Year: 2019

From two business partners and one employee in 2009 to 66 employees and a multi-million-dollar business today, Systems Management Group (SMG) has good reason to celebrate its 10th anniversary in January.

SMG, a division of The Hiller Companies, specializes in full-service, low voltage integration in Arizona and Colorado. Acquired by Hiller and supported by their 100-year history, SMG has a rich history of success on its own.

According to Co-founder and General Manager Terrence Kane, credit for growth and success goes directly to SMG’s high caliber employees.

“Our employees, each and every one, have created the opportunity for us to keep the doors open for the past 10 years,” Kane said. “And because of their hard work, we have had remarkable growth year over year.”

General Manager and Co-Founder Owen Myran noted that he and Kane started the company with a common goal to create a culture at SMG where not only business would thrive, but employees would as well.

“We wanted to grow a company that would take care of its employees, produce excellent customer service and deliver a superior product,” he said. “We are a people-first company. Whether you are an employee or a customer, we treat people with respect and dignity – that’s what drives our success.”

Having such dedicated employees makes the 10th anniversary special to Jenny Todd, Operations Manager.

“I am excited to celebrate our anniversary with an employee appreciation event in January. It is important that our staff knows how much we recognize their contribution to our success,” she said. “We really value times when we can build our relationships outside of the office. From the long-term veterans to the younger, more recent hires, everyone has something important to offer and to teach each other.”

The first employee Kane and Myran hired in 2009 is still with SMG and has been an example of the character of SMG and its employees.

“Gabriel Romo was our very first employee,” Kane said. “Through his dedication, character, and work ethic he has helped set the bar for the qualities we look for in employees. He also represents the opportunity employees have to advance and develop over a long-term career with SMG. He has grown over the years from our first hire into a top employee and lead manager.”

The desire for continued growth for SMG and long-term, limitless opportunities for employees was a driving factor in Kane’s and Myran’s decision to work with The Hiller Companies when Hiller acquired SMG in September of 2018.

“Hiller’s acquisition of SMG has given our employees the opportunity to grow and expand their personal well-being, to receive more training and to increase longevity with the company. It has taken them from a partnership to a career,” Kane shared.

Todd believes the opportunities with Hiller are wide open, but more importantly, the ideals of Hiller support the culture she, Kane and Myran have worked so hard to foster at SMG.

“Culture is vital,” she said. “SMG has always been a family. When Terrence and Owen were discussing SMG’s acquisition by Hiller, it was important to us to maintain that atmosphere. One thing that stuck out during the talks with Hiller was that they were very much a family as well. That’s why it was such a good fit for us.”

As for the future, Kane is excited about continued growth.

“What would make me tremendously happy would be if the company is able to continue growth and to change the core of what we do by adding other disciplines. I would love to add five to ten more locations and three to four more verticals,” he said. “With Hiller, we have a greater possibility of achieving that. I want our employees know that in 10, 15, 20 years, they can retire from a great career with SMG.”

For more information about SMG, please visit our website at www.smglifesafety.com.

Systems Management Group is a low voltage integrator in the Colorado and Arizona markets that specializes in consulting, designing, installing, servicing, and integrating your low voltage systems; from fire alarms, intrusion alarms, access control, camera systems, audio/video systems, BDA systems, area of refuge systems, telecommunications and data systems, and more. Systems Management Group is a division of The Hiller Companies, Inc.

Mobile, AL – As The Hiller Companies celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, we are taking a look at the Mobile branch, which holds a unique place in the growth and evolution of the company.  As one of the largest and oldest branches, Hiller Systems Mobile represents innovation, experience, growth and community.

“Mobile is a very special place for Hiller,” Chairman of the Board Duncan Greenwood said. “We have a lot of employees with longevity here and have seen a lot of growth and change. Technology has opened the industry up for more and more opportunities, and the Mobile branch has shifted from a primarily marine-based operation to a more even distribution of marine, offshore and commercial business.”

Founded in 1919, The Hiller Companies opened its first office in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 1946, Jack Cocke and Company (JACO), another fire protection company, opened in Mobile and expanded to Pensacola, Florida and New Orleans. In 1981, Hiller purchased JACO and in 1988, Hiller headquarters was moved from New Orleans to Mobile.

While Hiller is headquartered in Mobile, the local operational branch itself is one of the largest branches and employs more than 100 people. Mobile specializes in comprehensive fire detection and suppression solutions for commercial, marine, and military and government sectors.

“In the Mobile complex, we have done a lot of marine work. We are proud that our systems are on every combatant ship in the Navy,” Greenwood said. “But we have also worked on subway systems and brought Securiplex water mist technology to this branch. That has opened a lot of doors for us.”

Greenwood, who served as President and CEO from 1981 to 2013, has been with the company for more than 40 years and believes that the modernization of the fire protection industry has greatly contributed to growth and opportunity.  Bill Roberts, Director of Marine Engineering, agrees.

“I started here when Hiller was still JACO.  I was on the ground floor when computers came to pass,” Roberts said. “I helped develop flow calculations with the Walter Kidde Company so the people writing the code could write it correctly. We originally did these calculations by hand. Can you believe that? Duncan and I both did them by hand. It’s mind boggling how far we have come.”

Roberts is proud of the legacy the Mobile Branch has and his participation in it.

“I designed the fire suppression systems in the early 70s and 80s for several classes of navy ships. Many of these systems are still in use today,” Roberts said. “I am proud to be a part of our strong and enduring relationship with the military.”

