Habitec is #1 in Ohio

Toledo Based Habitec Security named to national top 100 list of security companies by SDM Magazine.

Security Distributing and Marketing Magazine (SDM), the security industry’s leading trade publication, recently released their annual list of the largest security companies in the country and named Habitec Security the largest independent security company in Ohio. SDM also ranked Habitec as the 59th largest security company in the United States.

Habitec Security was founded by Jim Smythe in 1972, he built it from a home based business started in his mother’s dining room to a very successful operation with 2 offices in Ohio and one in Michigan. Mr. Smythe passed away in June of 2006, his son John has taken on the responsibility as president and is moving the company forward. Habitec is the only security company serving northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan with a local Toledo based monitoring station.

Habitec Security employs 85 people, many whom have been with the company for more than 30 years. Habitec Security has nearly 13,000 monthly subscribers and is increasing business each year. The company will soon be offering a medical alert device that promotes independent living for the elderly or other family medical concerns. For more information please log onto www.habitecsecurity.com

Click here to view the top 100 security companies ranked by SDM.

Habitec Appears in Security Trade Publication

Habitec grows in Michigan with Citizen buy
By Martha Entwistle – 03.04.2010

TOLEDO, Ohio — Habitec Security, which calls itself the largest independent dealer in Ohio, this week acquired Citizen Security Systems of Carlton, Mich.

“It’s a small company in southeast Michigan that’s been in business for ten years and has a couple hundred account base,” said John Smythe, president of Habitec.

Chris Ruelle, the former president of Citizen Security, has joined Habitec as a sales consultant. Habitec is in the process of transferring all monitored alarm systems to its monitoring station here.

Habitec has about 13,000 accounts and is roughly half residential and half commercial. It has 90 employees and two branch offices, in Traverse City, Mich., and Columbus, Ohio. The company was founded by Smythe’s father, Jim Smythe, in 1972. John Smythe took over as president after his father passed away five years ago.

Smythe said the company’s made about 100 acquisitions over the years, including five since he took over.

While Habitec’s commercial business has slowed considerably in 2009, its residential business has done very well. “Our security systems installations on an annual basis was up more than 15 percent,” Smythe said. “And our cancellations stayed low.”

And for 2010? “We expect small [overall] growth again,” he said. “While the margins on commercial are thin, we’re finally starting to see some jobs close in the initial part of this year. We’ve won some bids and we weren’t the lowest bidder. They were sold, instead, on our company.”

Smythe said he’s had valued guidance over the past five years from some veteran alarm company owners who serve on his board including Mel Mahler of ADS, and John Bourque of HB Alarm. Mahler and Bourque were close friends of Smythe’s father, and they’re all Honeywell First Alert Professional dealers.

At the most recent First Alert Professional conference, Smythe gave some guidance to other FAP dealers in a seminar on Internet marketing, something he’s a big proponent of.

“We’re doing a lot more of that than we used to,” he said. Through search optimization on his site, Google ads and Google click campaigns he’s “generating way more leads than through other means … we get five to six leads a day through the Internet marketing, which is a lot for us.”

Citizen Security Systems Merges with Habitec Security

We are excited to announce that Habitec Security of Toledo, OH has acquired Citizen Security Systems of Carleton, MI. Citizen Security Systems is a company similar to Habitec Security in that they both handle all electronic security needs for both commercial and residential customers. Habitec is in the process of transferring all monitored alarm systems to their own command center located in Toledo, OH.

Chris Ruelle, President of Citizen Security, will be joining Habitec Security as a full time security consultant. Citizen Security Systems will be assuming the name Habitec Security. The current customers will receive the best in security protection as has been the tradition of Habitec Security since 1972. Habitec Security has had a presence in Southeastern Michigan for over 35 years and hopes that this acquisition will strengthen their position there.

Habitec Launches Total Connect

Access your Security System Anytime, Anywhere! As technology brings the world closer together, the need to feel connected is a reality today. With Habitec’s Total Connect Service you can now utilize the internet to control your security system in real time.

