Celebrating 40 years, The Protection Bureau continues to lead new technologies and services, with a customer focus

The Protection Bureau is one of the top-10 security integrators in the US

You really can’t talk about The Protection Bureau without discussing its founder, the late Keith Ladd. If you’ve been in the industry any length of time, you probably had a chance to meet him. I certainly did. In fact, when I was a cub reporter with one of the first security publications I ever worked for, my inaugural visit to a customer and central station was to The Protection Bureau. That’s where I met Keith Ladd. He was a busy man, but took time out to talk to me about the nuances of the security industry. Most of all, he was kind and understanding, patient with my (extremely rudimentary) questions about security.

Keith Ladd’s 40-Year legacy

And now, this summer, The Protection Bureau celebrated 40 years of exemplary service – thanks not only to Keith but to his son J. Matthew Ladd, chief executive officer, and daughter Karen Ladd Baker, senior vice president, who continue to lead the central station company into new technologies and services – but always with an emphasis on the customer and their employees.

Keith Ladd was an extraordinary person with a knack for technology even when he started the company, which he ran for 35 years until turning it over to Matt and Karen to operate. Keith Ladd passed away in 2009 at the age of 74 and has been remembered posthumously throughout the industry with awards and accolades.

Today, The Protection Bureau operates in 38-plus states with more than $15 million in annual revenue and some 95 employees. The company is one of the top-10 security integrators in the country, with a professional central monitoring station, also in Exton, and an office in South Plainfield, N.J. The Protection Bureau was at the forefront of the industry’s move into the world of services, offering managed access control security in the late 1990s and video monitoring in 2009.

Growth driven by employee engagement

J. Matthew Ladd credits the company’s continued growth both to his father’s legacy and “can do” attitude, and to active participation in every aspect. “My sister and I were not just handed the company by my father,” says Ladd. “We were always very involved and let our employees also be part of its success by embracing their opinions and new technologies. We have a fantastic team and have built a company that can grow by itself.”

Ladd says his father started the company in his garage in 1975. Now the firm has a 16,000-foot Central Station Alarm Association Five-Diamond certified central station and a fleet of 67 vehicles. The central monitoring station has fully redundant virtual servers and handles fire alarms, intrusion alarms, forced and held door alarms, environmental supervision, medical, holdup, intercom door control and fully managed video and access control services.

Customer-focused strategy

The Protection Bureau is also a member of the Electronic Security Association, Security-Net and is a PSA Security Network owner/member. The company’s offerings include all the latest services, including home automation and interactive services and video, in addition to intrusion detection and a vast array of complete home and commercial security services.

According to J. Matthew Ladd, the company continues to expand its technology services, but the real story behind its success is a solid focus on the customer. “Our mission as a systems integration company has not changed. Our charge is to provide the most professional services to our customers, treat everyone with respect, and work closely alongside current and future members of the community and the industry. In this way, we know we can all succeed and provide the peace of mind everyone deserves.”