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11/19/2019 - RS2 Continues Access Control Innovation, Sees Double-Digit Partnership Increase
Company adds cloud services, boosts staff in response to continued growth and market demand
Munster, Ind., Nov. 19, 2019 — RS2 Technologies, the technology leader of advanced access control solutions, today announced significant investments in key personnel and technology innovations to help customers and partners maximize their access control deployments in security applications. Enhancements to the company's core technology platforms, as well as a significant focus on technology integrations, propelled significant growth in 2019 and empowered customers to take access control beyond traditional use cases and layer these capabilities with other security, IT and business systems.
The demand for access control solutions is increasing as risks evolve and organizations elevate the value of security data. As a leader in access control, RS2 continues to apply the latest technology advancements to its comprehensive product portfolio to enable users to better protect and manage access to their facilities. Overall, RS2's open-architecture platforms ensure intuitive operations, flexibility, scale and resiliency to provide the highest levels of security.
In 2019, RS2 issued 1,297 software license keys, a growth of 7% over the previous year, covering a wide range of clients from enterprise organizations to the education and healthcare sectors. The company also added more than 75 new authorized integrators to the RS2 partner network, an increase of 17% over 2018. In September, the company added the ACT365 Cloud-based Access Control and Video Management solution to meet the demand from customers to deliver more diverse, innovative options to partners and customers looking to invest in innovative cloud technology
To further support its growth initiatives and focus on building brand awareness, RS2 has also invested in experienced sales and marketing leaders. Essam Choudhary has been appointed Director of Marketing and Education. An innovative leader with proven relationship-building and strategic communication skills, Choudhary will lead marketing and education efforts to set vision, direction and coordination of aligned resources.
RS2 also named Richard Oskam as the Regional Sales Manager of the New England Region covering New England, NYC and Long Island. Rick has an extensive background in the security integrator space and will have an initial focus on supporting existing integrators and securing new integrators for the region. He will also support sales and technical training for all integration and OEM partners in this dynamic area.
"We have been a leader in the access control market for more than two decades, and we continue to invest in innovative technology and experienced personnel to strengthen our commitment to solving our customers' most complex security challenges," said David Barnard, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, RS2. "The expertise and recognition we have built over the course of our company history allows us to deliver access control solutions that bring a wide range of benefits to our partners and customers. The simplicity and cost-efficiency of our technologies has driven significant growth and this trajectory is expected to increase into 2025."
About RS2 Technologies
The comprehensive access control solutions from RS2 Technologies provide security, resilience and reliability for a wide variety of organizations. Powered by intuitive technologies, expert engineering and a commitment to service, RS2 delivers industry-leading systems that are cost-efficient and innovative. As one of only four worldwide Mercury Security Platinum Elite Partners, RS2 provides users around the world with Authentic Mercury™ hardware to design powerful and flexible open-platform access control solutions. RS2 is a Windows Embedded Partner and a Microsoft Certified Partner with ISV (Independent Software Vendor) software solutions competency status. To learn more, visit www.rs2tech.com
Rhianna Daniels
Compass Integrated Communications for RS2 Technologies
O: 603.591.7209
rhianna@compassintegrated.com
09/24/2019 - RS2 Technologies Appoints Veteran Security Industry Professional to Field Engineering Role
Access control leader invests in key personnel to help drive the next phase of growth
Munster, Ind., Sept. 24, 2019 —RS2 Technologies, a leading provider of access control systems, has named Gale Poch to the newly created role of Field Sales Engineer. In this role, Poch will deliver on-site and remote support for systems integrator partners and end-user clients to guarantee their immediate and ongoing success with RS2 Technologies.
Poch is a seasoned sales and engineering professional who will play a pivotal role in supporting the regional sales management team through the delivery of pre- and post-sales support to ensure customer success with RS2's comprehensive suite of software and hardware solutions for physical access control.
An accomplished technology industry veteran with more than 23 years of expertise in the security arena, Poch has solidified himself as an individual dedicated to helping customers achieve their security and business goals. Prior to joining RS2, he spearheaded the design and specification of comprehensive integrated access control, video surveillance, security and intercom systems for Paape Energy Services and Custom Alarm.
"We are incredibly happy to welcome Gale to the RS2 family because he is motivated to lead teams to achieve higher quality and efficient support methods," said David Barnard, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, RS2. "He will play a vital role in accelerating engineering efforts across our business and will help us capitalize on opportunities across the country."
Poch's extensive knowledge of the deep integration of access control technologies markets will help RS2 continue to deliver the industry-leading service and support on which the company prides itself. As RS2 continues to move into the next evolution of its business, the company will continue to seek out investments in talented personnel
09/17/2019 - RS2 Technologies Releases ACT365 Cloud-based Access Control and Video Management Solution
Munster, Indiana — Sept. 17, 2019 — RS2 Technologies, a leading provider of access control systems, announced today the addition of the ACT365 Cloud-based Access Control and Video Management Solution to its comprehensive line of access control solutions. The ACT365 solution allows RS2 to deliver enhanced value to integrator partners and empowers end customers that look to streamline security and business operations through a cloud-based, intuitive platform.
As a cloud-based solution, the ACT365 remote diagnostics and servicing capabilities provide RS2's reseller channel with the convenience of troubleshooting issues from their mobile device or web browser to determine whether a site visit is necessary, streamlining operations. The ACT365 solution also benefits their bottom line by offering an additional revenue stream based on a recurring monthly revenue (RMR) service-based business model, which is growing in popularity across the industry.
ACT365 delivers a solution providing both access control and video management in a web-based platform that allows users to quickly update or remove user permissions, view cameras or open a door directly from a mobile phone, tablet or PC. The scalable solution offers management of multiple sites from a single, unified, and user-friendly interface without the added expense of local servers and IT resources. There is no software to install and updates are automatic, which ensures delivery of the most up-to-date, secure version of the system.
"Bringing ACT365 into the fold allows us to deliver a unique cloud-based product offering to our integrator partners that can add an additional revenue stream through RMR," said David Barnard, VP of Sales and Marketing, RS2 Technologies. "We're excited to offer the solution as another option for our partners to add a service-based cloud software technology that's supported by our trusted team across a variety of markets. ACT365 provides our partners and their customers with innovation, flexibility, reliability and powerful, friendly software — in line with our mission as an organization."
RS2 Technologies, an ACRE company, highlighted ACT365 during the ASIS International Global Security Exchange (GSX) last week in Chicago resulting in a very positive response from both existing customers and end users.
Jenna Hardie
O: 505-948-3972
jenna@compassintegrated.com
04/18/2018 - RS2 Technologies Names Larry Nienaber as Great Lakes Regional Sales Manager
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, today announced the appointment of Larry Nienaber, a security industry veteran, as Great Lake Regional Sales Manager. Mr. Nienaber brings more than a decade of sales and application engineering experience in the access control industry, most recently as a Sales Engineer for Structured Cabling Systems, where he specialized in the public bid market in the Cincinnati, OH area. As Sales Manager for RS2's Great Lakes Region, Mr. Nienaber will have responsibility for the states of Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Michigan.
In announcing the appointment, Dave Barnard, RS2 Director of Dealer Development, stated "Larry brings a great blend of both sales and hands-on installation experience. One thing that drew us to Larry was the fact that he started his career as an installer and learned the access control business from the ground up, including knowledge of the various systems with which RS2 integrates such as IP video, intrusion detection, etc. His experience with Structured has given him a thorough knowledge of our market and our competitors. Larry was a Subject Matter Expert on third-party integrations and has worked with all levels and departments within customers' organizational structure, demonstrating a knack for communication between security departments, IT, and senior management." Mr. Nienaber voiced a similar thought in saying "I was intimately familiar with RS2 and was drawn to the fact that they have a reputation for a significantly lower TCO (total cost of ownership) than their competitors. They also have a sterling reputation for technical support and customer service. These things make the sales manager's job a lot easier."
"We are pleased that Larry has decided to join RS2 and to represent us in the region that was previously handled by Gary Staley, one of our founders," said RS2 Managing Partner Doug Robinson, referring to the company's April 3rd announcement that RS2 co-founder Staley will be transitioning to a role as Senior Corporate Adviser.
Mr. Nienaber resides in Hebron, Kentucky with his wife and family.
04/12/2018 - RS2 Technologies Announces Integration with LifeSafety Power's Managed Power Solutions
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, today announced that its access control software now integrates with LifeSafety Power's Managed Power Netlink NL4 modules. This integration, which is one of the features of the newly-released Version 6.1 of RS2's popular Access It!® Universal.NET software, allows monitoring and control of LifeSafety Power inputs and outputs. End users employing Managed Power have the ability to monitor, manage and report a variety of system conditions automatically and on-demand. The RS2-LSP integration uses Mercury Security's EP Series controllers to monitor such critical items as battery performance, frozen equipment, lock integrity, and temperature, among others.
According to RS2 Director of Dealer Development Dave Barnard, the Managed Power integration "is a great example of how RS2, working with our partners at Mercury and LifeSafety Power, can provide our end users improve the ROI on their access control systems by increasing their power integrity, optimizing and extending their battery life, reducing technician labor costs, and using predictive analytics to manage their systems." Barnard said "we like the fact that it's a proactive rather than a reactive response."
Matt Barnette, President of Mercury Security, supported Barnard's comments. "We are excited to have great partners like RS2 and LifeSafety Power utilizing the features built into the Mercury product line. They are leveraging this technology to bring relevant features to market faster and providing customers with solutions."
For a detailed treatment of the integration, including configuration details, Barnard directs dealers to the Help Desk article on its website. RS2 invites its dealers and end-users to stop by its booth (#9117) at the ISC West Show (April 11-13, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) to talk with company representatives about the LifeSafety Power integration and several other new product features and integrations. The company will be discussing its recently released Access It!® Universal.NET Version 6.1, which includes not only the LifeSafety Power integration, but also such features as integration with KONE Corporation's Destination Control System, Calendar Based Scheduling, Auxiliary Authentication Module, Dynamic Area Control, and many more.
04/05/2018 - RS2 Technologies Announces Integration with KONE Destination Dispatch System
