Cortney Wascher, 2023-2024 DHI President, addressed door security and safety professionals at the DHI CoNEXTions conference and trade show held recently in Boston, MA. Excerpts from her remarks are shared here:
“The theme for this conference, Continuing the (R)Evolution, honors both the patriotic history of Boston and the evolution of the Door and Hardware Industry.
Continuing the evolution from primarily mechanical locks and security door hardware to meeting the high demands for electronic access control solutions relies on DHI’s commitment to advocate, educate, innovate, and facilitate strategic paths forward.
Classroom security locks are a prime example of the ongoing evolution. Commercial lock manufacturers continue transforming their products to feature increased capacity, functionality, scalability, productivity, less maintenance, and reduced cost.
Your Board of Governors meets regularly, in person and online. We endeavor to keep our focus on supporting DHI Core Values, which are:
- Networking – like this wonderful opportunity in Boston
- Education – a cornerstone of DHI, which is offered both locally and nationally
- And, our valuable Credentials, which are recognized by architects, code officials, and facility managers across the country.
In addition, the Governors have:
- Re-evaluated Goals and Objectives
- Reviewed Finances
- Identified Growth Obstacles and Opportunities
- Discussed the Future of DHI
- And, Proposed Initiatives to Address Sustainability Gaps
The Board of Governors is re-establishing DHI’s status as an ANSI standards developer and industry leader of codes and standards. To that end, the Door Security and Safety Foundation (DSSF), in collaboration with DHI, formed a task force of experts to recommend levels of security for building openings as there weren’t any established national standards. The task force grouped openings into three levels to help educate the public and provide advice on specifying and furnishing the necessary attributes of a secure opening. These levels are meant to Deter, Detect, and Delay adversarial behavior to allow time for an emergency personnel response.
Education, a cornerstone of DHI, is evolving to incorporate today’s technology and meet today’s demands…such as adapting to the cultural trend of doing everything online. We’ve expanded and updated educational offerings, appealing to both young professionals starting their career paths and industry experts seeking the next level of learning but desiring to take classes at their own pace, on their own schedule.
We believe that DHI’s certification programs are the ‘gold standard’ in our industry. However, the paths to certifications currently allow individuals to take exams without all the recommended courses, which leaves gaps in their education. We aim to strengthen our certifications by fortifying the coursework and exams.
DHI’s Goals are to:
- Provide broader access and enhanced education
- Increase engagement at both local and national levels
- And, reach a larger audience
Walt Disney was a revolutionary film producer and entrepreneur. He led the evolution of the animation industry by introducing several developments in the production of cartoons. His company later turned to producing award-winning live-action films, then expanded into the amusement park industry.
Similar to the Door and Hardware Industry, Walt Disney adopted
technological innovations as they were introduced. He said,
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things because we’re curious, and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
Let’s stay curious! Let’s go down new paths! And let’s fling our DHI doors wide open to embrace a progressive future!
I look forward to continuing my work with you this year.”