Chicago Politics

Security Professional’s Day in Chicago 9.18.25

Description

Mayor Johnson attends Security Professional's Day in Chicago.

Transcript

0:35 Hello. All right. It's always nice when the mic's working. Good afternoon, everyone. Nice and shiny day. We made it nice and hot because it's a really, really big breakthrough day today. So you can thank me for the sunshine and all that fun stuff. But welcome to everybody to the first ever Security Professionals Day in America. The first time in our nation, thank you, that we're going to be celebrating and honoring a profession that's often in the shadows it's the technicians that are plugging in all the technology to make

1:09 sure it works it's the folks that are doing the assessments the design-based threat analysis it's also the folks that are serving on the front lines the security guards the directors of securities in charge of making sure the freedoms that we enjoy our concerts our games our park outings etc are safe together we build the technology together we build safety but there's a gap. The gap was always between our law enforcement, our administrations, our private

1:40 sector, our guard services. Everyone always did their thing and did it well. But today we're about to cut a ribbon to launch the Security Innovation Hub here in Chicago. And I will say, and a wise man once said, the best freaking city in the country. We're extremely proud to open it here in a neighborhood of Lawndale. Most people when they ask and they hear about Lawndale will tell me all the narratives that you hear about Lawndale. But they have

2:11 no idea what's built here in Lawndale. How many of you guys flew into Chicago or have ever flown into Chicago or flown out of Chicago? All right, only a few of you looks like. Well, all of that is protected by security products made right in this facility in Chicago. So, you have used that technology. Every bridge you cross from the river to Lakeshore Drive, the railings, the attenuators

2:41 that protect you from falling off if there was, God forbid, an accident, are either made or maintained right here in Chicago. And I can go on in the list of other things that are made, but I'm talking about what's made in the seven acres of land that you are now sitting in, in Lawndale, a neighborhood that's transformed beyond narrative to be exactly what Chicago is. We build better, stronger, and together. Today, we're going to celebrate opening the Security Innovation Hub, a not-for-profit open for all of us to be able to connect, learn, engage with the technology,

3:16 services, and the solutions outside of technology that build security and safety for everyone, public and private sector. So as you go through the environment and see it, this is your new home base for everything related to security. And again, I'll point out right here in Lawndale, built, innovated, tested, all right here in Chicago. So welcome to everybody that's from Chicago and everybody that's traveled here from far away to be here in Chicago.

3:49 Thank you very, very much. My name is Issam Chowdhury I joined forces with a gentleman By the name of Mike Saltajel You're here from a little bit later Because he had a vision To make a Costco of security Anything and everything you see Should be something that you can Not only engage with but purchase and walk out of And solve a problem We took it a step forward when we turned it into A 501c3 to be able to make sure That we're always putting our people first

4:19 And profits later So with that, I'm going to bring in some of the people that have made sure that these things are possible. We can't build without partnerships. We can't build without support. And the city of Chicago has supported us to not only engage or become a company that was in one office down the street here, to seven acres of land, to beautifying the space, the landscape, to make it something that we can all be proud of. And one of such partners are Alderman Monique Scott,

4:51 Who's here to the left of me, she's been an integral part, and she's our local alderman. Give her a big round of applause. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for that gracious, warm welcome. Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the 24th Ward. It's a privilege to be here today as we celebrate the opening of Perimeter Security Solutions. This company has long been a trusted partner in providing security for businesses all over, and today marks a new chapter in ensuring the safety and peace of mind of all of us.

5:25 I want to thank the entire team for your continued dedication in the 24th Ward. We're fortunate to have you here. With your expertise to our city and our well-being, you are a proud product of what comes out of the 24th Ward. And I just want to say thank you. Thank you for your continued contributions into the 24th Ward and your partnership with my office. We welcome you, and here's to a bright future together.

6:03 Thank you very much, Monique. These partnerships make things possible. when we decided to expand on this side of the city before we could expand there was no building right across from you there there was no building right behind us a lot of folks use this space as a dumping ground this is a place where you could drop off sofas if you didn't need them tires if you didn't need them and you know what that's what everyone sees and that's what everyone feels and they don't do anything forward you can keep looking at the problems

6:33 or you can solve it but it takes someone with a vision and a passion to do something It helps that the person who starts to really build that vision out got to get that temperament from the Marines. Anyone else a proud veteran? All right. Thank you very much for your service. The gentleman I'm about to introduce to you not only set out on this mission to continue to expand and build in this neighborhood, but also to make sure that the community grew with him. He wanted to make sure that a legacy is left behind for everybody to enjoy.

7:07 So with that, ladies and gentlemen, give a big round of applause for Mr. Mike Saltagero. Hello, everybody, and welcome. Thank you so much. This has been a dream of mine for many, many years, and I can't believe it's actually coming to fruition.

