Mitchell Wilson Keeping on His Toes
Mitchell Wilson is keeping on his toes. He likes it that way. As a Security Systems Technician at H&S in Stevens Point, he’s the guy who installs security, camera and access control systems, and gets them up and running.
“I install all our systems. It keeps me on my toes because every job is different. It’s not the same thing over and over,” he said.
Mitchell found his way to H&S from the retail industry, and is glad he did. In-between jobs, he went to a hiring agency web site and applied to a different position. One of the women at the hiring agency suggested the H&S position and after interviewing with Co-Owner Mike Horgan and Operations Manager Jeff Lukasavige, he was hired.
“I’m really glad to be out of retail, and like this position much better. Everyone in the company is awesome. I like everyone I work with,” Wilson observed.
A self-avowed “computer nerd since I can remember,” Wilson uses some of those hobby skills on the job. He enjoys online gaming – “I’m into that stuff. I’m a well-established nerd, I have been my whole life.”
A fan of online entertainment, Wilson said the technology “keeps me thinking.” He enjoys video games with his friends, hiking and golf. “I enjoy a range of things,” he said.
He recommends H&S Protection to others, saying, “The peace of mind we give customers they can’t find anywhere else. Big companies don’t seem to operate the way we do. We’re small, operate on a personal level and are personable. It’s a great job and helps me keep that mindset.”
His favorite thing about H&S is the “people. I enjoy everybody who works here. They’re great people. I felt welcomed since Day One when I started. You don’t get that in a lot of jobs. It’s refreshing. Even though I’m still the new guy, my opinion is respected.”
If you’d like to reach Mitchell directly, contact him at 715.347.3349 or email at [email protected].
It’s Not a Spaceship
Video analytics are here. With our alarm.com app, we now give our customers even better recognition of a potential threat facing their homes or businesses.
Seriously, it won’t identify a spaceship, but it will identify most other things. As one of our H&S offerings, the alarm.com app identifies the moving object coming or going into the area of a video camera. And with that identification, you receive a notification, a “ding” on your phone to alert you.
One of our customers, for example, uses the system at his lake house. He has been able to identify an individual walking the shoreline at his dock. The app can tell whether it is a vehicle a person or an animal.
Why does that matter? It helps you use the data to know whether the movement is a threat. It helps you with quick identification.
Clips of your email notifications are stored in the cloud. They can be viewed later and even help authorities identify perpetrators of crimes.
Don’t forget you can always pull up the live view on your smart phone, tablet and computer. The same customer was waiting for a service individual to show up when he was not available to be there to let the technician in the house. He used the app to see when the service individual got to the house and was able to make sure work got done. In this way, the app can be used as a management tool and gives customers peace of mind.
“You can use the app to play thumbnail clips that can be exported. It’s a great tool. We recommend it to homeowners, and it is also very useful at construction sites and other businesses. You do need Wi-Fi to utilize it effectively. It can be set up to give email or text notifications. We program the system the most convenient way that the customer requests,” H&S co-owner Steve Garritson said.
You won’t identify a spaceship with the alarm.com app. But you will have a new tool with enhanced data analytics to help you protect your premises. Give us a call in Stevens Point at 715.344.0727 or Pewaukee at 262.574.7777 for more information.
Going to Town on the Project is Jordan Brenner’s Motto
Jordan Brenner gets back to customers as quickly as he can. It’s a big plus he sees in how H&S Protection responds to inquiries.
“The quality of the people at H&S Protection sets us apart from bigger security companies. If we get a phone call, we try to come out that day or the next to help the customer out. Larger security companies may not even answer the phone in that situation. We answer the phone AND get out there as soon as possible,” he said.
Jordan joined H&S a little over a year ago after working in the Milwaukee County Jail as a Corrections Officer. He found the position on the job site Indeed, and interviewed with Operations Manager Mike Solomon.
“It really stood out to me their willingness to take the time and train me in the position. They were willing to take on someone with no experience and train me to get up to speed,” Jordan said.
As a Technician, Jordan works on low voltage projects, security systems, cameras and burglar alarm systems. He also works frequently with Installer Russ Zanow on access control (card reader) projects.
Once he arrives onsite, Jordan reaches out to the contact person and performs a walk-through to ask questions and explain the next steps, as well as the paperwork. “Then we start going to town on the job,” he laughed.
Jordan has a steady girlfriend, Kristen, and they enjoy spending time together trying out local restaurants and breweries. “We like trying new things,” he observed.
If you need to reach Jordan directly, contact him at 262.470.8634 or [email protected].
Summer Homes
It’s that time of year where a lot of Wisconsin residents head up north. Enjoy the lakes. Do some fishing. Grab a cold one on the boat.
How do you feel about your home when you head off for a one- or two-week vacation? Do you forget about it? Probably not. Some people have a neighbor watch the house and the pets.
