The View From the Top
SNG’s signature kickoff panel features diverse perspectives from across the industry. This panel will set the tone for SNG 2025 and address what’s really making waves in the industry—and what we all should be thinking about for future growth.
Speakers
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Steve LindseyCo-Founder and Chief Information and Technology Officer -
Sarah RodriguesChief Product OfficerSarah Rodrigues is the Chief Product Officer at Acre Security, where she leads the company’s product vision and innovation strategy. A dynamic and customer-obsessed digital product leader, she is skilled at shaping the customer journey to deliver exceptional product experiences. Her expertise lies in aligning customer needs with cutting-edge technology to drive product growth and market impact.
In her role, Sarah collaborates with engineering, marketing, sales, and operations to shape Acre Security’s product strategy, ensuring that innovation remains central to the company’s future. Her leadership also plays a key role in shaping the security industry’s evolving landscape.
With a strong background in strategic leadership, product development, and digital transformation, Sarah has driven impactful initiatives across multiple industries. At Amazon and AWS, she spearheaded innovation strategies for top enterprise clients, enhanced the smart home customer journey, and optimized e-commerce experiences for consumables. Throughout her career, she also led business process improvements at Wilbur-Ellis and managed product quality assurance at ENAVATE.
Sarah holds an Executive Master of Business Administration from the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
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Don YoungCEOSince June 2025, Don Young has served as chief executive officer at Everon. Young has been a highly regarded figure in the security and life safety business for nearly four decades, joining the industry in 1988 after serving four years in the United States Air Force as a computer programmer analyst. His wide-ranging career includes C-suite and executive-level leadership roles for some of the most trusted security providers, including SecurityLink, ASG Security, HSM, STANLEY Security, Protection 1, and ADT, where he most recently served as executive vice president and chief operating officer.
Young’s track record of achievements extends beyond his leadership roles and includes active involvement in the industry. In 2013, he co-founded the Partnership for Priority Verified Alarm Response and served as its first president until 2015. From 2019 to 2021, Young served as president of The Monitoring Association. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Security Industry Association and is an active member of the UL Standards & Engagement Technical Committee for professional monitoring standards in the industry.
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Mike MathesExecutive Vice PresidentMike is chair-elect of the Security Industry Association Board of Directors and executive vice president for Convergint. He opened the Convergint Los Angeles and San Francisco, California, locations for Convergint in 2002 and 2003. As one of the founding members, Mike has seen Convergint grow from nothing in 2001 to an over $3B company with over 200 offices globally. In his current role he is responsible for the company’s western operations and several global Initiatives.
Previous to starting at Convergint, Mike held several positions at Johnson Controls over a 15-year career. He holds a B.Sc.E.E. from the University of Manitoba and in Canada held his Professional Engineering status. He is married to his wife, Cindy, and has three children.
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Bret HolbrookSenior Vice PresidentBret Holbrook is senior vice President of access control and identity management at dormakaba, where he leads the company’s commercial electronics strategy. In addition, he oversees strategic partnerships and investment opportunities in the access and identity space.
Previously, Holbrook served as senior vice president of commercial and multifamily for dormakaba Americas, where he was responsible for advancing the company’s portfolio and growth strategy in the region. He began his career at STANLEY Security (now Securitas), holding a series of engineering and product management roles with increasing responsibility.
Holbrook has a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and an MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. He is also a board member of the Door Security and Safety Foundation, supporting industry education and advocacy.
