I love giving awards. There is something very satisfying about honoring a job well done, and the award winners are always both surprised and grateful to be chosen. This month marks the first of three SDM annual awards — the fourth annual Project of the Year.

The quality and quantity of these applications just keeps getting better every year and it is always interesting to read about all the projects these security dealers and integrators are involved in. But of course, there can only be one winner and this year that company is Pro Edge Technology of Riverdale, Utah, with their Bath Fitter project. The winning project is a prototype unmanned showroom that utilizes security cameras and other technology in an unconventional way to walk customers through the buying process without a live person on site.

This story caught our attention because not only is it a unique application with future additional projects to come for the integrator, but it also showcases the excellent work ethic Pro Edge brought to the project — staying until midnight in some cases to bring it in on time — as well as the company’s pride in serving their customer’s needs.

The winning project is a prototype unmanned showroom that utilizes security cameras and other technology in an unconventional way to walk customers through the buying process without a live person on site.

“This project means a lot to our entire team at Pro Edge,” explains Jared Roper, owner and project manager, in the article. “It’s a true representation of what we love most about what we do — taking a customer’s vision and bringing it to life with smart, practical, and professional solutions. We’re incredibly proud of how this project came together. From the first bid to the final install, it was a full team effort that showcased not just our technical skills, but our commitment to doing things the right way. When a customer comes to us with a unique challenge or a specific goal, our team thrives on finding the best way to make it happen. That’s exactly what happened here.”

Excellence is also very much the theme in our other annual story this month, the 2025 TMA Excellence Award Winners, sponsored by SDM for the 19th year. While we are not a part of the judging process for this one, we do have the privilege of writing about the standout companies that are the winners and runners-up.

From the large enterprise and SMB monitoring center winners — Affiliated Monitoring  and Kimberlite-Sonitrol — to the manager, operator and support person of the year, each entry this year highlighted the lengths to which these companies and employees go to keep their customers safe. Their dedication, care and attention to their customers and teams are an example of the best in our industry.

I hope you enjoy reading about these award winners and perhaps get some ideas for your own company — and maybe some inspiration to apply for one or more of these awards for your company next year!