Occidental Management Vision eZine August 2022

Office, Retail and Industrial Commercial Real Estate Properties

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Building Partnerships for Long-Term Success

We have much to celebrate at Occidental Management and are excited that you are here to celebrate with us as we launch our Vision e-zine. This year marks our 25th anniversary at Occidental. Our customers, partners, and the real estate industry have been through some turbulent and uncertain times over the years. We know that when times get tough, it’s time to get even more creative and, more importantly, to work together.

Occidental’s longevity can be attributed to several factors, including building a tenacious and visionary internal team as well as thinking outside the box in developing and revitalizing properties. Equally important is establishing and continually nurturing external relationships that create value for everyone.

We partner with our clients and tenants to promote their businesses by providing access to valuable resources, business influencers and vendor referrals. This e-zine is an extension of that value-add motivation and is one more way we can support their business.

Our goal with each issue is to provide you with useful insights, offering something for every business, whether large or small. We aim to help keep you plugged into the Wichita and Kansas City real estate markets, share insight from fellow industry experts, highlight tenant success stories, promote community events and networking opportunities, and honor businesses within our community.

by Chad Stafford

Walt Disney

Another cause for celebration is our upcoming move to our new headquarters building in the fall. We are looking forward to our new space on the third floor of the Ice House in downtown Wichita. Change can spur innovation, and this revitalized Class A property will provide us with additional collaborative space and room to grow in the future. We look forward to being in the mix of downtown right next to Union Station and the new creative opportunities, strategic partnerships and milestones that will follow.

Time really does fly when you’re having fun, and we plan to continue that spirit of exuberance for the next 25 years and beyond. And through it all, we are here for you every step of the way. Our door is always open.

I dream, I test my dreams against my beliefs, I dare to take risks, and I execute my vision to make those dreams come true.”

Chad Stafford,

President, Occidental Management

by Andrew Meiller

25 Years of Ideas Taking Flight

2022 Marks the 25th Anniversary of Occidental Management.

Occidental Management Inc. began as an entrepreneurial venture when it purchased the Historic Occidental building. Built in 1874, the property is the oldest historic commercial building in Wichita. Occidental’s founder, owner and CEO, Gary Oborny, began the commercial real estate start-up after finding success in his previous ventures.

As a student at Wichita State University in 1984, a young Oborny started his first business in the landscape construction industry. He began with a small loan taken against his car at a staggering – by today’s standards –interest rate of 22%. After expanding its list of customers, adding to their capabilities and attracting new team members, the company began to work like a well-oiled machine.

“Even though there were challenges in the local economy,” said Oborny. “the sky-high interest rates weren’t going to stop us from growing.” As his first business venture expanded , Oborny started exploring other opportunities, including the acquisition of a hydroseeding company and an investment in the oil and gas sector before finding his way into commercial real estate development.

“My wife, Gretchen, and I purchased the first Occidental property in July 1997,” said Oborny. “The property had been restored to historical status in the early ‘80s but was no longer up-to-date with changing business trends and daily maintenance needs.”

In the early days, Gary focused on the leasing and construction management, while Gretchen took responsibility for the property management. Oborny said they were constantly learning and adapting their business in the first

Gary Oborny, Founder, Owner, and CEO Occidental Management

six months. In December 1997, Occidental Management increased it’s portfolio with the acquisition of the 80,000-square-foot Northwest Center, a property the group still owns and manages to this day.

As the company brought new properties online, it began to expand its team size. Todd Newton has been a maintenance technician with Occidental Management since 2000, overseeing maintenance and construction projects across the company’s portfolio for more than 20 years.

“I’ve watched our team grow not only to fit our immediate needs, but to plan for what is next to come,” said Newton. “Our team is carefully put together to maximize everyone’s potential and provide the best possible service for our tenants.”

Dedicated team members like Todd have shaped the company in its commitment to value-add properties and quality of service to tenants. In 2013, Occidental Management purchased the Historic Union Station District. The property had been vacant for seven years and was needing redevelopment.

