Sean O'Neill, American Security Systems

New York, NY Sean O’Neill, CEO of American Security Systems, sat down with the New York Real Estate Journal for a Question & Answer session.

O’Neill joined the team at American Security Systems as CEO in 2015 after acquiring the business from its founder, Larry Dolin. “I had positioned myself as the ‘next generation buyer,’ seeking a well-established security business with a legacy to carry forward.” Conversely, Dolin saw a younger version of himself in O’Neill, having been exactly the same age when he started American and with the same entrepreneurial drive. Since its founding in 1979, American has become one of the largest independent providers of interactive security and fire services in the tristate region.

O’Neill spent most of his career on Wall Street, investing in and growing businesses in North America before deciding to pursue his dream of owning and operating a business.  In late 2013, nearing the completion of an MBA program at INSEAD, he raised seed capital from a group of entrepreneurs to finance a search to buy the right business. After nearly two years and countless emails, letters, phone calls, and meetings, he accomplished what he set out to do.

Upon completing the acquisition of American, O’Neill relocated back to New York with his wife, Julia, of ten years and their two daughters to begin the next chapter of their lives.

Q: Why security?

A: I already knew the industry very well, having taken private one of the largest publicly traded security companies in North America. I worked with the team to more than double the size of the business while learning the ins and outs of the operations from the field level to the board room.

What’s more, the industry is growing – notably managed and interactive services – due to ever-increasing demands for security and integrated building systems. While the landscape is still very fragmented, the industry is consolidating rapidly and scale economies are more important now than ever before. Having in-house service capabilities definitely differentiates us from the vast majority of smaller providers who now face tougher competition and a steep technology curve.

Shown (from left) are: Sean O’Neill and Larry Dolin.

Q: What initially attracted you to American?

A: American had successfully made the technological and generational leap that very few security companies have made from a traditional service provider to a leader in interactive video services.  Within interactive video, our service offerings are divided into two categories: anti-loitering services – Safe Lobby – and doorman and package delivery services – including Video Doorman.

Property managers for both affordable and market rate use our services, including Safe Lobby and Video Doorman, to increase the value of their investment and offerings through interactive services.

American is well-established in interactive video monitoring throughout the tristate area. Our team focuses on multi-family properties, and has grown the division by over 20x since 2011. It’s a very simple and compelling message: a safer building is a safer investment.

American’s Safe Lobby clients range from the nation’s largest owners and managers of affordable housing portfolios and market-rate developers to single property owners, with the common goal of increasing the property value with a safer building for their residents. We have had huge success cleaning up illicit activity and unwanted loitering within of our clients’ buildings through our 24/7 central station monitoring and close coordination with the local precinct.  Many of our larger clients in the affordable space seek to reduce their operating costs for security guards and now use Safe Lobby in lieu of – or to supplement – physical manpower.

While many of American’s anti-loitering clients are in the affordable housing segment, we have also helped many market-rate clients with Safe Lobby.  One of American’s customers was having major issues with tenants partying on the roof deck after the local bars shut down.  We were able to remotely monitor the rooftop activity by time of day and occupancy – all based on our client’s specific needs and evolving feedback – and remove this element from the building. Due to the simplicity in concept, we have rolled out Safe Lobby across a wide range of applications in the multifamily segment.

Managing with data is much more prevalent today than in years past, which makes American’s services that much more relevant.  In essence, we become a second set of eyes for our clients to help them see activity or spot trends that are useful to know.

With Video Doorman package delivery services, American’s clients can offer concierge services to their residents without the financial commitment to a full-time staff of doormen, which is especially relevant in smaller to mid-sized buildings. 

Another attractive feature was American’s ability to simplify its clients’ lives by being a single source for fire and security.  We are very pleased with the continued success of our fire division, which we have grown by 10x over the past five years. We have invested a ton of resources into the fire division and are proud to have provided turnkey solutions to our clients ranging from high-rise hotels and multi-million square foot commercial facilities to individual commercial/residential spaces. 

Security camera monitoring system by American Security Systems.

Q: Notable projects?

A: Earlier this year, American installed Safe Lobby and a fire system on a large-scale public-private collaboration for a historical rehabilitation project in northern Manhattan. The project spanned an entire side of one city block and included over 50 megapixel IP cameras. Being the first of its kind, this project is not only important from an architectural preservation point of view, but also because it helped pave the way towards a solution to the city’s aging public housing infrastructure. We are incredibly excited to be a part of this project.

Q: What does the future at American look like?

A: We are investing in the future by growing the team across all departments not only to keep ahead of customer demand, but also to keep ahead of a steep technological curve. Our plans for the future are to keep focused and constantly improve. For now, we will continue to expand American’s presence in the multi-family housing market - which has been a core focus of the company for more than 35 years – through fire and interactive video services.

Q: What is American’s biggest strength?

A: When it comes to life safety, there is no margin of error.  Our culture must be fine-tuned to meet our customers’ needs. American’s team of certified service and installation technicians, dedicated customer service professionals, and well-seasoned sales and account management team are 100% dedicated to making sure the company’s customers are safe, protected and happy.  Our philosophy is simple: communication followed by more communication. 

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