SPOTLIGHT MEMBER Affordable Lock & Security Unwavering Commitment Kupferman enjoys giving back to the indus- try as well as being a leader and is involved with three other associations as well: Safe and Vault Technicians Association (SAVTA); South Eastern Regional Locksmith Associa- tions Convention (SERLAC), a statewide organization he is also on the board of; and Florida West Coast Locksmith Association (FWCLA), a local organization. His decades of experience, his dedication Affordable Lock and Security’s five locations serve the central region of the Florida, from Tampa to Orlando. phone book and waited for the phone to ring. Now you have to be way more aggres- sive and make sure you have money in the bank to live on until your business takes off.” To ensure it stays up-to-date with the lat- est technology, Affordable Lock & Security holds meetings once per month with all of its technicians. They each receive basic training on new technology on an ongoing basis but are sent for in-depth, daylong formal train- ing two to three times per year. “Our industry is changing rapidly with the onset of electronics,” Kupferman says. “This new knowledge must be taught to our technicians so that we may service our customers properly. If we don’t do it, some- one else will. I try to attend as many local industry events and send as many employ- ees as possible.” Tops in Training The majority of the training opportunities Kupferman taps into are available through ALOA. His affiliation with the organization began in 1995, when a friend in the industry invited him to join. At the time, Kupferman didn’t know much about the association or its benefits, but once he learned what was offered and his colleague-pal sponsored him, Kupferman became a member — and he hasn’t looked back since. In 2003, he was 30 KEYNOTES MAY 2014 elected to the board, served as president from 2007 to 2009, and is now a trustee and advisor. He says being involved with ALOA and on its board have been the most reward- ing experiences of his entire career. “As an ALOA board member, I was able to attend events nationwide where I met other secu- rity professionals and saw how they ran their businesses and the obstacles they faced,” he says. “I have been able to network with great people nationwide and use those friendships to enhance my business. Along with great training, I have learned from other business owners how they manage similar situations that I am experiencing.” In fact, Kupferman oſten turns to oth- ers in the industry for advice about new products. Before making a sizeable finan- cial investment, he seeks out testimonials from colleagues who are willing to share their experiences. “It was easy when I was a one-man operation. I was the cook and the chief bottle washer. I could only blame myself.” to the industry, his constant thirst for state- of-the-art technology and his commitment to his customers still do not make Kupferman immune to challenges. His business has had its fair share of plagues through the years. “It was easy when I was a one-man operation,” he says. “I was the cook and the chief bottle washer. I could only blame myself. As I grew and needed others to help serve our growing customer base, the challenges grew also.” Kupferman has found that while train- ing programs in the technology sector have been easy to access, there is a lack of operational training opportunities, which has been a major detriment to the industry with the loss of some of the larger busi- nesses over the years. He helped initiate the Security Leaders Conference, a forum that teaches entrepreneurs how to run their shops more efficiently by providing educa- tion on HR, inventory control and other business functions. With his steadfast commitment to the industry and his selfless imparting of know- how, it seems as if Kupferman, in a way, has managed to keep reconstructing things aſter all. award-winning media , Danielle Cohen’s writ- , editing, proofreading d project management perience has taken pe in countless global, ional and regional onsumer and trade blications, Web sites’ ntent, marketing materi- mobile applications, . WWW.ALOA.ORG
