S.T.O.P. Alarm and PSW recognized
Porterville’s outstanding business honorees
The City of Porterville recognized S.T.O.P. Alarm and PSW as outstanding business honorees during the December First Friday Coffee event.
“Businesses like those being honored make our community a great place to live, work and play,” said Jenni Byers, the city’s community development director, at the monthly event sponsored by the Porterville Chamber of Commerce.
Byers said Ron Irish, the owner of S.T.O.P. Alarm, which opened in 1978, had the know-how, experience, opportunity and vision. After 30plus years in business, it shows that all were needed to succeed.
With Irish doing the sales, installation and services, Irish’s wife, Teri Irish, took care of the books and record keeping.
The business grew and eventually moved into a 1,200 square foot office at Prospect and Henderson. After 20 years, they expanded to 2,200 square feet at the same location.
In 2015, they bought and renovated their current 5,000 square foot facility at 65 S. Hockett St. in Downtown Porterville. They now have enough room for their monitoring, shop and all their employees.
S.T.O.P. Alarm ownership and employees not only live in Porterville, but are active in the community. Ron Irish has been director of Porterville Adult Day Services, member of the Porterville Masonic Lodge, Porterville Eagles Lodge, Porterville Elks Lodge, past member of Porterville Exchange Club and is currently a member of the Rotary Club of Porterville.
Ron Irish was also elected to the Porterville City Council and served from 1997 to 2001, and again from 2003 to 2007. Ron Irish was mayor from 2010 to 2012.
Teri Irish co-chaired the Chamber of Commerce Blood Drives for 13 years, is a member of the Soroptimist Club and is also involved in the Rotary Club of Porterville. Both Irish and Teri Irish are graduates of Leadership Porterville.
Ron Irish, who accepted the award on behalf of the business, said he appreciates the recognition and said the success of S.T.O.P. Alarm wouldn’t be possible without his team.
“It is always a team effort and my team is just absolutely wonderful,” Ron Irish said after receiving the award. “They are more a part of this than I am so thank you, we appreciate it.”
PSW In 1956, Lupe and Dean Hahn, as well as other concerned parents, organized the Porterville Association for Developmentally Disabled Children, which has become known as PSW. PSW is a nonprofit corporation with the majority of the financial support coming from the community members of Porterville.
The company’s desire and vision was to create an organization that would offer expanded instructional and care services for developmentally disabled individuals after they completed the school programs available.
By the 1990s, PSW grew to 25 company vehicles in the transportation department and noted that 444 clients were being transported on a daily basis. In 1993, the graffiti removal program began where clients and staff would paint over or remove graffiti within the city
limits.
The Boomerang Recycling Center was converted into a drive-thru, expanding their services. PSW has programs to employ their clientele in many additional occupations including landscaping, sweeping crews, copy center, assembly services, confidential shredding, value village, and dairy janitorial services.
PSW celebrated its 60th anniversary this year and have over 225 staff and serve nearly 875 clients.
Don Sowers, the executive director of PSW, thanked the city and its citizens for helping PSW thrive.
“Our mission is to assist individuals with disabilities achieve a more independent, productive life and we couldn’t do that without the City of Porterville,” Sowers said. “Thank you to the city, and thank you to the citizens of Porterville for supporting us for 60 years.”