Associations Focus: Tradition of Support
Nov 1, 2006 12:00 PM
CEDIA and NSCA host helpful business conferences; InfoComm seeks to strengthen certification program.
CEDIA
EXPO AWARD CEREMONY HONORS BEST IN INDUSTRY
CEDIA Expo 2006 was the association’s largest tradeshow to date, with record-breaking attendance — more than 8,000 attendees and more than 500 exhibitors. CEDIA also honored the best in the industry at this year’s Electronic Lifestyles Awards banquet. Awards were presented for the following categories: Lifetime Achievement, Volunteers of the Year, Contractor of the Year, Sales Representative of the Year, Technical and Overall Designers’ Awards, and Manufacturers’ Excellence Awards for the Best Five New Products. (See p. 66 for additional coverage of this year’s awards.)
For a complete list of the Electronic Lifestyles Awards’ winners, please visit www.cedia.org/awards or the CEDIA Store at www.cedia.org to purchase a copy of the 2006 Electronic Lifestyles Awards book.
With the conclusion of this year’s successful Expo, 2007 looks even more promising. CEDIA Expo 2007 is scheduled for Sept. 5-9 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. Contact Jennifer Roth or Lauren Cooper at (800) 669-5329 for more information.
CU ON THE ROAD
CEDIA’s CU on the Road program brings education and certification to businesses, with quality classes, affordable package prices, and convenient times to make it easier for you and your employees to receive quality education, and get back on the job site with the knowledge you need to get the job done right.
Whether you want to get certified, or just take advantage of the wide range of courses offered, CU on the Road has something for everyone.
For more information, or to register, visit www.cedia.org/education.
CEDIA MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE
The 2007 CEDIA Management Conference will be held Feb. 7-10 in Jacksonville, Fla., at the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club. Make a commitment today to attend, and profit from experience.
The conference gives business owners/presidents and other decision makers in the residential electronic systems industry the chance to network and engage in peer-to-peer idea sharing. Attendees will learn new ideas and find solutions for real-life business issues.
CEDIA is introducing two all-new education sessions to the conference this year: structured roundtable discussions and strategic management forums. Plus, keynote and cross-industry speakers promise to motivate attendees. The conference is sure to provide a unique creative perspective to inspire even the most experienced senior-level business managers to rethink the way they run their business.
For more information about the 2007 CEDIA Management Conference, visit www.cedia.org/mc or call (800) 669-5329.
For more information on CEDIA, visitwww.cedia.orgor call (800) 669-5329.
CEDIA Calendar of Events
Installer Level I Review and Exam
Buffalo, N.Y. — ADI
Nov. 7
CU on the Road
Coopersburg, Pa. — Lutron
Electronics
Nov. 8-11
Installer Level I Review and Exam
Stafford, Texas — TAG
Nov. 9
Membership Dues Mailed Out
Nov. 14
Installer Level I Review and Exam
Thornhill, Ontario — Media Dynamics
Nov. 17
Installer Level I Review and Exam
Elk Grove Village, Ill. — AVAD
Nov. 28
Installer Level II Review and Exam
Elk Grove Village, Ill. — AVAD
Nov. 29-30
CU on the Road
Anaheim, Calif. — Extron Electronics
Nov. 29-Dec. 2
Associations Focus: Tradition of Support
Nov 1, 2006 12:00 PM
CEDIA and NSCA host helpful business conferences; InfoComm seeks to strengthen certification program.
NSCA
FALL BUSINESS CONFERENCE
Continuing its legacy of industry-specific management training and networking opportunities, the NSCA Fall Business Conference (FBC) rounded out its ninth annual event with practical business tips and courses geared to help attendees plan for the future. More than 150 business executives traveled to Myrtle Beach, S.C., Oct. 26-28 to learn key financial, leadership, and business concepts.
Two of the most anticipated sessions included “Become Compliant, Not Complacent, with CSI MasterFormat 04,” presented by architect Dennis Hall, and a presentation by this year’s special “Beer ‘n’ Convergence” presenter, Barbara Sullivan from Cisco Systems.
NSCA’s annual Excellence in Business Awards were presented at FBC to integration firms who demonstrated expertise in 2006:
- Audio Visual Innovations of Tampa, Fla., Professional Development Award
- Church Interiors of High Point, N.C., Philanthropic Contribution Award
- ACE Communications of Lynbrook, N.Y., Growth Strategies Award
- Spinitar of La Mirada, Calif., Marketing Strategies Award
During the ceremony, representatives from each company gave a presentation detailing their path to success.
Next year, NSCA’s 2007 Fall Business Conference will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in San Diego, Oct. 21-23.
EXPO COURSE OFFERINGS INCREASED
NSCA is increasing the grand total of planned courses at the 2007 NSCA Expo to 550 hours, up from 350 hours of training offered in 2006.
