Essam Choudhary, Co-Founder and President, The Security Innovation Hub discusses how bringing the security industry together is the catalyst for progress.
To me, innovation in security means adapting faster than the threats we face. It’s about being willing to challenge the status quo, break out of old narratives and build with purpose.
A perfect example is Mike Saltijeral – a US Marine and Founder of Perimeter Security Solutions – who took what he learned as a breacher and decades of fieldwork installing fences and flipped the script.
He reimagined how mesh and barriers could actually defend against real-world attacks, not just check a box. He backed it up with testing in the field, national lab validation and ASTM certifications.
That shows what’s possible when you lead with experience and build with purpose. That’s real innovation.
Security impacts everyone. But if we’re going to solve real problems, we need to take our seat at the table with open minds, honest dialogue and feel safe to unpack the hard stuff.
There’s no better way to break free from all the trendy words making their way across the industry, than to block it all out and solve the real challenges people face on the ground: fatigue, lack of training, disconnected systems, low budgets, fast evolving threats and the pressure to keep up with it all.
Meeting face-to-face lets us do all that and as a bonus we build trust, form real bonds and lay the foundation for solutions that will have the greatest impact on keeping people safe.
Frankly it also gives the opportunity to get new voices in the room and ample space to bring in new perspectives that we sometimes lose in the digital world.
We’ve got to build with the people doing the work, not just for them. The industry has latched onto the influencer race and everyone’s talking at everyone else, but not very many are busy listening to understand, and then speaking and building with purpose.
We need to create systems where frontline officers have a voice and are not stuck with tired caricatures made to mock them.
Where designers and end users are on the same playing field, the only thing that matters is how we keep our communities, workplaces and people safe from harm, yet still open inviting places.
With that baseline we remove all layers of “us” and “them” and invest in improving security through empowering our leaders and teams. Those that belong in a certain space should feel welcome.
Kids in schools should feel ready to explore, learn and comfortable, where safety and security is felt, not seen.
Security professionals need more hands-on time with the tools they’re being asked to deploy, without the pressure of a sales pitch. We need environments that prioritize learning and problem-solving over transactions.
That’s how you grow both the people and the technology. The SJA Leaders in Security Conference will serve as a catalyst for this and the Security Innovation Hub will provide the central home to build forward.
The Security Innovation Hub is the industry’s home base – for security leaders, builders, problem-solvers and visionaries.
Our message is simple: the conversations can’t stop once the meetings and trade shows end, we must come together in a space built for collaboration, learning and purpose to keep the momentum going.
At the conference, we’ll be showcasing how real-world innovation and human expertise come together to tackle the biggest challenges in real time.
The security universe is one big sandbox; once you learn how to navigate around it, the possibilities are endless. We set aside the talk, roll up our sleeves and get to work.
It’s time to emphasize that security is a passion and a necessity that requires more critical thinking.
Chicago is an American icon. It’s a city that keeps breaking barriers, no matter what. It’s home to 24 corporate innovation centers, including mHUB, which is helping fuel the next wave of American manufacturing and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
In 2025 alone, we’ve seen groundbreaking announcements for three new neighborhoods, two major arenas and the Bloch Quantum Tech Hub. The city doesn’t care about narratives or critics, it’s too busy finding new ways to keep building forward.
Chicago is where momentum lives. It’s been named the best big city in America eight years in a row and has led the country in corporate relocations for 12 straight years.
This city is constantly reinventing itself and its inspiring energy and welcoming nature sets the stage for anyone to thrive, especially those in the security industry. That’s exactly why we chose it to launch the world’s first Security Innovation Hub.
The hub doesn’t confine itself to being a lab or co-working space. Instead, it’s a launchpad for ideas and solutions.
Whether you’re bringing a new idea to life in our incubator, solving real-world challenges in the lab or connecting with teams who just get it, you’re a part of something bigger and there’s no amount of noise that can distract you from making the impact you set out to make.
Home to the Illinois Security Professionals Association, ASIS Chicago, ASIS Northshore Chapters and other groups like BOMA (for professionals in commercial building security) and HEaT (for security professionals in hospitality and entertainment) Chicago is a security professional’s home base.
Chicago is the biggest small town in America where real work gets done. We’re ready to welcome you.
This article was originally published in the July edition of Security Journal Americas. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.