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, today announced that its Access It!® Universal.NET access control software, working through a dedicated EP-4502 panel supplied by Mercury Security, can now integrate with KONE Corporation's Destination Control System (DCS). The KONE DCS optimizes elevator passenger traffic through a variety of passenger interface options, resulting in increased handling capacity, less waiting, fewer intermediate stops, enhanced security, improved passenger comfort, and other benefits. RS2's panels and software communicate with both KONE's COP (Car Operating Panels), which are located inside the elevator, and its DOP (Destination Operating Panels), which are located outside the elevator and are used to direct passenger traffic to the correct elevator, resulting in greater elevator traffic efficiency. The system can support up to 128 total floors.
According to RS2 Director of Dealer Development Dave Barnard, the integration with KONE "is yet another example of how RS2, working with our partners at Mercury, can help our end user customers enhance security in their facilities, achieve energy savings, and improve employee and visitor experience." Barnard pointed out that "destination dispatch systems like KONE's DCS have been estimated to save 30-35% in energy costs because elevators aren't making intermediate stops. And the security aspect of the system is right in our ballpark." He cites the example of employees whose access cards only allow them access to authorized floors, and visitors who can only access public floors.
Matt Barnette, President of Mercury Security, echoed Barnard's comments. "We are excited to have great partners like RS2 utilizing the robust features built into the Mercury product line. They are leveraging this technology to bring relevant features to market faster and providing customers with solutions."
For a detailed treatment of the integration, including configuration and licensing details, Barnard directs dealers to the Help Desk article on its website. RS2 invites its dealers and end-users to stop by its booth (#9117) at the ISC West Show (April 11-13, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA) to talk with company representatives about the KONE integration and several other new product features and integrations. The company will be discussing its recently released Access It!® Universal.NET Version 6.1, which includes not only the KONE integration, but also such features as LifeSafety Power's Managed Power Integration, Calendar Based Scheduling, Auxiliary Authentication Module, Dynamic Area Control, and many more.
04/03/2018 - RS2 Technologies Names Jeff Bransfield National Sales Manager: Co-Founder Gary Staley to Serve as Senior Corporate Advisor
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, today announced the appointment of Jeff Bransfield as National Sales Manager. Bransfield currently serves as the company's West Central Regional Sales Manager and will transition into his new position between now and July 1. Bransfield assumes the position currently held by RS2 co-founder Gary Staley. Staley will continue to serve RS2 as Senior Corporate Advisor, in which capacity he will handle some of the company's strategic accounts and serve as a corporate resource for special projects. In announcing the appointment, Dave Barnard, RS2 Director of Dealer Development, stated "This is a strategic move for RS2. Jeff's assumption of his new role as National Sales Manager allows us to capitalize on his sales management strengths and to leverage Gary's vast experience as a key corporate resource. It gives us the best of both worlds." Barnard went on to comment that "Jeff will also be assuming some of my responsibilities, freeing me up to continue building RS2's rapidly expanding international footprint."
Bransfield joined RS2 in early 2013, after spending the previous ten years with Anixter and DH Pace. Barnard points out that "Jeff's 15 years in the security industry have given him an exceptional grasp , not just of our section of the access control market, but of the integrated security market as a whole." RS2 Managing Partner Doug Robinson commented "2017 culminated a decade of uninterrupted sales growth for RS2. It was yet another year of double-digit sales growth and a year in which we achieved a significant financial milestone. 2018 will be another year of similar sales growth, which will allow us to achieve yet another milestone."
Barnard concluded by saying that Bransfield's appointment was "part of the management succession planning portion of our strategic plan." He added that the company would announce Bransfield's replacement as West Central Regional Sales Manager sometime after the conclusion of this year's ISC West Show in April, where RS2 will be exhibiting a number of new product integrations at its booth (#9117).
10/3/2017 - RS2 Technologies Announces New Generation of Controllers and I/O Modules
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, today announced the introduction of its new Series 3 family of System Control Processors and I/O Modules, which RS2 says will include "a significant number of new features and enhanced capabilities." The company demonstrated the new hardware last week at its booth at the 63rd Annual ASIS International Show in Dallas.
According to RS2 Director of Dealer Development David Barnard, the new controllers and peripherals "represent an entirely new generation of RS2 access control hardware. The list of new features and capabilities is a long one." For example, the new I/O modules will have full OSDP (Open Supervised Device Protocol) support, including:
An OSDP secure channel
OSDP biometrics
OSDP pass-through (i.e., manufacturer-specific commands via OSDP)
OSDP file transfer
I/O OSDP reader support
FICAM application support
Barnard also pointed out that the new units also have enhanced cyber security features, including a SAM chip, default RS485 encryption (MSP1) and AES256 encryption. The new controllers and modules have identical footprints as existing Series 2 modules to allow for seamless migration and upgrades. They are backwards compatible with Series 1 and Series 2 deployments on EP controllers. Series 1, 2 and 3 controllers can be mixed on the same RS-485 bus. The new Series 3 SIOs are supported on all Series 1 and 2 SCP controllers.
Barnard pointed out that Series 2 controllers will only be available through approximately April-May of 2018. The company will start stocking the new Series 3 units next month and expects that by May of 2018, it will only be receiving the new units. He cautioned RS2 dealers that "when the company's inventory of old (Series 2) boards is depleted, there will be no additional shipments."
09/27/2017 - RS2 Technologies Announces 2019 Annual Conference
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, has announced that its next Annual Conference will be held in 2019, most probably on the U.S. West Coast. The company normally holds a conference for its dealers, integrators and strategic marketing and technology partners every year, but according to Dave Barnard, RS2 Director of Dealer Development, "our Regional Sales Managers and, indeed, all our staff have been extremely busy these past few months keeping up with the unprecedented demand for our products and services and that shows no signs of stopping in the next several months.
He went on to comment "Therefore, we felt that rather than trying to rush our Annual Conference planning and execution, we would take a year off in 2018 to concentrate on those growth demands and then plan a gem of a conference for 2019. Right now, we're planning on a West Coast location, most probably San Diego, in late February or early March of 2019." Barnard noted that the company's most recent Annual Conferences had been held in the Midwest and the East, "so a West Coast conference will allow us to really support our rapidly growing Western territories."
RS2 Managing Partner Doug Robinson echoed Barnard's comments about the company's rapid growth. "It's a good problem to have. Our recently completed fiscal year marked the seventh straight year of double-digit sales growth for RS2 Technologies and we consider our Annual Conference to be one of the factors in achieving that growth. Moreover, it shows no signs of stopping. Events like last week's acquisition of Mercury Security by HID Global continue to present us with opportunities for synergy in the security solutions that we're providing customers."
Barnard added a final comment: "As our dealers and 2017 Annual Conference sponsors will recall, we held this year's Annual Conference in March in San Juan, Puerto Rico. As everyone is aware, San Juan and in fact the entire island of Puerto Rico has been devastated by Hurricane Maria, a Category 5 hurricane that has thrown the island into a humanitarian disaster. We urge all our friends and associates to join RS2 in making a donation to hurricane relief, either through the organization of their choice or through the American Red Cross. Here's a link on the ARC website that has a drop-down where you can select designations for relief for the victims of Hurricane Maria or Hurricanes Harvey and Irma:
Redcross Hurricane Relief Donations
09/26/2017 - RS2 Technologies Feels That HID Acquisition of Mercury Security Has "Nothing but Upside for RS2"
Munster, IN - Senior managers at RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, commented today that they felt that the recent acquisition of Mercury Security by HID Global (a unit of ASSA ABLOY) "offers nothing but upside potential for RS2." In a statement issued by Dave Barnard, RS2 Director of Dealer Development, the company commented that it was "excited about the prospect of not only continuing the extraordinarily positive partnership that we've had with Mercury for the past 20 years, but combining that with the excellent relationships that we've had with HID and ASSA ABLOY for almost the entire time that we've been in business." Barnard went on to comment "If you look on our website, you'll see that both HID and ASSA ABLOY are among our Strategic Partners. All three of these firms –Mercury, HID and ASSA– have been sponsors of our Annual Conference for as many years as I can remember."
RS2 Managing Partner Doug Robinson echoed Barnard's comments and further stated "As you will note if you read the official press releases from HID and ASSA ABLOY, Mercury Security has an installed base of over three million controllers deployed at tens of thousands of sites around the world, including at more than 90 of the Fortune 100 companies. That's a big reason that they were attractive to HID and it's a big reason that RS2 is proud to be one of their extremely select group of Platinum Elite Partners. Here at RS2, we've found that part of our outstanding success over the past several years has been that we have taken care to partner with only the best developers and manufacturers of the security products with which we integrate our Access It!® access control software. For intelligent controllers and interface boards, that's Mercury Security. For readers, smart cards, mobile IDs, wireless & IP locks, and scores of other cutting-technology security solutions, we have consistently turned to HID and ASSA ABLOY."
Both Barnard and Robinson echoed HID President/CEO Stefan Widing's comment that "customers of both HID and Mercury Security will benefit from tighter and more seamless integration of controllers with readers and credentials, as well as from our shared vision for an open, flexible approach to access control." Said Barnard, "We have preached open platform access control for twenty years and it has been a philosophy that has served us well, as it has Mercury, HID and ASSA. We look forward to even more success by working with these great partners. The phrase 'win-win' is overused, but it's really appropriate for us in this case."
09/21/2017 - RS2 Technologies Names Brad Betcher as Northwest Regional Sales Manager
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, today announced the appointment of Brad Betcher as Regional Sales Manager for the newly-created Northwest Region. As Northwest Regional Sales Manager, Betcher will be responsible for the states of Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Alaska, as well as northern California, northern Nevada, and the five western provinces of Canada. Mr. Betcher brings more than a decade of experience in the security industry, most recently as Regional EAC Campus Manager for Assa Abloy, where he managed the Northwest and Rocky Mountain territories.
In announcing Betcher's appointment, Dave Barnard, RS2 Director of Dealer Development, stated "Brad brings a wealth of security industry experience to this newly-formed territory, which was part of our recent regional sales territory expansion and reorganization. Brad's got a diverse and interesting background. In addition to Assa Abloy, Brad has worked for some of the most recognizable names in our industry, including Salto Systems, Medeco High security Locks, and Stanley Security Solutions. He also worked for the Bonner County (Idaho) Sheriff's Department, so he's seen some interesting segments of the access control and security industries."
RS2 Managing Partner Doug Robinson sees the appointment of Betcher as "just the latest step in the expansion and strengthening of our field sales organization. Our recently completed fiscal year marked the seventh straight year of double-digit sales growth for RS2 Technologies. Strong personnel moves such as the hire of Brad are an important part of that continued growth."
Mr. Betcher is a graduate of Washington State University, where he earned a B.A. in Business Administration. He resides in Battle Ground, Washington.
09/19/2017 - RS2 Technologies Announces Integration with Invixium Biometric Readers
