With Christmas quickly approaching, our Someone 2 Know this week is a local business owner who spreads goodwill during the holidays by sharing with those in need, in some unique and heart-warming ways.
Meet David Sinclair -
As we enter the small conference room at CEI Alarm in Sparks, we immediately see it's all about the personal touch. Wrapping mounds of presents, the busy team of Santa's helpers is on a mission...
"This is for Northern Nevada Children's Cancer Foundation,” explains David Sinclair, the owner and founder of CEI Alarm.
Sinclair and his staff are preparing these presents for a local family impacted by childhood cancer.
"We're gonna give them to the Foundation tomorrow and they're gonna make sure the family gets them. We don't know who the family is and they don't know who we are."
Sinclair learned about the Foundation through an employee;
"One of our guys just had a baby and it was born with brain cancer,” Sinclair shares.
That baby, miraculously, is healing - and the experience inspired Dave and his team to support the cause. Sinclair says he learned the power of giving from a very special person;
"I get it from my mom,” smiles Sinclair, remembering, "We used to collect UNICEF as kids and my mom would go out door to door, we'd go with her."
Sinclair was serving in the Navy, when he met his wife - a native Nevadan - and eventually the couple put down roots in Washoe County. Here, Dave got a job with an alarm company.
Sinclair explains; "And I had electronics training in the Navy, and after - I don't know - about six or seven years, I was doing good there, but I decided to go out on my own."
28 years - and one serious recession later - this hometown company is thriving, with a management team of six and a fleet of technicians.
"We've got a nice crew - great crew, actually. It's all about the employees and we try to do everything for the employees - make it the best place to work."
And now those happy employees are excited to spread even more holiday cheer - their next giving frenzy is happening at a local grocery store;
"We're going to - each person is going to take the credit card, one at a time - and go around and find a family that looks like they could use some help,” Dave tells us, with a glimmer in his eye, “and when they go to pay for their food, we're going to pay for it and say Merry Christmas and walk out."
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Last year CEI Alarm was honored by Nevada Business Magazine as a best company to work for. Sinclair says their team of 15 is a family.
Sidenote – The employee’s infant who was born with cancer is Lily. To learn more about her story, see link below
