We Are Gatekeeper – Carla Welsh

From VCRs to DVRs, Carla Welsh has watched surveillance technology transform firsthand.

Welsh has worked in the surveillance industry since she applied for a job with Gatekeeper straight out of university. That was 23 years ago, and she’s been working for the company ever since.

“The company was very new then. I think it was about a year old, and I was the third person hired,” she said.

More than a few things have changed since those early days. “We were just starting to sell VCR systems then. That was the new technology, to install a VCR in a metal box and have the cameras recording onto a VHS tape,” she said.

She’s seen Gatekeeper transition from using tapes to wireless downloads, and while the technology is different Welsh said the mission of the company has remained the same.

“We’ve always had the same set of values. We’ve always just tried to sell the best technology solutions for the best prices, because we know that school districts have to be very budget conscious,” she said.

Welsh got her start at the company as an administrator, but has worked in several different roles since her start. She said she moved into her current role in inside sales about 6 years ago when she was ready for a new challenge.

She’s embraced the change and said she likes the connections she gets to make in her position, with her team and with customers.

“I enjoy reaching back out to people and taking care of the follow-up. Checking in with them to make sure everything’s going well, making sure that they’ve been taken care of,” she said. “Without it, things can slip through the cracks.”

Welsh said she always tries to view things from a customer’s perspective, and having watched the technology change over the years she said she’s come to realize that newer is not necessarily better.

“It’s not always about being able to push out the latest and greatest technology,” she said. “It’s about picking the right technology because it’s the best solution and value for our customers.”

An avid reader who finishes at least a book a week, Welsh is known in her team for her sharp mind and great memory. She said enjoys finding new challenges, but she’s happy in her role and is grateful to work at a place where she’s been able to grow and wear a lot of different hats.

“The company has grown and changed so much, and I’ve always been able to switch into different positions that it’s almost like having new jobs without having to leave the company. I’ve been very lucky to be able to do that,” she said.