What to know:

• Current CFO Christopher Mounts will become FORTÉ global CEO on Oct. 1.
• Current CEO, Jeff Stoebner will step into the role of executive chairman.
• Mounts will be replaced by Matt Winger, FORTÉ’s current EVP of finance.

FORTÉ is once again making major Pro AV headlines. The company has named Christopher Mounts global chief executive officer effective October 1, 2026. Mounts succeeds Jeff Stoebner, who has served as CEO since 2009 and will continue as executive chairman for FORTÉ.

[ICYMI: SCN Exclusive Interview with Jeff Stoebner on Vega Global Acquisition]

Mounts, who currently serves as chief financial officer, joined FORTÉ in 2015 as controller and was named CFO in 2019. During his tenure, he has helped strengthen the company’s financial foundation, operational discipline, and systems infrastructure while supporting FORTÉ through significant growth and transformation. As global CEO, Mounts will turn his focus to advancing FORTÉ’s company culture, integrating newly acquired businesses into a unified global organization, and strengthening the systems and capabilities that support continued growth and customer success.

“Chris has been a trusted leader and strategic partner throughout one of the most transformative periods in our company’s 52-year history,” said Stoebner. “He understands our business, our culture and the responsibility we have to our employees and customers. His financial discipline, operational perspective and steady leadership make him the right person to guide FORTÉ into its next chapter. I look forward to supporting him and the business in my role as executive chairman.”

Stoebner joined FORTÉ full time in 1993 and has led the company through a period of dramatic expansion in both the United States and internationally. He was also instrumental in strategically rebranding the company from AVI Systems to FORTÉ. Under his leadership, FORTÉ now serves customers in 22 countries and more than 70 markets worldwide.

Matt Winger, FORTÉ’s current EVP of finance, will become global CFO. Winger, who brings nearly 18 years of expertise, is set to help ensure continuity in FORTÉ’s financial strategy and operating discipline as the company continues to scale globally. His appointment reinforces the company’s commitment to strong financial stewardship, enterprise alignment and continued development of the infrastructure needed to serve customers across a growing global footprint.

“FORTÉ has built a remarkable legacy by staying focused on people, customers and the belief that the right technology can create better outcomes,” said Mounts. “I’m honored to step into this role at such an important time in our company’s history. My priority is to build on our existing foundation by helping FORTÉ teams around the world operate as one company while continuing to invest in the tools, talent and infrastructure our employees need to deliver greater value for customers.”

After a month of non-stop headline makers in the Pro AV world, last week was a bit tamer. There were no acquisitions or strategic hires of note... however, there were quite a few partnership and product enhancements to know.

Before we get to that news, Biamp announced the recipients of its 2026 Charitable Giving Grant Program. The initiative celebrates nonprofit organizations that align with the Biamp mission of harnessing audiovisual technology and creativity to enrich lives and strengthen communities.

This year's grant recipients include Youth Music Project; Art & Drama Centre Theatre (ACT); The Texas Supremacy of Music & Arts Conservatory (TSMAC); Ethos Music Center; and p:ear. Each was selected by the Biamp Charitable Leadership Committee and will receive a grant to support the organization's continued efforts to introduce underserved youth to audio engineering, live production, and audiovisual technology through hands-on music and media education. You can find out more about each here.

Now sit back, grab that coffee, and get caught up with your weekly dose of Pro AV Newsmakers.

Partnerships

AVI-SPL Announces Partnership with Matternet 

AVI-SPL has partnered with Matternet, the world's only FAA Type-Certified drone delivery platform, to deploy drone logistics to speed service delivery across metropolitan markets. This comes after the June announcement that AVI-SPL launched an autonomous freight operation.

The partnership pairs AVI-SPL's service, integration, and supply chain network with Matternet's autonomous drone technology to deliver critical equipment and replacement parts to field technicians in minutes, reducing delays in congested urban and suburban areas.

Expected use cases include rapid delivery of critical parts to AVI-SPL installers and technicians working in congested downtown areas, avoiding ground-transportation delays; premium service offerings with faster response times and tighter service-level agreements (SLAs) for customers requiring the highest levels of support; and broader integration across AVI-SPL's supply chain network to reduce road transportation and increase efficiency in dense metropolitan markets.

AtlasIED Partners with M.I. Engineering to Expand APAC Presence

AtlasIED has partnered with M.I. Engineering, a Bangkok, Thailand-based manufacturer’s representative. The partnership aims to expand AtlasIED’s reach across APAC, while broadening M.I. Engineering’s reach by offering access to industry-leading mass notification systems, IP endpoint solutions, and commercial audio technology.

M.I. Engineering has operated as an established commercial audio and AV solutions company since 1990, building decades of trust in the pro audio, installed AV, and live performance markets. The team maintains strong, longstanding relationships with local systems integrators, AV consultants, architects, and venue operators, which will help expand AtlasIED’s reach in the region.

Avocor, Korbyt Form Global Partnership

There's a new digital signage combo in town, as Avocor has formed a strategic partnership with Korbyt. It's the latest in a partnership drive from Avocor, an effort to establish itself in the enterprise, manufacturing, retail, and hospitality sectors. The collaboration strengthens both companies’ capacity to deliver a dynamic digital signage solution across markets.

Korbyt software has been validated on the recently launched Avocor B-Series, which debuted at ISE 2026 and marks Avocor’s move into the business and commercial digital signage display market. Customers already running Korbyt can add B-Series displays to an existing estate without changing platforms, as the Korbyt application can be installed directly on the display’s own Android 14 processor.

In addition to corporate campuses, the companies expect early traction in business-critical settings such as manufacturing and supply chain, where existing joint customers are already asking for real-time data delivered on the floor.

