Cannabis Focused Vertical Enterprises Opens in St. Joseph, Missouri

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By David Strickland, Vice President of Kenton Brothers

How the KB Advantage™ helped save the day.

Vertical EnterprisesAs the Missouri Cannabis market hits full throttle, many of the early adopters are coming on line. Kenton Brothers Systems for Security is honored to be partnered with Vertical Enterprises, led by CEO Chris McHugh. Vertical Enterprises grows and manufactures Grade A flower and extracts in St Joseph Missouri.

Vertical’s state of the art facility employs the most current technology to insure purity and yield. We are most impressed by Vertical’s attention to detail when it come to the high standards they’ve brought to the Missouri Cannabis industry.

McHugh said they will provide patients the best quality indoor marijuana grown without the energy ravenous methods traditionally used for growing indoor marijuana.

Instead of using high-pressure sodium lights and retrofitting a warehouse with 30’ tall ceilings that have to be climate controlled, our facility will be 100 percent purpose-built and LED. We care about marijuana, but we also care about the planet we live on.

Vertical EnterprisesKenton Brothers Systems for Security partnered with Vertical to create a holistic security plan for the grow site as well as the dispensary locations. The goal was to keep the same attention to detail and quality as seen throughout the Vertical platform. Vertical recognized Kenton Brothers’ quality of installation and the process we take to create solutions that are not only highly secure but take into account the regulations and oversight required by the State of Missouri.

Kenton Brothers would design and integrate Access Control, IP Video Surveillance and Intrusion Detection into the Vertical Manufacturing and Grow site as well as the Dispensaries.

Kenton Brothers selected Gallagher Access control, a worldwide leader in Cannabis Security, and Milestone X Protect Digital Video Management System as the basis for the security solution. Based on Vertical’s feedback and high standards, we knew this would be the best fit for their needs.

With this solution comes the ability to manage multiple locations through one administrator and allow the State of Missouri the oversight it has regulated into the industry. It has the capability to tie into power and environmental sensors as well as track key personnel certifications and clearances thereby automating checks and balances in the spaces.

Explosion proof?

Explosion Proof CameraOne of the unique situations that came up during the integration phase was an unforeseen requirement placed on Vertical by the State to have cameras installed in an extraction booth. The unique thing about this requirement was that the cameras had to be explosion proof as the extractor uses a combustible gas as part of the process.

For this to happen, two explosion proof cameras had to be installed with only two weeks left for final inspection. Chris McHugh called Kenton Brothers and asked, “What do we need to do to make it happen?” Our answer was, “We are on it.” We needed to make some calls fast because these cameras usually take six to eight weeks to receive.

Through Kenton Brothers relationships, we were able to find two cameras and mounts that met the criteria of explosion proof on a shelf in Chicago. They had been ordered for a project that was cancelled and were available immediately. The cameras and mounts were installed in time for final inspection.

The KB Advantage™

Vertical EnterprisesKenton Brothers utilizes the KB Advantage™ process to walk customers such as Vertical Enterprises through the systems for security Integration process by taking the time to clearly understand their needs, creating the right solution and then creating the plan for installation and training. This allows us the time, energy and attitude to manage the surprises in every project.  In this case we are able to leverage our nationwide relationships to solve our customers problem in record speed.

It is a lot of fun to see projects of this size and scope come to fruition and to see our customers realize their goal of creating a world class manufacturing facility.

We love what we do at Kenton Brothers.

Our Mission is to protect People, Property and Possessions. Our Project manager Eric Searcy and our foreman Jeremy Shinneman asked that we share the following images as a testament to their craftmanship. They did a fantastic job delivering the KB Advantage™.

Vertical Enterprises Vertical Enterprises

Vertical Enterprises Vertical Enterprises

Vertical Enterprises Vertical Enterprises

The Convergence of Cyber and Physical Security: Best Practices for Your Security Systems.

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By David Strickland, Vice President of Kenton Brothers

Convergence of Cyber and Physical SecurityYou see it in the headlines all the time. “ABC” Company was hacked today. The extent of the breach is still undetermined. They have begun notifying customers that have been compromised. In just the last year alone, hacks of banking and financial institutions are up 238%. Forbes magazine reports that on one day in 2020 there was over 2,500 attacks.

One of the most common attacks facing companies is a DDoS attack.

Plainly speaking, this is where you overwhelm a firewall by flooding it with thousands of attacks until the server can’t keep up anymore. This kind of attack is very effective even against the largest most secure networks in the world. In 2017, Google was attacked for over 6 months and Amazon Web Services for three straight days in 2020.