“The Historic Union Station District plays such an important part in the growth of Wichita and the continued redevelopment of downtown,” said Occidental Management President Chad Stafford. “We wanted to bring the property back into the daily life of our community in a meaningful way.”

“At the end of the day, our goal is to make our community a better place.”

Gary Oborny, Founder, Owner and CEO, Occidental Management

Gary Oborny, Founder, Owner and CEO, Occidental Management

The development team completed a full renovation to historically registered standards over the next 18 months. Stafford says the revitalization brought a modern feel to the historic space to attract today’s contemporary businesses.

“Our goal with all our properties is to contribute to the economic growth and cultural expansion of our community,” said Stafford. “The Historic Union Station District is now home to thriving businesses, lively events and historical significance agaiin.”

Occidental Management’s property footprint can now be seen throughout the Greater Wichita area. It currently owns and manages 20 commercial properties in the Wichita area that offer office, retail and industrial solutions. The firm also offers build-to-suit options for their undeveloped land parcels.

Soon after its success with the Historic Union Station District, the group made the decision to expand to the Kansas City market with their acquisition of the Overland Park Xchange (OPx) property. This redevelopment project gave the team another opportunity to showcase their value-adding skills. Their work opened the door to partner

with national tenants like United Health Care, Black & Veatch and Select Quote to take long-term occupancy at the OPx.

Occidental’s largest and most recent acquisition was just across the street in Overland Park. In 2019, the firm closed on its purchase of the former Sprint World Headquarters which is comprised of 4 million square feet of occupiable space. The now branded Aspiria campus sprawls across 207 acres and features national tenants including T-Mobile’s HQ2, Yellow Corporation, EML Payments’ North America Headquarters, A Place for Mom, and Empower Retirement.

Occidental Management Chief Financial Officer Troy Marquis says that Aspiria has catapulted Occidental Management onto the national stage. “Our business model has always been to find value-add properties with which our business can scale. Aspiria is a one-of-a-kind property in the United States in that way,” said Marquis.

In addition to the already-developed 140 acres of land on which the existing Aspiria campus is built, Occidental Management has put forward plans to create a live-work-play destination on the additional 60 acres of undeveloped land.

Our people and businesses are the lifeblood of our community. We at Occidental Management are fully committed to supporting neighbors and helping our small businesses get the right start they need to be successful.”

Once fully developed, the area will have an additional 1 million square feet of Class A office space, 380,000 square feet of mixed-use retail, restaurant space, hospitality, and 600 multifamily units, creating a truly inclusive live-work-play environment. Design is complete with leasing and development for the project is currently underway.

Since its inception, Occidental Management has been a proud partner in the Wichita entrepreneurship community, supporting the Create Campaign, Inc., Founder’s Grove, Destination Innovation and the e2e Accelerator program now known as NXTUS. The company is also an executive member of the Greater Wichita Business Partnership, which also includes business associations; the Wichita Chamber of Commerce; the American Heart Association, the Wichita Area Builders Association (WABA); and the Wichita Independent Business Association (WIBA).

“Our people and businesses are the lifeblood of our community,” Oborny said. “We at Occidental Management are fully committed to supporting our neighbors and helping our small businesses get the right start they need to be successful.”

Occidental Management also plays a role in the development of the greater Wichita community. Over the past 25 years, Occidental Management has developed partnerships with Wichita State University to grow their entrepreneurial programs and charitable organizations including the Wichita Children’s Home, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Kansas, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

“At the end of the day, our goal is to make our community a better place,” Oborny said. “Whether through entrepreneurial growth, charitable support or community action, we know that with an activated community, Wichita will continue to thrive.”

Today, Occidental Management owns and operates a wide variety of commercial real estate and continues to grow it’s regional footprint in the Midwest. Their portfolio includes Class A office, retail, industrial and land parcel development. Since 1997, Occidental Management has been dedicated to developing quality properties that are appealing to their customers, partners and the marketplace.