Capital One Arena Taps LG for Major Display Transformation

Monumental Sports & Entertainment named LG Electronics USA the official TV, commercial display, and appliance partner for the reimagined Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The partnership puts LG display technology behind some of the arena’s biggest visual upgrades, including exterior LED displays, interior LED and TV displays throughout the venue, displays across the new business and conference center, and the LG-powered “Visibowl." which will replace traditional concourse walls with more than 500 feet of immersive digital displays so fans can stay connected to the action as they move through the arena.

The MSE partnership with LG Electronics includes the “LG Collective," a new premium seating destination for Washington Wizards and Washing Capitals games debuting at the start of the 2026–27 season which will become a featured gathering place at the transformed Capital One Arena. Located on the arena’s District Level (former 100 Level), the LG Collective is designed to bring fans and season ticket holders together before, during and after events with views into the bowl and seats connected to the space. The destination will combine an upscale lounge and bar, with all-inclusive food and beverage offerings and integrated club seating with a variety of industry-leading LG innovations creating a dynamic, premium fan experience. The LG Collective will serve as a vibrant gathering place for networking, entertainment and experiencing unforgettable live events.

EAW Names Sound & Sales West as Its Manufacturer’s Rep for Southern California and Southern Nevada

Eastern Acoustic Works has appointed Sound & Sales West (S&S West) as its manufacturer’s representative for Southern California and Southern Nevada. The partnership expands EAW’s sales presence in one of the industry's most influential markets, leveraging S&S West's longstanding dealer relationships and extensive experience in professional audio, video and lighting solutions.

Formerly known as Sound Marketing West, S&S West has served the Southern California and Southern Nevada markets for more than four decades. The company has built its reputation by providing comprehensive sales support and cultivating long-term relationships with systems integrators, consultants, dealers and rental providers throughout the region.

Product Updates

Extron Adds Dynamic Images to Control Systems for Simplified Source Selection

Extron unveiled Dynamic Images, a new Extron control system capability. Extron user interfaces can now display low-frame-rate video directly from NAV Pro AV over IP systems, and soon, Quantum Ultra II videowall processor systems. Confidence preview content is delivered securely to the control interface; with no dedicated preview hardware required, making the feature a cost-effective addition to professional AV systems.

The Dynamic Images feature can also be used to automatically update graphical content on Extron user interfaces, such as logos and other changeable elements. Dynamic Images can retrieve JPEG, PNG, and animated GIF files from web sources and file servers, enabling interface graphics such as logos, channel icons, and status images to be updated without redeploying the GUI file. Dynamic Images is compatible with our latest generation of user interfaces, such as TLP Pro 35 Series touchpanels, Extron Control for Web, and the new Extron Control Pro App.

HIVE Integrates with Nemosphere Sensors and Controllers

HIVE Media Control has announced native integration with Nexmosphere, enabling its Beeblade media players to connect directly with Nexmosphere’s extensive range of sensors and controllers to create responsive, interactive media experiences.

Developed in response to demand from system integrators, the integration expands the options available for bringing interactivity into HIVE-powered installations, allowing physical actions and real-world data to trigger and influence digital content. Nexmosphere develops sensors and controls for interactive digital experiences, spanning technologies including presence and motion detection, RFID, touch and push buttons, object detection, Lift & Learn, weight sensing, and LiDAR.

Through the new integration, Nexmosphere sensors can connect with HIVE via USB or Ethernet, with data from multiple sensors available directly within HIVE’s Dataflow environment. HIVE supports Nexmosphere’s interface boxes and the majority of its sensor portfolio, giving integrators the flexibility to combine different forms of interaction within a single HIVE installation.

NVIDIA Synthetic Video Detector Now Integrates with Dalet Flex

Dalet and NVIDIA are bringing advanced synthetic content detection directly into media workflows. The new capabilities integrate NVIDIA AI models with Dalet Flex, enabling media organizations to identify potentially AI-generated images and video as content enters their operations and incorporate those insights into existing review, approval and governance processes.

The work builds on Dalet’s strategy to bring AI closer to the media itself, embedding intelligence directly into the infrastructure and workflows organizations already use to manage their content. By combining NVIDIA AI models with Dalet Flex and Dalet AI services, organizations can analyze content where their media resides, including on-premises and hybrid environments, while connecting detection insights directly to the operational workflows where decisions are made.

Nureva AI-Powered Room Assistant in Beta

Nureva is bringing AI-powered room intelligence to Nureva audio systems. Room Assistant brings natural language processing to Nureva Console, the device management and monitoring platform for Nureva audio systems, with an interface that helps IT teams interact with Nureva’s knowledge base through text-based chat. Teams managing Nureva devices are offered a faster, easier way to access information and get answers to product-related questions for more efficient room management.

This addition is an important step in the evolution of Nureva Console, moving it beyond cloud-based device management and monitoring to an agent-based intelligent platform for overseeing collaboration spaces. Together, Nureva Console and the Nureva App simplify the full device life cycle—from deployment and setup to daily use, remote management and ongoing support — helping IT teams deliver reliable audio experiences across meeting rooms, classrooms, training spaces and divisible rooms. Now in beta, Room Assistant draws from Nureva’s knowledge base. Further plans for Nureva Console include supporting IT teams with AI-powered room and device data, extending room intelligence into daily use and identifying any issues before they affect meetings and classes.

Well, that was a whirlwind of a week in Pro AV headlines. Diversified has a new facility, Dalet has a new CEO, Extron enables 'exceptional energy savings,' and Follow-Me and OWC made acquisition news.

