Security Sales & Integration
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LAS VEGAS, March 26, 2026 – SSI inducted five new members into its Industry Hall of Fame on Thursday at ISC West in conjunction with PSA Network. The honor recognizes industry legends whose leadership, innovation, and lasting contributions have helped shape the security industry. Among this year’s inductees was Ira Riklis, Chairman and CEO of COPS Monitoring.

What is the SSI Industry Hall of Fame?

Established in 2004 to represent the ultimate recognition for performance excellence, the SSI Hall of Fame (HOF) annually enshrines those uncommon people who have etched out an indelible impression within the profession, sustained over the course of an entire career.

These rare persons’ dedication and accomplishments make them uniquely irreplaceable. They are the innovators whose impact has molded and transformed the industry into the thriving, vibrant business it is today. Any worthy candidate from any area of the electronic security industry (dealers, manufacturers, distributors, monitoring, business, etc.) is eligible for election.

“The SSI Industry Hall of Fame celebrates tastemakers and influencers, world-changers and difference-makers,” says Dan Ferrisi, group director of content + editorial, industrial + tech, of Emerald. “It’s the crowning achievement of a security professional’s career, and it’s Security Sales & Integration’s honor to induct five more Hall of Famers into this elite group.

Ira D. Riklis
Chairman and CEO, COPS Monitoring

• Born 1954 in Minnesota, youngest of three children
• Both parents were raised in Tel Aviv and emigrated in 1947
• Father worked at Piper Jaffray; parents taught Hebrew School
• Father generally credited with being the first to sell a bond below investment grade (e.g., a “junk bond”); he used this new form of currency to build a multi-billion-dollar conglomerate, rising high before crashing hard
• Met the love of his life when they were 13 and 14; married at 17 and 18
• Told the marriage could never survive because they were too young; now married over 52 years
• Blessed with two magnificent daughters, each of whom has an equally special husband
• Grandfather to seven wonderful grandchildren
• Earned a BS and an MBA from the Wharton School

Why He’s on the List

• Initially went to work for his father but at 25 decided to go out on his own; this has proven a wise, prescient choice
• Struggling to get his business footing, experiencing failures and successes, came across COPS Monitoring
• Saw three highly attractive elements: 20,000 accounts, a home-brewed software program that was so powerful it’s still the kernel of our proprietary system and Jim McMullen, a remarkable unpolished gem
• When McMullen expressed desire to leave the alarm industry and move in new directions, structured an earnout that would force him to stay seven years; some 37 years later, he is still the president
• During Riklis’ tenure, company has grown by a factor of 125x to approximately 2.5 million subscribers
• Along the way, Riklis built a retail alarm company that grew to be the 25th largest (measured by recurring monthly revenue of more than $1.1 million) in the U.S.; this was sold to ASG, now part of ADT
• COPS Monitoring was the “little engine that could,” becoming the centerpiece of business efforts; the alarm industry has been very good to his family and him

Keys to Success

I was attracted to the alarm industry because I recognized the long term strength of recurring monthly revenue and the extraordinary growth potential of the market. At the time, both the installed product and the monitoring service were costly, but I believed those economics would change. As technology advanced and costs declined, the market would broaden significantly, creating tremendous opportunity for companies prepared to scale.

What became clear to me early on was that the future would belong to organizations able to deliver quality with efficiency and consistency. The alarm industry was fragmented, and that fragmentation created an opportunity to bring disciplined management, stronger operating practices, and long range thinking to a business that was ready to evolve.

But no business model succeeds on economics alone. Enduring success is built on people. Although our operation may be described in simple terms as a call center, the culture we built has always aimed much higher. Our people take pride in the work, believe in the mission, and see a future for themselves here. That is reflected in the longevity of our team, with 22% of employees serving more than 10 years and 3% serving more than 25 years.

If I had to reduce success to one principle, it would be this: know your competitive edge. A company must be able to define, in clear and unmistakable terms, what makes it different and why that difference matters. If you cannot do that, your advantage is not real, and it will not last.

Enduring Memories

A defining early memory for me was attending ISC East in 1988. I looked around and noticed that very few people were wearing business suits. My immediate impression was that the industry had not yet attracted much formal management talent. To me, that reinforced what I already suspected: the business was highly fragmented, operationally underdeveloped, and full of opportunity for those prepared to bring discipline, structure, and long term thinking to it.

Just as important was the realization that, although our work relies heavily on technology, we are not, at heart, a technology company. What we provide is something far more human. We are a lifeline for subscribers at moments of fear, stress, and uncertainty. Technology enables our service, but human beings give it meaning.

That belief is reaffirmed for me every year at our holiday party, when we read the citations for the Chairman’s Award for Excellence. As those stories are shared, recognizing extraordinary acts by employees who protected subscribers and their homes in critical moments, I am reminded of the very best of what this company represents. Those are the moments that stay with me, and they remain among my proudest memories.

Words of Wisdom

Don’t look for wisdom from others.  Be open to the opinions of others, but first and foremost, trust your own judgement.  No one ever became a star by singing someone else’s song.

Making Our Industry Better

Our industry must strive to make our product easier, more intuitive, less likely to break down, Five Nines up time, and most of all, unlikely to create false alarms. We must be good corporate citizens.

Your Legacy

I was once asked this question before a company retreat.  I made reference to the song A Good Man by Emerson Drive.  My hopes, dreams, and goals are very well encapsulated in the song’s lyrics.  As it relates to the alarm industry, consider these lyrics: “and always helped someone in trouble.”