Our guest as professional of the month is a mechanical engineer, graduated from the Central University of Venezuela, and I have a Diploma in Engineering Project Management, as well as the CCNA certification in Data Networks. In the field of security, he has obtained several certifications from the Latin American Security Association ALAS, and Security Industry Association SIA, among others.
By Santiago Jaramillo H.
Our guest as professional of the month in this first edition of the year of the magazine VENTAS DE SEGURIDAD is Esther Judith Montilla Viloria, she is Venezuelan, born in Valera, Trujillo State, however, her whole life has been spent in the capital, Caracas, along with her family, from which she acquired the values of familiarity, honesty, rectitude and punctuality, typical of the upbringing of the Andean region of Venezuela.
His arrival in the security industry happened in a way that was not in his plans. It was about ten years ago, when I worked at the Tacoa power plant of the Company Electricidad de Caracas, which was affected by the disasters caused by the intense rains that occurred in that area of the country.
After these events, this company began to reduce its capacity to hire new engineers, which is why it worked in different engineering consulting companies, where it developed some projects related to security.
In an unexpected way, as she herself relates, she was called by a new Central Monitoring Station, to participate in the development of an integration project.
Coming from an area other than the security industry, his initial moments were of intense learning, but he was fortunate to have the help of the engineer Carlos Guzmán, from whom he received the first teachings that definitively directed him towards this industry.
His position in the world of security was consolidated by being part of the staff of the company Proelca as a technical manager, having the opportunity to meet the equipment of the most recognized equipment manufacturers, as well as manage all areas of electronic security (such as CCTV - analog and IP -, access control, perimeter systems, intrusion alarm systems, monitoring, among others).
He currently holds the position of consulting and training manager in the company Proyectos y Consultoría de Seguridad PROCONSEG C.A., serving the Latin American and Caribbean region, and maintaining technical support agreements with manufacturing and distribution companies in the field.
"In all this time I have developed in the area of training, advice and projects in different areas in the field of security, ranging from the technical area to training of sales consultants, thus contributing to the training and updating of companies and professionals in the area," says Montilla Viloria.
Our guest emphasizes that in the more than 10 years in the security industry has witnessed a great advance in terms of technology, so she sees the need for managers, administrators and managers of the same must be up to date in the new trends both technological and management, for which the key and the maximum challenge is training.
It also emphasizes that "managers and managers must recognize that human resources are the most valuable thing that companies have, as there are good interrelations between employees, supervisors and managers, there is also a behavior as members of a family where everyone contributes the maximum for the development and progress of them".
On the other hand, and as a curious fact, Esther Judith told us that her main anecdote related to the industry was to meet her husband, Pedro Tavera, who already had several years of work in this area. Thanks to this union they managed to create the company Proyectos y Consultoría de Seguridad PROCONSEG C.A.
Industry, a managerial vision
As our guest highlights, the main objectives that a manager in the security industry must achieve are not only to direct his company on the routes of competitiveness and growth, but also in the development of services to achieve the total satisfaction of his customers, as well as a successful interpersonal relationship inside and outside the company.
Likewise, it considers that the main objectives that a company must meet in this area are: the diversification of its services and products, the continuous search for innovation, research, training and continuous training to offer better services and products, increase the clientele and achieve its greatest satisfaction.
As for the current situation in the region, Montilla Viloria assures that Latin America is under the influence of two universal trends: the globalization of markets and the integration of the countries that make it up. "These two trends have caused most large and medium-sized equipment manufacturers in the industry to set their sights on the region, thus imposing accelerated technological growth in all areas of security."
He ponders that this can be evidenced in the increase in the number of security fairs and exhibitions that are presented in many of the countries of our region. From which it can be drawn as a conclusion, that the security industry will have a great development during the coming years. But to achieve this future, it is necessary not only the application of new developments and technologies, but also the updating of administrative, managerial, technical and service knowledge, which have as a fundamental element the formation and continuous training.
In the specific case of Venezuela, it highlights that the security industry has been advancing by leaps and bounds. It went from an industry in which many physical surveillance companies were created, to the current one in which electronic security systems have been gaining ground and greater acceptance.
"We currently have a large number of companies that offer electronic security equipment and services, all of different size and scope and coverage of the market, offering a wide variety of modern equipment and services," he says.
In the same way, it highlights that throughout Latin America companies have been developed that offer equipment and services in various areas of security, however most show in their human and operational capital great signs of empiricism and improvisation, so continuous programs and training activities in all areas of security are of great importance, since the increase in the professionalization of the industry would pave the way not only for the best service and attention to customers, but for the successful competitiveness before the arrival of markets of greater development in the region.
In Venezuela, for its part, our Professional of the Month states that in the face of the shortcomings and deficiencies presented by the public institutions in charge of citizen, personal and property security, it has been the private sector that has been assuming the challenge of taking care of these matters.
Given this panorama, he highlights, the security industry has been developing extensively and will continue to do so in the coming years, not only in terms of demand but in technological growth, since every day state-of-the-art equipment and technology are used and applied. However, there is a great threat to the industry: the difficulties in acquiring foreign currency to make purchases abroad, which has become a real headache for all equipment suppliers and distributors in this country.
Your recognition in the industry
Now, asked what are the reasons for its recognition in the field of security in her country and Latin America, Montilla warns that "it is mainly due to training and continuous training, knowledge management in different areas of electronic security thanks to the experience of developing various security integration projects, ease of intercommunication, teaching ability, spirit of service, perseverance, effort, and discipline."
She also emphasizes that the same demand of her clients led them to include advisory services to other security companies, including Central Monitoring Stations, an area that has been successful for her and the company she shares with her husband, with the acceptance of companies not only in Venezuela, but in several latin American countries.
On the other hand, it highlights that part of their success is due to the fact that they maintain a regular portfolio of technical courses covering different areas of security, thus putting a grain of sand in the professionalization of the industry in Latin America.
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A familiar woman passionate about reading
The family nucleus of our Professional of the Month is made up of her husband Pedro, and her son Sebastián, four years old. Despite developing his activities in the engineering and safety industry, his hobby is manual labor, as they produce great relaxation and mental rest. "I'm passionate about reading, especially Latin American writers. I love to travel as a family, especially during holiday seasons, when my activities allow me to do so," he says.
