Giving You One Less Thing to Worry About
Fleenor Security Systems is celebrating its 50th year in business and has grown to be the 62nd largest security company in the nation by taking care of their customers and employees alike. Fleenor Security of Knoxville is now back at their previous address on Cogdill Road in the Dutchtown/Murdock business area. Everything Knoxville was interested in their evolving presence here in Knoxville. Vice President Will Fleenor, son of owner and President Norman Fleenor, gave us some of the company’s back story and why he believes Fleenor Security has been a trusted East Tennessee family-owned business for more than five decades.
EK: Fifty years is an impressive run! How did Fleenor Security Systems begin?
Will: My grandparents had a cattle and chicken farm in Bristol. My dad, Norman Fleenor, the oldest of three boys, always had a passion for electronics – including aeronautics – and, as it turns out, not so much for chickens! He got his commercial pilot’s license, became VP of a large furniture manufacturer, but continued to dabble with electronic security systems at night. Before I was born, he decided to devote his time and talents to his fledgling security business that ran out of his basement.
During the early 1970s, Fleenor Security continued to grow, needing a larger space to house the tremendous amount of support and professional service that my dad wanted to provide for his customers. The Johnson City office has been in operation ever since.
EK: How did you become a part of the family business?
Will: Beginning in the early 1990s, I worked at Fleenor as an installation technician during my school holidays and summer breaks. I joined the business full time after graduating from UT Knoxville – working in all areas of the company. I was eventually named vice president and am now proud to have led the company to double digit growth.
EK: Did the Knoxville Fleenor Security Systems branch off of the Johnson City location?
Will: In the early 1980s, my uncle, Mike Fleenor, joined the business in Johnson City, where he too fell in love with the industry. He then moved to Knoxville to start his own branch of the company, building a business that served thousands of area residents and business owners and where many of our current staff got their start.
Uncle Mike sold his Knoxville business in 2015 to a regional security company. He was unaware that the regional company would soon be absorbed by a large national company who moved all operations out of state – including service calls and monitoring. At that point, Fleenor Security Systems of Knoxville ceased to exist.
EK: Why bring Fleenor Security back to Knoxville?
Will: We decided it was important to offer the level of service and accountability that was no longer available in the area and opened a new branch in December of 2015. I was fortunate to be able to hire many of the previous Knoxville Fleenor team that our customers have known and relied on for many years.
The Knoxville team is led by Branch Manager Andre Duhaime, an industry veteran who knows the importance of customer focus and the worth of the right team members. The Knoxville location has experienced record growth – enough to warrant relocating to the prior office building on Cogdill Road.
EK: Why has Fleenor Security Systems been such a long-term successful business?
Will: Our Fleenor family has always known that the “secret ingredient” to a thriving organization is the people that make up the company. Our success is directly attributable to the talents and gifts of our wonderful team members. We also know the value of doing what we say we are going to do. Our policy has always been to under promise and over deliver.
Fleenor Security understands that the systems we install are responsible for protecting lives and property so we must be ready when it counts. We do not outsource our monitoring to mega stations that handle thousands of accounts from many different security providers like many other companies do. We believe it is important to have our dispatchers trained, managed, and employed directly by Fleenor Security to ensure the best possible support for our customers.
Our goal has always been to create a healthy and thriving company where we care for our clients and our team by creating a culture that positively affects all those we serve. A quote by James Penny sums it up: “It is the service we are not obliged to give that people value most.” We want to delight each client with the unexpected small things that make a big impact.
EK: What lies ahead for Fleenor Knoxville?
Will: We will continue to retain our knowledgeable talent – it benefits the company and our customers, in addition to serving as a huge advantage in our industry. We only market products that we have vetted and know are dependable and solid. That, coupled with providing world-class, local customer service through our UL listed Central Monitoring Station, means our customers can depend on us now and in the future.
Fleenor is focusing more on the Internet of Things (IoT) since businesses and homes are increasingly using IoT to operate more efficiently, be better connected, and have the ability to enhance their own services. We will also continue to look for acquisition opportunities as we enter new markets.
EK: Anything else you would like our readers to know?
Will: To sum it all up – we are a locally owned, 2nd generation, family business who cares about every single one of our customers. I recommend calling our awesome sales representatives to discuss how we can help solve your security needs either by installing a new product or service or by taking over the monitoring of your existing system and adding the Fleenor touch. I am confident that if given the opportunity to earn your business, you will experience the Fleenor Security difference with the peace of mind knowing that your family, belongings, pets, and assets are well monitored!
Fleenor is always ready when it counts. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
The benefits of local security system monitoring:
• Live operators to answer incoming calls, 24 hours a day. No voicemail when you call direct.
• Top quality team members who care about our customers, hand-picked by Fleenor.
• Our customers are our own. We know you, and you know us.
• Local event awareness – like severe weather and power outages – that keeps you better informed.
• Direct contact with service department so customer needs or questions get handled.
• No need to make a second call if after hours technician is needed. We handle it for you.
Fleenor Security
10446 Cogdill Road
Knoxville, TN 37934
865.544.9964
FleenorSecurity.com
TN C-0239 VA 11-1901 NC 1721-CSA