By: Merlin Guilbeau, Electronic Security Association
In the fast-evolving world of electronic security and life safety, it’s easy to stay laser-focused on growing your business, managing operations, and serving your customers. But there’s another responsibility we share—one that doesn’t always show up on a balance sheet yet has a powerful impact on the future of our industry: active participation in the Electronic Security Association (ESA).
ESA Past Chairman John Loud, president of LOUD Security Systems, once shared a phrase with me that perfectly captures this mindset: “civic rent.” It is the idea that we all benefit from being part of a thriving industry, one supported by standards, advocacy, education, and community. Just like we pay taxes to support our cities, we owe something to the professional ecosystem that supports our livelihood.
A Personal Perspective on Civic Rent
For me, this concept hits close to home. I’ve been in this industry for nearly four decades—starting out as a security company owner and volunteer leader. In 2002, I had the opportunity to take my commitment to the next level, becoming the full-time Chief Executive Officer of ESA. Since then, I’ve worked to ensure that ESA not only supports today’s security professionals but also helps shape the future of our industry.
Serving in the Louisiana Army National Guard taught me the value of service and discipline, and those values have stayed with me throughout my career. Leading ESA has been about more than just association management. It is about building a foundation for collective success. From expanding our national influence to strengthening advocacy efforts and industry education, I have seen firsthand the power of a united professional community.
ESA is the Civic Infrastructure of Our Industry
ESA isn’t just a logo or a membership, it’s the backbone of the electronic security and life safety industry. It’s the collective voice that:
- Advocates for sensible legislation and regulatory protections
- Provides industry-leading education and certifications
- Promotes professionalism, ethics, and consumer trust
- Connects leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators across the country
- Elevates the industry through awareness, standards, and strategic partnerships
Without ESA, our industry would be fragmented, reactive, and less equipped to face the challenges ahead.
Membership is Not the Finish Line—It is the Starting Line
Paying dues is important, but it’s only the beginning. Civic rent is about showing up, speaking out, and contributing your time, ideas, and experience. That could mean:
- Volunteering on a committee or board
- Mentoring a new member or young professional
- Attending events like ESX to share insights and stay sharp
- Advocating for the industry at the local, state, or national level
When we each do our part, ESA becomes stronger—and so does our entire community.
The Return on Civic Rent
Your participation fuels an industry that’s safer, smarter, and more sustainable. In return, you gain:
- Influence over the future of the profession
- Access to industry trends, tools, and training
- Deeper relationships with peers and partners
- Opportunities to lead and be recognized
More than anything, you gain the pride of being a steward of the industry, someone who helped shape the path forward, not just for your business, but for the next generation of security professionals.
Let Us Leave It Better Than We Found It
In 2012, I graduated from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management, and in 2020, I was honored to be inducted into the Security Sales & Integration Industry Hall of Fame. But none of these achievements matter more than the ongoing work of lifting this industry together.
The electronic security and life safety industry has given many of us rewarding careers, strong communities, and the chance to protect what matters most. Participating in ESA is one of the best ways to give back.
So, when you are invited to engage, don’t see it as an obligation. See it as your civic rent—your investment in the continued strength, unity, and progress of the electronic security and life safety industry.
Thank you, John Loud, for reminding us of what it means to show up—not just for ourselves, but for each other.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Merlin Guilbeau is the CEO of the Electronic Security Association. An Army veteran with over 56 years of experience in the electronic security & life safety industry, he transitioned from company owner and volunteer leader in the early to 2000’s to an association executive when he became CEO of the Electronic Security Association (ESA). In 2012 he graduated from the US Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management, the nation’s premier non-profit professional development program. Guilbeau was inducted to the Security Sales & Integration Hall of Fame in 2020