text: Guardian Protection Services held its 2019 Partner Conference in Las Vegas the week of ISC West, April 8-10. The theme was Beatles-style “Come Together,” and approximately 15 of Guardian’s most successful dealers were in attendance. The Beatles music, Apple label records used as table décor and signature cocktails like Purple Submarine and John Lemon Drop inspired an evening for celebrating and recognizing accomplishments.
  “It’s very important for us to get our dealers together under one roof every year so they recommit and reconfirm their partnership with Guardian,” said April Maloney, Guardian’s director of dealer programs. “Then we also recommit to them; we talk about exciting initiatives that are going on at Guardian, we talk about what we worked on that was successful, what we’re trying, what they should stay away from . . . It’s really a meeting of the minds.”
  This meeting of the minds kicked off Monday, April 8, with a welcome reception at Lagasse’s Stadium in The Palazzo. It continued the next day with a business meeting at The Venetian at 9 a.m.
  At the business meeting, Guardian President Bryan Cipoletti gave a “Guardian State of the Union”, informing dealers of Guardian’s three-year vision, possible threats or challenges in the industry and possible opportunities. Bob Gallup, chief sales officer at Guardian, then went deeper into the metrics of how Guardian is performing.
  “We’re very transparent, and we feel like it helps other business owners that are involved in our program overcome some of their obstacles if we share ours,” Maloney said.
  “And then we listen to what’s working for them,” Gallup said. “It’s important for us to get the micro and macro perspective in their different geographies.”
  Dealers were also able to listen to Keynote Speaker Franklin Covey and Practice Leader Jeffery Downs, who talked about the four disciplines of execution Guardian has been preaching to its dealers since last October: goal setting, accountability, commitment and keeping score.
  After a business-filled day, dealers were then able to relax and enjoy a cocktail hour at The Venetian, where they could mingle with other dealers and reflect on the information they learned.
  “It’s always neat coming out and re-engaging with everybody,” said David Shea, CEO and founder of Complete Home Security and Services, Fresno, Calif. “It’s where we can connect and make new friends.”
  “It’s events like this that demonstrate Guardian’s commitment to the industry and its dealer program, as well as its channel partners,” said Steve Heier, vice president of operations, AlarMax, Timonium, Md.
  “For us, it’s exciting to be here, to spend time with our dealer partners around the country, to share in the successes, to help each other and to grow in our ability to be successful,” Cipoletti said.
  Dealers were then treated to the Guardian Grammy Awards Dinner, also at The Venetian, which recognized the truly impressive accomplishments of Guardian’s dealers over the past year.
  Big award winners were AAA Home Security who received the President’s Award, Complete Home Security and Services who earned the Executive Award and Safe N Sound who walked away with the Guardian Master’s Award and a Purple Jacket. Nearly a dozen more trophies were also presented for excellence in quality and sales production. Onstage that evening a trivia contest awarded winners cash prizes for their Beatles-smarts. Attendees were then able to finish out the night with an after party at The Dorsey.
  The festivities started bright and early the next day, with breakfast at The Venetian at 9:30 a.m., and a tour of the ISC West show floor with presentations by Guardian’s elite and diamond-level sponsors: Alarm.com, AlarMax, Interlogix and Nortek Security & Control.
  The Partner Conference ended that night with the wrap party.
  “Coming together is very important to all of us at Guardian, both internally and with our dealer partners that we consider to be an extension of us,” Gallup said.
  “At the partner conference, from the welcome party to the business meeting through our awards celebration, we’re proud of our brand and our program, and our footprint in the industry.” Maloney said.