulnerability.

This educational seminar will answer several questions ranging from how to assess the risk of drones to finding the right drone detection and mitigation system available today.  “After two years of studying critical infrastructure in the new England area, it’s very apparent that something could easily happen that will greatly impact life as we know it in the years to come,” states Mark Eklund, CEO at EventProtek.  "I’m looking forward to sharing my knowledge on drone security with ISC West attendees and using this event as a venue to help educate the public on the global commercial and recreational drone threats that exists today with the hopes of preventing a future incident from taking place.”

ISC West attendees can see the latest drone technology at the ApolloShield booth #4137. In addition, attendees who join the educational session on April 12th will also receive a VIP pass to an exclusive live product demonstration at 6 p.m. – location will be disclosed following educational event.   For further information on EventProtek, visit www.eventprotek.com or ApolloShield, visit www.apolloshield.com.

 Company Contact::

Mark Eklund

Event Protek

631-965-5004
Mark@EventProtek.com

 

All of our vendors are looking forward to speaking with you in Las Vegas!.  Please E-mail me with any meeting requests and I will get you on their calendars.  adam@thinkreps.com

ThinkReps is proud to support our brands at the ISC East 2017 tradeshow on November 15th and 16th at the Jacob Javits Center in NYC.