7:42 Okay. First, let me say how grateful I am to be here today. To our Mayor, Brandon Johnson, your vision, imagining Chicago's future inspired us, inspired me. With the Security Innovation Hub, we're proud to put this vision into action. And to my friend, our ward alderman, 24th Ward, alderwoman, Monika Scott. When I first came here and I met Monika, the alderwoman, it was just a dream, it was a vision.

8:17 I showed her a PowerPoint on what this place can look like. She believed in me, and she stands steadfast. She believes in this community, and she believes in Chicago. So thank you. Thank you for that. And I have to thank all the community leaders here today and all the security professionals for being here and sharing this moment with me and my family. This has been a legacy long coming. I want to take you back to like 1837 to actually tell you about the history of this building, where it came from.

8:55 In 1837, there was a gentleman from New York, William Ogden. Actually, he was the first mayor of Chicago And he had a dream and a vision He was a big developer He was fascinated with rail The rail car In 1848, he became the president of the Galena and Chicago line United line Which we see the trains still pass behind us today At that time, Chicago has become known for the hub And this was a big corridor

9:25 Where hundreds of people would work here boilers, welders, trademans would work on this path here. When I first came to this 25 years ago, to this site, we were the only ones here. We believed it and we saw the vision and we wanted to make it and we wanted to bring it back home. We're seeing that. We have my, it takes a community to build and our neighbors. We have United Scaffold, now near Carlos, we have Cabo Construction, we now brought Peoria Packaging,

9:55 all with the help of these two here, right here. So I thank you for looking at that vision to seeing and inspiring people to get here now in 1907 joseph bruno the only way i remember his name is nobody talked about bruno but joseph bruno was 1907 started this manufacturing shop here he built the first cranes he changed the railroad if you go into the building it's 80 000 square feet there's rail cars that goes in there and in 1845 in

10:29 In 1945, with the post-war, the economic boom in Chicago just blew up. He had to make more cranes faster, and that's what built this building. Fifty years later, our company, Industrial Fence, Inc., Premier Security Solutions, moved in here. And they were inventors. Joseph Bruno was an inventor. He changed the way crane and railroad service worked. Chicago is made up of a lot of inventors. we picked up the picked up that torch we are a proud minority veteran-owned company

11:05 industrial fence inc has been serving chicago for 25 years premier security solution has been serving chicago for 25 years now we build security the security we build in here is smart security barriers bollards crash gate physical security and we teamed up with the softwares and engineering It takes more than just one company. It takes a lot to grow security, to understand it. The reason why this was so important to me was the fact of the matter is that we wanted to educate people.

11:38 We wanted to bring our team in here, our clients, to understand, to give the workshops, to give the classes, to understand what we do here and what security really looks like, to ask that question. But beyond that, you know, I was that 21-year-old guy, you know. And I had an idea, but I didn't have no money. I wanted to create something. I wanted to innovate something. But I had to wait. I'm 56 years old now. I have 37 patents.

12:10 And we've created security systems that the world sees today. The infrastructure. We've been part of Chicago's line of defense, building barriers into critical infrastructure. And now we're nationwide. worldwide, building products made by American craftsmen right here. This trade is not only just for us, we've opened it up to communities. Not too long ago we hosted Women's in Trades where a lot of young girls walked in here who were thinking about going into the trades or even talking about going into the military.

12:44 So I was able to use my military experience and talk to them. We actually hired them in one work pier as a welder. As we got busy because of our patents, because of our products, we had to up our manufacturing plan here. So we invested into three robotic machines. We didn't stop there. We actually turned our team members to certified welders. But beyond that, today, these young kids who came out here to begin the trades, they're robotic welding engineers.

13:17 And that's the hope, that's the dream that we want to give here. we want to share that with the youth we want them to walk in here with an idea and walk away with hope and that's what we dream that's what this was made this is why it was built now in the military i had a chance to fight the war on drugs in the 80s i had a chance to fight the war on terrorism in the 90s i learned a few things when it comes to security i took that experience i took that knowledge, and we have over 3 million man hours, union man hours, installing these products.

13:53 We have over a million and a half manufacturing these products. We're changing the game. We're raising the bar. It's not about the threats of yesterday. It's about the threats of tomorrow that's not even here yet. But I want you guys to be rest assured that we're Chicago's best kept secret. This is what we're doing. We're protecting Americans' number one asset. That is you, the American people. And I'm glad to be a part of that. Early on, before solar became a trend, we made a decision.

14:27 We went completely solar. That was seven years ago. We were one of the first companies in this area, Londell, and one of the first manufacturing companies to go solar in Chicago. Since then, we have created over 442 megawatt hours of clean energy. That's 662 tons of CO2 emission That's not released to the atmosphere That's smart business That's taking care of our future

14:57 That's taking care of tomorrow So, this place is for you. It's for us. It's for you to come here and learn and see and dream. We invite veterans to come in here and explore their passion, see their purpose. We invite businessmen to come here to get that courage to create something. All of you are here invited. This is your home. Thank you very much. God bless you. God bless the city of Chicago and God bless the United States of Marine Corps.