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, today announced the integration of its Access It!® access control software with the unique product offerings of Invixium, a manufacturer of high quality biometric products. In announcing the integration with Invixium, Dave Barnard, RS2 Director of Dealer Development, stated "As I've said many times, we make a point of trying to give our dealers and integrators the best tools with which to compete. Invixium's line of biometric solutions is one of the more elegant product lines we've seen in recent years. And, it is both cost-effective and simple to use, which are important factors for our dealers. We are really looking forward to working with the team at Invixium as we move forward with our partnership as an Invixium Reseller."
Invixium's IXM WEB software now houses their newest module IXM Link which plays a key role as the foundation in making the integration possible. With IXM Link, user information is automatically synchronized between databases, allowing for continuous one- or two-way communication. This constant exchange of data will save installers and system integrators countless hours of precious time by eliminating the need to manually enter data in two places.
Invixium CEO & President Shiraz Kapadia noted "We have engineered an affordable integration. Our integration with RS2 is what small and large integrators have been asking for. We're pleased to be working alongside a technology partner who shares the same cornerstones of innovative, affordable and scalable access control solutions, since that's exactly what IXM Link is."
RS2's Barnard went on to comment that "We've been expanding our biometric integration offerings in recent years. We agree with Shiraz Kapadia when he talks about biometrics as being 'one of those unique things where you actually can provide both security and convenience.' That's also what we try to do with our software, so it's a good marriage."
RS2 will be exhibiting the integration between its Access It!® software and Invixium's readers at its booth (#3754) at the 63rd Annual ASIS International Show in Dallas, September 25-28.
09/14/2017 - RS2 Technologies and Telaeris Announce Unique Product Integration
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, and San Diego, CA based Telaeris, Inc. today announced the integration of RS2's Access It!® access control software with Telaeris' XPressEntry, a unique mobile authentication and mustering system. XPressEntry continuously pulls data using the RS2 API, including employee name, photo, access privileges, credentials, and activity to always remain fully synchronized. This allows security operators to enhance security and safety by using handheld badge readers anywhere in their facility for multiple purposes.
In announcing the integration, Dave Barnard, RS2 Director of Dealer Development, commented that "One of the things we really like about Telaeris' XPressEntry is the versatility that it gives our dealers and integrators to craft individual solutions for their customers, whether they need emergency mustering, mobile entry/exit tracking, event or meeting management, time and attendance, visitor management, or a wide variety of other real-time tracking requirements. This integration gives our dealers another tool in their ever-expanding toolkit of access control products that integrate with the RS2 family of software and hardware solutions."
Telaeris CEO David Carta noted that "RS2 and Telaeris share some common values and business philosophies. Among these are that we both pride ourselves on providing our customers with superior technical results, innovative and ingenious solutions, rapid system development and deployment and most importantly, great support for our products. We do this by paying close attention to detail and listening carefully to our customers' needs and requirements."
XPressEntry is an excellent fit for the thousands of enterprise-level access control installations that RS2 has deployed across the U.S. and around the world. It monitors the occupancy of each building, live tracking entries and exits of all employees and visitors from both fixed badge readers and mobile units. This information is then available as a live view of who is inside any facility controlled by RS2's Access It!® access control software.
RS2 and Telaeris will be exhibiting the integration between their products at their respective booths at the 63rd Annual ASIS International Show in Dallas, September 26-28. RS2 will be exhibiting at Booth #3754 and Telaeris will be at Booth #2646.
09/12/2017 - RS2 Technologies Announces Formation of New Sales Territories
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, responding to continuing double-digit growth in sales of the company's products, today announced the formation of two new sales territories. The Northwest Region and Southwest Region will join the company's existing eight regions (Northeast, East Central, Southeast, South Central, New England, Great Lakes, West Central, and International). The Northwest Region includes the states of Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Alaska, as well as northern California, northern Nevada, and the five western provinces of Canada. The Southwest Region includes Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and Arizona, as well as southern California and southern Nevada.
In announcing the regional expansion, Dave Barnard, RS2 Director of Dealer Development, provided details of the move: "This is our second territory expansion in less than 18 months, which speaks volumes about our continued growth as a company. In our recently completed fiscal year, we achieved double-digit sales growth for the 7th consecutive year."
Barnard added "These new territories have been carved out of our existing regions, so they are areas that were already being covered by some of our existing Regional Sales Managers. However, this new territory alignment allows us to expand our sales management team to take care of the unprecedented demand we've seen for our products over the past few years, much of which has come in these areas of the West." Barnard added that the company felt that the regional expansion and re-alignment was critical "to maintain the level of hands-on sales service that our dealers and integrators –and our end-users– have come to expect from our regional sales management team."
04/11/2017 - RS2 Technologies Announces Integration & Marketing Partnership with STOPware
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, today announced that it is launching an integration and marketing partnership agreement with STOPware, the global leader in visitor management security. The integration of PassagePoint® Visitor Management System and Access It!® Access Control Software will be sold as an access control add-on module to PassagePoint Global, and is now available to RS2 dealers and customers.
The integration creates a single interface to register visitors and provide them with an access credential. Visitor information, visit host, access level, and activation/deactivation dates & times are collected in PassagePoint and seamlessly pushed to Access It! which activates the access credential. Depending on the access reader, the credential can be a barcode or QR code on a visitor badge or an access control card. If using an access control card, the card does not need to be pre-programmed and can be collected and re-used for other visitors.
In announcing the integration, David Barnard, RS2 Director of Dealer Development, stated "Our customers have been asking for a robust, easy-to-use visitor management system from a company with great customer service that can be integrated with AccessIt!®. PassagePoint from STOPware fills the bill."
"We are pleased to be a strategic technology partner with RS2 Technologies and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship especially for our customers," said Paul Terschuren, STOPware CEO. "We share the same vision of providing our customers with leading technology and superior customer service."
About STOPware, inc.
STOPware, inc. has led the development and implementation of visitor management security solutions since 1997. Its flagship product, PassagePoint® is designed to meet the diverse needs of a wide range of customers, resellers, integrators and consultants. Combining vast experience in visitor requirements, security, customer service, management requirements, IT standards and user experience, PassagePoint is the benchmark for visitor management solutions. In addition, STOPware offers a wide range of hardware solutions including kiosks and tablets, badge printers and supplies, installation and training services, technical support and custom engineered products and services.
About RS2 Technologies, LLC
RS2 Technologies, headquartered in Munster, Indiana, is a technology-driven manufacturer of cutting edge access control hardware and software. The company's hardware line includes a wide range of system control processors, input/output modules, multiplexers, enclosures, card readers, and proximity and smart cards. RS2 also offers the industry's most advanced, easy-to-use software with its Access It!® line of access control software. As one of only four worldwide Platinum Elite Partners of Mercury Security, we utilize Authentic Mercury™ hardware to provide users around the world with the most powerful open platform access control solution available today. RS2 is a Windows Embedded Partner and a Microsoft Certified Partner with ISV (Independent Software Vendor) software solutions competency status. RS2 was designated as an "Indiana Company to Watch" by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and the Edward Lowe Foundation in July, 2014.
For more information about RS2, contact:
Dave Barnard
Director of Dealer Development
dbarnard@rs2tech.com
Gary Staley
gstaley@rs2tech.com
For more information about STOPware, visit www.stopware.com, email info@stopware.com or call (408) 367-0220.
STOPware and PassagePoint® are trademarks or registered trademarks of STOPware, Inc. RS2, RS2 Technologies, and Access It! are trademarks of RS2 Technologies, LLC. Microsoft, Windows, and Windows Embedded are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Authentic Mercury is a trademark of Mercury Security Corp. All other trademarks or registered trademarks referenced herein are properties of their respective owners.
03/13/2017 - RS2 Technologies Announces Marketing Partnership with LifeSafety Power
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, today announced that it is launching a new marketing partnership with LifeSafety Power of Mundelein, Illinois, an award-winning leader in smart power management. This collaboration will allow RS2's National Dealer Network access to LifeSafety Power's FlexPower® Authentic Mercury Security MCLASS Unified Power System, with the ability to yield greater sales through remote managed power services.
Incorporating one of the most widely specified, open access control hardware platforms in the world, MCLASS from LifeSafety Power is the only enclosure that carries both the UL/ULC-listings for integrated power, lock power and remote power. MCLASS yields substantial installation efficiencies in time and labor through the integral housing that includes Mercury hardware, system power and optional lock power in a single design. A removable back plate mounts power and Mercury controllers, making wiring faster for additional labor savings. In addition, RS2 Dealers will also have the ability to offer intelligent network monitoring via the enclosure, extending the possibilities for recurring monthly revenue. LifeSafety Power's network modules can remotely monitor the power to both Mercury panels and locks to increase reliability and proactively detect and address potential problems before they occur, with notification via email, smartphone or web-enabled device.
"We're extremely excited to bring LifeSafety Power's MCLASS platform to our dealers so they can generate new revenue streams," said Dave Barnard. "LifeSafety Power's proven reliability and use of globally specified Mercury controllers are a winning combination for the RS2 Dealer Network.
According to Joseph Holland, LifeSafety Power's Vice President of Engineering, the partnership gives dealers entry into new specifications and networked services. "We will work closely with RS2's dealers to offer a wide range of support services, tools, training and go-to-market strategies to help them grow their businesses. Faster and more cost-effective installation, along with LSP proven reliability, will be a value-add for RS2."
LifeSafety Power is the leader in Smart Power Solutions and patented remote monitoring capabilities, providing modular AC, DC and PoE power systems that meet the growing needs of the life safety and security industries. For more information, please visit LifeSafetyPower.com or call (888) 577-2898.
08/17/2016 - RS2 Technologies Announces Enhancements to NExT Step℠ System
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, today announced that it has added significant enhancements to its NExT Step℠ System network appliance product line. In announcing the product improvement, Dave Barnard, RS2 Director of Dealer Development, detailed some of the enhancements made to the product. "To begin with, we re-built the heart of the NExT Step℠ System around a high-performance computer capable of operating at extended temperatures. Technically, this new computer is known as an industrial-grade small form factor (SFF) computer, which features an Intel® E3827 AtomTM dual-core 1.75 GHz processor. It is an impressive piece of hardware. And, when we combine it with Authentic Mercury™ hardware and our Access It!® access control software, it becomes a very powerful, all in one "out of the box" access control solution." The enhanced NExT Step℠ System includes these features:
Windows 10 IoT (64 Bit) operating system
Robust, industrial-grade small form factor computer
Intel® E3827 AtomTM dual-core 1.75 GHz processor
8 GB of DDR3L SDRAM
4 USB ports (One 3.0 and three 2.0)
2 RS-232/422/485 ports
LAN and EP controller connectivity
