User:Allancolombo

Allan B. Colombo (AKA: Al Colombo) is a crime prevention practitioner, technical editor, copywriter, and trade journalist in the physical security, locksmithing, and life safety markets. He offers more than 40 years of experience in security operations and technical, 28 of which has been spent writing content for magazines and Internet assets.

Colombo's writings have appeared in more than 10 different hard-copy magazines as well as a variety of websites on the Net. He is probably best known for his work in Security Distributing & Marketing (SDM), where he held the title of associate editor, as well as Security Sales & Integration (SSI), where he was a technical editor. In addition, he holds an associate degree in electronics engineering.

What distinguishes Al Colombo from most other hard-copy magazine writers is the fact that the first 15 of his 40 years in security were spent in the field installing and servicing of the equipment and systems that commonly comprise security and fire alarms.

His field career began in 1974 as an assistant manager in a retail environment where he sold NuTone products. His technical experience began with the installation of NuTone products, such as alarm systems, whole-house vacuum systems, garage door openers, fire alarms, whole-house intercoms, stereo intercom systems, whole-house stereos, and other products.

Because of the nature of the company he worked for, Carter Plumbing, Electric, Heating, based out of Kent, Ohio, he was provided with a quality factory education in all the products the store handled, including NuTone products. It was through his experience and networking at Carters that he came to know the sales representative from NuTone. This would later open several doors at NuTone for him.

In 1977, Al Colombo resigned from his management position at Carters, after which he established his own business, called Alarm & Communications Co. Because of his associate electronics engineering in the manufacturing world, and because of his NuTone contacts, he subsequently started his own NuTone Service Center, which he operated for more than 10 years.

Alarm & Communications Co. (ACC), also became part of the NuTone Installing Dealer program, providing sales & installation assistance to a variety of Nutone distributors in the area, such as Furbay Electric, Mansfield Electric, and Dover Phila Electric, all three based in Ohio. This provided him with an opportunity to sell, install, and service NuTone stereo intercoms, whole-house radio intercoms, electric garage door openers, food centers, central vac systems, bathroom ventilation and kitchen hood fans, and anything else labeled NuTone.

His affiliation with these three electrical distribution companies, as well as several manufacturers as a service provider, he also began working directly for many area electrical contractors who happen to install many of the products that ACC handled. In the area of apartment security, Colombo and his ACC firm began stocking a wide array of parts for the NuTone line of apartment intercoms, as well as electric door strikes and other related equipment.

Because of his affiliation with another security technician, Colombo's ACC became an Ademco Security Dealer. In this context he sold Ademco burglar and fire alarm products. Ademco was based in Syosset, N.Y. and later was purchased by Honeywell.

In addition to NuTone and Ademco products, ACC also began to install and service Napco, Silent Knight, Detection Systems, Kidde, Douglas Randal, Thorn Automated, and Radionics. His niche work in apartment security also led him to acquire a TekTone Sound and Signal dealership where he purchased, installed, and serviced the product. As it were, TekTone also manufactured emergency call and nurse call systems in the healthcare area, thus providing ACC with another niche into which to expand its operations.

During this time, Colombo worked as a sub contractor for a special hazards company called Interstate Automatic Fire Systems. Over the span of seven years, Colombo installed and serviced fire protection, special hazard systems, and other equipment throughout Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

In 1986, Al Colombo sold his firm to Interstate Automatic Fire Systems, after which the company name was changed to Interstate Fire & Security. This firm continues in business today, based in Canton, Ohio. Per contract, Colombo remained with Interstate for an additional 3 1/2 years, after which he accepted the position of Associate Editor with SDM in Chicago.

After going to work for Interstate, Al Colombo began working as a freelance writer for an assortment of concerns. His first writing contract involved a six-article series on electronic security with a hard copy magazine called National Locksmith, which is based in Carol Stream, Ill. His work with SDM began the same year.

By 1988, Al Colombo's writings began to appear in Alarm Installing Dealer (AID) magazine. Subsequently, Editor-in-Chief and owner Bob Bargart sold AID magazine to Security Sales (a Bobbit Business Media publication), where his work appeared for several years. The same year he entered into another contract with two Cygnus publications--Locksmith Ledger and Security Dealer magazines.

Because of his work with SDM magazine, Colombo chose to use a pseudonym in Security Sales and Security Dealer magazines--Carl A. Sloan and Brent DeForest respectively.

(note more to come as time allows)