Golden Sea, known for its work in live entertainment technology, has acquired a majority stake in Follow-Me. Follow-Me retains its independent status, while gaining R&D resources and manufacturing capacity to develop and deliver the technological advancements live entertainment demands faster and more broadly.

The alignment of Follow-Me and Golden Sea will span the full production ecosystem of live entertainment, from touring, events, theater, broadcast, themed entertainment and permanent installations. It brings Golden Sea’s entertainment lighting technology expertise and Follow-Me’s intelligent performer tracking systems together. This combination of global reach and specialist depth will scale market penetration and accelerate growth, allowing Follow-Me to make its performer tracking systems accessible to new market segments and a broader range of users.

Elsewhere, Other World Computing (OWC) acquired OpenDrives. The addition of OpenDrives’ solutions expands OWC’s shared storage portfolio reach with the Jellyfish line into enterprise-scale data management, hybrid cloud orchestration, and edge workflows. OpenDrives’ Atlas data storage and management platform has been used by Hollywood studios, post-production houses, and live broadcast networks since 2011, recognized for reliably handling the low-latency, high-throughput performance required for complex, data-intensive creative environments.

In April 2026, the new OpenDrives Edge hybrid cloud-edge performance accelerator was announced, providing widely distributed teams working in edge locations “local speed” data access, without the high costs and complexity involved with traditional hybrid cloud workflows. Evolving customer requirements for infrastructure modernization and their need to bridge ever-expanding data silos, while reducing costs, led to the introduction of the Astraeus cloud-native data services platform, which was released in beta mode for early adopters in late 2025 and will have an updated release in 2027.

Now, get caught up on the week that was in your weekly dose of Pro AV Newsmakers.

People News

Dalet Appoints Brian Doheny as CEO

Dalet has appointed Brian Doheny to the position of chief executive officer (CEO). Doheny joined Dalet as president and chief revenue officer in April 2026. Since joining Dalet, Doheny has led the company’s go-to-market and customer experience organizations, working across the business to bring greater alignment around customer needs and accelerate the delivery of solutions that address their operational priorities.

As CEO, Doheny leads Dalet’s global strategy and operations, building on the company’s longstanding commitment to innovation and customer success while ensuring Dalet continues to anticipate the evolving needs of media organizations and deliver meaningful value to customers.

TransAudio Group Names Stephen Earnest Head of Pro Audio

TransAudio Group has appointed Stephen Earnest as head of pro audio, a newly created position focused on strengthening the company’s technical expertise, dealer support, and strategic direction within the professional audio market.

In his new role, Earnest works closely with TransAudio Group’s dealer network and professional customers, providing application expertise and helping ensure the company’s products are effectively specified, integrated, and supported in demand. He also plays a key role in shaping TransAudio Group’s strategic direction for the pro audio market, including product priorities, emerging market opportunities, and technical initiatives.

Partnerships

Chyron, Haivision Partner to Simplify Camera-to-Cloud Live Production Workflows

Haivision and Chyron announced a technology partnership that simplifies camera-to-cloud live production through an integrated workflow between Haivision's live video contribution ecosystem and Chyron LIVE, the cloud native solution for vision mixing, broadcast-grade graphics, data display, remote commentary, and illustrated replay.

As broadcasters continue to leverage remote and cloud-based production, they are increasingly seeking solutions that are easy to use and seamlessly integrate within their existing workflows. Together, Haivision and Chyron enable broadcasters to capture, transport, and contribute high-quality live video from virtually any location into Chyron LIVE, streamlining live production workflows while delivering the performance, reliability, and ease of use required for professional broadcasting.

Built for sports, news, and live event productions, the integrated workflow combines Haivision's live video contribution products, including Haivision mobile video transmitters (Falkon, Pro, and Air) and Makito video encoders and decoders, with Chyron LIVE, powered by Chyron’s PRIME Platform which is developed natively on AWS. The combined solution enables broadcasters to reliably contribute live video over cellular networks, the internet, satellite, and IP networks directly into cloud-based production workflows.

Macnica, Softron Launch Turnkey 100GbE ST 2110 Bundle for Mac-Based Production

Macnica and Softron Media Services unveiled a turnkey hardware and software bundle for high-performance SMPTE ST 2110 production. Available from Softron as the M|8IP, the bundle combines Macnica's 100GbE MEP100 SmartNIC with eight licenses of Softron MovieRecorder 5, giving broadcasters and media professionals a ready-to-deploy platform for moving real-time video, audio and metadata between macOS applications and standards-based IP networks.

The MEP100 provides hardware-accelerated transport for SMPTE ST 2110 video, audio, and ancillary data, helping offload real-time media movement from the host CPU while maintaining low-latency, frame-accurate performance. Its dual 100GbE interfaces support substantially higher channel density than competing Mac-compatible 100GbE media I/O options, with up to 32 uncompressed HD video streams in and 32 out, depending on format, when installed in a supported Mac Studio configuration.

Softron's M|8IP bundle initially combines the MEP100 with eight MovieRecorder 5 licenses for multichannel ingest. Customers can select firmware for uncompressed ST 2110-20 operation or ST 2110-22 workflows that support Apple ProRes compression. The latter enables compressed and uncompressed video on the same platform and supports high-resolution formats including 8K live immersive video, subject to the selected Mac and connectivity configuration. That flexibility addresses both established broadcast applications and a new generation of experiential production, such as the live immersive sports broadcasts featured by Major League Baseball this fall.

