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Top 10 Under 40: Bryan Sweeney, Founder & CEO, Atom-22 Integrated Systems Inc., 32

What does your typical day look like? Tell us more about your security roles and responsibilities?
I’m the founder and CEO of Atom-22 Integrated Systems Inc. I’m responsible for overseeing the company vision and drafting/executing a plan to realize our team’s goals. I also engage with our customers in a sales and system design role. This affords me the opportunity to get out of the office and build close relationships with our clients and partners (which has been paramount to our success). And my work in large commercial low-voltage and security system design keeps me in touch with modern systems and their architecture. This has played a pivotal role in professional development and ensuring that I remain technical and well-versed as an integrator. I’ve always enjoyed being as hands on as possible when the opportunity presents itself. I take great pleasure in working closely with members of my team and making the time to engage with the products and technologies that we supply and install for our clientele. Beyond that, I also volunteer at various industry organizations. I’m actively involved with CANASA, ASIS, and the local universities and colleges that offer low-voltage and security technician courses in Canada.

What do you enjoy most about working in the security industry?
The diversity of the ever-changing landscape. The progress of technology continues to march on and shows no signs of slowing. This is a wind that all good integrators must continue to correct course for. I’ve always loved the fact that those in our industry must become life-long learners and continue to adapt to new technologies. I thoroughly enjoy seeing the modern tech products that were once a work of science fiction become a reality, and then deploying those solutions for our clients. As we invent new technologies, protocols and security devices, the range of applications where we can utilize this tech continues to grow as well. I actively lean into the opportunity to forge a new path or invent new ways to secure and connect our world with the latest tech available to us at any given time.

What are your career goals for the future and how do you plan to achieve them?
I have several goals that I’m working towards, and I’ll undoubtedly have other targets and aspirations that I take aim at the very minute my goals of today have been realized. I do have a few goals that will remain constant though. I’d say the two most important to me are: 1) continue to bring to market a truly superior product, experience, and level of service for Atom-22’s clients; and 2) ensure that I’m always the leader my team needs and deserves.
Both will require investments in the relationships that make our company strong. We’ve always had a technical depth and held our installations to an uncompromising high standard, but it has been my experience that taking the time to really listen to our clients and team members, and actively trying to do right by them, has paid the highest dividends. A stronger community is the goal. We simply go further and are more successful when everyone is invested in our mutual success.

What have you learned about the security industry during your career and what advice would you pass on to newcomers?
It’s so important to keep learning and taking in new information. Everything you know about any given system architecture today could be completely irrelevant in five years. Conversely, I find information that I’ve absorbed about one product or brand may translate or prove useful in a completely different vertical or area of industry. Work hard, invest in the relationships with your clients and co-workers, and stay curious.