15:35 So if I can summarize, he said, everything dope about America comes from Chicago. With that, ladies and gentlemen, none of this is possible without leadership that guides through all the chaos, all the noise and looks beyond it. You know your own story. You know what you're capable of. You don't let any outside noise distract you from what you need to do because your chapter is still yet to be written. The City of Chicago's chapter has been written many times, but you are all witness that we don't back down.

16:08 We just stand up, put our heads down, roll up our sleeves, and keep working. With that, the hardest working person in Chicago, please welcome Mayor Brandon Johnson. Thank you so much. Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. Grateful to be here with you all today as we celebrate the opening of Security Innovation Hub. So I do want to give a special thanks to a number of people who are here with us today. Of course, to the Alder of the 24th Ward, Alder Monique Scott.

16:39 Thank you to the Security Solutions CEO and, of course, United States Marine, Mr. Mike Saltijara. Thank you for your service and for your commitment and leadership. And, of course, Mr. Chaudhry. Esam, thank you for your leadership as Security Solutions CEO. and then, of course, to all of the individuals and professionals that are here today. We're also joined by an individual in our community engagement department

17:09 who focuses in on our veteran affairs. Kevin is here. Kevin, can you just stand? Mr. Barsayas, give him a round of applause. Thank you, Kevin, for being here. Look, from the first day of my administration, I made safety and security my top priority for the people of Chicago. And to do this, we have to work collaboratively with law enforcement agencies, security professionals, and the community to ensure public safety in our communities. And that is why the opening of the Security Innovation Hub is so important, because it's going to provide innovative training and career opportunities for those that are looking to go into physical security.

17:51 This space will be at the forefront of developing and implementing technology and security strategies that will go a long way in making Chicago and beyond safer and more secure. And it will bring economic development and job opportunities to the community, which plays a vital role in public safety. I also have to shout out the fact that, you know, this is a veteran-owned business, and we know, everyone knows this, that when you go through this program, you will be well-trained

18:26 because we know for sure that our veterans and our military experts are working hard to keep us all safe. And so today, as we recognize and honor security professionals, I encourage everyone to remember the vital role that they play in the safety and security of not just our buildings, venues, and neighborhoods, but our city as a whole, our nation as a whole. You know, it's unfortunate, though, that we do have an administration that is politicizing our military. And that's why I'm grateful to the brave women and men who serve this country.

19:02 They do it honorably. And so it's truly humbling for all of us to continue to work in partnership and collaboration in order to build a safer Chicago for all of us and not just for today but for posterity and I cannot wait to see all of the amazing work that the security specialists will do and what will be developed out of this incredible space. I have no doubt though that the Security Innovation Hub will continue to serve our beloved city for generations to come

19:34 And so as a wise man said about another wise man, it is grateful to know that we have such an incredibly diverse atmosphere here in this beloved space that we call the greatest freaking city in the world, the city of Chicago. Thank you. And to further recognize our security. professionals. I have made a proclamation and I'm very proud today that we are declaring this day

20:08 as Security Professionals Day in Chicago. Mike, hold it, woman. Can we get a picture? Should we do it in front? Thank you so much. I'm Mayor Brandon Johnson. We're going to officially open

20:58 up the Security Innovation Hub with a ribbon cutting. So if I can ask a few people to join us along with the Mayor Alderman Monique Scott, Mike Saltagero can I also have CEO of the Security Industry Association, Don Erickson to join us he flew all the way here on his private jet guys it was a private helicopter he says alright so he doesn't get in too much trouble can I also have Amanda Saltagero and Jessica Lacoste come up

21:29 to the podium and then two more folks Chicago is at a very interesting crossroads If you guys know, if you've seen or been prepared We have three generational, once in a generation projects Kicking off at the same time 1901, over at the United Center The 78th District by the Chicago Fire Anchoring by the Chicago Fire And one of the biggest stories of all The Quantum Shore being developed Where U.S. Steel once used to stand in the South Shore

22:00 We have two representatives representing those projects as well here. I would like to call them up if I can have Alex Hernandez from the United Center step up as well as our friends from the Chicago Fire. If you don't mind joining us and help us kick this off together as one community. You guys want to just come up right over there?

23:01 Please don't stand in front of us, please don't stand in front of us. Yes, yes, thank you. So we'll pose right here first, doing where you're smiling. We're going to cut on three. One, two, three. Hey! He's actually part of security. where drones can now do automatic patrols as soon as triggered or on automatic schedule.

23:37 So that's what's flying above, keeping our community safe through a quick, rapid response. You'll see more of that inside. Well, we take the team up here for a tour inside, mingle, network, get to know each other, and then I'll be right back in a couple of minutes to bring you guys inside for a VIP lunch with everyone. Thank you.

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