Magewell, Zixi Collaborate on Live Video Over IP Workflow

Zixi and Magewell expanded its collaboration that gives broadcasters and streaming providers a reliable, end-to-end path for live video contribution over public and hybrid IP networks. As live sports, events, and news increasingly move to IP-based contribution, broadcasters need to move pristine video across networks they don't control, without the cost and rigidity of dedicated circuits or satellite. The Magewell and Zixi solution addresses that need by combining compact, cost-effective encoding at the source with error-resilient transport across the last mile and beyond.

Magewell's Ultra Encode family, including the Ultra Encode Plus and Ultra Encode AIO models, encodes HDMI and SDI sources in H.264 or HEVC and streams natively using the Zixi Protocol. Once in flight, the Zixi Protocol dynamically compensates for packet loss, jitter, and latency to protect video quality across unmanaged and congested networks. The encoders can be provisioned and monitored directly from Zixi ZEN Master, giving operators centralized orchestration, real-time telemetry and alerting across large fleets of contribution endpoints.

The integration works end to end. On the receive side, Magewell's Pro Convert IP decoders take incoming Zixi streams and convert them back to SDI or HDMI for monitoring, production and playout, all manageable from ZEN Master. The result is a workflow that scales from a single flypack to hundreds of endpoints. Operators can encode affordably at the source, deliver reliably over any IP network, decode cost-effectively at the destination, and manage the entire estate from a single control plane.

NDI, NVIDIA Partners for Media Production and Distribution

NDI has partnered with NVIDIA AI-powered workflows to enable broadcasters with the ability to create and distribute multilingual content in real-time. Combining NDI-native connectivity with NVIDIA AI for Media, including the NVIDIA LipSync NIM microservice, makes content immediately accessible to audiences in their preferred language, from live events and breaking news to sports, entertainment and corporate communications.

The initiative addresses one of the industry's most significant challenges: the cost and complexity of delivering content across multiple languages. Traditionally, broadcasters create, transport and distribute separate versions of the same content, requiring multiple production, bandwidth and infrastructure for each language, making it difficult to deliver localized content in real-time.

NDI and NVIDIA are working to change that by enabling multiple language experiences to be generated from a common media stream. For broadcasters, this means the same source content can be adapted for different audiences without replicating production operations for every language.

Product Updates

AtlasIED Enhances GLOBALCOM Ecosystem with GCK17

AtlasIED has released GCK17, the latest software head-end powering the GLOBALCOM ecosystem. The update introduces two major advancements for large-scale paging and communication systems: a two-way integration with Sittig Technologies’ PAXGuide platform and Dante signal transport improvements.

The new Sittig PAXGuide integration is particularly advantageous for airports, as it provides gate agents with real-time flight information, including details about gates, airlines, and delays, directly through the touchscreen of the GLOBALCOM microphone station. Boarding calls and manual pages initiated from the GCK microphone station can sync back to PAXGuide, ensuring consistent paging activity throughout the airport. The integration supports Sittig's multilingual and accessibility features.

GCK17 also replaces CobraNet’s signal routing with Dante-based routing, eliminating the need for legacy network hardware in systems that previously relied on CobraNet or CobraNet-to-Dante bridges. This advancement enables more robust and efficient signal transmission, resulting in faster announcement triggering. It bridges previously isolated networks, unlocking seamless communication between systems. AtlasIED has communicated an end-of-life plan for CobraNet products, and GCK17 offers a clear and efficient system-wide upgrade path to Dante. Customers still using the CobraNet legacy system can contact AtlasIED for assistance in designing an upgrade plan.

ENCO Unveils Multilingual Live Captioning Advances and Voice Translation

ENCO has unveiled new multilingual capabilities for its enCaption live captioning systems. The enhancements include automatic language detection and captioning for live multilingual broadcasts and presentations. ENCO’s new multilingual captioning capability automatically detects changes in spoken language and generates captions in the appropriate language in real time, without requiring operators to manually switch languages or reconfigure the system. The technology supports any combination across 50 languages, creating a fluid captioning experience as different speakers and languages move in and out of a live program or presentation.

That brings important new flexibility to multilingual television and AV environments. A live news or sports program, for example, may move naturally between English and Spanish speakers, while an international panel discussion may include participants speaking French, German and other languages. enCaption automatically recognizes each language as it is spoken and captions the content in that same language, allowing the captioning workflow to follow the conversation without operator intervention.

All XPA Ultra FX Amplifier Series Now Feature ECO Standby for Maximum Energy Savings

All Extron XPA Ultra FX Series four and eight-channel multi-zone audio power amplifiers now feature ECO Standby, that works with InstaWake+ to provide exceptional energy savings. Intelligent ECO Standby technology places the amplifier into standby after just a few seconds of inactivity. When in standby, it draws under one watt of power. InstaWake+ returns the amplifier to full power from standby in under 5 milliseconds, ensuring that no audio is cut off. Now Ecofficient Level 4 qualified across all models, the XPA Ultra FX Series offers exceptional energy savings and supports sustainable AV system design and deployment.

Four and eight-channel models are available at 200 or 400 watts per channel. Up to 400 or 800 watts per channel is possible when running at half the channel count. The output mode of each channel can be independently configured between 8 ohm, 4 ohm, 70V, or 100V operation. These Ecofficient Level 4 qualified amplifiers provide AV professionals with a range of highly efficient products that maximize power savings in their system designs.

