It is no longer common for people to stay at the same company for their whole career. As ADT celebrates its 150th birthday, it is proud to be the chosen home for dozens of employees with 40-plus years in the security industry. We want to take a moment to celebrate three employees whose combined tenure tops even the extraordinary duration of the company itself.
Dana Sweeney, Rebecca Myers and Lila Morell collectively represent more than 150 years of experience and embody both ADT’s evolution and reliability. Their individual journeys offer a glimpse into the history of the company and highlight the enduring impact of a committed employer/employee relationship.
Lila Morell — 57 years
Shoreview, Minnesota
In 1967, when Lyndon Johnson was still president, Lila Morell came across a classified ad in a newspaper for a job at a small, family-owned home security company in Minneapolis. Over the next decades, the company changed hands “seven or eight times,” but Morrell remained a steadfast presence tending to customer service. The company became part of ADT in the late 1990s.
“I’ve always enjoyed interacting with customers,” Morell said from her current office as an administrative processor in Shoreview, Minnesota. “And that has always made my work satisfying.”
In Morell’s early years, there were no computers and most of her work was done manually. When computers were introduced into the office, they were often undependable. Morrell maintained meticulous handwritten records as backups in case the computer crashed and erased any data.
“These days much of the technology is automated, and it’s all much more reliable,” she said. “But the relationship with customers is unchanged and is still so important to what we do.”
Her career at ADT has spanned the entirety of her adult life. She remembers many world events through the lens of her job, including 9/11, when she cried at her desk.
Despite nearing retirement, Morell still enjoys coming into the office every day and relishes simple pleasures like having a cup of coffee with coworkers. Over nearly six decades, she has rarely called in sick.
Morell reflects on her long journey with a sense of pride and accomplishment, knowing she has been part of ADT's rise to become the national leader in home security.
Rebecca Myers — 54 Years
Uniontown, Ohio
In 1970, Rebecca Myers signed the lease for her first apartment in Akron, Ohio, and decided that she should probably find a steadier job. She took a bookkeeping position at a small electronic security company, which was absorbed by Wells Fargo in 1972 and then became part of ADT in 1998. Fifty-four years later, everyone agrees that she’s found that steadiness.
“I've worked as an accounting coordinator and in payroll and HR for most of my career,” Myers said. “I loved my job then, and I love it now.”
She particularly enjoys working with payroll and receivables, appreciating the tidiness of numbers and knowing that she’s supporting her colleagues in their careers. Currently, she is a fleet and safety coordinator, overseeing five offices in Ohio.
As technological aspects of accounting became more streamlined over the years, Myers adapted and has always been intrigued by new platforms and how they help her perform her job.“I like the balance of my detailed, focused work with ADT’s broader mission to protect homes and businesses,” she said.
Myers also likes the constant growth within ADT. “We continue to evolve, and the work never stays the same,” she said. She credits much of her career longevity to the great bosses she’s had over the decades.
Myers’ dedication to her job is unwavering. With no plans to retire, she continues to embrace the changes and challenges that come her way, finding fulfillment in her work and the relationships she has built.
Dana Sweeney — 50 Years
Haltom City, Texas
Dana Sweeney was born into the home security industry. At the age of nine, she started helping her parents with the family’s home alarm company that was based out of their house in Fort Worth, Texas. She became an official employee in 1974, monitoring sensors and kicking off a career that now accounts for half a century.
Eventually, the family business was acquired by a security firm in Lubbock, Texas and then by ADT in the late 1990s. “I’ve always enjoyed working with my colleagues,” Sweeney said from her office in Haltom City, Texas. “And I’ve always valued the peace of mind we provide to customers. Because they’re not just customers; they’re businesses, families and everyday people.”
Sweeney’s role evolved significantly over the course of her career. For the last 15 years, she’s worked as a supply chain coordinator at an ADT warehouse in Haltom City, supporting installation and service teams by ensuring they receive all necessary orders, equipment and parts.
While she recalls the days of working with module racks and having to read printouts on tapes, she takes pride in how ADT continues to innovate. Sweeney is now up-to-speed on the latest camera and video technology and is intrigued by how AI is changing the security industry.
“Working here is what I like doing,” she said matter-of-factly. “And I plan to keep doing it.”
All three women are a testament to dedication, adaptability and a sense of purpose. Together, Sweeney, Morell and Myers represent a combined 150-plus years of experience at ADT, each contributing uniquely to the company's legacy and ongoing success.
“In the end,” Myers said, echoing similar sentiments from her colleagues, “It comes down to the people you work with and knowing you are doing something positive in the world.”