10 under 40: security unlocks next generation of excellence

a&s salutes young leaders in security for our inaugural “10 Leaders Under 40” feature.

Security attracts people from all walks of life. We recognized 10 up-and-coming security professionals under age 40 who are in executive positions, either in manufacturing, distribution or system integration. They were invited to share their experience as well as secrets for success.

Our coverage spans the globe, with an average age of 31.1 years. This list is by no means exhaustive, as there are many qualified young people in the field. The youngest person was 25, while the oldest person turned 40 in February. While most did not study about physical security, at least two start-ups — Fluidmesh Networks and Keeneo — were founded as a result of graduate research. Both companies have since been acquired, while retaining the original leadership.

Physical security may not be a formal academic discipline, but it certainly doesn't hurt to have top marks. The Class of 2012 is dominated by engineering majors, along with finance, business and oceanography. Most were unaware of the security industry before graduation, but this is changing with more internships and college recruitment. As IP blurs the line between IT and security, the industry is ready for new blood.

Avigilon
Andrew Martz, Former COO
Age: 28
Family: Married
Education: High school degree, studied three years at the University of British Columbia
How you got involved in security
I met Avigilon's CEO, Alexander Fernandes, while working at a company he started prior to Avigilon. I put university on hold and joined Avigilon as a developer in 2005. I am responsible for the product development, manufacturing and customer service departments. I stayed in the security industry because I believe in Avigilon's mission and get the opportunity to work with incredibly talented and passionate people in a dynamic, high-growth environment that provides exciting new challenges every day.

Has your age ever been an issue?
Youth brings a fresh perspective. What I have found in my career is that age won't matter if you perform and deliver great results.

Worst business move to date and what you learned from it
There have been small mistakes along the way, but there is no single move I would take back.

Best professional decision
The best decision I ever made was taking a risk to help start Avigilon while I was completing my postsecondary education. It was a big risk but it has been an incredibly rewarding experience.

How you want to be remembered
When Avigilon becomes No. 1, I would be happy if I am remembered for being an important part of making that happen.

Ways to attract more young people into security
The security industry is on an exciting path, which will attract more talent. Young people are drawn to industries where they can work with cutting-edge technology, create change in the world and enjoy the rewards that come along with that.

Axxonsoft
Evgenia Ostrovskaya, Global Business Development Director
Age: 31
Family: Divorced with a child
Education: Master's degree in mathematics and mechanical science from Moscow State University, studying for a master's degree in business administration at Vienna University
How you got involved in security
Right after university, I was a developer and programmer, then entered ITV. It was spun off as a new company under Murat Altuev, AxxonSoft President. I started in 2003 as quality assurance engineer. Now, I handle global business development, including sales, technical support and presales service.

Has your age ever been an issue?
No. Even if you're young, age isn't an issue in conversations. The experience and the expertise are what really count.

Worst business move to date and what you learned from it
I worked on expanding into a new market for nine months, only for the local partner to walk out. What I learned is before you start a business relationship, you need to understand the partner's mentality, attitude and background. It helped me to be careful in countries where you don't know the native language or traditions.

Best professional decision
The people I hire would be the best decisions I make. Creating a team with transparency and an inspiring atmosphere is the base of the company's success.

How you want to be remembered
As a successful top manager of the world's leading IT company in security management.

Ways to attract more young people into security
As we continue to move toward IP, more young people will be naturally attracted to the security industry. Besides, it's fun to work in the industry of James Bond!

Fluidmesh Networks (CarrickBend)
Cosimo Malesci, VP of Sales and Marketing
Age: 29
Family: Single
Education: Master's degree in ocean engineering from MIT
How you got involved in security
Malesci and his brother Umberto Malesci started the company while studying at MIT in 2004. We were able to create a niche. It was good timing and there was a need for it.

Has your age ever been an issue?
Age was actually one of our strong skills. We're promoting an innovative technology and people expect us to be young and know about it.

Worst business move to date and what you learned from it
One mistake was not dreaming big enough. If I had to do it again, I would have risked it all in the beginning to achieve growth. It's the only way to make the company successful.

Best professional decision
The best thing is to stick your neck out. When we threw wireless into the security industry, people were skeptical. They said the video looked crappy and the network could only support five cameras. Now we have hundreds of cameras and HD. If we had listened to the guys in the first place, we wouldn't have developed these things.

How you want to be remembered
We can be remembered as guys who decided to revolutionize security with wireless for video and voice. We want to be a professional wireless company that makes it reliable and affordable for people.

Ways to attract more young people into security
If you like technology in security, that will bring young people and help speed things up.