Several Q-SYS Devices for Pro AV Certified for Zoom Rooms

The Q-SYS RoomSuite Modular System, the NC-90-G2 network camera and the Q-SYS VisionSuite VSA-100 AI Accelerator are now certified Pro AV devices for Zoom Rooms. The Q-SYS RoomSuite Modular System supports fast, standardized setup for medium to large collaboration spaces. Now certified for Zoom Rooms, Q-SYS RoomSuite Modular System offers a highly consolidated dedicated combo processor/switch/AV bridge/video switch alongside its tableside I/O expander. The system can be used with Zoom certified peripherals including Q-SYS NL Series loudspeakers, NM-T1 tabletop microphones, and NC Series cameras, as well as certified for Zoom Rooms partner ceiling microphones. Q-SYS RoomSuite Modular System also features a web-based workflow for intuitive configuration and deployment, and it connects to Q-SYS Reflect for cloud monitoring and management of all your Q-SYS systems alongside Zoom Device Manager.

The Q-SYS NC-90-G2 joins the list of NC Series cameras certified for Zoom Rooms, with advanced video features including Active Speaker Framing and auto-framing. Certification of the Q-SYS VisionSuite VSA-100 AI Accelerator for Zoom Rooms adds AI-driven room automation and dynamic, autonomous camera framing to the Q-SYS portfolio of certified for Zoom Rooms solutions.

Company News

ADI Expands C4Yourself for 2026

ADI is expanding C4Yourself for 2026. Running throughout October, C4Yourself has become ADI's flagship annual consumer engagement initiative for the Control4 Certified Showroom Dealer community, helping participating dealers generate qualified leads, increase showroom traffic and demonstrate the value of professionally installed smart living solutions. For 2026, the company has expanded the program with new marketing resources, enhanced dealer support and the latest Control4 X4 experience, continuing ADI's commitment to helping partners grow their businesses.

The 2026 campaign builds on last year's program, which attracted 110 participating dealers worldwide, generated more than 300 homeowner RSVPs, and nearly 4,000 visits to participating dealer microsites. The strong response demonstrated the value of coordinated consumer marketing programs that connect homeowners with local Control4 Certified Showrooms while helping dealers build stronger sales pipelines.

Diversified Opens New Jersey Facility

Diversified is consolidating its four existing New Jersey locations into a new facility in Newark. The move represents a significant investment in Diversified’s operations and infrastructure, creating a centralized hub designed to support the company’s continued growth.

Spanning more than 100,000 square feet, the facility will include warehouse and office space, systems fabrication and testing facilities, 3D printing capabilities, studio space, and client experience areas. The new facility will consolidate key functions currently spread across four New Jersey locations, providing a more integrated environment for associates and project delivery. Diversified expects the Newark facility to be fully operational by the end of October.

L-Acoustics Achieves B Corp Certification

L-Acoustics has achieved B Corp Certification, awarded by the non-profit B Lab to companies independently verified against rigorous global standards of governance, transparency, and social and environmental performance. Certified through B Lab’s Large Enterprise and Multinational pathway, built for companies with complex, multi-site operations, the certification covers the entire L-Acoustics Group across all 13 sites worldwide. Encouraging other pro audio manufacturers to join them, L-Acoustics joins a broader community of more than 10,000 Certified B Corporations in over 100 countries, including more than 640 in France.

“We are proud to reach a new milestone in our sustainability journey,” says Hervé Guillaume, chief executive officer of L-Acoustics Group. “This certification positions L-Acoustics among the pioneers of the professional audio industry in social, environmental and governance performance, placing the company in the same global community as brands like Patagonia that have long put purpose at the center of their business. It recognizes the progress, commitment and daily work of teams across the company, and it is a commitment to a more sustainable future for live entertainment.”

Mo-Sys Completes Reorganization

Mo-Sys has completed a business restructuring, which has included a move to a new facility in Canada Water. A key part of the new organization is the promotion of Selin Kemal to the new role of managing director. The move to the Canada Water building has allowed Mo-Sys to fulfill a long-held ambition, the creation of a hybrid presentation theatre using the best of modern technology, including Mo-Sys robotics and virtual production, as a flexible host venue. The flagship space, which has room for up to 120 delegates as well as comprehensive production equipment will be used for high-impact corporate communications, live events and global broadcast.

“We are moving forward with renewed strength and clear ambition," said new managing director Kemal. "That means maintaining our reputation as the most innovative developer of technologies in our sector and delivering the key products that power the creative drive, wherever it comes from. In our new home we can showcase all of our unique products in a practical environment that delivers real benefit for our corporate neighbors, and our film and television users around the world.”

It was another busy week in Pro AV. AVIXA announced scholarship winners, Shure welcomed a new sales channel leader, Almo Pro AV is heading North for its fall E4 Experience Tour, and LG has a new partnership.

[SCN Top 50 2026: Enter Today!]

Four people on the move, seven partnerships you should know about, company announcements, and product enhancements dominated last week's news cycle. Sit back and get caught up in this week's Pro AV Newsmakers.

People News

Advanced Systems Group Adds Mark Vinten to Audio Team

Advanced Systems Group(ASG) welcomed Mark Vinten as senior account executive on its expanding Audio and Post Production team. In his new role, Vinten helps grow ASG's business by fortifying relationships with existing clients and developing new opportunities throughout Southern California.

Before joining ASG, Vinten spent 10 years with Evertz, where he advanced from service technician to director of West Coast sales and service. His career spans professional recording, broadcast technology, manufacturing, and systems integration. His range of experience gives him a unique perspective on media workflows and enables him to help clients see beyond individual products to how each part of a facility works together.

Grass Valley Appoints Ronny Van Geel as VP Cameras

Grass Valley has appointed Ronny Van Geel as VP, cameras, bringing more than 25 years of experience in camera technology, product management, strategy, and media production workflows to the role. He is focused on connecting the camera team’s deep technical expertise with the realities of modern production, and on turning that understanding into products that give operators, creatives and production teams more freedom and confidence in how they work.