System Controller (EP-1502)
Available in two- and four-reader configurations
All software is pre-loaded and pre-configured
Browser based clients requiring no client software
5,000 cardholder capability
512 inputs/outputs
Support for up to 8 different card formats/facility codes
Expandable up to 64 readers Barnard added "The NExT Step℠ System is truly the cornerstone of RS2's newest generation of network appliance based access control solutions."
View the detailed NExT Step℠ product sheet.
05/18/2016 - RS2 Technologies Announces the RS2 Technologies Annual Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, here we come! Mark your calendars for some "Access Control - Caribbean Style!" because RS2 has chosen San Juan, Puerto Rico as the location for our 2017 Annual Conference - "Surf, Sand, and Sales - in Old San Juan!"
On February 28 - March 3, when the cold winds are swirling in the Midwest and the Northeast (and even down in Texas),RS2 dealers will be sipping tropical drinks at the luxurious San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino on Condado Beach in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where we'll be starting out the festivities with a traditional "Puerto Rican Pig Roast" at the Welcome Reception. Check it out at:
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sjupr-san-juan-marriott-resort-and-stellaris-casino
In and around San Juan, you'll want to visit the Old San Juan Forts (a United Nations World Heritage site), the El Yunque Tropical Rainforest, the Bacardi Rum Distillery, the world-famous bioluminescent Bio Bay on neighboring Vieques Island, or just take advantage of the white sand and crystal-clear waters of Condado Beach. By the way, since Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory (technically, a commonwealth), NO passport is needed to visit the island.
Yes, it's 9 months away, but we wanted to let you know early so that you could look forward to it and maybe even tie it in to any other Caribbean travel plans you might want to make for next winter. Puerto Rico is just a stone's throw from both the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, St. Kitts, St. Maarten, Nevis, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Martinique - the list goes on and on.
Over the next several months, we will be sending out information on the program, speakers, pricing, and all the other details you'll need. But, for now, mark 2/28 - 3/3/17 on your calendar and make plans to join us in old San Juan for some education, networking, and some piňa coladas (invented in Puerto Rico)!
See you in San Juan!
03/30/2016 - RS2 Technologies Announces Formation of New Sales Territories; Names Larry Fox as Rocky Mountain Regional Sales Manager
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, responding to continuing double-digit growth in sales of the company's products, today announced the formation of two new sales territories. The company announced that the New England and Rocky Mountain Regions would join its existing six regions (Northeast, East Central, Southeast, South Central, West Central, Western and International). In a related announcement, the company announced the appointment of Larry Fox, an accomplished security industry veteran, as Regional Sales Manager of the new Rocky Mountain region.
In announcing the regional expansion, Dave Barnard, RS2 Director of Dealer Development, provided details of the move: "These new territories have been carved out of our existing regions, so they are areas that were already being covered by some of our existing Regional Sales Managers. However, this new territory alignment allows us to expand our sales management team to take care of the unprecedented demand we've seen for our products over the past few years, much of which has come in these areas. This year, RS2 will see its seventh consecutive annual double-digit increase in sales." Barnard added that the company felt that the regional expansion and re-alignment was critical "to maintain the level of hands-on sales service that our dealers and integrators -and our end-users- have come to expect from our regional sales management."
Mr. Fox brings two decades of sales management experience in the access control industry, most recently as a Regional Sales Manager for Lenel Systems International, where he managed VAR customers in the company's Rocky Mountain and Southwest regions. Prior to that position, Mr. Fox served as Sales Manager for AVS Integrated Systems. As Sales Manager for the new Rocky Mountain Region, Mr. Fox will have responsibility for the states of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, and Arizona.
Commenting on the appointment, Barnard stated "Larry brings a wealth of access control industry experience to this new position. He understands not only our philosophy of open-platform access control system design, but he literally "grew up from the ground up" in the integrator side of the access control industry, having paid his dues in positions such as Service Technician, Systems Engineer, Field Service Supervisor, Project Manager, etc. We like -and we know that our customers will like- that Larry's access control experience is as deep as it is wide." RS2 Managing Partner Doug Robinson sees the appointment of Fox as "another step in our strategy of expanding and strengthening all areas of the company. In each of the last six years, we have experienced double-digit sales growth, and strong personnel moves are an important part of that continued growth."
Mr. Fox attended the University of Arizona and the Denver Institute of Technology, majoring in Management Information Systems and earning a degree in in Applied Science in Electronic Technology. He resides in Peoria, Arizona.
11/16/2015 - RS2 Technologies Announces Expanded Technical Support Hours
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, has announced that, as part of their continuing program of expanded customer service and market support, they will be extending their Technical Support Line hours by two hours, effective Monday, November 30, 2015. Currently, the company's Technical Support line is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time (RS2 headquarters are in the Central Time Zone). After the expansion, the Technical Support Line will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time. According to Doug Robinson, RS2 Managing Partner, the move is being made "in an effort to be more responsive to our West Coast customers. Now, they will be able to access the Technical Support Line until 5:00 p.m. Pacific time."
Dave Barnard, RS2 Director of Dealer Development, expanded on Robinson's comments. "The expansion of the Technical Support Line is just one of a series of moves that we have taken -and will continue to take- this year to expand and strengthen every phase of our operation. Earlier this year, we took the unprecedented step of tripling (from one year to a full three years) our warranty on all of the Mercury Security hardware products we sell. So, we've expanded our warranty, we've expanded our technical support hours and, very soon, we'll be expanding our field sales force once again by adding a new Regional Sales Manager in the New England/Eastern Canada area. These continuing actions are all part of our program of strengthening every phase of our operation. This program has been working well for us and continues to do so. In our recently-completed fiscal year, we once again achieved double-digit sales growth, which has been the case in almost every one of our 15 years of operation."
Barnard also pointed to some other recent positive moves, including the release of its Access It!® Universal.NET access control software, the unveiling of its brand-new trade show booth at the recent ASIS Show in Anaheim, the publication in SDM Magazine of a case study of its very successful installation at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, and its sponsorship of events at the recent IAPSC (International Association of Professional Security Consultants) Conference.
07/29/2015 - RS2 Technologies Announces Publication of New Case Histories
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, has announced the publication of new case histories detailing the successful installation of its access control solutions at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia and at WaterOne, a non-profit, quasi-municipal water utility located in Johnson County, Kansas.
"These two end-users couldn't be more different in their ultimate missions" says RS2 Director of Dealer Development David Barnard. "One is a very large state university whose mission is to educate more than 30,000 students while maintaining a secure environment for them and for the faculty and staff who carry out that mission, while the other is an award-winning utility whose mission is to provide as much as 200 MGD (that's 200 million gallons per day) of safe drinking water to more than 400,000 customers. However, they both had a similar set of problems that were solved by a combination of powerful, user-friendly software, reliable open-platform hardware, and excellent communication between the end-user, the integrator, and our sales personnel."
GMU, located in the heart of the Northern Virginia Tech Corridor, has grown exponentially since its official founding in 1972 and is now home to more than 30,000 students on its 670-acre residential campus. Over the past eight years, GMU has opened nearly 30 new facilities and renovated countless others to bring its physical plant to over 170 buildings. One common thread for all of GMU's facilities is the need for physical security and access control. When the university decided that it needed to update and replace much of its access control and video surveillance system, it turned to RS2 and to S3 Integration, a valued RS2 Dealer/Integrator. The installation of GMU's access control system and the relationship between the university, the integrator and the access control system manufacturer is detailed in the newly-published case history.
WaterOne (officially, it's Water District No. 1 of Johnson County, KS) serves more than 400,000 people in a 272 square mile service area located on the Kansas side of the greater Kansas City metropolitan area. In addition to providing the "Best Tasting Water in Kansas" (winner of that award in 2014, as certified by the Kansas Section of the American Water Works Association), WaterOne is recognized by the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies as a top tier utility, having been awarded its Platinum Award for Utility Excellence in 2014.
When WaterOne decided that it needed to upgrade and modernize its access control system, one of the key criteria was the ability to utilize its existing "legacy" hardware. Its integrator (DH Pace Systems Integration of Olathe, Kansas) proposed the use of RS2's Step UpSM System, an easy-to-install hardware retrofit based on Mercury Security's highly-reliable M5 Bridge, which allows users to perform a simple board swap of every board currently installed in legacy enclosures with a comparable replacement. Again, a detailed account of the successful installation of the access control system and the relationship between WaterOne, DH Pace, and RS2 can be found in the case history.
The GMU, WaterOne, and many other case histories can be found on RS2's recently renovated web site. Simply go to the home page of the RS2 web site (www.rs2tech.com) and click on Case Histories.
07/22/2015 - RS2 Technologies Announces Release of Access It!® Universal.NET
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, has announced the official release of its Access It!® Universal.NET access control software. Universal.NET is the latest, most powerful edition of the company's Access It!® Universal software, which has been one of the access control industry's most popular software packages since its introduction.
The development of Access It!® Universal.NET was spearheaded by RS2 Managing Partner Doug Robinson and RS2 Chief Software Engineer Bob Sulek. Robinson points out that the new software has significant technical advantages over the previous versions of the company's highly successful Access It!® Universal. "Technically, Universal.NET is Version 5.0 of Access It!® Universal. However, unlike Version 4 and all previous versions, it is built on the .NET framework, which really facilitates future integrations. We will be creating and documenting an API (Application Programming Interface) and SDK (Software Development Kit) that will make it even easier for third party companies to integrate with us." Robinson went on to explain that "the .NET framework essentially 'future proofs' our software in anticipation of Microsoft's eventual phase-out of the old technologies."
RS2 Director of Dealer Development David Barnard explains it another way. "When end users hear that an access control company has developed 'new' software, they are often apprehensive about their staffs potentially having to learn the new system. With Universal.NET, we have given them the best of both worlds, as it retains –and expands upon– all the user-friendly functionality of Access It!® Universal, but with a new user interface, updated icons, etc. It also gives us access to the latest third party tools so that we can take advantage of the latest 'bells and whistles' that are developed. It really is a very powerful tool." Barnard added that "while we did add a number of new features (see below), the emphasis with Universal.NET was not just adding features for their own sake, but on providing a framework that allows us to quickly add new features over the next several months. In support of that, we have added a software developer who will be exclusively dedicated to adding features to Universal.NET."
