// security technology · ai engineering

Security Technology Leader · AI Builder · 25 Years in the Field

"I don't collect certificates. I build things."

andrew@synvantaai.io
>status: building the future of security tech
>location: Toronto, Canada
>current_role: Manager, Corporate Security — Systems & Technology
>side_quest: Synvanta AI (synvantaai.io)
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Who I Am

I started as a security guard in October 2001 at a major Canadian municipality. I didn't have a plan to spend the next 25 years here — but I had a habit that never went away: I'd find the part of the job that was broken, slow, or held together with spreadsheets, and I'd go fix it.

That habit moved me through the ranks — guard → supervisor → manager. Today I'm Manager, Corporate Security — Systems & Technology, leading a section of 21 staff across four teams: Security Access, Video Management Systems (VMS), a Project Management Office, and our broader technology initiatives — with a dotted-line tie to a 3-person corporate security IT team.

Along the way I've taught myself whatever the problem required — SharePoint, Nintex workflow automation, and now AI-powered application development. I've never been the person who waits for a vendor or a budget cycle to hand me a solution. If there's a gap, I close it.

You're only as good as what you build.
I've never waited for someone to hand me a solution.

25 Years of Bringing Tech Into the Field

2001
Started as a security guard at a major Canadian municipality.
2003
Led the purchase and implementation of InTime scheduling, replacing fragmented Excel-based systems across all of corporate security — the division's first enterprise scheduling system.
2005
Promoted to Supervisor, responsible for 15 social service offices and ~20 staff.
2006–2007
Early adopter of TrackTik for guard patrol metrics (walking and vehicle patrols) — now a global platform. Led the needs analysis and RFP for a new enterprise incident reporting system.
2007
Moved to a major transit hub and revamped the entire security operation — grew the contract guard team from 4 to 50+, built a dispatch center, a storefront security office, a full radio system, policies and procedures, and response-time KPIs.
2007–2014
Managed security operations at the transit hub: ~3,500 cameras, ~100 card readers, a $3–4M annual budget, 15–20 city staff plus 40–50 contract guards. Introduced Keytrak electronic key management — a first in corporate security for the municipality, now widely adopted.
2013–2014
Built a SharePoint intranet from scratch as a centralized knowledge hub for corporate security staff, then migrated it forward to SharePoint 2013.
2014–2015
Led the citywide access control migration from CCure 8000 to CCure 9000 — a mission-critical upgrade across 45,000 cards, 5,000 readers, and thousands of panels. Recovered from a failed vendor, had the internal team complete the technical work, and rolled out with zero issues.
2017
Introduced Nintex workflow automation into SharePoint — automated reporting, cross-list data sharing, and business intelligence inside the security environment.
~2017
Upgraded incident reporting to a more robust platform with dispatching capabilities.
2020
Migrated incident reporting to a cloud-based platform with AI capabilities.
2020s
Led the implementation of metal detectors and turnstile barriers at a heritage municipal building — navigating heritage compliance, AODA accessibility requirements, public stakeholder engagement, 3D design renderings, and cross-departmental coordination.
2024–2025
Built the Video Management System (VMS) Office from scratch — a dedicated team managing the citywide Milestone VMS: ~4,500 cameras, ~250 recording servers, 3–4 SAN units, and encoders. Grew the team to four and developed its policy and procedures.
2025
Currently manage the PMO — 3 project managers and 9 project coordinators delivering 70–100 security infrastructure projects per year (access control, video surveillance, electronic key boxes, major renovation consulting).
2025
Built a project milestone tracking application using AI in 10–15 hours to replace Excel-based tracking — now in production use.
2025
Published "AI and the Future of Physical Security: Preparing for 2025–2030" — a 22-page white paper on AI in access control, video analytics, perimeter protection, predictive maintenance, municipal use cases, and a phased implementation roadmap.
2025
Developed the UrbanWatch AI concept — an AI-powered urban threat monitoring platform featuring automated daily intelligence briefings, 5-tier threat classification, and ethical-by-design principles.
2025–present
Launched Synvanta AI (synvantaai.io) — an AI automation and digital consulting company building affordable, niche applications for the security industry and SMBs.

The Pivot

After 25 years of bringing technology into security operations for one of Canada's largest cities, I'm now focused on building the tools myself.

venture

Synvanta AI

Still a work in progress — using AI to build niche, affordable applications for the security industry. I'm targeting the organizations that can't justify enterprise platforms at $50K–$500K a year but still need real tools that work.

proof

Built in 10–15 hours

A project milestone tracker, built with AI, now in production use — replacing Excel. Proof that AI makes it possible to solve real operational problems fast and affordably, not someday, now.

concept

UrbanWatch AI

An AI-powered urban threat monitoring platform — automated daily intelligence briefings, a 5-tier threat classification, and a human-in-the-loop, ethical-by-design model built on public data only.

vision

Tech that works for everyone

"Every security program, regardless of size or budget, deserves technology that works for them." That's the line I keep coming back to — and the reason any of this exists.

// platforms & tools in the mix
SiteOwl SecureThings TrackTik Resolver Core InTime Custom AI-built apps

Thought Leadership

white paper · 22 pages

AI and the Future of Physical Security: Preparing for 2025–2030

The current state of AI in municipal security, five projected trends through 2030, the key industry players (BriefCam, Evolv, ZeroEyes, Genetec, Milestone), real-world municipal case studies, a phased implementation roadmap, and an AI readiness checklist.

Download the white paper
concept deck

UrbanWatch AI — Concept Document

An AI-powered urban threat monitoring platform: automated morning intelligence briefings, a 5-tier risk classification, public-data-only sourcing, and a human-in-the-loop ethical model — enterprise-grade intelligence at a scale real security budgets can actually reach.

View the concept deck

speaking engagements

  • Transportation security conferences (Vancouver, Calgary) — physical security of major transportation hubs, presented alongside Transport Canada
  • Multiple speaking engagements on physical security operations
  • Panel participant — AI and video surveillance
  • Panel participant — AI and security technology
  • Industry presentations on technology integration and operational modernization

I believe the security industry is at a turning point. AI isn't replacing people — it's freeing them to do higher-value work. I write and speak about how to make that transition responsibly.

The Scale

0
Years in corporate security
0
Direct staff across 4 specialized teams
0
Cameras in the citywide VMS
0
Access cards managed
0
Card readers across the municipality
0
Security projects delivered per year
0
Annual budget managed
0
Enterprise platforms researched & implemented

Two Paths In

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venture: synvantaai.io (building in progress)
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