My name is Richard Oates, but everyone calls me DJ. I have been involved in fire protection & security from an early age and have now been exposed to the industry for over 20 years. My goal is to usher in a new era for fire protection & security, and my passion is providing our end users with superior service & products.

My name is Joe Barber, and I am the Vice President of Optimum Fire & Security. I oversee the entirety of our commercial division. I live in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina with my beautiful wife Tiffany and our daughter Lilly. I have been in the fire alarm industry for over 20 years and boast numerous accolades, certifications and degrees pertaining to my craft.

My name is Megan Oates, and I am from upstate New York but moved to Wilmington, North Carolina over 19 years ago. I have been married for 15 years to my husband Richard Oates, the owner of Optimum Fire & Security, and we have 4 daughters together. I have been with the company for almost 4 years as the Office Manager & handle invoicing, billing, payroll, and other administrative duties.

My name is Brian Lessard and I am the Federal Division Director for Optimum Fire & Security. I handle all aspects of Optimum’s federal accounts from sales to service. I have over 25 years of electrical, fire alarm and security experience ranging from sales & programming to service. I also have a multitude of certifications including NICET Level IV in Fire Alarm Systems. I currently travel across the country establishing relationships with VA hospitals, military installations, National Park Service facilities and other government-run facilities. I am originally from Biddeford, Maine and joined the United States Air Force after graduating from high school. I now reside in Surf City, North Carolina where I enjoy fishing, golfing, traveling & boating with my friends, my daughter Sydney and my 2 dogs.

My name is Kyle Boyd, and I’m a native of the Crystal Coast hailing from Morehead City, North Carolina. A strong sense of family & community has been ingrained in me from a young age boasting a family of four brothers and four sisters. This bond fuels my passion to see our Commercial Install team through to success in our daily goals. Fun with family & friends in the sun is my favorite pastime, remembering from my childhood that “Summer is not a place in time but a state of mind.” I now reside in Clayton, North Carolina with my family.

My name is Mike Peterson, and I was born & raised in Wilmington, North Carolina. I am currently the Warehouse Manager for Optimum Fire & Security. I also manage the Fire Extinguisher program for Optimum as well. I have been married to my wife Elizabeth for over 43 years. We have one daughter, three grandchildren and five great grandchildren with another grandchild on the way. I have over 37 years experience in the fire protection industry including time served on the fire department boasting a Level 2 Fire Marshal certification.