In this episode of Security DNA, recorded live on the show floor at the Electronic Security Expo (ESX) 2026, SecurityInfoWatch Editor-in-Chief Paul Rothman sits down with Jeremy Bates, incoming Chairman of the Electronic Security Association (ESA) and Senior Vice President of Business Development at Pye-Barker Fire & Security.

Jeremy came up through the industry the hard way, co-owning and growing Bates Security and Sonitrol of Lexington, Ky., into one of the most respected regional security companies in the nation before selling to Pye-Barker and joining the organization in May 2024.

Now stepping into the ESA Chairman role, he brings a clear agenda: expand education and training, build out the new ESA Research Center – including a newly hired economist – and demonstrate concrete membership value as the industry continues to consolidate.

In this conversation, Jeremy shares his priorities for ESA, including revamped education and apprenticeship programs; offers a candid take on industry M&A and what the hollowing-out of the mid-tier integrator market means for entrepreneurs; explains how Pye-Barker is shifting its focus from acquisition volume to organic growth; and makes the case for why video – particularly proactive video monitoring – is the technology trend most worth watching right now.