That’s not always possible. It’s a reason to consider our H&S Protection home security systems, and/or a surveillance camera setup. We offer multiple options to keep you connected to your permanent residence. And our technology helps you monitor remotely.
Remote monitoring of your security and video systems is something we’ve introduced and refined over the past 3-4 years. We’re proud of the technology we can provide you, and the quality of our installations. Not only do you get well-trained H&S technicians, but they help prep you afterwards so you are comfortable accessing all the functions from your smart phone.
When you’re heading back to your cabin after a day on the lake, take a few quick taps on your phone to check in. Access your cameras. See if anything looks odd. Feel free to change the temperature setting for your house. All of these functions and more are available to H&S customers.
We work hard at H&S Protection to continue bringing you the best security technology on the market. We stay up with the trends, and ensure our people are well-trained to both install equipment to the highest standards, and so they can explain it to you in words that put you in your comfort zone. Because what’s a security system worth if you’re not comfortable using it?
If you’re like many other Wisconsinites, you’re heading off to the water this summer, either for a vacation or just a day. Regardless of how long, increase your comfort zone with security from H&S Protection.
We service Southeast Wisconsin, and most of the center part of the state. Give us a call or check out our web site here for more information. Stevens Point, 715.344.0727 or Pewaukee, 262.674.7777.
.
Seeing New Places Part of the Job for John Jastroch
When John Jastroch joined H&S Protection, he had no idea he’d be exploring so many new places. Joining H&S after stints doing car detailing, Jastroch took a tip from fellow H&S employee Dave Kwasinski and decided to interview with the company.
“Our wives are good friends and Dave mentioned the opportunities here, so I decided to give it a shot. H&S was looking for technicians, and even though I’d never done anything like that, I thought I’d apply and see how it works. It’s turned out great,” Jastroch observed.
He likes the changing scenery, going into different businesses. “It’s always something different. I get to see different places. Bars are always interesting – seeing who’s in there first thing in the morning,” he laughed.
As a technician and installer, John starts each morning checking into what his job will be for that day. He goes over the parts necessary for the install and then does a walk-through of the facility. He formulates his game plan, then tackles the project. “Anything can change at any time,” he said.
With the current Covid shutdown, John said he’s not doing as much in his spare time as he used to. A big Milwaukee Brewers and Chinnooks (Northwoods team based in Mequon, WI) baseball fan, John hasn’t been able to get to any games this year because of the shutdown.
He collects bobbleheads, and is known fondly around the office by the nickname “Bobble John.” He is married to his wife Heather, and they have two children, a girl (Riley) and a boy (Jacob).
John likes the laid-back atmosphere at H&S and said that helps him do a better job with customers. “Sometimes you don’t feel like it’s a job. We have awesome office personnel and it makes everything feel comfortable. That’s good for our customers because we have good relationships with each other and it helps us do our jobs better,” he explained.
You can reach John directly at 262.313.7115, or through email at [email protected].
.
Security Standards in Wisconsin
Over the years, we’ve been a proud member of the Wisconsin Security Association (WISA). There are many reasons for this. Because our industry is made of many small businesses such as ours, it’s important to set high standards to follow and ensure consistency. WISA passes down that type of information to its membership and helps us improve over the long run.
For example, classes to certify our technicians in the next best available practices are held annually. We regularly send out technicians to these sessions. We want to ensure the work we provide our customers is the best possible, and our people are up-to-date and properly trained in these procedures. That benefits H&S customers in every installation. Mistakes are minimized. Overall quality improves.
We actively participate in our WISA membership, going to meetings, making submissions to their annual awards program and volunteering in leadership positions. What does that mean to our customers? Again, it demonstrates our commitment to the association which lets you know that we care. It’s important for us to not only do business the right way, but also to help influence best business practices in the state of Wisconsin. That’s our commitment to you.
Sometimes it’s just about fun. We all need to take a breather now and then. We’ll send a team to the WISA annual golf tournament, for example. Yes, we play bad golf. But the day is also about camaraderie and friendship, and over the years at the annual WISA golf tournament, we’ve learned lessons to help better serve you. Sometimes the newest idea comes during a conversation on the golf course or afterwards in the clubhouse catching up with a colleague.
Our WISA membership means a lot to us. It should mean a lot to you as well. We’re better because of it.
.
Meeting H&S Face-to-Face
Leaving aside COVID-19 and the current restrictions we live with today, meeting face-to-face with H&S Protection representatives is a strong selling point for us as a company. We want you to know us. We want to answer your questions in person. We want to get to know you better so we can help you pinpoint the best security system for your home and business.