Van Geel has worked across the camera business from both technical and product perspectives, most recently as director of product marketing at Grass Valley. He now returns to the camera organization with a broad understanding of how production is changing and what that means for the people working with these systems every day.

Keith Bountom Joins PrimeTime

PrimeTime Lighting Systems welcomed Keith Bountom as sales executive. Bountom focuses on building relationships with customers, chief engineers, lighting directors, dealers, systems integrators, and industry professionals while helping them identify professional lighting solutions for broadcast, video streaming, production, corporate, and other studio applications.

“PrimeTime has an impressive lineup of studio lighting products,” said Bountom. “What really stands out to me is the combination of professional light quality, rugged construction and innovative features like passive cooling and VariWhite. These are products designed for the demands of real-world studios, and I’m excited to help customers find the right lighting solution for their specific needs.”

Shure Appoints Monique Rezaei as Sales Channel Leader in North America

Shure has appointed Monique Rezaei as senior director, channel sales, North America. In this role, Rezaei leads Shure’s North American channel sales organization, helping strengthen partner engagement and drive growth as the convergence of AV, collaboration, and IT continues to reshape the industry.

Rezaei brings more than two decades of leadership experience spanning channel sales, strategic alliances, partner ecosystem development, and go-to-market strategy. She has helped organizations build high-performing partner programs, drive transformational growth initiatives, and strengthen collaboration across AV, IT, and unified communications markets. She is focusing on advancing Shure’s channel strategy, supporting partners’ evolving business needs, and identifying new opportunities to create value for customers across North America.

Partnerships

Arkona Partners with BFE for Arkona-Branded Control Panels

Arkona technologies GmbH has announced a new OEM partnership with BFE Studio und Medien Systeme GmbH. The partnership will allow arkona to offer arkona-branded control panels for their SDI-IP routing systems.

The agreement follows increasing demand from end users for arkona-labeled control panels as the company's EASY-IP concept has gained traction in the market. Since introducing EASY-IP, a solution which helps broadcasters make the transition from SDI to IP-based production facilities, arkona has attracted significant interest from broadcasters building larger SDI-IP routers, creating a need for comprehensive control solutions, both software and hardware-based.

Future Ready Solutions Announces Partnership with Lowell Manufacturing

Future Ready Solutions has formed a strategic partnership with Lowell Manufacturing to serve the custom installation market across the United States. Effective immediately, Future Ready Solutions has been appointed master distributor of Lowell AV racks, cable management, connectivity, power, and audio reinforcement products for audiovisual resellers, strategic buying groups, and Pro AV industry organizations.

Founded in St. Louis in 1947 by Ben and Dorothy Lowell, Lowell Manufacturing is a third-generation, family-led manufacturer of AV Racks and professional audio and AV infrastructure solutions. Based in Pacific, MO, the company produces more than 1,000 products across its equipment rack, power distribution and audio product lines. Lowell combines a long history of patented product innovation with advanced robotic manufacturing, powder-coating capabilities and domestic production of many power products to deliver practical, installer-focused solutions for professional AV system integration.

GUDE, Lightware Collaborate on Automation Platform

GUDE Systems' smart PDUs now integrate into Lightware’s LARA (Lightware Advanced Room Automation) platform. With the new GUDE driver module, AV equipment and smart power distribution can now be managed together via unified automation workflows—configured directly within the LARA environment.

GUDE’s “Expert Power Control” series can be managed directly through LARA, making energy management part of the same automation logic as AV device control. For system integrators and AV professionals, this means simplified deployment, operation, and maintenance. Features include unified control environment, automated Power Management, remote reboots, and faster commissioning.

LEA Professional Partners with Atlantic Integrated

LEA Professional has partnered with Rockleigh, NJ-based manufacturer’s representative Atlantic Integrated. This partnership brings LEA’s extensive technology catalog to customers in the New York metropolitan area.

With extensive experience in the custom installation and integration business, the Atlantic Integrated team will represent LEA’s Network Connect series of professional amplifiers and companion Dante Connect series featuring Dante and AES67 connectivity.

LG and Marriott Enhance Hospitality and the Guest Experience 

Marriott International and LG Electronics announced a long-term strategic collaboration focused on enhancing the guest experience, beginning with a cloud platform for guest room entertainment and technology. Marriott plans to adopt the jointly developed platform across its participating hotel portfolio, bringing a modern approach to in-room entertainment and laying the foundation for device management and connected guest experiences across Marriott properties.

Given Marriott's long-standing relationship with LG, the company was selected to expand its work with the hotel company to support its hospitality tech ecosystem, starting with an innovative guest room entertainment and technology platform for next-generation guest experiences. Marriott is shaping the platform around guest experience, property operations, and enterprise integration needs, while LG is co-developing the platform, device management, and technical support behind it.

Beyond enhancing the guest room experience, the platform provides Marriott with a centralized enterprise management environment for its in-room technology. Marriott associate teams will now have the ability to monitor device health, performance, and status across individual guest room televisions, entire hotel properties, specific brands or groups of hotels, and even its broader property portfolio. This centralized approach enables faster issue identification, more efficient content and application updates, and improved operational visibility across Marriott's global hospitality network.

Telestream and NVIDIA Bring AI-Powered Upscaling into Vantage Workflows

Telestream announced advanced AI video enhancement capabilities powered by NVIDIA in Telestream Vantage, expanding upon Telestream’s existing practical AI capabilities embedded across the media pipeline. Vantage Super Resolution will be one of the first solutions developed through the collaboration.