Left to right: Steve Lebeda, Vice President of Construction Services, Tiffany Stokes, Construction Services Coordinator

Rooted in History, Revitalized for Today

by Andrew Meiller

The Ice House at the Historic Union Station District Meets New Needs

From the 1990s into the 2000s, building use and occupancy in downtown Wichita was on a steady decline due to growing suburban populations. However, over the past 10 years, Wichita’s downtown relics have found a resurgence in renovated and repurposed buildings.

The Historic Union Station District near the intersection of Douglas Avenue and Washington underwent major renovations in the mid-2010s after local value-add real estate development company Occidental Management took over the former train depot. The area included the five main structures; the Main Terminal, Express Terminal, Baggage Depot, Grand Hotel, and the Ice House.

In 2014, the Main Terminal received a total renovation to accommodate modern businesses seeking vibrant, Class A office space. The outside plaza also had a historical renovation that invites the public to gather at one of downtown’s most recognizable venues. Shortly after, Occidental repurposed the Grand Hotel and Baggage Depot to outfit retail stores and restaurants, encouraging foot traffic back to the area. Most recently, the Express Terminal saw a repurpose project designed to bring sleek architecture and natural lighting to restaurants and retail space, making the district a truly unique mixed-use project in the downtown area.

A Fresh Look

The Ice House is the final building in the Historic Union Station District to have its walls brought to a new heyday. Occidental Management Vice President of Construction Services, Steve Lebeda, says the district has been coming alive for years now, and the Ice House is one of the final pieces.

“This ongoing project has brought positive change and energy to downtown Wichita,” said Lebeda. “Our team has created some of the area’s most talked-about spaces, connected the buildings with their historical roots, and most importantly, breathed new life into these iconic spaces.”

Originally constructed in 1901, the Ice House serviced the Union Station as a nearby warehouse where large blocks of ice would be stored from the surrounding rail lines for the city of Wichita through spring, summer and fall. The original walls used thick layers of cork, ice and brick to keep the interior cool for storage all throughout the early 1900s.

Today, the iconic support building for the Union Station has joined the skyline of downtown Wichita. Occidental Management’s construction team has reimagined the former industrial site into a three-level, 38,000-squarefoot Class A office building.

“Our architecture and construction teams have found the convergence of historic and contemporary in the new spaces,” said Lebeda. “We wanted to create areas for modern businesses to excel and attract top talent while honoring the historical significance.”

A New Home

The building features five leasable areas on the first and second floors, ranging from 1,400-square-feet to 7,500-square-feet. The top level is reserved for its most anticipated tenant. In October, Occidental Management will move into the 12,800-square-foot suite on the third floor of the Ice House.

Occidental Management President, Chad Stafford, says the company is ready to make the move downtown.

“We are excited to get into our new space,” said Stafford. “Like most companies today, we value space that provides for a live, work, play environment that promotes collaboration and amenities for our team. Our team has been steadily growing since 2010, and we wanted to make sure our team is in a position to continue to grow.”

Occidental’s new office space will feature bright, natural light access throughout, with an open concept workspace that inspires collaboration in every square inch. As the team celebrates their new office at the Ice House, they will be hosting a holiday celebration and open house in the Historic Union Station District this winter.

“ Our architecture and construction teams have found the convergence of historic and contemporary in the new spaces.”

Steve Lebeda, Vice President of Construction Services

The Ice House at the Historic Union Station

Newly renovated conference rooms in the Ice House

Occidental Management Introduces Leading Coworking Space in Kansas City

The pandemic changed how every workplace operated. From companies going fully remote during 2020 to others experimenting with hybrid options, everyone had to adjust their daily lifestyle to stay safe in the workplace.

Now as the working population is beginning to get back to the office, companies both large and small are rediscovering the importance of a vibrant workspace. One of the largest growth areas for commercial real estate coming out of the pandemic has been the coworking market. In the fall of 2022, Occidental Management will officially open Aspiria NOW, Kansas City’s newest and highest-offering coworking solution.

With vibrant, flexible spaces available on one of the nation’s most technologically advanced campuses spanning over 207 acres, Aspiria NOW is a unique offering to bring your small business to a space with the advantages that larger national companies already have.

