Signature Automation

Wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving! We hope you enjoy the holiday with the people who matter most.

We also have some exciting news to share right after the break. Stay tuned.

We had an great time at the Rio Grand Valley Utility Conference last week in McAllen! It was great to connect with so many water and wastewater pros, share ideas, and talk about the latest industry trends.

Our co-founders Rick Hidalgo and Kevin Patel were there representing the company, with Kevin presenting on the latest advancements in SCADA systems. Dave Harran, our Director of Corporate Structure, was also on site, joining conversations and networking throughout the event.

Big thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth and helped make the conference a success!

Kevin Patel, our Vice President/COO, will be presenting at the Rio Grand Valley Utility Conference tomorrow!

Kevin will explore the latest advancements in SCADA systems within the water and wastewater industry, highlighting how evolving technologies continue to enhance operational efficiency and system security.

When: November 5, 2025
Where: McAllen Convention Center

Don’t miss this chance to learn from Kevin’s 23+ years of industry leadership and forward-thinking insights.

Happy Halloween from our team!
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Funding is often the biggest barrier to cybersecurity progress, but being prepared can open doors. The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program reopens this December, creating opportunities for utilities and municipalities to strengthen their defenses.

To be ready, organizations should focus now on:
• Up-to-date asset inventories
• Current network diagrams
• Documented policies and procedures

supports this preparation with cybersecurity assessments, backup and disaster recovery planning, and virtualization solutions aligned to grant priorities.

For more information go to: https://www.cisa.gov/cybergrants/slcgp

When Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) converge, so do their risks. For utilities, a single breach can lead to costly downtime, service disruption, and public safety concerns.

Here are 3 key practices utilities should strengthen today:

1. Network Segmentation
2. Continuous Monitoring
3. Updated Documentation

Our team designs secure OT/IT architecture, implements secure remote access, and builds high-availability solutions that provide utilities both visibility and control. Let’s protect the systems that keep our communities running.

Our team had a great time at this year’s WEAT North Texas Section 18th Annual Opstoberfest Cookoff! This event is always a highlight of the fall with great food, friendly competition, and a chance to connect with industry friends in support of our local Operations Challenge teams.

We are especially proud to share that Dave Harran's duck entrée took home 1st Place in the Wild Game category, our very first time competing in that division!

We are grateful to everyone who contributed to making it a fun day, including Amy O'Hare, Rick Hidalgo, Kevin Patel, Valmore Vera, Blake Houser (our talented bartender), Christopher Neargarder, Pate Linker, Eyan Sarfraz, Eric Martinez, Javier Arreola Lopez, Christian Meléndez-López and Nyla Hubbard, who’s made-to-order birria tacos kept the crowd coming back for more.

There were games, camaraderie, and plenty of “smoking” good food. We are already looking forward to next year!

October is , and the stakes have never been higher. Utilities and critical infrastructure are seeing an increase in targeted cyberattacks, with attackers seeking to disrupt essential services that communities rely on every day.

At Signature Automation, through our IT and OT cybersecurity assessments and design, LAN/WAN design, and disaster recovery planning, we help organizations safeguard operations against evolving threats. This month, we’ll share best practices, resources, and practical steps utilities can take to strengthen their resilience.

Join the ISA North Texas Section on Sept 30 for lunch, networking, and a presentation from Kevin Patel, VP & COO at Signature Automation: “ISA Standards Overview: How the Sausage is Made”

Kevin will cover:
• What ISA standards are
• Who uses them
• How to access them
• Key standards for our industry
• The upcoming ISA112 standard

Registration is required through the ISA site. Register today: https://buff.ly/XYpRedi

Today we celebrate 13 incredible years! A huge thank you to our amazing team, our clients, and our partners who have made this journey possible. Here’s to continued growth, collaboration, and innovation together!

With gratitude, our co-founders share their reflections on this milestone.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of our journey—we couldn’t have done it without you. Here’s to continuing to innovate and make a difference together.

This summer, Ria Shah joined Signature Automation as a co-op student, and we were lucky to have her on the team. She brought curiosity, dedication, and a fresh perspective to every project she worked on.

Ria shared that she appreciated the collaborative, supportive environment and the opportunity to learn from experienced engineers.

We’re proud to have supported her growth and wish her all the best as she begins her final year at UT Dallas, continuing her career in Computer Science.