Both Barnard and Robinson emphasized that, as has always been RS2's practice, the needs of end users and integrators are always the first consideration in software development. "The key criteria for our software are that it needs to stay user-friendly and that the new features are ones that actually increase its power and usefulness. With Universal.NET, we have continued this practice."
Among its exciting new features and options, Universal.NET includes:
A modernized ribbon toolbar
A new badge designer, which is backward compatible with previous badge templates
The optional bar code feature is now incorporated within the new badge designer and no longer requires separate installations or third party software
A new report designer
The ability to auto-hide the Events, Alarms, Navigation, and Ribbon screens
A preview pane that displays the properties for any selected item
An advanced window control feature, which allows most screens to be "torn away" into separate windows, displayed as tabs, and to be docked within separate windows
The ability to group common items within many screens and to search by item name within respective screens
The ability for Enterprise class systems to work within several sites at once
The ability for regional servers be selected directly from the login screen
RS2 will be demonstrating Access It!® Universal.NET at its booth (#751) at the 2015 ASIS Show in Anaheim, September 28 – October 1.
01/08/2015 - RS2 Technologies Announces Three-Year Warranty
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, has announced that, in an unprecedented move, the company is tripling (from one year to a full three years) its warranty on all of the Mercury Security hardware products it sells. "We are extremely pleased to be able to announce this 'best-in-class' warranty," said Doug Robinson, RS2 Managing partner. "We are able to expand our hardware warranty from one year to three years because of the outstanding success we've had with Mercury hardware over the past 15 years. I could quote you all the technical statistics, such as the exceptional MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) numbers, etc., but the bottom line is that the Authentic Mercury hardware that we utilize in our access control solutions is the ultimate in reliability. It is absolutely bulletproof."
Dave Barnard, RS2 Director of Dealer Development, expanded on Robinson's comments. "Over the course of our relationship with Mercury, we have shipped more than 100,000 units of assorted Mercury hardware. The reliability of those units –coupled with our powerful, user-friendly RS2 Access It!® access control software– has allowed us to achieve double-digit sales growth in almost every one of our 15 years of operation. It allows us to offer our dealers and integrators –as well as our end-users– what are simply the most reliable, lowest TCO (total cost of ownership), scalable open-platform access control solutions in the industry. As we start 2015 with this exceptional expansion of our warranty, we are projecting yet another year of double-digit growth."
In commenting on RS2's expanded warranty announcement, Steve Lucas, Director of Business Development at Mercury Security, noted that "RS2 is one of our oldest and most valued customers. As one of our very select group of Platinum Elite Partners, they are an outstanding example of the type of customer-partner that we value here at Mercury Security. They are fully committed to the Mercury concept of reliable, open-platform solutions."
RS2's Robinson summed up the announcement by saying "This announcement is another example of how we have attempted to expand and strengthen every phase of our operation, whether it's warehousing & shipping, sales management & training, technical support, or, as in this case, tremendously enhanced value to our customers. This program has been working well for us and continues to do so."
09/30/2014 - RS2 Technologies Names Scott May as South Central Regional Sales Manager
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, today announced the appointment of Scott May, a security industry veteran, as South Central Regional Sales Manager. Mr. May brings more than a decade of sales management experience in the access control industry, most recently as Southwest Regional Sales Manager for Millennium Group, a supplier of web-based access control systems. Prior to that position, Mr. May served as National Sales Manager for both Stanley Security and Imron Corporation, and as a Regional Sales Manager for Open Options Access Technology. As Sales Manager for RS2's South Central Region, Mr. May will have responsibility for the states of New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
In announcing the appointment, Dave Barnard, RS2 Director of Dealer Development, stated "Scott brings a great blend of both sales management and 'in-the-trenches' direct sales experience to RS2, not just in the broad security industry, but specifically in the access control segment. His experience with Open Options, Imron, and Millennium have given him a thorough knowledge of our market and the wide variety of access control products that vie for the customer's attention in this very competitive arena. We are very pleased that Scott has decided to join RS2 and to represent the scalable, cost-effective open platform solutions that we offer."
RS2 Managing Partner Doug Robinson sees the appointment of May as "another step in our strategy of expanding and strengthening all areas of the company. In each of the last four years, we have experienced double-digit sales growth, and strong personnel moves are an important part of that continued growth."
Mr. May commented that he was "extremely pleased to be joining a company that is widely regarded as offering some of the best access control solutions available today. For years, I have had to compete against RS2's low TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), feature-rich, user-friendly software and their best-in-class technical support and customer service. It's a pleasure to now be joining that team."
Mr. May attended Texas A &M University, majoring in Business Management. He resides in Plano, Texas.
08/11/2014 - RS2 Technologies Recognized as a 2014 Indiana Company to Watch
Munster, IN – RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, has announced that it has been recognized as one of the 2014 Indiana Companies to Watch, an awards program presented by the Indiana Office of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (OSBE), its Indiana Small Business Development Center, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, and endorsed by the Edward Lowe Foundation.
Twenty-seven companies from across Indiana will be honored as outstanding second-stage companies during the seventh annual Indiana Companies to Watch awards program, held on August 20 in Indianapolis. Senior executives from RS2 will represent the company at the event, and will receive the award from Indiana Lieutenant Governor Sue Ellsperman.
Companies to Watch is an awards program that celebrates Indiana's privately-held second-stage companies, those businesses that are past the startup phase, are considered to be established, and face issues of growth, not survival. This year, 165 companies from across Indiana were nominated.
RS2 Managing Partner Doug Robinson stated "We at RS2 are very pleased and honored to have been chosen as one of the 27 awardees in the 2014 Indiana Companies to Watch competition. We want to thank all our employees, our dealer/integrators, the end users of our access control products, and our suppliers and integration partners for helping us achieve this distinction."
Companies honored represent a variety of industries and have headquarters based in 12 counties throughout the state. From 2010 through 2013, these companies generated $379 million in revenue and added 622 employees, reflecting a 120 percent increase in revenue and 96 percent increase in jobs for the four-year period. That translates into a 40 percent annual revenue growth and 32 percent annual growth in employees. These companies project continued growth in 2014, with a 50 percent revenue increase and 26 percent growth in employees compared to 2013.
Companies to Watch firms must employ between six and 150 full-time equivalent employees, have between $750,000 and $100 million in annual revenue or working capital in place, and demonstrate the intent and capacity to grow based on employee or sales growth, exceptional entrepreneurial leadership, sustainable competitive advantage or other notable strengths.
About OSBE and the ISBDC
Under the leadership of Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann, the Indiana Office of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (OSBE) oversees the Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC), the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), and the Indiana Small Business Ombudsman. The OSBE staff helps grow the Indiana economy by assisting entrepreneurs and small businesses through programs and personal consultation. As part of OSBE, the ten Indiana Small Business Development Centers (ISBDC) support the formation, growth, and sustainability of Indiana's small businesses by providing entrepreneurs expert guidance and access to a network of resources.
About Indiana Companies to Watch
Indiana Companies to Watch is an awards program celebrating second-stage entrepreneurs presented by the Office of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, its Small Business Development Center, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and endorsed by the Edward Lowe Foundation. Sponsors include the Barnes & Thornburg, Katz Sapper & Miller, Key Bank and Ivy Tech Corporate College.
06/03/2014 - Participants Call RS2 Technologies 2014 Annual Conference "Best Ever"
Munster, IN – RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, has announced that its 2014 Annual Conference (held April 22-25 in New Orleans, LA) has received rave reviews from participating integrators, sponsors, presenters and suppliers. The 4-day event, whose theme was "Building Sales on the Bayou," featured new product and marketing presentations from some of RS2's strategic marketing partners, technical presentations from experts in video, smart card and other technologies, and RS2 presentations on its own new products, such as its new Step UpSM System (a hardware retrofit offering a simple board swap of boards currently installed in legacy systems) and its Access It!® Universal Version 4 access control software.
According to Dave Barnard, RS2 Director of Dealer Development, "It seems like we say this every year, but the feedback we've received on our recent Annual Conference indicates that it was among the best –if not the best– conference we've ever had. In addition to our great guest speakers from Mercury Security, Assa Abloy, Farpointe Data, Allegion, AWID, HID, Salto, Salient, and Bruder, we had a great keynote speech on 'Responding to Consultant RFPs' from Frank Pisciotta, President of the International Association of Professional Security Consultants (IAPSC)." Barnard went on to note that the IAPSC held its annual conference the following week –also in New Orleans– and RS2 participated as a Platinum Sponsor of that event.
Additional highlights of the Conference included a panel presentation entitled "The Anatomy of a University Relationship; RS2 technologies and George Mason University" presented by Danny Anthes and Jim McCarthy of GMU, along with integrator Brian Piccolo of S3 Integration. And, at one of the Conference luncheons, speakers from the New Orleans-based National WW II Museum (including two highly-decorated WW II combat veterans) received a standing ovation from Conference attendees.
RS2 dealers and integrators from near and far were enthusiastic in their praise for the Conference. Paul Grant, principal of Custom Security, an RS2 dealer in the UK, "found the RS2 Annual Conference, as always, very interesting, informative and helpful in many ways."
In summarizing the 2014 Annual Conference, Barnard commented, "Each year, we try to raise the level of our Annual Conference, in terms of content, venue, and the level of dealer, end user, and supplier participation. Our objective is to give our dealers something that makes them more competitive in the marketplace and increases their revenue. It's as simple as that." About RS2 Technologies, LLC
RS2 Technologies, headquartered in Munster, Indiana, is a technology-driven developer and manufacturer of cutting edge access management hardware and software. The company's hardware line includes a wide range of system control processors, input/output modules, multiplexers, card readers and proximity and smart cards. RS2 also offers the industry's most advanced, easy-to-use software with its Access It!® line of access control software. RS2 is a Microsoft Certified Partner with ISV (Independent Software Vendor) software solutions competency status.
For more information, visit our web site at www.rs2tech.com or contact:
Dave Barnard dbarnard@rs2tech.com
Gary Staley gstaley@rs2tech.com
Doug Robinson drobinson@rs2tech.com
RS2 Technologies and Access It!® are trademarks of RS2 Technologies, LLC. Microsoft and all other trademarks or registered trademarks referenced herein are properties of their respective owners.
04/23/2014 - RS2 Technologies Names Craig Knick Application Engineer/Trainer
Munster, IN - RS2 Technologies, LLC, a leading provider of access control systems, has announced the appointment of Craig E. Knick as Application Engineer/Trainer. The announcement was made today at RS2's 2014 Annual Conference in New Orleans. Mr. Knick, a seasoned security industry professional, brings more than two decades of successful sales management and technical experience, most recently with security industry firms Sielox and Lenel Systems, where he served in a variety of key technical support, application engineering, and sales management positions.