Learn More

Barnhart Electric Merges with Habitec

We are excited to announce that Habitec Security of Toledo, OH has acquired Zanesville’s Barnhart Electric. Barnhart Electric is a company similar to Habitec Security in that they both handle all security needs for commercial and residential customers. Habitec is in the process of transferring all monitored alarm systems to their own command center located in Toledo, OH.

Barnhart Electric will assume the name Habitec Security. The current customers will receive the best in security protection as has been the tradition of Habitec Security since 1972. Habitec Security has had a presence in the Columbus area for 25 years and hopes that this acquisition will strengthen their position there.

Habitec Secures Moon Rock

Habitec Security has been awarded a contract to secure a rock from the Moon. On Nov, 12 2007 Gene Kranz, a former NASA flight director, will return to his alma mater Central Catholic High School with a rock from the Moon. Mr. Kranz was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio before he became well known for his role in saving the crew of Apollo 13. Mr. Kranz is donating the Moon rock to Central Catholic which will be on display at the Kranz Exploration Learning Center.

In order to display the Moon rock to the public Central Catholic has to follow strict security guidelines required by NASA. Habitec has been chosen as the security company to design a system that will assure NASA the Moon rock will be secure. Habitec will be installing a sophisticated digital video system which among other features will have the capability of seeing in total darkness. Along with monitored 360 degree motion detectors, NASA can be assured that the Moon rock is in good hands with Habitec.

Habitec Lights The Night

Habitec employees, friends and families participated in the annual Light The Night Walk demonstrating their support for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Participants carried illuminated red and white balloons to light up downtown Toledo and celebrate and commemorate lives touched by blood cancers.

The Habitec Heroes team walked in remembrance of the late Jim Smythe, founder of Habitec Security. Mr. Smythe lost his courageous battle with leukemia in 2006 and will always be remembered for his love of reaching out to help people in the community. This philosophy of helping others has continued and the Habitec Team has brought a generous contribution to this organization.

If you are interested in joining us in the Light The Night Walk, please contact us.

Habitec Toledo Open Pro Am

On September 23, Habitec Security hosted the second annual Jim Smythe Memorial Toledo Open Pro-Am.  Jim Smythe, the founder of Habitec, fought his battle with leukemia with courage and grace but lost his fight on June 17, 2006.  After being diagnosed with Leukemia, Jim received blood products weekly.

To raise awareness for the never-ending need of blood, the Toledo Open planning committee designated that the Red Cross Blood Services would be the beneficiaries. The funds will be used to purchase a new blood mobile for the Toledo community.

The Jim Smythe Memorial Pro-Am preceded the Habitec Security Toledo Open, a PGA sanctioned event.  Jim Smythe was instrumental in reviving the Toledo Open in 2001. Two of the winners in the past five years are currently on the PGA Tour, including the 2003 winner John Mills.

This year’s event featured 130 PGA Pro’s playing for a purse of $25,000. The 2007 winner of the Habitec Toledo Open was Anthony Zummo of Mayfield Heights, OH. Mr. Zummo shot 9 under for the 36 hole tournament.

Habitec Holds 2nd Annual Blood Drive

Habitec Security held their second annual blood drive on August 13, 2007. The blood mobile came to Habitec’s corporate office located at 2926 S. Republic Blvd. in Toledo, OH, and Habitec employees and family lined up to donate blood to the American Red Cross.

Habitec employees gave enough blood to save up to 30 lives. Habitec would like to thank everyone who participated in this important annual event, and is looking forward to an even more successful campaign next year.

Habitec Hosts School Safety Seminar

The issue of school safety has been on the rise in this country for several years. To educate area schools on the importance of security, Habitec hosted their first annual School Safety Seminar in November 2006.

The seminar featured guest speaker Mike Masterson, the Chief of Police for Perkins Township an expert on school security, who discussed several school safety issues. Habitec representatives then informed the invited guests of the new technologies that were available and how they are used in school safety.

The overwhelming response from the area communities required Habitec to host an additional seminar the following month. We hope you plan on joining us at our next seminar to better understand your schools security needs.

Please contact Habitec Security for the date of our next School Safety Seminar.