Powhatan security company moves HQ to former New Horizon Bank building

Fortified Security Solutions’ new HQ at 2422 New Dorset Circle.Photos courtesy Melinda Kinney

A Powhatan-based bank’s recent expansion into Henrico has given a growing local security company a chance to secure a new home base.

Fortified Security Solutions recently moved into its newly purchased headquarters building at 2442 New Dorset Circle in Powhatan. 

The almost 9,000-square-foot building, formerly the operations center of New Horizon Bank, was purchased back in April by Fortified Security Solutions owner and principal managing partner Tim Kinney for $1.1 million. 

Fortified Security Solutions was founded in 2019, after Kinney, a veteran of the local security industry, and his wife and managing partner Melinda Kinney decided to branch out and create a family-owned business. 

Fortified repairs, sells and installs electronic security services, such as surveillance cameras and intrusion systems, card readers and gate accesses, smart lock technology and A/V intercom systems. It services mostly business customers with some minimal work for residential clients, Kinney said. 

Kinney said that Fortified had been looking for a new headquarters for around two years prior to the move, wanting to grow its employee base beyond what was possible in the old location. Its previous headquarters was located a few miles west in a suite at 3229 Anderson Highway, where it had around 3,000 square feet across two floors.

The Fortified Security Solutions team works in the company’s new HQ.

As Fortified banks with New Horizon, once the security company heard New Horizon was selling the operations center, it jumped on purchasing the building, Kinney said. 

“It never really hit the market,” Kinney said. “We were able to work with (New Horizon) to finalize the sale.” 

The sale closed April 23, and Fortified moved into the space on May 30 after around investing around $100,000 to outfit the space with new carpeting, paint, appliances and countertops.

Fortified nearly doubled its footprint in the new building, taking up around 6,600 square feet, while looking to lease out the remaining 1,400 square feet.

With the new space, Kinney said Fortified can now scale its operations and accommodate a growing team. The company currently has around 20 employees, having grown steadily over the past few years, and is currently looking to hire in multiple new roles, including for a sales director and some technology technician roles, Kinney said. 

Tim and Melinda Kinney.

“We’re closer to 288, it gives us the ability to streamline our process a little bit more,” Kinney said. “It’s a modern workplace. Gives us the ability to have high-speed infrastructure, capability…as well as the ability to have flex space.” 

The company also plans to convert a 600-square-foot space in the building into a training center for employees, Melinda Kinney told BizSense. 

Along with the Powhatan office, Fortified also has an Orlando outpost that opened earlier this year, providing security services to the entire state of Florida alongside Virginia, Kinney said.

The company plans to host a grand opening of the new Powhatan HQ sometime in August. 

New Horizon Bank moved its operations center from the New Dorset Circle location to 7231 Forest Ave. in Henrico’s West End. 

New Horizon CEO Will Groves told BizSense in May that the move to Henrico is aimed at giving the small bank a more central location as it looks to increase its local presence.

The bank retains its one and only standalone branch in Powhatan. 

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