For nearly seven decades, Electronic Contracting Company (ECC) has quietly built a reputation as one of the most trusted technology systems integrators. With headquarters in Lincoln, Neb., and five locations in the Midwest, ECC delivers AV, communication, security, fire safety and managed services solutions across industries that include corporate, correctional, education and healthcare. But you won’t see their name on flashy billboards or hear it on radio ads. ECC thrives on something far more powerful than traditional advertising — word of mouth from satisfied customers.
Since its founding in 1958, ECC has evolved from providing basic security systems to crafting highly customized, integrated solutions designed to simplify operations and elevate technology experiences. This customer-centric ethos has driven the company’s remarkable growth, including 12% year-over-year expansion and a 30% surge in sales.
At the heart of the company’s recent success lies IMPERIUM, ECC’s intelligent correctional control solution. By streamlining security and facility management into a single touchscreen system, IMPERIUM helps correctional facilities easily manage everything from doors and cameras to intercoms and lighting. This innovation has turned heads in the industry, driving a staggering 100% year-over-year growth over the last three to five years.
Now, ECC is channeling their expertise into the education sector with IMPERIUM EDU. This extension of their flagship technology integrates disparate safety systems like access control, cameras, gunshot detection and mass notifications into one unified interface. It’s a solution designed to meet the growing need for school safety measures, ensuring administrators and resource officers can respond to threats swiftly and effectively.
Whether transforming correctional operations or redefining school safety, ECC’s commitment to innovation, local support and building long-term client relationships continues to set them apart. For ECC, it has never been about making noise; it’s about changing lives.
Putting Customers First, Every Step of the Way
At ECC, the philosophy is simple: take care of your people, listen to your customers and deliver exceptional results. “You won’t see us installing a camera on the wall and walking away,” says Matt Thorne, executive vice president of ECC. Each system ECC designs is tailored to meet the distinct needs of their clients, whether it’s AV, security, fire safety, or healthcare solutions. What truly sets ECC apart is their ability to integrate these diverse technologies, thanks to a dedicated team of programmers. Beyond installations, ECC partners with their clients for the long haul, offering unlimited training, regular programming updates and guaranteed response times. “The days of simply offering extended warranties are over,” Logan Hinnant, president of ECC, says.
The Vision First Took Shape
Just over 20 years ago, ECC was tasked with solving the challenges of a correctional facility grappling with an outdated and inefficient system. It was here that the vision for IMPERIUM first took shape, driven by the need for a smarter, more reliable solution. Control of the facility relied on a massive console covered with buttons, lights and switches that often malfunctioned and were patched with tape or jammed with pins. It was unwieldy, prone to failure and impossible to scale. When the facility asked about adding more doors to their system, it became clear that something revolutionary was needed.
What emerged was the idea of a virtual control system, scalable platform displayed on a large touchscreen monitor. This solution replaced the cluttered control board with an interface capable of managing doors, locks, intercoms, cameras and even utilities like water and power. Changes could be made with just a few programming hours, often handled remotely. The concept quickly gained traction, evolving through continuous refinement and eventually being branded as IMPERIUM. Today, it represents a modern, intuitive and efficient approach to correctional facility management, transforming how jails operate.
ECC realized that the primary reason correctional facilities were replacing outdated systems with virtual touchscreens was the lack of local support from providers. Competitors offered similar solutions but charged high fees for updates and support due to their remote locations. Although the company’s local presence initially provided a competitive edge and led to opportunities to replace competing products, their growing national demand highlighted a scalability challenge. With limited resources, they faced the risk of having the same support issues as their competitors if they expanded without a new approach.
By streamlining security and facility management into a single touchscreen system,
IMPERIUM helps correctional facilities easily manage everything from doors and
cameras to intercoms and lighting. Courtesy / ECC
ECC’s Partnership Strategy
Recognizing the need for stronger local support, a new strategy emerged: partnering with security integrators across the U.S. Instead of ECC supporting installations directly, the idea was simple yet groundbreaking — identify trusted integrators, establish partnerships and equip them to resell, install and support the product locally.
This approach created a win-win scenario. Security integrators gained a unique way to enter the corrections market, where administrators often drown in generic pitches about access controls and camera systems. With this partnership, integrators could offer something truly innovative, replacing outdated control boards with virtual touchscreen systems that instantly captured attention. For corrections facilities, it meant a pathway to solutions backed by nearby experts.
For ECC, it delivered their product to a wider audience while ensuring a tailored, localized support framework. This strategy has not only proven highly successful but has also solidified valuable industry relationships, laying the foundation for industry growth and collaboration.
IMPERIUM’s Growth
IMPERIUM’s Linux-based processor was chosen for its stability and reliability, avoiding the disruptions of mandatory Windows updates. One IMPERIUM system has run flawlessly for 14 years without an update, reducing emergency callouts, simplifying maintenance and ensuring peace of mind for county sheriffs.
Indeed, its stability has been the driving force behind IMPERIUM’s growth, with word-of-mouth spreading its reputation nationwide. According to Hinnant, sheriffs who’ve experienced the system’s reliability often recommend it at conferences, sharing contacts on the spot when others face critical system failures. This organic advocacy has led to calls from facilities across the country — from Maine to California — with one to two new inquiries arriving weekly. Known as the most stable solution in industry, ECC’s platform is winning trust and transforming correctional facilities nationally.
