Legacy
The founder’s story · from the public record“They'll provide us with the resources of a much larger company, while respecting the integrity and uniqueness of our local operation.”Doug Leener · Cobalt, May 2025
Doug Leener's interest in security started with a burglary. In 1977, while he was at school, intruders broke into his parents' home and took his prized stereo. In college he was hired by a start-up alarm company to sell installations under a new Los Angeles smoke-detector ordinance, tagged along on a few jobs to learn the trade, and concluded within months that the owners 'were more interested in playing golf than driving the business'. He says he had more ambition than that. Doug Leener, Founding Story (Cobalt company page) · Cobalt announcement, May 15, 2025
In 1981 he started Superior Alarm Systems in the garage of his rented house in Simi Valley. He bought a drill motor and a drill bit, and a week later sold two residential installs in Canoga Park, the neighbourhood where the company's headquarters now stand. Referrals followed, then the breaks that made the business: Circuit City and the supplement maker Pharmavite. Doug Leener, Founding Story (Cobalt company page)
Over four decades SAS grew from a local alarm installer into one of Southern California's enterprise security integrators, with UL-listed monitoring, UL 2050 high-security work for government-related sites, fire and life safety, command centers and integrated platforms for manufacturers, universities, sporting venues, studios and pharmaceutical companies. Doug's son Jared joined in 2016 and runs business development and sales. The company describes itself as employee-owned and says it 'carefully fostered' its culture over more than forty years; the 1977 break-in, Doug says, is still 'a constant reminder of the importance of the work we do'. SAS website: About Us · Cobalt announcement · Doug Leener, Why Cobalt (Cobalt company page)
Doug made the decision to sell a couple of years before the deal, once he knew it was time to retire, and set out to find someone he could trust to carry on the mission. He says he spoke with 'literally dozens of companies' before Cobalt, and knew right away that its people understood the mission and would value the employees. Jared says he and his father chose Cobalt above all because it would preserve 'the SAS family culture' built over 44 years while letting the company keep its 'boutique' customer experience. Doug is transitioning gradually into retirement; Jared stayed in his role; Cobalt said it would add leadership, and by 2026 former Navy pilot Adam Grossman was CEO. Doug and Jared Leener, Why Cobalt (Cobalt company page) · Cobalt announcement, May 15, 2025 · Cobalt: Our Team
The team
The people who built it
Read the detail
SAS's rebuilt site describes its leadership team without naming anyone. Publicly named people are founder Doug Leener, his son Jared Leener (Director of Business Development and Sales), Martin Ochoa (a Blue Book key contact, role not given) and post-sale CEO Adam Grossman.
In the community
What they gave back · on the record- CommunitySAS holds UL 2050 certification for high-security and government-related applications and a UL fire listing, and runs its own 24/7 UL-listed monitoring; the site also lists California alarm-company and contractor licences.
- JobsDoug Leener says the company was employee-owned and 'always fully committed to offering growth and learning opportunities to our people'; the careers page recruits engineers, installers, service technicians and project managers.
- CommunitySAS is listed as a pre-qualified security subcontractor in The Blue Book construction directory.
In their words
3 public statements · founder first- 2025Doug Leener; Jared Leener · cobaltsp.com (Our Companies)
What it says
Three first-person statements. Doug Leener on the 1977 burglary, the golf-playing bosses, the garage start in Simi Valley, the drill and the first two installs, and landing Circuit City and Pharmavite; Doug on deciding to sell two years before retirement and talking to dozens of buyers; Jared Leener on choosing Cobalt with his father to preserve the family culture and boutique service.
- 2025-05-15Doug Leener; Jared Leener; Anthony Gonzalez · cobaltsp.com (News & Insights)
What it says
Buyer's announcement of its 13th acquisition. Quotes Doug on the garage start and the 1977 break-in, on Cobalt understanding the mission, and on getting 'the resources of a much larger company, while respecting the integrity and uniqueness of our local operation'; quotes Jared on the fit; Anthony Gonzalez calls SAS 'mission-oriented'. Doug to retire gradually, Jared continues, Cobalt to add leadership.
- 2026-08Superior Alarm Systems · superioralarmsystems.com
What it says
Post-sale About page: 'Providing peace of mind since 1981', growth into one of Southern California's leading integrators, an unnamed leadership team, and a section headed 'Proud to be a Cobalt Service Partners company' promising customers 'the same experienced SAS team they know and trust'.
Founder Q&A
In their own words · by email · published with permissionWe’d like Doug Leener to tell this story in their own words. Ran this company, or built it alongside the founder? Ten questions by email, answered at your pace, published only with your OK.
The sale
As both sides told it · on the public recordCobalt announced SAS on May 15, 2025 as its 13th acquisition and second of 2025, describing it as an enterprise-focused integrator with a national and international footprint. Anthony Gonzalez said SAS is 'exactly the kind of business we want to partner with': mission-oriented, good to its team, with unmatched support for long-standing customers. Doug to retire gradually, Jared to continue, additional leadership to be added. Cobalt's company page dates the acquisition to March 2025.
Doug Leener said he decided to sell a couple of years before, when he knew it was time to retire, and wanted to leave the business with someone he trusted to carry on its mission. After dozens of conversations, Cobalt stood out because its people understood the mission, valued the employees and would let SAS keep its culture while adding big-company resources. Jared Leener said he and his father chose Cobalt to preserve the family culture and boutique customer experience.
What happened after
Public signals since the sale · dated5 dated public signals in the 16 months since the sale: leadership 2 · other 1 · brand & site 1 · operations 1. The record, not our opinion.
- Mar 2025SignalAcquisition closessource
Detail
Acquisition closes (Cobalt company page: 'Acquisition Date: March 2025').
- May 15, 2025LeadershipCobalt announces the dealsource
Detail
Cobalt announces the deal; Doug Leener begins a gradual transition to retirement; Jared Leener continues as Director of Business Development and Sales; Cobalt says it will add leadership.
- 2026-06 to 2026-09Brand & siteWebsite rebuiltsource
Detail
Website rebuilt (uploads dated June to September 2026): new services, industries, certifications and partners pages, licence numbers in the footer, an unnamed 'Leadership' section, and an About section headed 'Proud to be a Cobalt Service Partners company'. The Leeners are not named anywhere on the new site.
- Sep 28, 2026LeadershipCobalt's team page lists Adam Grossman as 'CEO, Superior Alarm Systems'source
Detail
Cobalt's team page lists Adam Grossman as 'CEO, Superior Alarm Systems' (former U.S. Navy pilot; senior roles at Janus et Cie and Jacuzzi Group). No announcement of his appointment was found.
- Sep 28, 2026OperationsGreenhouse board lists three openings: Security Systems Technician IV in Canoga Park, and Se…source
Detail
Greenhouse board lists three openings: Security Systems Technician IV in Canoga Park, and Security Technician III and IV in San Jose and San Francisco, the first public sign of a Bay Area presence.
Then and now
Founder and leadershipCompanies Cobalt Service Partners also bought
20 on the public recordSources
Everything above, dated Sept 28, 202610 sources · open the list
Unverified at publish
Whether Doug Leener has fully retired (no update since May 2025); whether Jared Leener remains in post under CEO Adam Grossman and when Grossman was appointed; the meaning of 'employee-owned' (ESOP or simply family-and-staff owned); headcount; the Blue Book 'Est. 1979' versus the founder's 1981; the San Jose and San Francisco postings (new offices or remote technicians); no photo of Doug or Jared Leener on a permitted source; no press or community coverage found.