Senior Account Executive Kelle Shanks was recently featured in Security Sales & Integration in the SECURE Perspectives column.
SECURE Perspectives is a monthly column by the Security Industry Association (SIA) profiling women in the security industry. This column is part of SIA’s Women in Security Forum, an initiative to support the participation of women in the security field through programs, professional development, and networking events. In this edition of SECURE Perspectives, Kelle Shanks discusses why it’s important to be a mentor, trends she’s observed in the industry, and more.
On Opportunities for Women in Security
“I feel that all positions in our industry are suited for women. The security integration business is a team sport! It takes a team of high-functioning individuals to deliver large integrated systems to a client—it is about being part of something that is bigger than you.”
~Kelle Shanks, Senior Account Executive, Convergint Technologies
On Inclusion & Diversity at Convergint
“The security industry is growing in diversity. I have been in the industry for 27 years, and I can tell you that I am seeing more women being hired and thriving than ever before. I see it in many areas, including SIA, the ASIS Women in Security Council and my own office, where we now have five women in sales. Here at Convergint we have created a group called Convergint Women Connect (CWC), of which I am a founding member. CWC was created with the mission of connecting the women of Convergint Nation to inspire them, support them and develop their leadership mentality.”
~Kelle Shanks
Kelle’s Advice for Women in the Industry
“We need you in this industry! You can be successful, respected and heard here. As a corollary, I would also like to address the women who are already successful in the industry: if you haven’t done so already, find someone to mentor. We owe it to the next generation to leave a legacy, so if you are at the top of the mountain, put out a hand and pull someone up with you.”
~Kelle Shanks
More About Kelle
Kelle Shanks
Senior Account Executive
Kelle graduated from Texas A&M University in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Distribution. She is a Senior Account Executive out of Convergint’s Dallas office. She has been with Convergint for 14 years and in the electronic security industry for 26 years. She has extensive experience in quoting and negotiating very large systems, from single-site systems to national and global multi-location enterprise sites. Kelle was presented with Convergint’s “Rookie of the Year” Impact award in 2001 and was named Convergint’s Master Award winner in 2017.