NSCA developed several new pre-Expo courses, providing 17 one- and two-day seminars on March 13-14. New courses include a rigging seminar presented by engineer Harry Donovan and a day-long cable termination workshop presented by Extron. NSCA Expo will also host Syn-Aud-Con’s Sound Reinforcement for Technicians course.
Along with an intensified focus on convergence training and MasterFormat education, NSCA has also calibrated its new educational offerings to fill out the six colleges in the NSCA University — particularly in the College of Sales and the College of Project Management. A full course schedule will be available online at nscaexpo.org beginning Nov. 15.
TWO REPORTS FOCUS ON INDUSTRY ANALYSIS
NSCA’s new “NSCA 2006 Financial Analysis of the Industry” report presents survey results from three major areas: company background, balance sheet, summary information, and sales ratios. The data in the report is segmented into total revenue, top ten, primary industry, and primary market categories. The report also offers year-to-year comparisons on all major financial data tracked as far back as 1999. It is free to all NSCA corporate members. Visit www.nsca.org/research, log in, and download your copy.
The fourth-quarter Market Intelligence Briefing (MIB) is also now available to corporate members. The report, “Through Their Eyes: Construction Industry Perspectives on the Commercial Electronic Systems Industry,” provides perspectives from architects, design engineers, and construction managers on the low-voltage commercial electronic systems industry.
For more information about NSCA, visitwww.nsca.orgor call (800) 446-6722.
NSCA Calendar of Events
Nov. 24
C-EST Online Review
Begins for Atlanta Exam
Dec. 4-5
Project Management
of Systems Projects,
Columbia, Md.
Dec. 5
C-SI Exam, Columbia, Md.
Dec. 6
C-EST Exam, Columbia, Md.
Dec. 22
C-SI Online Review Begins
for Atlanta Exam
Jan. 6
EST Level Training Winter
Session Enrollment
Deadline
Jan. 12
C-EST Online Review
Begins for Expo Exam
Jan. 15
EST Level Training Winter
Session Begins
Jan. 26
C-SI Exam, Atlanta
Jan. 27
C-EST Exam, Atlanta
Jan. 30
Feb. 1 Integrated
Systems Europe,
Amsterdam
March 13-14
Pre-Expo Education,
Orlando, Fla.
March 25-17
NSCA Expo, Orlando, Fla.
Associations Focus: Tradition of Support
Nov 1, 2006 12:00 PM
CEDIA and NSCA host helpful business conferences; InfoComm seeks to strengthen certification program.
INFOCOMM INTERNATIONAL
INFOCOMM SEEKS ANSI/ISO ACCREDITATION
InfoComm International is applying for ANSI accreditation for its Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) certifications under ISO 17024. ANSI, a private, nonprofit organization, accredits other organizations to serve as third-party product, system, and personnel certifiers.
Randy J. Pagnan, CTS, president of InfoComm and owner of RP Visual Systems, says, “Our industry is growing in size and in the sophistication of our products and systems. This move to a world standard for our certification program is just one more example how InfoComm is serving its members and helping them be more competitive in the marketplace.”
ANSI accreditation will promote the unique qualifications and expertise InfoComm’s certifications provide by ensuring the integrity of the certifications, enhancing consumer and public confidence in the certifications and the people who hold them, and facilitating recognition of the CTS program across geographical borders and industries. As the only certification program in the industry to be ANSI accredited, it will give CTS holder and their companies an edge up on competitors from other industries and ones in our industry that do not train and certify their personnel to these high national and international standards.
“InfoComm anticipates ANSI accreditation will offer significant opportunities for its 5,600 Certified Technology Specialists in the United States and around the world,” says Randal A. Lemke, Ph.D., executive director of InfoComm International. “ANSI accreditation will reinforce InfoComm’s commitment to providing a quality certification program for the professional audiovisual industry.”
InfoComm will be making some administrative and programmatic changes in the upcoming months to ensure compliance with ANSI standards. One of the most significant changes is creating an independent committee designed solely to oversee certification programs, chaired by InfoComm’s former President, Spencer Bullins, CTS, of AMX.
All CTS holders will be receiving a letter informing them of changes to the CTS program and assuring them that current CTS holders will maintain their certification under the new ANSI program.
FLORIDA HOSPITALS HONORED
In celebration of AV Week, Oct. 22-28, InfoComm International recognized Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Fla., and Miami Children’s Hospital for their use of audiovisual technology in the treatment of patients.
The awards presentation took place during a videoconference between the hospitals in the Congenital Heart Institute’s videoconference room. With the videoconference room, more than 20 medical professionals in multiple disciplines can discuss a patient’s treatment options. Doctors at both locations are able to simultaneously review lab results and imaging during the videoconferences, which take place three times a week between the hospitals.
For information on other AV Week activities, visit www.avweek.org.