‘It just made perfect sense,” Occidental Management Chief Financial Officer, Troy Marquis, said. “We get flooded with calls and requests for small square-footage offices, and with the expansive space available on the Aspiria campus, introducing a coworking solution was a no-brainer. We have coworking options suitable for the up and coming entrepreneur that only needs one desk up to the enterprise-level company that needs space for 50-100 person project team.”

Aspiria NOW coworking spaces offer the perfect combination of bright, open collaboration hubs to engage with others and share creative ideas as well as private meeting rooms, filling every need for your business day. Each space includes secure, reliable internet connections, complimentary covered parking garage access, on-demand printing, complimentary access to our fully functional kitchen, and secure 24/7 access all powered by 100% renewable energy managed at our on-site power grid.

“Our goal is to bring a product to market that no one else in Kansas City can even come close to competing with,”

Aspiria NOW Community Manager, Robert Curland, said. “There isn’t anything else in the Midwest on the scale of Aspiria. From top-tier connectivity and security to engaging amenities, Aspiria has more to offer than any other coworking office in the city.”

Aspiria NOW members have full access to everything a Fortune 500 company would look for in their offices. With high-end amenities, interactive tenants and management, events and concierge services, and future community developments to come, Aspiria is the premier live-work destination in the Midwest.

Aspiria NOW members get free, full access to our three-story Aspiria Fitness Center. Members also enjoy access to the beautiful 65,000-square-foot campus for walking meetings, afternoon hangouts, and business photoshoots and events. Food options around campus include the Café @ 6050, The Roasterie Cafe and frequent food truck appearances.

Members can enjoy our Aspiria community events including sports watch parties in the Fitness Center, bring your dog to work day celebrations in Town Square, community sponsored events, pop-up retail stores and more.

“All the things that are currently available are only scratching the surface of why businesses belong at Aspiria,” Marquis said. “In the coming decade, Aspiria will mature into a robust community destination that includes more than simply office buildings. Aspiria will welcome the public with Live Events, Art Education/Appreciation features, dedicated charity events on the Boardwalk around the improved lakes in addition of hotels, multi-family, and new retail and dining establishments.”

The additional development of the 207-acre Aspiria campus is already set in motion already. Aspiria NOW members will have the unique opportunity to watch this corporate destination transform into something even more attractive for businesses and the larger community.

“Watching the campus transform and being a part of such a massive addition to the already thriving Kansas City business community is the perfect reason to keep your eye on Aspiria NOW,” Curland said. “The time has never been better to get in on the ground floor of this exciting workplace.”

Aspiria NOW is currently accepting applications for coworking memberships. The collaborative workspace is scheduled to officially open in September 2022. For more information, visit www.aspirianow.com.

Space. Now.

by Andrew Meiller

Comfortable In Their Own Skin

by Nathan George

Two Female Entreprenuers Make Their First Venture Into Business Ownership

For young professionals, running your own business can be a daunting task. Many choose the route of applying and working at existing businesses. While that is the most common case, there are two young women in Wichita who have broken through the mold and taken their first steps to running a successful small business.

Bailey May and Dao Nguyen have both worked in the beauty industry for over a decade in Wichita. Bailey has been with Hair Craft for 10 years, and Dao has been a nail technician at Sassy Nails for over 11 years. Both have recently made the decision to purchase their respective businesses and run them on their own.

Growing up, Bailey always knew that running her own business and creating her own environment was in her future and she knew that opportunity was right around the corner.

“It’s always been a goal for me to manage my own business,” said Bailey. “The previous owner saw something in me and mentored me to the point that I was ready to make the move.”

Bailey grew up in a family of hard-working entrepreneurs and credits her support network for her success.

“My family has always been my rock,” said Bailey. “My dad and grandpa were both proud small business owners, and I knew that they would be a wealth of knowledge. I have learned more from them in the past six months than I ever could have imagined. I really can’t say enough about the support my family has put behind me.”

Bailey plans to continually grow the business and eventually expand the salon, while staying true to her current customers and in keeping with the salon’s local charm. With new faces walking in the door every day, and familiar ones that have been supporting Hair Craft for the past 37 years, Bailey is excited by the opportunity to shape her business’s future.

