Posted: November 5, 2010

Barbara Skiffington, president

Founded 2000

Business type Intelligent transportation systems and integrated security systems

Based Chesapeake

Website www.openroadsconsulting.com

Annual gross revenue $12 million in 2009, $14.3 million in 2008 and $7.4 million in 2007

Employees 58 in 2009, 49 in 2008 and 29 in 2007

Who protects the military while it's busy protecting everyone else? One such guardian angel is actually based in Chesapeake.

Open Roads Consulting provides electronic security systems for some of the defense department's most critical assets. But before the company began electronically padlocking B-2 bombers and entire military bases, Open Roads was designing technology to protect civilians on a more familiar battleground: the traffic jam.

Founded in 2000, the company originally specialized in developing intelligent transportation systems, or ITS, for state highway departments in Virginia, Alaska and Delaware. Three years later, Open Roads started applying similar technology to integrated security systems.

"It's been a huge benefit," said President Barbara Skiffington of the diversification. "We were able to leverage the same technologies in both market areas. The state government budgets are more limited than the security area of the military, which has been really growing. We haven't felt the economic downturn like a lot of people. We've been very fortunate."

The company is truly a family affair. Skiffington, a software developer, started Open Roads with her brother, vice president Steve Beckwith. Today he and Skiffington run the business with their respective spouses: Susan Beckwith is director of human resources and Joe Cardyn is director of integrated security systems.

Open Roads provides security services including physical-intrusion detection, access control, perimeter control and video surveillance, Cardyn said.

"We integrate these systems to protect critical assets of the military," he said. "It could be an entire base; it could be an aircraft or a ramp. We develop these systems, we field them, we supply technicians to maintain them throughout the life cycle of the system.

We're at about nine major Air Force bases worldwide."

And true to its name, the company helps keep roads open, providing ITS to the Virginia Department of Transportation and similar agencies.

"The intelligent transportation system uses technology to help with mobility and safety and keeping people moving on the road," Skiffington said.

For example, the company assists VDOT in monitoring traffic patterns - including accidents and other issues - on the state's highways, roads and bridges.

"If you have an accident and call 911, that goes to the Virginia State Police or the Fairfax County Police or wherever," she said. "The information that comes in on that 911 call is picked up by our system and shared with the department of transportation immediately and in real time."