Industrial Security Integrators: For Client Satisfaction in the Security Environment

The types of threats knocking at our doors are evolving day-by-day, which only increases the risk of attacks on all Businesses and Organizations. Sensitive information like trade secrets, financial details, and employee and customer data has a high risk of being exposed. It is every organization’s priority to maintain confidentiality and integrity of these assets. The best solution is leveraging Managed Security Services to help reduce the risks of all assets in an efficient, cost-effective fashion, aligned with industry best practices.

In order to provide the best Managed Security Service, Paul J. Cella and Jeanne A. Travis set up Industrial Security Integrators (IsI) in 2010. Today, IsI is one of the largest Managed Security Service providers in the US. There are a number of companies that rely on IsI for Managed Security, Fingerprinting, and Facility Clearance (FCL) services which are critical to establish a footprint in the Department of Defense (DOD) space while remaining compliant with Federal regulations for continuing business with the Federal Government.

The goal of IsI is to be the leading innovator of National Security solutions throughout Government and Industry. “Reducing the risk of Insider Threats, Foreign Threats, and basic vulnerabilities to our Intelligence Community and Warfighters, is the critical fight that the United States must counter every day,” explains the CEO of IsI, Paul.

Humble Beginnings

It all started when Paul and Jeanne took the initiative to support a handful of clients from the beginning of the FCL process that is required to work on Classified Government Programs. The venture started out in Paul’s basement and soon witnessed both its pioneers completely dedicate themselves to growing Industrial Security Integrators into the company it is today. The duo addressed vulnerabilities in the Industry and the company instantly, perfecting it along the way.

From its humble beginnings, IsI has grown to manage all the security needs of its clients while providing confidence that they will be in full compliance and at a reasonable cost. It is also one of the few companies in existence to be approved by the Federal Government to support all Cleared Defense Contractors across the globe. Continuous market research, regulation analysis, and Government trends tracking are all perfected by Paul, Jeanne, and the IsI Executive Management Team.

Mastering over Hurdles

Starting and maintaining a new venture is never easy. IsI too faced many hurdles to reach the sweet success it is savoring today. For instance, with a small budget in the beginning, the office space wasn’t in the cards. However, the company has grown from Paul’s basement, and has a revenue stream to support an actual office space with a 15,000-square foot state-of-the-art facility today.

Another difficulty IsI faced was in healthcare. With a small census, healthcare plans are very limited and extremely costly. With great diligence, IsI researched and worked to offer its employees with a cost-effective option to support their families. However, the absolute biggest hurdle to overcome has been with the staffing needs. “For any small business, staffing is key to obtaining people of trust and professionalism that share the same integrity and values as those establishing the Company,” says Paul.

The Encouraging Workplace

IsI has successfully overcome each of these challenges. As Paul said, finding the right employees was extremely important. In the beginning, Paul and Jeanne sought out former colleagues and industry professionals who may be interested in building something greater, and this proved to be momentously successful. 

Jeanne believes that the single most important thing for an employer to do is to listen to their employees. “If the employee feels that their voice is heard, generally speaking, they will give the world,” she says. “Each employee needs to feel like a valued piece of the puzzle.” Apart from the open-door policy, IsI also hosts an “All Hands” meeting as a forum for employees to share the projects and accounts that they are working. This allows them to ask for advice from their colleagues on how to resolve issues, tasks, or where they stand.

Additionally, IsI offers Volunteer Time Off (VTO) and Leadership Time Off (LTO) to maximize growth potential among the employees. All of this has contributed to the success of the company over the years. “With our marketing, we are soliciting a product that ensures a great level of stress relief for our client,” explains Paul. “We reach out via online forums and email blasts to our potential clientele and offer a cost-effective option for them to outsource duties, and not have them kept in-house,” he adds.

Future Roadmap

The field of security is ever changing. As its contribution to the global platform, IsI has developed new security software “Security Control” or “Sec-Con” in a partnership with a technology company. Security Control is a medium that encompasses many different programs and duties to ensure complete compliance for their clients. As of now, IsI is using Sec-Con in-house. For its future plans, IsI is planning to debut private sales of Sec-Con later this year. As for a couple of years from now, IsI sees itself with 45 full-time employees and 12 million dollars/year in revenue.

From the Leader’s Desk 

In 2010, Paul J. Cella identified a need for specialized subject matter expertise in the field of Industrial Security. Bringing together his years of experience and vision for the ever-changing needs of companies working with the Federal Government, Paul founded Industrial Security Integrators LLC  with a cross-functional team of security, infrastructure, and technical experts.

Paul has nearly 20 years of experience with the highest levels of security operations, beginning his career in intelligence with the United States Marine Corps. After his career with the Marine Corps, he worked as the Director of Security for many organizations both large and small. Paul’s first-hand knowledge in Federal guidelines, defense contracting, finance, NISPOM, DCIDs, ICDs, FOCI, ITAR, DCAA, and FAR compliance is unmatched and has been integral to IsI’s success.