In announcing the appointment to RS2's dealers, key integrators, and other Annual Conference attendees, Dave Barnard, RS2 Director of Dealer Development, stated "We are very excited to welcome Craig aboard in the newly created position of RS2 Application Engineer & Trainer, a position which was developed to support RS2's dramatic growth rate. Over the past several years, RS2 has been fortunate to experience extremely rapid sales growth, and that growth requires that we continue to invest in the type of personnel resources that have characterized our infrastructure and service enhancements over the past few years. Hiring Craig as our Application Engineer & Trainer is further evidence of that investment, and it will allow us to adequately support our growth. Our commitment to our dealers/integrators and our end users is one that we take seriously. As I have always told our dealers, as we increase support for them and for our end users, we are increasing the value of each RS2 dealership."
Barnard explained that Knick will be supporting RS2's Regional Sales Management Team "with a high level of pre-sales support, including sales presentations, site surveys, systems design, and other functions. He will be conducting in-house certification training and will be continuously developing and maintaining our Level 1 and Level 2 technical training." Barnard noted that it was appropriate that Knick's appointment was being announced at the Annual Conference, as he will also serve as a point of contact with RS2's integration partners and would assist in maintaining RS2's relationships with specifying consultants and engineers. "Many of RS2's key integration partners are present here at the Conference, as is the IAPSC (International Association of Professional Security Consultants), whose president, Frank Pisciotta, is one of our keynote speakers." Barnard further noted that RS2 would be attending next week's IAPSC Annual Conference as a Platinum Sponsor.
RS2 Managing Partner Doug Robinson commented "The appointment of Craig Knick continues our strategic program of expanding and strengthening every phase of our operation, from warehousing & shipping to sales management to technical and customer support. The success of this program has been proven by our continued double digit sales growth last year. This year has started with continued strength."
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Tom Cornell
BLOODSTOCK 2018 – Saturday, August 11 – Part 2 (Festival Review)
Combichrist Live on the Dio Stage
Combichrist – BLOODSTOCK 2018
Continuing with Saturday at Bloodstock Metal Festival brings us back to the main stage. This was for a band that I had never seen and were in a genre of "metal" that I don't much listen to. It was, to me, a mix of Prodigy and Rammstein, with lots of effects and very much a dance style. I would unlikely listen to a band like this at home, as the songs are pretty repetitive, but live, for 40 minutes or so, it was quite entertaining.
With two drummers, a keyboardist, guitarist and a singer, Combichrist certainly looked different to everyone else at the festival. One of the drummers (who I thought was a girl, but apparently is a bloke) seemed to like to kick the shit out of their drums, even during songs. It was like they were pissed off the whole time. I felt sorry for the drum tech! The singer looked to be happy with the reaction of the crowd, smiling constantly and encouraging people to dance and sing. They seemed to go down quite well and were pretty visual. I quite enjoyed them, as I did feel entertained. Not really my thing, but they were an interesting change of style and pace.
Voyager in the Sophie tent
Voyager – BLOODSTOCK 2018
I went back to the Sophie tent to see Australian outfit Voyager. The bits I had heard sounded quite progressive, so I was interested to hear how they sounded live. The band was a bit of a surprise. They were quite "dance rock" in some places and elements of trance or electronica in others. The first song "What A Wonderful Day" sounded like 1980's INXS or Duran Duran, or at least until nearer the end when the metal kicked right in. It actually took me by surprise when it happened.
The second song, "Misery Is Only Company" started quieter, with a time signature that sounded interesting. At the start, it reminds me a little of early Genesis. However, as it got into the body of the song, there was a more modern sound; a large hook/melody, yet sounding complicated. The bass sounded particularly impressive on this as well. Possibly, my favorite song of the set, due to the beauty of it. Or that could also be "Lost", which was very bouncy and had the band dancing around more than ever.
Throughout the set, they switched from that pop dance type sound to complicated heavy rhythms with ease. The singer Daniel Estrin did thank us for watching an "odd weird funk metal band" at one point, and I could see his point. Yet, I know they have played full on progressive festivals. They create a great vibe and have the skill and dexterity to pull off what they do. Very impressive.
Alestorm – BLOODSTOCK 2018
By the time I came out of the tent, Alestorm were doing their thing on the main stage. That "thing" is (on the whole) childish, stupid and immature! It also goes down a storm. I only caught the last two or three songs which were about "rum", "pirates" or "swearing". There were folks on inflatables roaming around on the rest of the crowd and lots of silliness in the audience. They are a party band who dress and act as pirates (strange as they come from Perth in Scotland, which is pretty well landlocked) and have large inflatable ducks on stage with them.
They are very good at what they do. A few beers with a load of mates and the chances are you will have fun. Bloodstock were certainly having a blast. The last song was belted out by the crowd. The chorus includes the line "fuck you, you're a fucking wanker". Being sober (boooo) meant it all seemed a bit juvenile, but, as I said, lots of people were having a blast.
Luna's Call on New Blood Stage
Luna's Call – BLOODSTOCK 2018
It was back to the New Blood stage at this point for my first look at Luna's Call, a progressive Death Metal band from Lincoln.
Within a few minutes, I was captivated. There was a definite Opeth thing going (that being early Opeth), but they were not clones. There was use of things like electronic voices at one point, adding to the texture of what they do.
First track "Locus" had a great opening riff and second track "The Advent Of A Martyr" even had some fine vocal harmonies. There are also moments where I thought of bands like Leprous and Ihsahn, where melody was to the fore. Some neat time and style changes throughout this as well. They only played four songs, each being around 7 or 8 minutes at a time, but I was engrossed in each of them. This is a band that showed a huge amount of promise having only formed roughly three years ago. From the two new tracks they played, it sounds like the new album will be impressive.
At this point, the heavens were declared open! It absolutely chucked it down. I decided to take some time out before the headliners and caught up with some friends under the cover of canvas! It also meant I could try and rest the leg a little for the headliners to come.
Gojira – BLOODSTOCK 2018
Like magic, the rain decided to ease off, then stop, just as main stage headliners Gojira came on. This French band is known for their amazing musicianship and creativity. They also know how to put on a "headline" performance for an open-air festival. The band threw everything at it. Amazing visuals, a shit load of pyro, confetti (weddings near Catton Hall must have struggled to find any for this weekend) and flames aplenty. Of course, most importantly, they have amazing tracks to enjoy.
They played songs from all six albums released to date, focussing (of course) on most on the latest album Magma. They sounded fantastic from where I was standing. And, just like the albums, they mix beauty and elegance with harsh brutality and crushing riffs.
They were jaw dropping on the night. I confess that I struggle to remember the names of the songs (many of them have either no chorus or indeed even feature the titles in the lyrics), but it doesn't matter when confronted with something this good. I spent time enjoying the screen projections and working out either what the song was or the album it came from each time. Absolutely top-notch performance and show. They proved themselves to be a worthy headliner for a festival of this size.
Orphaned Land – BLOODSTOCK 2018
Orphaned Land's singer Kobi
By this point, I was hobbling like a drunken pirate whose peg leg was a faulty size. However, I was utterly determined to see Israeli outfit Orphaned Land in the tent. I confess I was in quite a bit of pain and, due to the meds, running a fever! Common sense said to go to First Aid, but, like most of Decibel Geek people, I parted company with that years ago. A very healthy crowd was still up for more live music, so it was hot and sweaty in the tent.
They opened with "The Cave" the first track from their excellent new album Unsung Prophets And Dead Messiahs (of which played six songs from) which builds up nicely and immediately shows the uniqueness of their sound and style. They just are different to everything else around. From beautiful haunting and emotional melodies to progressive death with growls and screams, they cover so many bases.
They didn't go too political on the night other than singer Kobi Farhi reminding us that they are from the middle east and that if we thought our leaders here sucked then we should check out theirs. He pointed out how awful they were on all sides and how music is the catalyst for peace and change. The thing is that when he says it, you know it is truly sincere. That was before another track from the new album in "We Do Not Resist" which a scathing view of the world and its leaders.
I mentioned melodies and one of their best on the night was "Let The Truce Be Known" which seeps deep into your soul. Part I feel near to tears and at the same time feeling uplifted. They do bring some strange sensations to folks with their music. The crowd's efforts to chant along in the eastern style was superb, with the "la la la's" in Kiss Of Babylon" and the chorus in "Norra El Norra" being particularly memorable. A band that gets better every tour, original captivating and also still fun. One of the best bands around in my view.
Back to First Aid – BLOODSTOCK 2018
After they finished it was back to the first aid tent! They were slightly annoyed with me and told me to sit down before I fell down. They kept me in a while, gave me antihistamines, antibiotics and washed down the wound (stung like fuck) and had me lie down till my temperature came down a bit. Yes, I felt awful, but after the 2 headliners, I had just watched I was still high on the music and energy. Yes to an extent trying to catch bands, take notes and do interviews was proving to be hard work but I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else than Bloodstock surrounded by fabulous people and tremendous music. I also was thinking "still got Sunday" to watch and report on. That is coming next at Decibel Geek, including Jasta and Mr. Big.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER
For Tom Cornell's complete BLOODSTOCK 2018 coverage: BLOODSTOCK FESTIVAL 2018 (The Complete Coverage)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Paula Holmes-Eber coedits book on building military cultural competence
Affiliate Professor Paula Holmes-Eber, with Kjetil Enstad of The Norwegian Defence University College, coedited "Warriors or Peacekeepers? Building Military Cultural Competence," an anthology published by Springer International Publishing in May 2020, that compares research on the successes and failures of military cultural education and training programs in seven countries on three continents.
"I firmly believe that cross-cultural understanding is one of the most essential skills for the 21st century. As the coronavirus has made absolutely clear, we live in a global community, where it is imperative to work with and understand people from many different cultures," said Holmes-Eber. "I was excited to co-author 'Warriors or Peacekeepers: Building Military Cultural Competency' because we focused on the challenges of teaching and applying cultural understanding to resolve one of the most difficult world issues-war and conflict–but also because the book itself required cross-cultural cooperation and understanding!"
"My co-author Kjetil Enstad (who is Norwegian) and I had to work with researchers from seven different countries on three continents to create this book. It seems only fitting that "Warriors or Peacekeepers" is itself a product of cross-cultural collaboration and understanding."
From 2006-2014, Holmes-Eber taught thousands of senior military and governmental leaders about the cultural aspects of conflict and military planning as Professor of Operational Culture at Marine Corps University.
B.A. International Studies
M.A. International Studies
Ph.D. International Studies
Peace, Violence, and Security (PVS)
Scott Montgomery on the true state of American democracy in 2021 // Global Policy
Faculty and Jackson School Alum Tabitha Mallory article named No. 1 in 2020 by CIMSEC
Scott Montgomery quoted on what Biden's nuclear policy could look like // Kent Reporter
Daniel Bessner quoted on a more progressive US-China policy // The Nation
Sunila Kale is special issue editor of The Journal of Peasant Studies


