BSIA announces death of Skills for Security chairman Tony Allen

Educated at the University of Sussex and the University of Surrey (where he studied for and attained an MSc in Applied Physics), Allen held senior roles at Scantronic for 12 years and later became a founder of Dycon (the provider of advanced technology, low-voltage power supply products which, in 2004, became one of the first companies to adopt switched-mode technology), serving as managing director of the business from that same year.

Across the years, Allen held many Board-level roles in the security sector, including chairmanship of the BSIA’s Security Equipment Manufacturers Section and his most recent role as a director and chairman of Skills for Security.

Simon Banks, chairman of the BSIA, said: “Tony brought a unique combination of talents to the roles for which he was responsible. His considerable commercial experience combined with his own brand of discipline gave him a passion for understanding the systems and processes of the security sector.”

Banks went on to state: “In his last major role as chair of Skills for Security, these talents in combination with strong communication skills meant that he was instrumental in steering the company out of its previously poor financial position, while also relentlessly driving quality improvements in terms of course content and delivery.”

Further, Banks observed: “It was Tony’s tenacity and persuasion that convinced me to become chair of the BSIA over three years ago now. He genuinely believed in the Trade Association and saw the value of a professional security industry where others perhaps didn’t. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family.”

Also paying tribute to Allen, Security Matters’ Editor Brian Sims said: “Tony was a real stalwart and champion of the security business sector as a whole, but in particular the systems sector. Alongside Tony Makosinski, he positioned Dycon to become the successful and pioneering organisation that it is today.”

Sims added: “Alongside managing director David Scott, Tony worked wonders at Skills for Security to really raise the profile of the organisation and set it on a new course firmly fixed on security apprenticeships. Today’s announcement is a tremendously sad one for the security world. All of us here at Security Matters and Western Business Media offer our sincerest condolences to Tony’s family and friends as well as his very many industry colleagues. He will be greatly missed.”