What we are seeing in these attacks in that IP video Surveillance, heating and air conditioning controls, routers and other IoT devices (Internet of Things) are being taken over and used to send these DDoS attacks. This is done by a Mirai Bot. A Mirai Bot (server) scans the internet and looks for these devices that have not changed their default password. It then logs into those devices and takes them over. So yes, your security camera can be taken over and used to hack your system or another system connected to the internet – Especially if you don’t take the time to change the default password.

These attacks don’t just show up in the private sector. In February of 2021, a Florida Water Treatment plant was attacked by a coordinated effort using remote access credentials that were shared between employees.

One thing is for sure, hackers will continue to adapt their attacks to be more successful, you must adapt your preventative measures to effectively defend your systems.

Convergence of Cyber and Physical SecurityHere are some tips for defending your systems:

Control what you can control. The majority of network security breaches are due to human error, negligence, misconfiguration and poor maintenance.

  1. Always change the manufacturer’s default password on any security device (or any other device for that matter) connected to your network. Require all vendors to do the same.
  2. Always stay up-to-date on your current system OS (operating system). This sounds basic, but over 58% of systems running today do not have current updates applied. Every commercial IP video surveillance camera is a small PC. Be sure to update manufacturer’s firmware as soon as it’s published.
  3. Do not share common company passwords and never post them on the internet for easy access.
  4. Turn off the discoverability feature once your security devices are installed.
  5. Periodically (quarterly), cull the IoT devices that are no longer necessary. Get them off the network as they become easier to exploit the longer they exist on the network without updates.
  6. Remove old employee log ins and passwords as a part of your exit interview process.
  7. Conduct quarterly penetration testing. Ask someone to try to utilize what they know about your system to break in.
  8. Attend manufacturer or vendor partner training. Stay up to speed on the most current best practices and firmware updates.
  9. When interviewing integrators and manufacturers ask about their cybersecurity hardening techniques.

When it comes to the convergence of Cyber and Physical Security, it’s important to remember that they’re often one in the same. Every device on your network, whether it be an access control door, IP video surveillance camera or an intrusion detection panel, must be hardened against attack. Don’t be an easy target!

Additional resources:

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

 

Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare Swaps the Hassle of Keys and Manual Access Changes for Unified Access Management

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Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare LogoGolden Valley Memorial Healthcare (GVMH) is a leading rural healthcare organization dedicated to providing compassionate, friendly, quality care for patients close to home.

GVMH gives its rural communities convenient access to highly trained medical specialists who provide a full range of services, including specialized areas such as cardiology, oncology, ophthalmology and more. GVMH also has a high-tech 56-bed hospital, a 24/7 emergency department, four multi-specialty physician clinics, an outpatient clinic and a cancer center.

Focused on serving rural populations, GVMH operates a main campus in Clinton, Missouri. They also operate nine satellite healthcare facilities located in Windsor, Warsaw and Osceola, Missouri.

On any given day, they are processing thousands of employees and patients moving throughout their campuses and inside their facilities.

The Problem: A Cumbersome, Offline System

Though located in rural communities, GVMH experiences the same challenges as larger healthcare campuses in urban areas. On any given day, thousands of personnel are moving through their facility requiring multiple tiers of access. Patients must be kept safe and visitor tracking must be managed at all times. Finally, critical equipment and pharmaceuticals require highly regulated protocols.

Prior to 2019, GVMH’s access control operated offline, so whenever a key or credential was lost or needed to be changed to prevent unauthorized access, it had to be done onsite. Performing access changes this way took time and resources. Considering the number of times an access point has to be changed in any given month, it became clear they could reallocate their investment to a more streamlined and more secure solution.

The Solution: Network Security to Manage Multiple Locations

Kenton Brothers deployed an access control system in GVMH’s main building in Clinton and in all satellite clinics to standardize all access points. The access control system is IP-based, providing a unified management and administration experience through mobile apps and flexible architecture. Should GVMH expand, its access control solution expands with it.

Now, instead of rekeying or changing credential access at the location site, GVMH’s administrators can remotely cancel a credential/badge at any building from one location.

Unified access control is phase one of GVMH’s long-term plan. Phase two will tackle the organization’s intrusion system. Like access control, GVMH’s intrusion alert system will be consistent across all locations and on one platform to consolidate security vendors and result in measurable resource and cost savings.

To learn more about access control systems for your organization, please give us a call.