We want to emphasize that personal interaction because that’s not true about all companies in our industry or even the products that are offered through the DIY (Do-It-Yourself) market. Finding someone to speak with directly from a DIY product offering is not the same as giving H&S a call and being connected to one of our sales associates.
The DIY market serves a purpose in our industry. Certainly, that is an avenue for some who want a cut-rate basic system; and are willing and able to figure things out on their own.
But, if you want an approach tailored to your needs which takes into account the nuances of your office, building, manufacturing facility or home, H&S gives you those added insights to craft your best solution while using professional-grade equipment. We’ve learned a lot over the years. Our sales staff is experienced, responsive and asks the right questions.
We live up to our promises. We ask you to hold us accountable. That’s why we’ve flourished as a family business for 60 years.
.
We Can Hear You
Dave Kwasinski recently received a referral from an existing customer of H&S, who was building a new home. He had the blueprints. He didn’t know much else. He walked in the door, not knowing the homeowners were hearing impaired.
Dave, a Security Consultant in our Pewaukee, WI office, was taken aback. He didn’t know what to do. What happens when the alarm goes off? How do you design a solution for a hearing-impaired family? When the alarm goes off, there’s a challenge – how will I make sure they are notified effectively, safely and efficiently?
Dave dug in. He worked on a security system based on the blueprints he was provided. He worked with electricians on a few wire runs in new house. He researched. He knew this: When the alarm went off, the homeowners wouldn’t hear the siren.
What to do? Designing a device for a hearing-impaired family was the solution. But how to go about that? Dave didn’t know. He thought of how a clock could vibrate a bed. Perhaps alert the family in a novel way.
He sat down with our partners at Alarm.com. They have multiple products and services to deal with fires, floods, break-ins, sound, lamp modules. They must have something to turn on and vibrate a bed, right?
Maybe not. Dave explored options with a manufacturer of equipment that provides a product line specifically designed for hearing impaired people and together with Alarm.com, came up with a solution: A bed vibrating device that would trigger when the alarm system went off due to an intrusion or a fire; including wireless strobe lights in the bedroom and living room. This would wake the homeowners. Sounds kinda simple, but it took a lot of exploration, discussion and innovative thinking.
“It was a learning curve for us. We spent a lot of time on it. It took multiple trips to troubleshoot different solutions. Now someone who is hearing impaired can be safer in their home, knowing that we have designed a system that would work specifically for them to help them get a better night’s rest” Kwasinski explained.
“It’s pretty neat. It was quite a learning curve but an amazing experience,” he said.
Now, the family has a health and well-being system, and will be notified even if they are sleeping. “They were very appreciative of it,” Dave observed.
H&S is a custom security company. We offer solutions using all our tools.
.
Nicole Jacobitz Brings Together Roller Derby and Security
A special message from H&S Protection Co
Who says that roller derby and security can’t go together? Certainly not Nicole Jacobitz, H&S Protection Office Administrator in our Stevens Point, WI office.
She’s found a job she enjoys with H&S and a love of roller derby outside of work. “My immediate family is really my roller derby family – I spend the most time with all 27 of them. My teammates are all so amazing. I absolutely love it,” she enthused.
Roller derby serves as Nicole’s “very expensive hobby,” she laughed, because unfortunately she does not get paid to play. She also got voted B-team captain this season.
Nicole fits roller derby around her H&S duties which include a mixture of different things throughout the day. That includes customer service, shipping/receiving, processing invoices for accounts payable, reviewing daily alarm reports and troubleshooting any issues that arise from them, assisting co-workers with accounts, and a lot of other miscellaneous things throughout the day.
(Photo courtesy Tina Stearns}
She started with H&S in April 2019 after ABR assisted her with job placement. Previously, she worked at RR Donnelley in Plover, WI in the New Product Introduction Department, setting up and maintaining product information for kits built there. In addition, she works as a professional piercer at Mothers Approval Tattooing in Stevens Point and has since the end of 2015.
In addition to the joy of playing roller derby for the Mid-State Sisters of Skate, Nicole enjoys “recruiting for our roller derby league.” She also enjoys “spending time with friends and loved ones, getting tattoos, working on my piercing website, comic books, board games, pizza, going on out-of-town adventures and concerts.”
(Photo courtesy Lynne Whitehorn)
When asked by others about H&S, Nicole tells them, “H&S is a really great local company that cares about their customers and we offer some really cool products!” You can reach Nicole directly at (715.344.0727) or [email protected].
.
Business Hours
Monday through Thursday:
8am to 5pm CST
Friday: 8am to 4pm CST
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
Pewaukee Office
N8 W22520 Johnson Dr
Unit H
Pewaukee, WI
53186
Phone: (262) 574-7777
Fax: (262) 574-9088
Stevens Point Office
901 Clark Street
Stevens Point, WI
54481
Phone: (715) 344-0727
Fax: (715) 344-0728