In Nashville, Tennessee, Jack Byrd III has positioned Solaren Risk Management at the intersection of traditional security and technological innovation. As CEO, Byrd has guided the company’s evolution from a small startup to a regional leader by integrating advanced technology while maintaining the irreplaceable value of human expertise.
Security Technology at Solaren
Under Byrd’s leadership, Solaren has transformed its operational infrastructure to better serve a mobile workforce. The company utilizes an entirely mobile-based platform for communications, recognizing the needs of their field operations team.
“Everything that we use for communication is mobile-based because all of our operations team is out in the field almost all the time,” notes Bethany Gill, Chief Operations Officer at Solaren. This shift has allowed supervisors and security personnel to maintain seamless contact regardless of location, essential for a company managing security across multiple states and venues.
One of Byrd’s most significant technological initiatives has been partnering with LiveView Technologies to deploy mobile surveillance trailers. These solar-powered units can be rapidly installed at client locations, offering an efficient security solution for expansive areas like parking lots where constant human patrol might be impractical or cost-prohibitive.
“A lot of our clients have loved having that option,” explains a company representative. “They may have an expansive parking lot and you either don’t want to pay for a guard to be out there patrolling it, or you just don’t have that kind of concept in your mind.”
AI Implementation and Maintaining Human Value
Solaren’s surveillance systems incorporate artificial intelligence capabilities that can detect a human presence from considerable distances.
“AI can detect a face from far away, and, for example, alert us if that person is at a location at certain hours that we have in our system,” says a Solaren operations manager.
When the system identifies potential security concerns, it can automatically broadcast customized audio messages to deter unauthorized access.
License plate reader technology is another integration that enhances security capabilities. These AI-powered systems can identify and track vehicles entering secured areas, providing valuable information that human security staff can act upon when necessary.
Despite embracing these technological advances, Byrd and Solaren maintain a clear philosophy about the relationship between technology and human security personnel, emphasizing that technology should improve rather than replace human effort. As a company spokesperson emphasizes, “A lot of people think that AI takes away from the physical security aspect, but it really doesn’t. If anything, it supplements it.”
“You still have to have somebody that audits what that AI is detecting. It still makes mistakes,” they continue. “The human eye is going to recognize things and be able to process things better than AI ever will.”
Training Personnel for Technology Integration
Solaren invests significantly in preparing its security staff to effectively use new technologies. For major events, preparation begins months in advance, ensuring all personnel understand both their assignments and the equipment they’ll be using. This includes training on radio protocols, surveillance systems, and other technological tools specific to each assignment.
When introducing new equipment like specialized radio systems, Solaren emphasizes proper usage and communication etiquette, particularly important when client representatives may be monitoring the same channels. This comprehensive preparation ensures technology enhances rather than hinders security operations.
Future-Focused Security Solutions
Jack Byrd continues to explore emerging technologies that could further enhance Solaren’s security capabilities. The company is currently investigating advanced cybersecurity measures, including devices that can detect digital intrusions within specific areas.
“We’re actually exploring a device that will actually detect if there’s being some kind of digital hack coming into a zone of a certain square footage, and it’ll shut it down immediately,” says Gill.
Solaren is also building expertise in open source intelligence (OSINT) to expand its security offerings. This approach to investigating potential cybersecurity and digital threats analyzes publicly available information to produce actionable intelligence for security operations, complementing the company’s physical security services and creating a more comprehensive solution for clients.
Balanced Approach to Security Innovation
The company’s growth from a mall office to managing over 300 contractors throughout Nashville demonstrates the effectiveness of Byrd’s strategy. By balancing technological innovation with human expertise, Solaren has created a scalable security model that maintains quality while expanding reach.
This approach has proven especially valuable during crisis response situations. During Hurricane Milton in 2024, Solaren deployed both personnel and technology to protect client properties in Florida. “The deployment was actually pretty smooth, and the client was very happy with our services down there,” notes a company representative.
Solaren’s Path Forward
As security challenges evolve, Jack Byrd remains committed to exploring new technological frontiers while maintaining the company’s core values. “We’re very comfortable exploring those new avenues,” says Gill. “We want to try to widen our scope as much as possible and be able to provide services to as many people as possible.”
This commitment to innovation addresses one of the industry’s persistent challenges: staffing. By strategically deploying technology, Solaren can extend its security coverage while focusing human personnel where they add the most value.
Yet Solaren remains pragmatic about the fundamental role of human security professionals. “There’s never going to be a time where people don’t need physical security guards,” Gill emphasizes. “There’s always going to be a location that needs that.”
