NSCA Helps You Navigate 2011’s Policy Changes
Feb 3, 2011 10:53 AM
With a new federal and state-level political landscape, many would think this upcoming legislative season would be much less of a threat, providing more opportunity to pass initiatives helpful to small businesses.
In 2011, legislators will be even busier as states try to overcome budget downfalls; many will combat healthcare legislation and decide how to combat federal mandates. Federally, small-business issues such as tax breaks and increased litigation in prevailing wage and OSHA violations will take precedence. The National Labor Relations Board will be busy reopening cases and revisiting decisions that can be overturned—many of which are included in the Card Check legislation that NSCA has worked so hard against.
2011 will bring about several key priorities relevant to system integrators and their firms. While protecting integrators from being wrongfully licensed remains a priority, educating integrators on other issues such as energy-efficiency standards limiting voltage levels associated with digital televisions, among other technologies, will make integrators think twice before installing the system.
Of most importance will be prevailing wage/Davis-Bacon requirements on job sites and protecting the profession and industry from outrageous and unfair costs associated with publicly funded contracts.
While these issues and more burden electronic systems integrators, NSCA provides the resources, information, and opportunities to communicate with your legislators. Watch for announcements on upcoming webinars and resources that members can use to advocate for their rights. For the latest information, visit http://www.nsca.org/governmentaffairs.
NSCA Mourns Loss of Industry Leader
NSCA fondly remembers Randy Vaughan for his commitment to an industry broadly ranging in technologies, applications, and markets—bringing his expertise, leadership, and passion to the commercial and residential electronic systems industry.
Vaughan was a charter member of NSCA, helping the association and its members become well-trained, educated systems integrators. He served on the NSCA Board of Directors from 1997-2008, including a two-year term as president beginning in 2005. Additionally, he served as an instructor for NSCA University for more than 12 years, and was named its Educator of the Year in 2007. He also served as chairman of the NSCA Education Committee for a number of years. His greatest accomplishments for NSCA include the creation of NSCA University and the Business and Leadership Conference, and his role as a expert and content developer for the industry.
“Randy was not just a business colleague, he was a great friend,” says Chuck Wilson, NSCA executive director. “He was a passionate person for those with whom he was involved, both personally and professionally. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mary and his family. He has always had the best balance of work and family and a keen sense of how to balance the important things in life. He truly loved his life and the people in it. This is an immense loss to the both the commercial and residential electronic systems industries. Randy served as a valuable and knowledgeable leader who left his footprint on so many of today’s leaders and those who will lead future generations.”
Vaughan was president of AE Systems near Norfolk, Va., for 38 years. He served as a consultant to AE Systems for the last three years, maintaining his involvement and training the next generation of systems integrators. He was also involved with other organizations in the industry and was serving as the chairman of the board for CEDIA.
NSCA is setting up a scholarship through the NSCA Education Foundation in honor of Vaughan. Those interested in contributing to the Education Foundation should contact Chuck Wilson at [email protected].
NSCA Helps You Navigate 2011’s Policy Changes
Feb 3, 2011 10:53 AM
The 2010 NSCA biennial financial analysis is now available to corporate contractor members. It coincides with a more optimistic view of the economy and highlights company backgrounds, balance sheets and summary information, and sales ratios.
NSCA’s 2010 Financial Analysis of the Industry Now Available
NSCA’s latest release of its biennial Financial Analysis of the Industry coincides with a more optimistic view of the economy and, consequently, predictions of new business ventures in 2011. The new 2010 report allows systems integrators to track and benchmark their past two years in comparison to industry peers to create a realistic picture for 2011.
The report highlights three areas for 2009 and 2010: company background, balance sheet and summary information, and sales ratios. It is broken down by company size, gross profit, company age, region, focus and sales methods, which makes it easier for readers to measure financial performance. It also examines sales ratios such as range of sales, cost of sales and administrative expenses to manage.
Installations of telepresence and video conferencing systems, networked systems, and AV applications are all expected to increase in 2011. So, contractors who use this report to compare their accounts receivable, inventory, and assets to those of their peers will benefit from a clear path to success.
“More and more integrators are realizing the importance of making informed and educated business decisions and taking fewer risks,” says Chuck Wilson, NSCA executive director. “This report is the perfect tool to understand the financial health of an organization and any potential changes it needs to make to stay competitive.”
Key findings from the 2010 report include:
- Audio/video technologies continue to represents contractors’ largest share of total revenue. This trend continues from 2008.
- While education and corporate venues generate the most revenue, government, healthcare and houses of worship continue to hold steady as profitable market venues.
- Diversity among revenue is hard to come by. Nearly 17% of integrators receive their revenue from a single customer; this number grows for the organizations with $2.1 – $4 million in revenue.
The report bases its conclusions on the median of respondent factors such as accounts receivable, liabilities, assets and equity. It also provides hard data on breakdowns of balance sheets and figures to help integrators better benchmark their own company and percentage of sales figures as well as costs based on company size, location and market.
The 2010 Financial Analysis of the Industry is available to NSCA corporate contractor members at no cost. To download the report or other industry research, visit http://www.nsca.org/research.
Industry Manufacturers Support Integrators Facing New Business Reality
Industry leaders are supporting the NSCA Business and Leadership Conference, an industry-specific event designed to meet the business needs of integration company owners and managers. Sponsored by InfoComm International and endorsed by PSA Security Network and the USAV Group, a wide variety of commercial electronic systems integrators, manufacturers, and associations will be participating in the event.
An impressive list of sponsors continues to grow daily as both returning and new sponsors are looking forward to participating in this year’s event. A long-time supporter of the event, host sponsor Atlas Sound/IED, returns once again. Their support helps NSCA produce an event focused on business tactics and strategies to improve profitability and productivity as we continue to recover from the last four years of economic turmoil.
Attending this event is just as important to the sponsors as it is to the integrator attendees.
“NSCA continues to choose topics that are very relevant to the integrators in this industry,” says Jeff Kindig, AMX vice president of marketing strategy. “The Business and Leadership Conference is a superb collection of industry leaders discussing topical issues, providing sponsors the opportunity to meet the best of the best and better understand how to meet their needs.”
Sponsors of the 2011 NSCA Business and Leadership Conference include:
- Platinum Sponsor: AMX
- Silver Sponsors: Chief Manufacturing ; Lutron; SurgeX; Tannoy; and Wiremold/Legrand
- Keynote Sponsor: BIAMP Systems
- Special Events: Bosch Communications Systems; Cisco; DoveNet; FSR, Inc.; Rauland-Borg Corporation; Shure Incorporated; Synnex Professional AV ; and West Penn Wire
- Giveaways: Bose; Herman Procurement and Logistics; and Solutions360
“This event would not be possible without the support of our sponsors,” says Chuck Wilson, NSCA executive director. “Their participation allows NSCA to bring in world-class speakers and industry experts, as well as reduce the cost of attendance for integrators. The Business and Leadership Conference has become a must-attend event for integrators who are constantly seeking ways to improve their business models.”
The 2011 NSCA Business and Leadership Conference will be held February 17-19 at the Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Resort and Spa in San Diego, CA. Registration for the NSCA Business and Leadership Conference is $949. For more information or to register, visit http://www.nsca.org/blc or call 800.446.6722.