As one of the oldest branches in the company, the Mobile branch benefits from many long-term, dedicated employees. Some have been with the company since the JACO days. One such employee is Marine Sales Manager Greg Bloch who has been with Hiller for more than 50 years.

“I started with Jack Cocke in 1969.  My job was the lowest you could go – pipefitter helper.  I couldn’t even see the top from there,” Bloch said. “Was there A/C in the trucks? No way! Radios? No way! I started at $2.50 an hour and worked my way up.”

“Back in the day, I knew Jack Cocke – we just hit it off.  He was a hard worker, and it wasn’t unusual to see him out on the job grabbing a pipe wrench to give you a hand. Duncan Greenwood also played a pivotal role for me. When I was uncertain of my future after Hiller bought JACO, Duncan was the one who made me a deal at a Sunday night dinner. He really knew how to bring out the best in people.”

Bloch worked his way up from pipefitter helper to pipefitter to supervisor to project manager/production manager. He has been a Marine Sales Manager since 2000, and he sees a bright future for Hiller Mobile. Duncan Greenwood agrees.

“For me, it all flows back to the people,” Greenwood said. “While modernization has made things faster and easier, without the people we have at Hiller, we would not be successful. We are always looking for that balance of youth and experience in our workforce to continue to grow.”

Roberts looks forward to the future and after more than four decades at the company, he still feels excited to come to work every day.

“I love my job. I love what I do, and the gratification of knowing my systems could save someone’s life keeps me vested,” he said. “I told Duncan that if I ever get unhappy or if my work stops being fun, I will shake his hand and walk away. That hasn’t happened in more than 40 years.”

The Mobile branch consistently enjoys growth year over year. Its strength and experience in the government and commercial marine industry as well as in health care and other verticals forecasts that this growth will continue. Hiller Mobile’s combination of experience and innovation ensures a strong future for both employees and customers alike.

New Orleans, LA – The Hiller Companies, Inc. is celebrating its 100-year anniversary in 2019, and the New Orleans office is where it all began. Founded in 1919 by Herbert S. Hiller, the original shop started as a local business and has expanded to include an international presence with 20 offices across the country.

“When I started with Hiller 40 years ago, it was still a small business based in New Orleans,” New Orleans Marine Branch Manager Mike Charleville said. “It was such a close-knit family that if any of the guys were ever short on money, they would help them out. As we have grown larger, we are more of a corporation, but we are still a family.”

Charleville has the honor of being the longest-serving employee in the New Orleans branch and said with growth, there have been many significant changes.

“When you go through this kind of growth, you lose a little, but you gain a lot,” he said. “It is harder to maintain the closeness we had as a small company, but there are a lot of positive improvements. When I started, the vehicles had no air conditioner, no power steering and AM radio. Now, our vehicles and equipment are first class.”

Another longstanding employee, Danny Brown has been with Hiller for 37 years. Brown joined Hiller in 1982 as a superintendent and worked his way up to a project manager, an engineering manager, assistant general manager and finally to general manager. In 2018, he took a corporate position as Manager, Strategic Projects for the Marine Division of The Hiller Companies.

“When I started with Hiller, I thought I would be here a couple of years. My knowledge of fire protection was very limited,” Brown said. “The more I became involved and realized that I could see the country and the world, the more I liked it. Most business and residential properties require some type of fire protection. Hiller is a company that provides every fire protection system available. I saw the bigger picture and wanted to make this my career.”

This is a common story at Hiller. Not only did Brown work his way up in the company, but in 2012 he was appointed by the Louisiana Governor to the Life Safety and Property Protection Board. The board has the authority to approve all training, certification and examination requirements for licensure for The Office of State Fire Marshal. He currently serves on the Louisiana Fire Marshal’s Suppression Board, and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 301 committee representing the Fire Suppression System Association (FSSA), and is President of the Louisiana Automatic Fire Alarm Association

Brown has also witnessed many changes and periods of growth at Hiller requiring the New Orleans office to move three times during his tenure.

“The New Orleans branch is different because this is where it all started,” Brown said. “We have been through a lot in New Orleans. We survived Hurricane Katrina, we have hit bumps in the road, but we always come out stronger than before.”

With more than 60 employees, the New Orleans branch does it all, according to Brown; but, one unique service they focus on is military fire protection.

“Hiller designed a panel for fire suppression in military vehicles,” he said. “We have provided over 3,000 systems for one of the U.S. Army’s Armored Security Vehicles.”

In addition to fire protection of military vehicles, Hiller New Orleans has played an integral role in the design and fabrication of customizable fire suppression equipment, such as the USCG-approved AFFF hose reel stations. Originally designed in 1978, the AFFF hose reel stations and standalone hose reels remain a key industry offering to this day. Other Hiller innovations include breathing air stations, soda acid and foam hand-held fire extinguishers.

Brown is also proud of the way Hiller gives back to the community. In 2007, The National WWII Museum in New Orleans bought and restored the PT-305 – a boat from the mid-1940s used as a fast attack boat during the war. It took 10 years and 120,000 volunteer hours to get the boat restored and fully operational. Hiller reached out to some of its dedicated vendors and supplied the engine room CO2 fire suppression system, portable fire extinguishers, fire hoses and nozzles. Hiller donated the engineering, project management, field labor, pipe and fittings required to install and certify the systems.

“Hiller is a great company to work for,” Brown said. “They believe in giving back to the community and in strong families. These attributes combined with strong customer relations, keep business thriving day in and day out.”

Charleville agrees. “We have a lot of employees who’ve been with us for 20, 25, 30 years who really know what they are doing and are very professional. When you work with good people, you develop good relationships in the company and with your customers. Hiller is full of good people.”