About Us

About Optimum Fire & Security

Richard DJ Oates, President/Owner

Richard "DJ" Oates

Founder/Managing Member

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.

Joe Barber, Vice-President

Joe Barber

Chief Executive Officer

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

Ray Smith

Controller

My name is Ray Smith, and I am the Controller of Optimum Fire & Security.

Brian Lessard, Federal Division Director

Brian Lessard

Chief Operating Officer

My name is Brian Lessard and I am the COO for Optimum Fire & Security. 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.

Kyle Boyd

Kyle Boyd

Operations Manager

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.

Aaron Rusk

Aaron Rusk

Training Manager

David Mulholland

David Mulholland

Structured Cabling Consultant

Joe Tranfaglia

Joe Tranfaglia

Senior Design Consultant

Brandon Medina

Senior Design Specialist

Jake Dorsett

BDA/ERRCS Division Director

Click on the map below to read about our past projects