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Champagne named executive director at CANASA

 “We are very pleased to have Jean-Francois join our team. I know that he will be a highly effective leader for our industry and that our members join me in welcoming Jean-Francois to CANASA,” says Frank Pietrobono, president of the board of directors of the Canadian Security Association (CANASA).

For the past two-and-a-half years Champagne was the Canadian sales manager for Brivo Systems, a manufacturer of web-based access control. His last day with the company is July 31.

“I gave Brivo a two-year commitment and I had a great opportunity there. My heart really never left CANASA though,” Champagne says. “When I chose to leave before it was a combination of factors.”

Champagne says one of his main goals is to broaden the reach of CANASA and move it forward by boosting membership beyond the association’s traditional roots.

“From a membership perspective we were not that long ago known as the Canadian Alarm Association and it still very much represents that group. We want to reach out more to the integrator community and partner with the other industry associations such as ASIS and CSIS,” he says.

Champagne has been part of the electronic security Industry for more than 15 years, most of which were working for security product manufacturers. He began his career working for Digital Security Controls, in various technical and sales roles including Regional Sales Manager and National Account Manager, providing numerous technical and sales presentations on products and technologies.

Champagne has had a long association with CANASA. In 2004, he became the director of education for the association, responsible for the development and marketing of training programs for the Industry. He has also been a regular contributor to SP&T News, writing the Fast Forward column.

“Jean-Francois’s background in education, electronic technology, stewardship, association management, and the security industry align him perfectly for the leadership role at CANASA, and the entire Board of Directors and I are looking forward to working with Jean-Francois to advance our association’s agenda and the interests of Canada’s security industry,” Pietrobono says.

“This is a wonderful opportunity, and I’m excited to be representing the security industry and CANASA’s 1,250 member companies in Chapters across the country,” Champagne says. “It is such a vibrant and important industry, one that I am extremely passionate about. I am certain that the CANASA team will continue to deliver high quality security education programs, member value, and of course leading industry trade shows.”