David Shapiro to chair ESDA

Issue 1 2020 News & Events

The Electronic Security Distributors’ Association (ESDA), established in 1989, has elected David Shapiro as its chair for 2020.

Shapiro has been in the security industry for eight years. For six of those years he has been involved with distributors countrywide as the manager of Regal’s Distributor Division. He has a good understanding of the electronic security distributors’ market in South Africa and the way it has evolved over time.


David Shapiro.

The distribution market today, most of whom are ESDA members, is facing new challenges as many ‘new’ distribution companies regularly appear, selling cheaper imported products with little to no backup and support. “Unfortunately, SA is in a recessive economic climate where consumers are always looking for cheaper options rather than paying a bit more for a product from a supplier with a national footprint for service and repairs etc.,” adds Shapiro.

“ESDA members are faced with these challenges daily, but growing ESDA into a stronger association can assist our members to overcome these obstacles and grow themselves. Power is in numbers. My vision as chair of ESDA is to grow the association exponentially to give distributors a voice in the market.”

Shapiro adds that it is time to review ESDA’s constitution as the industry has changed so much since its inception.

“2020 will be a great year of growth for ESDA as we will be attracting new members and exhibiting at events in South Africa and neighbouring countries,” he concludes. On his agenda for 2020 are Securex, ESDA’s Ladies day, the ESDA Annual Charity Golf Day, and other industry-related matters.

The new ESDA committee members

Along with a new chair, ESDA has also announced its executive committee members for 2020, the full committee is as follows:

• Chairperson: David Shapiro, Regal Distributors SA.

• Vice chairperson: Leonie Mangold, Powell Tronics.

• Executive committee member: Xarion Comoretto, MAMI.

• Executive committee member: Charmaine Johnston-Schonfeldt, Radio Data Communications.

• Executive committee member: Sean Farrell, IDS.

• Executive committee member: Robert Solomon, Gallagher.

• Executive committee member: Shawn Deyzel, V-Cam Security.

• Executive committee member: Ingo Mutinelli, IDEMIA.

• Honorary executive committee member: Sven Smit, Specialised Exhibitions.

• Honorary executive committee member: Vivienne Dorrington, Hi-Tech Security Solutions.

• Honorary executive committee member: Laura Dorrington, Hi-Tech Security Solutions.

• Treasurer: Ciska van Rensburg.

For more information, contact David Shapiro, Electronic Security Distributors, Association, [email protected], www.esda.org.za


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