Like Bailey, Dao takes great pride in serving her clients. She has always enjoyed helping people be more comfortable in their own skin.

Recently, Dao decided to take the next step, and purchase Sassy Nails for herself. Her main goal in running her own business is to provide top-notch nail care and pamper customers with her team’s signature touch.

“We have a revitalized culture at Sassy Nails,” said Nguyen. “We are trying out new techniques, technology and products every day to provide a unique experience for our customers.”

Both Hair Craft and Sassy Nails are tenants of Occidental Management properties in Wichita. You can support Bailey at Hair Craft in Northwest Centre at 8526 W 13th Street, N, Suite 120, and Dao at Sassy Nails in Auburn Pointe Shopping Center at 13303 Maple Street, Suite 125.

Bailey May, Owner, Hair Craft

Dao Nguyen, Owner, Sassy Nails

“

We put extra effort into assessing our customers’ needs, Our technicians develop relationships with our clients to give them the best possible service.”

Dao Nguyen, Owner, Sassy Nails

Custom cosmetology services at Hair Craft

Personal client relationships at Hair Craft and Sassy Nails

Personalized customer experiences at Sassy Nails

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

Location, Logistics

by Stacy Jones

Build-to-Suit Industrial Acreage Offers Room to Grow

Location, location, location. It’s important for any real estate endeavor. For an industrial business, finding the ideal location can greatly impact the company’s bottom line and overall employee satisfaction.

Multiple Access Points for Maximized Efficiencies

For an industrial company looking to expand its footprint or update to a more modern warehouse, the 92 acres available at Greenwich Road and East 53rd Street North in Bel Aire make for an attractive location. The industrial-zoned land is strategically situated half-mile south of K-254, the main artery connecting I-135 and I-35 highways in northeast Wichita.

In addition, the intersection at K-254 and Webb is slated to gain a diamond interchange road junction by 2023.

Top Talent Partnerships

This land is also an opportunity for a business to be a part of a thriving community with some of the area’s top talent in relevant fields.

“To help benefit our tenants and continually propel Wichita as a desirable location for an experienced workforce, we have established a partner relationship program with WSU Tech,” said Stafford.

Located just two miles south of the Bel Aire property, WSU Tech focuses on applied learning in fields that include climate and energy controls technologies, industrial automation and machine maintenance, logistics and supply chain management, robotics, and information technology systems.

Complete, Customizable Build-Out Management at Your Service

With no existing building structures on the Bel Aire property, starting construction from scratch may seem daunting. Our in-house construction services department is here to help navigate clients throughout the entire process. Steve Lebeda, Vice President of Construction Services, is at the helm of that team.

Steve Lebeda, Vice President of Construction Services, Occidental Management

This property is fully customizable and primed for maximized functionality. Space is available for trailer parking and a laydown yard. All utilities are conveniently set up to run with no extensions required. Power is provided by Evergy Inc., with gas from Kansas Gas Service, and water and sewage are supported by the City of Bel Aire. Additionally, the property qualifies for real estate tax abatements.

“The property also offers room to grow,” said Lebeda, “where a client may want to build on a portion of the land and sub-lease the remaining property or expand their building spaces in the future.”

Occidental Management takes pride in helping our clients find the best solution for their individual business needs. Our experienced construction services team can provide a turn-key service and leverages its extensive network and industry relationships to provide the highest quality project on time and on budget.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

- SUPERIOR ACCESSIBILITY

- EASY-TO-CONNECT UTILITIES

- TAX INCENTIVES

- CUSTOMIZABLE, BUILD-TO-SUIT

“ Whether the client already knows what they want and just need a construction team or need help bringing their vision to life, we’ll help build that vision, We offer full project execution, from concept to move-in.”

Logistics & Longevity

“ Access to major highways, as well as close proximity to the Union Pacific Rail Line, Jabara Airport and FedEx Ground Distribution Center, make this location ideal for distribution.”

Chad Stafford, Occidental Management President

America is BackGetting to Work

by Bob Ale-Ebrahim

Let’s Get Back to Work.

