ALOA Security Professionals Association (ALOA, formerly known as the Associated Locksmiths of America) is an American

trade organization A trade association, also known as an industry trade group, business association, sector association or industry body, is an organization founded and funded by businesses that operate in a specific industry. An industry trade association partic ...

for locksmiths and other physical security professionals. The organization represents more than 6,000 locksmiths in the United States, Canada, and other countries, making it the largest association of its sort in North America, and conducts professional proficiency certifications for its members. ALOA's activities include a continuing education (ACE) program, an annual convention and security exposition, and the ALOA Training Center, based in

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Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

History

Establishment and early conventions

The Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA) was founded in 1955. The executive secretary was Lee Rognon of

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, with the organization establishing its first headquarters in Kingston, a city located about 25 miles north of Modena.Associated Press
"Locksmiths Move Their Headquarters"
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'', vol. 51, no. 238 (July 11, 1973), pg. 2. The group held its first biennial convention in

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from July 14–16, 1956, at the Sherman Hotel, bringing together locksmiths from around the country. The 1956 National Convention and Trade Show was directed and managed by Robert Rognon,"Modena,"
Kingston: ''

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'' vol. 85, no. 229 (July 14, 1956), pg. 3. husband of Lee Rognon. The show was expected to draw 3,000 participants from 46 of the 48 American states. The 1958 ALOA National Convention was again held at the Sherman Hotel in Chicago, and was a two-day affair, running the weekend of July 19–20. Among the activities conducted by the convention was a lock-picking contest, with Glen Hickenlooper of

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, proclaimed the national champion for a second time. In 1960, ALOA turned to

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as the location for its third biennial convention, also held in the middle of July. About 1200 members of the organization were in attendance, where they were viewed demonstrations of new burglary-prevention devices and were photographed and fingerprinted for identification in an effort to raise professional standards for locksmiths. The convention once again was the scene of a lock-picking competition, in which Flora E. Gebhart of

Shamokin, Pennsylvania Shamokin (; Saponi Algonquian ''Schahamokink'', meaning "place of eels") ( Lenape Indian language: Shahëmokink) is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. Surrounded by Coal Township at the western edge of the Anthracit ...

won the women's division with a time of 1 minute and 41 seconds to pick a standard door lock. During the early 1970s the Associated Locksmiths produced two short educational films as part of an outreach program highlighting security issues with owners of homes and businesses. The first of these, ''Invitation to Burglary,'' narrated by actor

Raymond Burr Raymond William Stacy Burr (May 21, 1917September 12, 1993) was a Canadian actor known for his lengthy Hollywood film career and his title roles in television dramas ''Perry Mason'' and '' Ironside''. Burr's early acting career included roles ...

, dealt with residential crime and its prevention, while the second, ''Rip Off,'' narrated by actor

Henry Fonda Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor. He had a career that spanned five decades on Broadway and in Hollywood. He cultivated an everyman screen image in several films considered to be classics. Born and ra ...

, concerned the security problems of business and industry."Outwit the Thief,"
''Irving XDaily News,'' vol. 15, no. 307 (Feb. 26, 1974), pg. 1. Both of these short films were made available for use by ALOA to groups able to raise an audience of 25 persons or more.

Relocation

The headquarters of the Associated Locksmiths of America was moved from Kingston, New York, to

in the summer of 1973. In addition to its executive offices, the group moved its central library of literature related to the history and practice of locksmithing to its new Dallas facility at this time. Lee Rognon remained Executive Director of ALOA at the time of the organization's move.

Organization

Security Expo

ALOA hosts an Security Expo which consists of classes, networking events, exhibits, and the annual membership meeting. The 2022 ALOA Security Expo was held at the

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Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

. The 2023 ALOA Security Expo will be held at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista in Orlando, Florida.

Certifications

ALOA holds frequent proficiency certification sessions for experienced locksmiths. Through its Proficiency Registration Program (PRP), ALOA offers five locksmith membership designations: (1) Registered Locksmith (RL); (2) Certified Registered Locksmith (CRL); (3) Certified Professional Locksmith (CPL); (4) Certified Master Locksmith (CML); and (5) Certified Automotive Locksmith (CAL)

ALOA LATINO

The group also conducts a membership program for locksmiths in Mexico and the Spanish-speaking diaspora called "ALOA LATINO."

Safe and Vault Technicians Association

ALOA owns the Safe and Vault Technicians Association (SAVTA) and proctors the examinations for its specialty certifications, which include Certified Professional SafeTech (CPS) and Certified Master Safe Technician (CMST).

Publication

ALOA publishes a monthly digital and paper magazine for its members called ''Keynotes.''

Footnotes

External links

Find a ALOA Locksmith
{{DEFAULTSORT:Associated Locksmiths of America 1955 establishments in the United States Locksmithing organizations Trade associations based in the United States Organizations established in 1955