Over the course of 2022 and 2023, significant effort was dedicated to driving thousands of miles weekly to meet potential partners and establish relationships. This groundwork laid the foundation for rapid growth. And, about a year ago, responsibilities were transitioned to Kevin Lodes, director of channel partner sales.
Today, ECC has secured contracts in multiple states, including Massachusetts, Florida, Texas and Arizona, signaling a nationwide expansion and the overwhelming success of these efforts.
In fact, ECC earned the NSCA Excellence in Business (EIB) award for its innovative and differentiating strategies. The recognition highlights the company’s collaborative model of partnering with other security integrators to enhance their operations. “We were recognized for this exact model of working with other security integrators just to better their business, which, in turn, betters our business. And, like I said, it’s a win-win for everybody,” explains Thorne.
Driving Growth
IMPERIUM’s software-based solutions are revolutionizing the approach for integrators in the security and AV industries. “Traditional integrators are used to hardware-centric conversations, but this is a software-centric solution,” explains Doug Seaman, director of sales at ECC. “This shift brings unique advantages like extensibility and interoperability, allowing integration with existing systems. That flexibility is what positions us for growth,” he says.
Hinnant adds, “Before COVID, ECC was primarily an AV firm, with 65% of our focus in that sector. Over the past three to four years, however, we’ve shifted to 61% security, driven by the significant growth of IMPERIUM.” Lodes adds, “We’ve seen 100% growth year-over-year, specifically in the IMPERIUM control side, for the last three years.” The security segment of ECC’s business is experiencing rapid growth, driven by the success of IMPERIUM. Meanwhile, other segments like AV and healthcare systems continue to grow steadily, with annual increases of 5% to 8%, adds Hinnant.
Hinnant shares, “A jail administrator in rural Arkansas once told me, ‘This is the most intuitive platform I’ve seen. I can train a new detention officer to run the entire jail in just 15 to 20 minutes.’ The ECC team has done an exceptional job creating a system where anyone can easily operate doors, handle intercoms and manage camera feeds.”
The key strategies for promoting the IMPERIUM solution include focused outreach to local, county and state facilities to identify and address system challenges, such as difficulties obtaining replacement parts. Attendance at trade shows plays a vital role in generating leads and boosting name recognition, leading to increased inbound interest. Growing awareness within the industry is evidenced by positive feedback from events like the Florida Sheriff’s Association.
IMPERIUM is expanding into the education market, focusing primarily on K-12 while
exploring opportunities in higher education. Courtesy / ECC
Expanding IMPERIUM
“We partner with seven security integrators across the United States,” says Lodes. The vision for nationwide integrator coverage is both bold and inspiring. Lodes outlines their goal of ensuring every region across the lower 48 states is supported by skilled, reliable integrators. “The idea is to provide coverage coast to coast,” he explains. Depending on their capabilities, some integrators may focus on a single state, while others manage larger territories spanning two, three, or even four states. “It’s an exciting step forward,” he adds, emphasizing the collaborative and expansive strategy driving this mission.
IMPERIUM is expanding into the education market focusing primarily on K-12 while exploring opportunities in higher education. The rollout is underway, Seaman explains, with efforts concentrated on attracting new customers and pilot projects. Designed to address the security needs of education institutions, IMPERIUM EDU is positioned as a strong solution for this market.
“With IMPERIUM EDU, we’re addressing a major challenge in school safety by integrating multiple systems like access control, cameras, gunshot detection and mass notification into a single interface,” Seaman explains. “This ‘single pane of glass’ solution ensures that school administrators, resource officers, or security directors can respond quickly and effectively without toggling between systems. With new regulations pushing for standardized mapping and faster response times, this approach is a game changer for K-12 schools, offering both compliance and peace of mind,” Seaman says.
IMPERIUM’s Wearable Tech
“We take pride in listening to our customers,” Thorne adds. “That’s how the IMPERIUM solution has evolved. One of the newest features allows correctional facilities to track and monitor inmates using wearables. This not only provides historical location data but also monitors vitals like heart rate [and] O2 levels, which has been incredibly valuable to facilities. Some are even adopting IMPERIUM specifically for this feature.”
He continues, “Attending trade shows is more than just educating or closing deals; it’s about understanding needs and pain points to continuously refine and expand what IMPERIUM offers.”
Hinnant adds, “We recognized early on that existing wearable health monitoring solutions weren’t meeting industry needs. After listening to feedback and understanding the flaws, we developed our own system that truly solves these challenges.”
Integrator Advice
Thorne’s advice for integrators is straightforward: Identify niche opportunities. He explains that the market for standard access control and camera systems is oversaturated, with electrical contractors and IT teams now vying for the same projects. “To stand out, you need to target areas of high demand and uniqueness,” Thorne advises. “Whether it’s developing your own product or finding a specialized one, solving a problem no one else can builds trust and opens doors.” He stresses that even smaller, more specialized solutions can lead to bigger opportunities through strong customer relationships built on trust and delivering results.
Hinnant also offers advice to integrators. “Find your specialty and become the best at it,” he says. “Once you earn trust by excelling in one area, the opportunities to expand will come.” He highlights a partner in Lake County, Fla., which started with a small control system project. By building trust, they now handle all the county’s cameras, access control and additional needs.
It boils down to the fact that mastery, paired with strong customer relationships, fosters growth and long-term success.
