One of Pasco’s oldest family-owned businesses sells key part of its security company
Moon Security Services Inc., one of Pasco’s oldest family-owned businesses, has split in two with the sale of its primary fire and safety business.
Owner Mike Miller sold most of Moon Security’s business to Pye-Barker Fire & Safety, a national company based in Atlanta. Terms were not disclosed.
However, Pye-Barker did not buy Moon’s alcohol- and court-monitoring business. The Miller family established a new entity, Secure Court Solutions LLC, to continue that work.
But Miller, 67, said he’s stepping back while his daughter, Brandy Garza, leads the new company’s operations in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Three of his four children are involved in Secure Court Solutions.
Decision to sell
He said the business taken over by Pye-Barker will benefit from its deep pockets and innovative technology. Tom Pitcher, his long-time general manager, was named branch manager by the new owner, which retained the 75 or so employees.
Miller said a series of personal health issues and his wife’s desire to spend more time together drove him to sell. Blood clots he suffered last February sealed his decision.
He knew of Pye-Barker through industry connections. He spied an opportunity to sell when a friend in Billings, Mont., sold a similar company to Pye-Barker and praised the process.
Pye-Barker made a good offer and executed quickly, Miller said. The deal was under a non-disclosure agreement by August and closed on Oct. 9.
“It was a perfect storm,” he said. “It just kind of all came together.”
For its part, Pye-Barker is building a national network of 230 locations — and counting —by purchasing regional security companies built by families looking to sell.
In a news release, it said Moon Security allows it to extend its security, fire alarm, video surveillance, access control and data security brand to the Pacific Northwest.
Moon Security is now operating as “Moon Security Services, A Pye-Barker Fire & Safety Company.”
Family concern
Moon Security has been a family concern since Miller was 11. His parents divorced and his mother, Ruth Ann Clyde, remarried and moved him and his sisters to Pasco.
She bought the business from “Mr. Moon,” kept the name and grew it into a Top 100 security business providing a variety of fire, life and safety services throughout the Northwest while raising Miller and his three sisters.
Clyde, now living in a local assisted care facility, passed the business to her children in 2012, according to Tri-City Herald archives.
Miller said he bought out his sisters about four years ago and was the sole owner at the time of the sale.
He credits his mother, family and employees for building Moon into a successful enterprise.
“I can’t possibly say enough about Tom (Pitcher) and the team. The family did not do it on our own. We have had a lot of people who helped the company grow into what it is,” he said, adding, “Keep on buying local.”
His mother in particular was the engine behind Moon Security, even after she let go of the reins. Miller said he frequently discusses business decisions with her.
“I don’t have anything without what she did to grow the family business,” he said.
About the murals
His mother, Ruth Clyde retains ownership of the Moon Security building, 515 W. Clark St., in downtown Pasco. Miller said lease payments provide her with a retirement income.
In 2024, Miller transformed Moon’s headquarters into an outdoor gallery by inviting three Pasco area high school students to paint murals on the outside wall. The project built on his longtime ties with the Pasco School District.
He lobbied the city of Pasco to make it easier to add murals to buildings, and worked with the school district and the city’s Arts and Culture Commission to bring the vision to life.
He even provided scholarships to the budding artists.
Miller said he wants to continue and expand the program and has even increased the scholarships to $2,000.
Miller said future artwork will steer clear of gang imagery and overtly political and religious messages out of respect to Pye-Barker, its private, rent-paying tenant.