Wheeler, 36, named Security Systems News’ 40 under 40
“There’s No place like Holmes!” Luke Wheeler, 36, serves as Vice President of Holmes Security Systems, a division of Holmes Electric, Inc., a 114-year-old, fourth-generation, family-owned and operated company founded in Fayetteville, N.C. Holmes specializes in commercial and residential burglar and fire alarm systems, camera systems (CCTV), access control, 24-hour central monitoring, and home automation systems. Wheeler, who joined the company full-time in 2006, told Security Systems News that his daily responsibilities are never the same.
“I am sure those who focus on the sales operations within their organization can relate to the fact that my day-to-day can vary wildly,” he explained. “One day, I may be strategizing and planning; the next, I am working with my sales team to grow their business; then the next day, I could be standing outside a job with techs on a sweltering July day, making sure the big government job we secured is falling into place.”
“For our company, we have always adopted the new technologies as fast as they change and improve. Being able to provide the latest security products and services for our customers is a top priority.”
FATHER’S PASSION Wheeler immediately cited his father’s passion as the reason he got into the security industry. “He inspired my grandfather to take the security division of our company to the next level by adding a central monitoring station,” he noted. “I grew up seeing how much we do impact people’s lives and peace of mind. After exploring other career paths, I found myself drawn back to the family business where I started as an installer helper. After that, I spent time in nearly every possible role before becoming VP two years ago.”
INDUSTRY TRENDS
Among the industry trends that Wheeler pointed out were cameras, artificial intelligence (AI), and equipment integration. “Cameras have been a top trend in security for many years, and I don’t see that slowing anytime soon.,” he said. “AI will only get better and continue to make cameras a vital part of residential and commercial security. Integration of cameras, alarms, access control, and monitoring together is getting stronger.” In addition, Wheeler noted that “AI continues to advance and become more affordable and easier to use for the end user. Previously, AI was limited on smallerscale projects due to cost. Now SMB businesses and homeowners can deploy AI with more features at a reasonable price.”
SERVICE, INNOVATION, AND TEAMWORK
During these challenging times brought on by COVID-19 in 2020, Wheeler pointed out three ways that Holmes Security Systems has succeeded during the pandemic. “Through good and bad financial times, our company, with roots dating back to 1908, has succeeded by keeping a few key things at our core –superior service, innovation, and having a great team. When taking care of customers is a top priority, you must take care of your employees; they go hand in hand, and that lesson has been shared from father to son across multiple generations. COVID brought our already closely-knit team together even more because we, unfortunately, experienced sickness and even death together. “Innovation and adapting are essential to success as well. A perfect example of that was in the 1920s; my great-grandfather saw how difficult times were, so he opened a fresh-squeezed juice bar at the front of our location. That juice bar has long been closed, but the Holmes lesson was don’t be afraid to try new things – in fact, my father did that very thing in the 80s when he convinced my grandfather that we needed to open our central monitoring station. I am proud to have played an instrumental role in designing and planning our new state-of-the-art central monitoring station and building that will allow us to continue serving and expanding our abilities to look out for our community and its citizens.”
LOOKING AHEAD
Wheeler pointed out that the security industry has changed “at a rapid pace” over the last 10-plus years. “For our company, we have always adopted the new technologies as fast as they change and improve,” he said. “Being able to provide the latest security products and services for our customers is a top priority.” He added that as an industry, education is “key to bringing talent, youth, and diversity to the industry. Most young people do not realize how cool the technology is that we deal with is. We aren’t ‘Grandpa’s burglar alarm company.’ We have the ability to make people’s lives easy and seamless with smart home integration. We have to have a swagger about what we do and share it with young people, whether it is at a local job fair, career day, or reaching out to young people in underserved communities to show them about career paths they may not know exist.”