America is depending on it.

As the pandemic and COVID cases have continued to decline in the United States, many businesses have asked their employees to return to the office. The COVID pandemic has changed how we work. Working a hybrid schedule has become commonplace, but many high-profile companies like Tesla, Amazon and Google are asking their employees to come back to work and be in the office. After working remote for the last couple of years, 94% of employees have stated that they are ready to return to the workplace. As a company who leases office space, this is good news. In fact, office demand as measured by new tenant tours increased 20% from February to March of this year and was up just more than 8% from a year ago.

Source: promodo.com

Gen Z workers are just starting their careers and they have a different view of the office than the generations before them. But surprisingly, Harry Koeppel, a recent college graduate, won a class project about a real-world case study on how to reimagine office spaces in New York City. One thing he found after he had done his research was, “I had a chance to see some of the most innovative offices in the city, and I know that if I was able to work from places like those, then I would be in the office a lot.” So, Fortune

500 companies are finding that if the office environment has the amenities and high-end technology younger workers want, they will be motivated to come into the office more.

The return to the office is being experienced differently from person to person. Introverts are having a harder time going back to the office than extroverts. Mark Gerald, a psychoanalyst in New York, likens it to a child going to school for the first time. Some employees think it is easier to get their job done when they are around their peers than at home, where there may be more distractions. Other employees feel they are part of a community again. “There is a hunger for human connection and sometimes the human touch,” Gerald said.

Angela Morgensen, a communications consultant in Bethesda, Maryland is relieved to be back in the office. “I’m enjoying talking to people again,” she said. “I used to hate meetings, but I’m finding it stimulating to share ideas now.”

According to Time magazine, studies have found that the best creative work occurs when a team is in a “state of flow.” This is where they work collaboratively on a single problem. Remote work makes it harder to keep everyone engaged in solving that singular problem.

Working remote has also caused several unintended issues that are creating cause for concern among top business leaders. According to one-third of CEOs interviewed in Deloitte’s 2021 Return to Workplaces survey, maintaining workplace culture is at the top of the list of concerns. There is an inherent disconnect within a company’s ecosystem when everyone is virtual, so maintaining productivity and collaboration can be a challenge. Also, one of the biggest disadvantages of remote work is the negative effects it has on mentorship. Prior to the pandemic, younger employees could ask questions of more seasoned professionals or those in different departments in impromptu hallway conversations. That unplanned mentoring and coaching and those unexpected meetings do not happen in a remote setting.

The process of onboarding new employees can also be a challenge in remote settings. Onboarding is the first opportunity for companies to align new hires to their co-workers and the company’s values. It gives that new employee an opportunity to “imprint” and make an impression that will stay with the employee for the length of their career. According to Careerbuilder and Silkroad Technology, employees that are onboarded properly feel engaged and those engaged employees are 87% less likely to leave the company.

When an employee understands the vision, mission and processes that power the company’s ability to achieve its goals, they can become a more productive team member, faster. Much of the operational knowledge in an organization lies with the veteran employees, so the more distance that is put between them and new hires, the less of that knowledge will be transferred. The world is relearning about the value of a shared workspace and onboarding new hires is starting to float to the top of that list.

One thing that the younger Gen Z generation has in common with the older generations is that they enjoy collaborating with others. And that is what the power of being in the office has to offer. A place where people can come to meet and learn from each other and freely exchange ideas to make the work better. The best thing that the pandemic has provided is a platform to discuss a better work-life balance and discover new and better ways to work.

Sources: cnbc.com, cubiclebooth.com, propmodo.com, voanews.com, time.com, careerbuilder.com

Security Cameras Mitigate Risk

by Chris Watson, Director American Digital Security

Occidental Management has a Preferred Partnership with American Digitial Security to Offer Security Systems for our Tenants

The other day I had a customer ask me why I keep talking about analytics when choosing what type of camera system will work best for them. It comes down to what you really want out of your system.

Video analytics software was created to help review the growing hours of surveillance video that a security guard or system manager may never have time to watch. Your video surveillance system is only as useful as the incidents you can capture and watch, and video analytics will help you find these incidents in seconds.

