2008 Pacesetters

For the second straight year, SecurAmerica sets the pace

Fighting the current of industry trends of consolidation and one-sizefits- all services has proven to be a successful tactic for Frank Argenbright Jr., chairman of SecurAmerica LLC.

For the second consecutive year, the privately owned contract security firm has landed at the top of the Pacesetters list of fastest-growing companies in metro Atlanta. Founded in 2004, the multimillion-dollar company has expanded from 180 employees in 2005 to 1,927 employees in 2007.

“This consolidation has created a lot of dissatisfied customers and great employees who were no longer loyal to their new company. Seeing this opportunity, we built a company focused on taking care of our employees and providing them with a great work environment..."

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Best Places to Work

Turnover in the private contracted security services industry is alarmingly high — varying sources peg it anywhere from 100 percent to 300 percent. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that security guards make less than half the annual salary of police officers, and their benefit plans have been roundly criticized. Most security companies don’t even offer sick days to their employees.

But Atlanta serial entrepreneur Frank Argenbright Jr. understood that the private security services industry was flawed. When he founded SecurAmerica LLC in late 2004, he made sure the company was privately owned. Company executives, including Argenbright, SecurAmerica’s chairman and founder, could make decisions based on the best interests of customers and employees, not stock prices.

It’s paying off. SecurAmerica’s employees voted it one of Atlanta’s 2007 Best Places To Work, coming in at No. 2 in the mediumsized employer category.

SecurAmerica hires the best employees available, trains them above and beyond the levels required by Georgia law, and then places them in organizations and situations best suited for their particular skills.

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2007 Pacesetters

Nearly 30 years ago, Frank Argenbright Jr. invested $500 in a fledgling security company in Atlanta. After building AHL Services Inc. into a multinational company that worked with Fortune 500 companies around the world, Argenbright sold the security services portion of the company to London-based Securicor in 2000.

Four years later, the entrepreneur decided to create a privately held, American contract  security services firm dedicated to providing the highest level of customer service.

In less than three years, Argenbright has grown SecurAmerica into a multimillion-dollar security company specializing in physical security and manned guarding services for class A commercial high-rise, industrial and corporate campus environments.

When he started the company in 2004, there were three employees. By the end of 2006, the company had 530 employees on staff and had grown revenue 2,590 percent since 2004.

"The key to our success thus far has been hiring great employees and through them we have been able to provide legendary service to our customers," Argenbright said. "In turn, not only have our customers been extremely loyal to us, they have helped us grow through referring
more customers."

Though it took some restraint, turning down clients in the beginning was necessary until the
company expanded to its current level of service, said SecurAmerica President John K. Adams.
"The greatest challenge for us," he said, "was not jumping at every opportunity that was presented to us."