National Account with 600 Sites in 15 Weeks? Check.

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By Ryan Kaullen, Field Services Manager at Kenton Brothers

Kenton Brothers Systems for Security, in its 124th year of existence, has seen projects of every size across most industries. We really thrive taking on the unusual, the time sensitive, and challenging projects across regions/states. This is a common situation when we’re working with some of our national accounts.

One such project that covered all of these aspects was a recent install at over 600 sites for a major utility company in the Midwest.

The scope of the project was to install locking hardware and specialty electronic hardware (eCylinders/ePadlocks) across the customer’s list of sites. This was a complex project involving lots of variables. These included timeframe, hardware needed, and the geographical locations of these sites. A lot of planning went into this project to evaluate requirements and determine the best course of action with limited information.

CLIQ Connect CLIQ Connect

Timeframe

Medeco | Assa AbloyThe timeline for this project was a total of 15 weeks. This meant we would be doing installations at roughly 43 sites per week. One of the requirements of this project was to meet a federally mandated deadline. This required us to plan the best routes possible to ensure our technicians were as efficient as possible.

We accomplished this using route planning software based on addresses and GPS coordinates. This was a crucial step to ensuring we would hit our deadlines.

The result? Kenton Brothers completed this project over a week early.

CLIQ Connect

Material

The tricky part about material for this project is that we couldn’t easily plan ahead for the amount of hardware that would be needed at each location.

Before the start of the project, we visited 7 sites and created hardware lists to cover the different scenarios we found. The goal was to make sure our technicians didn’t have to make return trips for materials.

We were also installing security cylinders known as eCylinders or ePadlocks. They provide access just like an access control system. If you have the correct key, you’re allowed access. If you don’t, the cylinder or padlock stays locked. This is for auditing capabilities of who went into the site and at what time. This product and solution met the industry specified regulatory requirements for remote sites.

Locations

Project LocationsThe locations ranged from being in major cities to farmer’s cow pastures.

We provided our technicians aerial views of all of the sites. This helped them verify they were at the right place and what to expect getting into the area. This played a vital role in our completion date. We were able to plan routes based on those views and we could see the access points.

This complex project was a fast-paced, time sensitive, and complex project that required an attention to detail. Every site required work detail reports with specific information, specific billing was required to meet our customer’s needs, and technicians with outstanding craftsmanship were needed to accomplish the project goals.

We are proud that we were able to provide one of our national accounts customers this commercial security solution. And it was a big win to deliver a week ahead of schedule. Do you have large commercial security projects that require attention to detail, multiple sites, and a team who can get the work done? If so, give Kenton Brothers a call. We’ll make your life easier!

Precision Livestock Farming: Boehringer Ingelheim ushers in a time of transformational change.

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By Gina Stuelke, CEO of Kenton Brothers

Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health LogoBoehringer Ingelheim Animal Health in St. Joseph, Missouri has partnered with Kenton Brothers to provide state of the art identity and access management and commercial video surveillance technologies to protect their people, property and possessions. Not only does BI see the importance of putting security technology in their buildings… they invest heavily on the power of technology to keep animals healthy and help farmers increase efficiency.

In several pig barns, crews will install high-tech microphones that hint of things to come.

Precision Livestock FarmingThe microphones form a key part of a digital monitoring tool that records the sounds that pigs make 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It relies on an algorithm to detect changes in swine coughing patterns before most human ears hear them. The system sends an alert to an app on a farmer’s phone or to their computer when it detects signs of respiratory distress.

Early detection of increased coughing in swine lets farmers and veterinarians collect samples and get a diagnosis more quickly, potentially improving the health of sick pigs and limiting the risk of exposure to nearby animals. That could boost a producer’s bottom line in an industry where respiratory and other diseases claim an untold number of pigs and cost hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

This innovation is just one part of a larger Boehringer Ingelheim commitment to take advantage of rapid technological change to offer diagnostic and monitoring solutions that help livestock and pets and the people who own and care for them.

‘It’s all about the data’—the quicker you receive the information, the faster you can treat the problem and have less negative impact on the animal and industry as a whole.

Pet Wearables

Precision Livestock FarmingIn animal health, the spread of new technologies has given rise to smart devices for dogs and cats and precision livestock farming, which holds the potential to optimize operations and improve animal wellbeing. The market for pet wearables alone will reach a few billion dollars in the next few years, analysts have said.

Sensors attached to and located around livestock, coupled with the power of algorithms to detect patterns in reams of data, have the potential to provide actionable items that save time and money.