Using video analytics makes your surveillance system more efficient, reduces the workload on security and management staff, and helps you capture the full value of security video by making your IP camera system more intelligent while it works. I always push my customers to decide on what is important to them when it comes to designing or upgrading their surveillance system. It always comes down to one of the four types of systems.

1. Investigation After the Fact

a. Someone did something to someone or something and you must find a record of that event and show how it happened as fast as possible to mitigate loss.

2. Situational Awareness

a. This is allowing you to have actionable intelligence to stop something from happening or at the very least respond to an event in real-time if needed.

3. Safety — True Safety for Staff and Visitors

a. Controlling access to and from your areas of concern.

b. Locking down a building in real-time to stop a threat.

c. Controlling for pandemic responses including contract tracing.

4. Accountability

a. Is everyone doing what they should be doing at all times, video doesn’t lie.

b. Dealing with allegations false/true to protect your staff or mitigate risk.

If I were to simplify the benefit of analytics in a security system in one word, it would be awareness.

Today, analytics can mean everything from object classification, occupancy counting, license plate capture, facial recognition, or even unusual motion detection. These analytics allow you to combine all four types of surveillance systems in the one usable system to meet your needs.

Object classification uses AI algorithms to determine the difference between people, vehicles and all their attributes so it is possible to enhance investigational or real-time searches and receive notifications that provide actionable intelligence. This means rather than just investigating after the fact, you are alerted when something is going on -- preventing damage to your assets. For example, I can set a notification that monitors a designated area for any human activity during a timeframe. If the AI classifies an object as a human, I will get alerted right then and there rather than sifting through, possibly missing it

altogether and having to investigate. Thanks to modern AI and analytics, a system can classify if an object is a human, dog, car, bicycle, etc., and respond accordingly.

License plate recognition has seen an accelerated use in the last few years. Before, authorities were just trying to track down individuals by scanning license plates during investigations but now any business can use the technology, for example, recognizing a plate and automatically opening gates or alerting key personnel if a whitelisted plate comes onto the property. When an LPR-enabled camera recognizes a license plate that has been whitelisted, it will activate any automatic commands you have outlined to trigger via a rule-based software trigger. This also works for unrecognized or blacklisted license plates – allowing for real-time notifications so you are aware before disaster strikes.

When I think of facial recognition, I think back to all the crime dramas and CSI spinoffs and laugh at how close we have gotten to what is portrayed in television. Currently, financial institutions are capturing face profiles of fraudulent individuals and sharing that profile to all their branches. This allows for a time-sensitive share of vital information to key personnel the second a flagged individual walks through the door.

Today, most manufacturers provide one or more video analytics as part of their solution. Not all analytics have been designed the same way however, and depending on the situation, one video analytic type can provide better results than others. The point I am trying to make here is that not all analytics are the same. One of our manufacturers is all about providing retail analytics like people counting and heat mapping so their customers can see where people are at and where they spend their

time during a site visit. Where another manufacturer has taken it to the next level and is able to set Unusual Motion Detection, meaning the AI works to learn what is normal activity for each camera’s field of view and then creates notifications based of what is considered “Unusual” for that scene.

There are important differences in video analytics for each camera/overlay and using the right video analytic in your implementation is crucial to obtain the best results. Finding a partner that can help you discover the combination of different types of video analytics will be the way to go. Not all the scenes are ideal, especially when using video analytics outdoors. Lighting is the most important to consider for night shots. Also let your partner design and outline camera field of views that will ensure the pixels needed for the best results of a video analytic. Remember that all analytics will require configuration and fine tuning with the changing seasons. Plan and work with your partner to learn how to make minor changes throughout the year. An integration between the video management system and the video analytic is important. Furthermore, an integration that includes meta-data support will give you more usability and the possibility to expand its applications.

All of this is fun and can be a bit mind blowing. However, what really matters when it comes to analytics is that you are made aware of what is happening so you can do something about it.

Learn more at www.americandigitalsecurity.com