Built on the NVIDIA Video Effects SDK, part of the NVIDIA AI for Media collection, the new capability brings AI-powered super resolution directly into Vantage as a transcoder option, allowing media companies to automatically upscale legacy SD and HD content into modern HD, 4K, and UHD deliverables without leaving the workflow. The integration is designed to help broadcasters, sports organizations, post-production teams, and content owners modernize archive libraries by improving the visual quality of the content, qualify older assets for today’s distribution requirements, and turn dormant content into new revenue opportunities.

Zixi and Ateme Deepen Strategic Alliance

Zixi and Ateme have expanded their strategic partnership to help broadcasters and content owners accelerate the transition from satellite to resilient IP and cloud-based workflows. By combining Zixi’s software-defined transport platform with Ateme’s video processing and delivery solutions, the companies are evolving their long-standing relationship into a jointly engineered, co-marketed collaboration focused on premium live event contribution and distribution.

As broadcasters and content owners face rising satellite costs, shrinking transponder availability, and mounting pressure to deliver premium live experiences at scale, the combination of Ateme's encoding efficiency and Zixi's reliable, protocol-agnostic IP transport layer gives customers a proven, end-to-end alternative that spans contribution, distribution, and delivery across on-premises, hybrid, and fully cloud environments.

Company News

AIMS Announces Certification of 14 Additional IPMX Products

The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) announced the results of its second IPMX Product Certification Test Event, held August 24-28 at European Broadcasting Union (EBU) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Eight manufacturers submitted 14 products for testing, and all 14 were officially certified to the IPMX standard, qualifying them to carry the IPMX branding and signaling verified compliance with published transport, control and interoperability requirements.

The EBU serves as the independent certification authority for IPMX and conducted the testing at its Geneva facility, while AIMS administers the certification program overall. This event, the second since the program's inaugural session in January 2026 that certified 48 products from 10 manufacturers, was open to AIMS, VSF and AMWA member companies and continues the shift from informal plugfests to a formal, repeatable certification process, giving integrators and end users an independent basis for verifying IPMX interoperability.

Following rigorous testing, solutions from Bridge Technologies, Cobalt Digital, EvertzAV, ITDev, intoPIX, Matrox Video, Macnica, and PlexusAV successfully passed certification. Testing covered the baseline IPMX requirements along with uncompressed video and audio, the JPEG XS profile, the JPEG XS TDC profile mode, and the HKEP and PEP capabilities. Certified products and their tested capabilities are listed in the IPMX certification registry at registry.ipmx.io/registry.

Almo Pro AV Brings the E4 Experience Back This Fall

Almo Pro AV is taking the E4 Experience back on the road this fall, stopping in Dallas on September 15 and Boston on October 15. Billed as the Pro AV industry’s original traveling regional event for integrators, consultants, IT Managers, and end users, the E4 Experience is a customizable day-long format designed to give local attendees endless networking opportunities, a showroom of newly launched products, AVIXA-credited CTS RU education, and practical, optimizable tips and tools that can be immediately implemented.

“As humans, we know that nothing replaces the impact of face-to-face experiences,” explained Greg O’Rourke, director of tradeshows and events for Almo Pro AV. “Industry professionals who attend an E4 Experience can expect to spend time with technical and service professionals, shake hands, catch up and network in our ‘family-like’ professional atmosphere. Following an E4 Experience, attendees should be able to immediately utilize the information and relationships they gain in a way that is both practical and profitable for them.”

Get the full agenda for Dallas and Boston by clicking here!

EN 54 Certification Extends the L-Acoustics Ecosystem to Voice Alarm Applications

Sports venues have long run two audio systems in parallel: one for the announcer, the playlist, and the halftime show, and a second, specified against EN 54, for evacuation. That has required two sets of loudspeakers in the same concourse, two sets of electronics, two maintenance contracts. For L-Acoustics systems, that duplication is no longer necessary.

L-Acoustics has attained EN 54 certification across a growing portfolio of loudspeakers, amplified controllers and network products, to EN 54-24 for loudspeakers forming part of a voice alarm system and to EN 54-16 for voice alarm control and indicating equipment. The enclosures and electronics that the industry specifies for concert-grade sound reinforcement now also hold the certification required for life safety announcements. EN 54-16 certification covers the LA7.16i, LA1.16i, LA4X and LA2Xi amplified controllers, as well as the LC16D network audio converter and the LS10 Milan-AVB switch when integrated into the PAVA Facilities VACIE rack. Amplification, processing, monitoring and fault reporting therefore stay within the same platform that drives the entertainment system.

Products Enhancements

Canon U.S.A.'s upcoming firmware updates for its PTZ lineup will deliver new advanced functionality and improved performance. The new array of firmware updates for Canon’s 4K remote PTZ camera systems improve convenience and efficiency across a wide range of shooting needs and applications, from live events, news production, reality television, houses of worship, and much more. All Canon IP-enabled PTZ cameras, including the CR-N700, CR-N500, CR-N400, CR-N350, CR-N300, CR-N100 and CR-X300, as well as the RC-IP1000 controller are receiving updates for performance and feature improvements. Select PTZ cameras are receiving significant new features that include On-board recording and Face Registration Auto Tracking for enhanced workflows and maximum creative control.

FOR-A expanded its viztrick AiDi into an overarching AI technology brand encompassing two dedicated products: Go Vertical! AiDi and AiDi Sports Hub. Developed by Nippon TV and delivered globally by FOR-A, viztrick AiDi brings advanced AI capabilities directly into live production workflows, with on-device processing designed to deliver the speed and responsiveness live content demands. The new product structure makes it easier for broadcasters, sports producers, and other content creators to choose the AI tools that fit their needs. Go Vertical! AiDi addresses the growing demand for mobile-first video delivered in a 9:16 format, while AiDi Sports Hub applies AI to create more engaging live coverage with tools that provide additional context.

