You felt that, " There were also three sessions dedicated to security during the day. I attended the third session by Joseph Herbrandson of Sucuri and it seemed like folks were worn out by the topic. "
I had attended these same security sessions and I felt that Joe's presentation was either to basic or to broad in the material presented especially after the two other presentations that seemed a bit more focused (in comparison).

If Joe had been the first security presentation, I feel that it would have been received in a better light. I had attended all three of the presentations. After having heard each of these talks, I would suggest that the order in which these were scheduled, due to content, could have been done differently and this would have possibly improved the attendance of each of these talks.

I also understand that this might not have been possibly done. I know that the first security presenter had to leave in the early afternoon in-order to travel a long distance for yet another event. So the order could have been done in reverse of this year's order and it may have been appreciated by the attendees in a much different light, today. IMHO.