“One of my key priorities is going to be to help re-engage the involvement of the chapter volunteers. I think that’s going to have to be a key as we move forward,” said Budden. “One of the things that I’ll be working hard to do is to help build the re-engagement of the volunteers at the local level as it relates to advocacy efforts.”

Budden was installed as CANASA’s president during the Security Canada Central conference, Oct. 19-20, in Toronto. Budden replaces Karen McGee, who will continue to serve CANASA as past president. The new executive also includes vice-presidents Philippe Bouchard (ADI) and Carl Jorgensen (Core Products Group Canada Inc.); secretary Kevin Hincks (DSC); and treasurer Carol Cairns (Cairn Control Systems Inc.).

“I am thrilled to have Don as our new President,” said CANASA executive director JF Champagne. “He has gained the respect and admiration of all the CANASA volunteers who have had the chance to work with him and I know that he will be a great source of inspiration for myself, our staff, our board and our members.”

Budden has been in the security business for 30 years — all of them with ADT Security Services Canada Inc., mostly in the Atlantic region. He currently holds the title of operations manager, and works in the company’s Dartmouth, N.S., office. “I started with ADT in 1981 as an operator in a central station that we had at the time in St. John’s, Nfld. I have worked most of the jobs at ADT from field technician and sales to customer service, and for the last 20 years or so in management, in Newfoundland, New Brunswick and since 1999 in Nova Scotia.”

Budden said he has been affiliated with CANASA on the East Coast for more than 15 years, working with the New Brunswick sub-chapter and the Atlantic chapter. He has been involved with CANASA’s national board “for half a dozen years and on the executive committee for the last couple of years.”

Advocacy and engagement will the bedrock of his term as president, said Budden. He wants to see more CANASA members at the table when key decisions are being made by legislators, lawmakers and emergency responders, particularly at the local level. As experts in the field, CANASA members are in a unique position to address security issues that affect constituents like false alarms, he said.

“There’s going to be more and more pressure on municipalities in particular to balance their budgets,” said Budden. “Some of that is going to come at the expense of the first responders. To that end, I think there’s going to be some budget squeezes there, and fire and police agencies will probably be looking at things like false alarm bylaws, response policies and potential for cost recovery in some fashion. I’m of the opinion that we’ve got a lot more of that to come.

“I think that’s going to be the biggest new thing to tackle. All the while (we’re) positioning CANASA as the definitive voice of the industry, and also as a resource partner to the police and fire departments.”