45 Years of Hilton’s: Founder Shawn Hilton Marks Nearly Half a Century Protecting Carlisle and Central PA Businesses
From a 1965 Dodge van and a teenage locksmith in 1981 to a modern electronic security firm serving commercial and residential clients across Central Pennsylvania, Hilton’s Electronic Security celebrates a 45-year milestone.
Hilton’s Electronic Security, the Carlisle-based commercial and residential security provider, is marking 45 years in business in 2026. Founded in November 1981 by Shawn Hilton at the age of 17, the company has grown from a one-person locksmithing operation into one of Central Pennsylvania’s longest-standing electronic security firms, serving businesses, schools, healthcare facilities, government buildings, and homeowners across the region.
In its earliest days, the company operated out of a robin-egg blue 1965 Dodge van with hand-stenciled red and yellow lettering, a vehicle that became a familiar sight on Carlisle streets. Shawn Hilton spent those first years driving the van around Cumberland County offering rekeying, master keying, key cutting, emergency lockouts, and deadbolt installations, building a reputation one customer at a time.
“I was 17 years old with a van, a set of tools, and a phone number painted on the side,” said Shawn Hilton, founder of Hilton’s Electronic Security. “I had no big business plan. I just had the belief that if I showed up on time, did the work right, and treated people fairly, the rest would follow. Forty-five years later, that is still the way we run this place.”
As customer needs evolved over the decades, the business evolved with them. Electronic access control, surveillance cameras, alarm systems, intercoms, and structured cabling were added to the lineup, allowing Hilton’s to serve larger and more complex projects across Carlisle, Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill, Boiling Springs, and the wider Harrisburg region. The company quietly grew to become a trusted security partner for some of the area’s most security-sensitive environments.
In 2024, after more than four decades of locksmithing alongside electronic security work, the company made a defining decision. It would transition away from locksmithing entirely and focus solely on modern electronic security solutions. The rebrand to Hilton’s Electronic Security reflects that focus, backed by more than 40 years of trade experience and deep relationships across Central PA.
Today, Hilton’s Electronic Security designs and installs commercial-grade systems for clients across government, healthcare, education, retail, food service, and manufacturing and logistics. Services include access control systems, commercial video surveillance, intercom systems, commercial alarm systems, network installation and cabling, and point-to-point wireless solutions. Residential clients are also supported with home alarm systems and surveillance. To date, the company has completed more than 6,000 projects across the region.
“The technology has changed completely since 1981. The tools, the systems, the threats are all different,” Hilton added. “What has not changed is how we treat our customers. We still answer the phone, we still show up, and we still make sure the system works the way it is supposed to work. That is the part we will never modernize away from.”
Carlisle and Central PA businesses, schools, healthcare facilities, government agencies, and homeowners interested in upgrading their security systems can request a consultation at any time. Hilton’s Electronic Security offers free site assessments and a 24/7 service line.
To learn more or request a quote, visit https://hiltonsls.com or call Hilton’s Electronic Security at 717-243-9475.
About Hilton’s Electronic Security
Founded in 1981 by Shawn Hilton in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Hilton’s Electronic Security is one of Central PA’s longest-running security service providers, with more than four decades of experience protecting businesses, schools, healthcare facilities, government buildings, and homeowners. Originally established as a locksmithing service, the company rebranded in 2024 to focus exclusively on electronic security solutions, including access control, video surveillance, intercoms, alarm systems, network installation and cabling, and point-to-point wireless. Hilton’s Electronic Security serves clients across Carlisle, Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill, Boiling Springs, Harrisburg, and the wider Central PA region.
Learn more at https://hiltonsls.com.
Media Contact
Company Name: Hilton’s Electronic Security
Contact Person: Shawn Hilton
Email: Send Email
Phone: +17172439475
Address:1787 W Trindle Rd #801
City: Carlisle
State: Pennsylvania (PA) 17015
Country: United States
Website: https://hiltonsls.com/