Many of the top 2004-born male hockey players from around the province have converged on Red Deer this week for the 2019 Alberta Cup.
Hockey Alberta is pleased to announce the nine Officials selected to work the 2019 Alberta Cup.
The 160 players competing in the 2019 Peewee Prospects Cup in Lethbridge, May 8-12, have been selected by Hockey Alberta.
NHL Central Scouting has released its final rankings ahead of the 2019 NHL draft, with 20 Albertans on the list.
Our Vision: Hockey For Life.
Our Mission: To create positive opportunities and experiences FOR ALL PLAYERS through innovative leadership and exceptional service.
Our Stakeholders: Administrators, Alberta Sport Connection, Club Teams, Coaches, Corporate Partners, Hockey Canada, Leagues, Local Minor Hockey Associations, Managers, Officials, Parents, and Trainers.


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text:
Q: Confidence interval over multiple Poisson distributions There are five different periods (one following each other) of unequal lengths where one specific event is happening such that it follows Poisson distributions (e.g. meteorite falls). It is always the same type of event, just the expected average time between event is changing from time to time. In reality there are many more such periods.
The data look like this:

*

*in the 1st period (100 hours) the average interval for event is 500 hours

*in the 2nd period ( 80 hours) the average interval for event is 700 hours

*in the 3rd period (130 hours) the average interval for event is 300 hours

*in the 4th period ( 50 hours) the average interval for event is 800 hours

*in the 5th period (400 hours) the average interval for event is 900 hours

Lambda:

*

*1st period lambda: (1/500)*100 = 0.200

*2nd period lambda: (1/700)*80  = 0.114

*3rd period lambda: (1/300)*130 = 0.433

*4th period lambda: (1/800)*50  = 0.062

*5th period lambda: (1/900)*400 = 0.444

Is there a way to estimate how many events happened and what is the confidence interval for the estimate?
I understood from How to calculate a confidence level for a Poisson distribution? and here: http://ms.mcmaster.ca/peter/s743/poissonalpha.html that I can use (x is number of events):

*

*( qchisq(0.025, 2*x)/2, qchisq(0.975, 2*(x+1))/2 )

or maybe some other method that will be more suitable for low lambda.
I don't understand how I can add all the five distributions together to say how many events were expected.

A: Because (a) the number of events in any $T$ hour period with a rate of one event every $H$ hours follows a Poisson distribution with parameter $T/H$ and (b) the number of independent Poisson random variables of rates $\mu_1,\mu_2,\ldots,\mu_n$ in non-overlapping intervals is a Poisson random variable of rate $\mu=\mu_1+\mu_2+\cdots+\mu_n,$ any question about the probability distribution of the number of events is readily answered.  Let's write $F$ for this distribution function and (therefore) $F^{-1}$ for its quantile function.
For instance,

*

*The expected number of events is $\mu.$

*The variance of the expectation is $\mu$ and so its standard deviation is $\sqrt{\mu}.$

*For any tolerance level $q$ between $0$ and $100%,$ choose nonnegative values $\alpha_l$ and $\alpha_u$ totaling $1-q.$  Then with at least probability $q$ the number of events will be between  $F_{l} =F^{-1}(\alpha_l)$ and $F_{u}=F^{-1}(1-\alpha_u).$  The actual probability is $F(F_{u}) - F(F_{l}-1).$
Often one chooses a "symmetrical" interval in the sense that $\alpha_l=\alpha_u = (1-q)/2.$
To see how simple this is, let's use the data in the question as an example.

