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Editor's Note By Paul Rothman It's Back…and FAST as Ever! Submissions for SD&I;'s annual Fast50 program to open in December S D&I; magazine's third annual best practices and ranking program, the Fast50, will open for submissions in December. The program recognizes growth across the entire landscape of security systems contracting, from alarm dealers and installers to systems integrators — especially the many smaller companies that make up the biggest chunk of our industry. In two years of running this program we have learned that size truly doesn't matter — they are as likely to be the movers and shakers who will guide the industry into success in the future as the larger firms. Fast50 is different because of the way we compile the rankings. It is a level playing field for all companies, no matter the size. Companies are recognized and ranked based on their year-to-year percentage and revenue growth, with our special algorithm balancing those numbers over a three-year-period. That provides the ability to recognize all kinds of companies, large and small; thus, every firm has an equal chance to earn a ranking in the program. If your company has enjoyed three consecutive years of growth, it has a great chance to be recognized as one of America's fastest-growing systems integrators. It is important to note that any financial information provided for the program will be kept under a strict non-disclosure rule. Because we base the awards on year-to-year percentage growth and overall revenue growth, the only numbers published will be the basic percentages — none of the hard numbers will ever be released. Once these percentages are calculated and all companies ranked, the results will be published in the March 2014 issue of SD&I; along with at main-stage event at ISC West to honor the top-ranked companies. Perhaps the best part of this program is that it goes beyond simple rankings. The Fast50 also focuses on the best practices of these companies — and it is clear that they are continuing to adapt to the quickly-evolving security landscape. For the last two years, Fast50 companies have embraced a shift away from simply installing hardware and trying to make money only on products. These cutting-edge firms are focused on superior customer service; targeted specifications; service and maintenance contracts; and increasingly, hosted and managed services. Select companies will have the chance to share their winning strategies with their peers in the pages of this magazine. Your firm will be seen as cutting-edge and ahead of the curve in terms of business management and growth success. Entering the Fast50 is easy, and it's free. Simply visit www.securityinfowatch.com/sdifast50 and fill out the survey when it becomes available in December. This survey will ask for significant financial information, so please be prepared; but remember, all of these numbers will be held in the strictest confidence. You can also take a look at the 2013 results. This year, I expect even more companies to enter — the awards have quickly grown into a widely recognized and sought-after distinction. While the 2013 ranking saw that Fast50 growth occurred organically, this may change with the recent M&A; activity; in fact, a few of the top Fast50 companies were acquired in the past year. Perhaps being known and accepted as one of the fastest-growing systems integrators in America had something to do with it! Look for announcements on the SD&I; Twitter feed — @SecurityDealer — for the opening of submissions and program updates; and of course, feel free to contact me if you have any questions. ❚ Paul Rothman, Editor-in-Chief @SecurityDealer www.facebook.com/SDIMag 8 http://bit.ly/SDIonLinkedin www.SecurityInfoWatch.com | SD&I; | November 2013 www.securityinfowatch.com/sdifast50