*

*The time intervals are $100,80,130,50,400$ minutes and the rates are the reciprocals of $500,700,300,800,900$ hours, whence $$\mu = \frac{100}{500} + \frac{80}{700} + \cdots + \frac{400}{900} = 1.2545\ldots\,.$$

*The standard deviation is $\sqrt{1.2545\ldots} \approx 1.12.$ You can use this immediately (using only mental arithmetic) to bound the chances of large numbers of events. For instance, Cantelli's Inequality implies the chance of $5$ or more events, which is $(5-1.2545)/1.12 \approx 3.3$ standard deviations beyond the mean, cannot exceed $1/(1+3.3^2) \approx 1/12 \approx 8\%.$

*If, say, you wanted a $q=95\%$ symmetric interval in which the number of events is likely to fall, set $\alpha_l=\alpha_u=2.5\%$ and locate the $0.025$ and $0.975$ quantiles of the Poisson$(1.2545)$ distribution at $0$ and $4,$ respectively.  The actual chance that the number of events will be between $0$ and $4$ inclusive is $99.1\%.$

To perform the calculations in the example I used the following commands in the statistical calculator R.
#
# Specify the problem.
#
intervals <- c(100, 80, 130, 50, 400)
averages <- c(500, 700, 300, 800, 900)
q <- 0.95
#
# Compute some properties of the distribution of the total number of events.
#
mu <- sum(intervals / averages)                    # Expected number
alpha.u <- alpha.l <- (1 - q)/2                    # Upper and lower tolerances
tl <- qpois(c(Lower=alpha.l, Upper=1-alpha.u), mu) # Limits
coverage <- diff(ppois(tl + c(-1,0), mu))          # Probability within limits
names(coverage) <- "Coverage"
#
# Display the answers.
#
(tl) # The limits
(signif(c(Expected=mu, SD=sqrt(mu), `Nominal coverage`=q, coverage), 3))

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Patty and Alex. My name is Patty and I have always lived in the Seattle Washington area. I live with my husband and teen age son, Alex and work full time as an engineer. I like to read and do a lot of quilting. I've donated quilts to several organizations locally. I'm looking forward to doing something that involves my other favorite thing to do, reading. I've also done my first international travel in the last year or so and am seeing the world as a lot smaller place than I used to.
Alex is helping me with this project. He has been very active in Boy Scouts earning the Eagle Scout rank last year. This project is a way for him to continue to contribute as well as earn community service hours in his last year of high school.
We want to help this African community improve the reading skills of their children. This project started as a way for Alex to earn some community service hours for his high school. However it's also a good way to show that we can involve our community to help people all over the world. I like the idea of doing something other than sending money. Giving time and effort to help improve the lives of other people is a great way to contribute to the community.
This project is really special to me because I love reading and believe that being able to read really opens up a person's life. The opportunity to provide books to children that otherwise may not have them is terrific.
Our partner is Nshamba primary school in Botswana.
Our book drive is for a primary school library in Botswana. We need books that are at pre-school to fourth grade reading level. Educational games and puzzles are also good ideas. The school has requested material designed to help the teachers as well.
If you have books to contribute, contact Patty at pfordyce80@msn.com to make arrangements as needed. I will have a collection box at my workplace and a few other locations. Alex or I can pick up books or you can drop them off at our house. If you'd prefer to mail them, that's fine as well.
If you'd like to donate funds for shipping or for purchasing books, you can donate directly by mailing a check. Send an email to me at pfordyce80@msn.com to get my mailing address if you need it.
I'm also planning to raffle a quilt to raise funds. When its ready I'll put up a picture with directions on how to get a raffle ticket.
Ways to help include donating books, games or puzzles; telling others about this book drive; and buying a raffle ticket when they are available. Another way to help is by donating money for shipping and/or for buying books.
I've set up a box at work and sent a flyer to our neighborhood community center. I've contacted Half-Price books and they've been very positive about setting up something for our book drive.
We had a Holiday Open House and invited our friends. We raffled off a Seahawks quilt that I made. It was a lot of fun and collected 120 books and $180 from the raffle.
We shipped the books last Friday. Thanks to everyone for your help!!!
We had an open house one afternoon. We asked people to bring books to donate and we raffled off a quilt that I made. It was a lot of fun, we collected 125 books and $180 from the raffle. It helped us finish up the book drive.


text:
'Instead of accusing, world should assist Pakistan in fight against terrorism'
Dawn.comPublished March 6, 2019
DG ISPR Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor calls for Kashmir resolution, says it's the "flash point" of regional peace. — DawnNewsTV/File
Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor on Wednesday urged the international community to assist Pakistan in the country's fight against terrorism instead of levelling allegations alone.
Maj Gen Ghafoor, who was being interviewed by CNN when he made that remark, was asked if Pakistan will make "an increased effort" in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack to root out militant groups that might "destabilise the situation in [Indian-occupied] Kashmir".
"For sure," the DG ISPR responded. "Anybody who operates from Pakistan [against other countries] is ... we feel that it is not in the interest of Pakistan. Instead of blaming Pakistan, the world should assist Pakistan, facilitate Pakistan in getting rid of such organisations."
He also denied that Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) — the group that accepted responsibility for the Feb 14 attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir's Pulwama district — had made any claim about the attack "from within Pakistan".
Also read: Share evidence against Masood Azhar acceptable to Pakistan's courts, says Qureshi
"Jaish-e-Muhammad does not [formally] exist in Pakistan," he insisted. "It has been proscribed by the United Nations [as well as] by Pakistan."
Earlier this week, the government had decided to launch a "decisive" crackdown against militant groups. Authorities have already taken over administration of multiple mosques and seminaries that were said to be linked to extremist groups including the JeM and Jamaatud Dawa (JuD).
Yesterday, the officials of the Ministry of Interior announced that 44 members of banned outfits, including Mufti Abdul Raoof and Hamad Azhar (no relation to the minister of state for revenue), had been taken in "preventive detention".
Perhaps preempting criticism on the timing of Pakistan's new crackdown against extremist groups, the DG ISPR said Pakistan was not taking these measures "under anyone's pressure".
When asked about the recent standoff between Islamabad and New Delhi — which had resulted from India's violation of Pakistani airspace last week — Ghafoor said: "The ball is in the Indian court. Should they decide to escalate [tensions] more, the situation will go bad."
He admitted that both countries had come "close to war" following India's act of aggression in dropping bombs on Balakot. The next day, Pakistan had responded by striking "non-military targets" across the border. Two Indian jets, which violated Pakistan's airspace after the air force's strikes, were shot down and an Indian pilot was captured. Pakistan released the Indian pilot two days later as a "gesture of peace".
When asked if the pilot's release had "helped ease tensions" between the nuclear-armed neighbours, the DG ISPR said that it was "up to India whether they take that peace gesture and move forward towards de-escalation or continue with their agenda that they have".
He added that both countries had increased the number of troops posted along the Line of Control (LoC) as the situation there remained tense.
In order to understand why the Pulwama attack took place, the DG ISPR advised India to introspect instead of "looking towards framed allegations".
"The answer to this question [of why the Pulwama attack took place] lies in the United Nations Human Rights Commission's report [on Kashmir]."
The report, which the UN said was the first-of-its-kind for Kashmir, was released last year and highlighted "chronic impunity for violations committed by [Indian] security forces".
"When you suppress a population to the extent that they are being killed, raped, being shot with pellet guns, there is a natural reaction," Maj Gen Ghafoor said.
He said that it was pertinent to "move towards [a] Kashmir resolution" as it was the "flash point" for regional stability.
He also rubbished India's claims of having targeted a JeM establishment in Balakot which resulted in the killing of "a very large number of militants", saying "not a single brick was harmed and no bodies were found".
"Indian claims are false," he stated and pointed out that Indian officials themselves have admitted that they cannot determine the number of casualties inflicted.
Pak India Ties , Kashmir Unrest
Foreign journalists find holes in Indian narrative on F-16 usage, Balakot strike
Pakistan will respond to uncalled-for Indian aggression at time, place of its choosing: NSC
Villagers near Balakot say nobody killed or injured by Indian aircraft
واٹس ایپ کی جگہ ٹیلیگرام کو دینا چاہتے ہیں تو پہلے یہ جان لیں
پاکستان میں منظوری حاصل کرنیوالی پہلی ویکسین کووڈ سے کیسے بچاتی ہے؟
Jameel
Please make the first move....
Well said sir you made your position very clear
How long should World help you
Well answered all questions
Ravi Bhople
This is the positive thik which needs to be implemented as soon as possible....thanks mr. Gafoor.
Rightly said
Ankit Shah
Helping you !!!
Truth is mightier than all the propaganda lies!
Manu USA
Really? What kind of help is this. Just educate people.
How the world can help. Let the world handle them.
Very sensible and appropriate advice to the world for real peace.
@KB, World must help till a real peace is achieved.
Excellent is not enough for u sir.
Pak_I
So just to clarify here assist means give them money.
N Abidi
Power of truth, in this case was on the Pakistan side, with honest good attentions. This showed that big time India's powerful fake news media and lobbyist could not control the international media from reporting the truth!,
Azam Kadeer
Definately Same time we need to educate our self's Pakistan is first before think about our self's
PM Imran took 'mother of NROs' in foreign funding case, says Fazl ahead of PDM march to ECP
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America's political crisis may not end with a new occupant in the White House