Haivision's Makito ONE video transport platform, the company’s low latency, dual channel multi‑codec encoder/decoder designed for pristine 4K, HD, and high dynamic range (HDR) broadcast contribution, now supports live video contribution over bonded cellular networks through seamless integration with the CellLink 5G external modem and antenna array. Commonly used as a low latency contribution encoder over Ethernet-connected networks, Makito ONE is now reported to be the first device of its kind to also leverage cellular connectivity for contribution, all from a single hardware blade. This gives broadcasters maximum flexibility and additional resiliency from diverse network options, ensuring the best video quality for live productions in remote, mobile, and unpredictable network environments.

QuickLink expanded its StudioEdge remote contribution platform, introducing new support for WhatsApp and Cisco Webex, along with enhanced integration for Microsoft Teams. These updates further strengthen StudioEdge as a unified, multi‑platform solution for connecting remote guests, experts, and contributors into professional production environments.

The following statement was provided by d&b audiotechnick.

With profound sadness, d&b audiotechnik announces the passing of Larry Italia who served as president and CEO of d&b audiotechnik Americas from 2018 until his retirement at the end of 2025. Italia passed peacefully at his home following a brief illness.

A veteran of the professional audio community, Italia was instrumental in guiding d&b audiotechnik Americas through a period of significant growth and leading the organization through the challenges of the global pandemic. Prior to joining d&b audiotechnik, Italia served as VP of integration at Sound Image and held positions in sales and management at Yamaha before rising to VP of Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems. A staunch supporter of his friends and family, Italia cared deeply about everyone who was in his circle and a part of his team and his influence and impact on the business of professional audio will be felt for years to come.

Italia is survived by his wife, family and close members of the professional audio community, many of whom he considered part of his family. The professional audio community has lost a true champion, and Italia will be deeply missed.

It was another busy week in Pro AV. Riedel Communications has a new CEO; Neat and Peerless-AV expand their leadership positions; a slew of manufacturers made new partnerships; and then, of course, was FORTÉ and D-Tools.

D-Tools started a busy Tuesday by announcing its merger with Portal.io. The merger creates a stronger technology partner for commercial integrators by bringing together complementary strengths. Want more details? Dig in here with our full coverage.

Later that same night, SCN had the inside scoop, breaking the big news that FORTÉ acquired Vega Global. Fresh off its split from GPA, FORTÉ chairman and CEO Jeff Stoebner sat down with us to discuss what was behind the strategic acquisition. Spoiler alert, it wasn't simply expansion for the sake of expansion. Learn more in our exclusive interview here.

Now, on with the show.

People News

Neat Deepens Leadership Bench for Global Expansion

Neat has appointed Sandeep Mehra as SVP and general manager of International. In this key executive role, Mehra drives market expansion, commercial execution, and strategic partner ecosystems across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific regions.

A 20-year industry veteran across SaaS, video collaboration, and enterprise technology, Mehra has scaled businesses from early-stage startups to multi-billion-dollar global operations. He spent over a decade at Cisco in senior leadership roles spanning sales, engineering, and go-to-market. His tenure included serving as managing director for APAC collaboration sales, VP of customer experience across ASEAN and Korea, and global GM for video devices out of Oslo, where he launched a suite of innovative products covering work-from-home solutions and Intelligent Spaces. Early in his career, Mehra co-founded India’s pioneer conferencing company, which was acquired by Webex; he later served as an executive leader at Moxtra.

Peerless-AV Appoints Rob McKenna as National Account Manager for CI, Retail, and eCommerce

Peerless-AV has announced the expansion of its CI, retail, and ecommerce team with the appointment of Rob McKenna as national account manager McKenna brings 37 years of consumer electronics industry experience to the role, further strengthening Peerless-AV's growth strategy across key commercial and residential channels.

McKenna joins Peerless-AV with an extensive track record of building high-value retail and custom business throughout the CI channel at known organizations. In his new role, McKenna is responsible for managing and expanding key account relationships across custom integration, retail, and eCommerce channels. His appointment reflects Peerless-AV's continued commitment to strengthening its partnerships and accelerating digital growth in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Riedel Evolves Leadership and Global Go-to-Market Organization

Riedel Communications is strengthening its leadership and global go-to-market structure for 2027. Lutz Rathmann will become chief executive officer (CEO) of Riedel Communications, assuming overall responsibility for the product division and managed technology division. At the same time, Anthony Zuyderhoff will take on the role of chief commercial officer (CCO), leading the company’s newly unified global go-to-market organization. Jan Eveleens, currently CEO of the product division, will retire at the end of 2026 following a long and successful career in the broadcast industry. The new setup brings the product division and managed technology division into closer alignment, combining Riedel’s product development and live-production expertise more closely.

The new setup brings the product division and managed technology division into closer alignment, combining Riedel’s product development and live-production expertise more closely. Both divisions will retain their respective teams, expertise, and market focus while collaborating more closely across the business. At the same time, Riedel will connect its customer-facing sales, service, support, and marketing functions through a shared go-to-market leadership, enabling a more coordinated and consistent approach to customers and partners.

Before returning to lead Managed Technology in 2020, Rathmann had already held senior roles at Riedel, including Vice Director Global Events and Head of Project Management. Since then, he has strategically expanded the business, developed new opportunities and partnerships, and advanced the solution portfolio for international event and live productions. Together with Jan Eveleens, he has also driven closer collaboration between Managed Technology and the Product Division—laying the groundwork for bringing both areas even closer together under his leadership.

Zuyderhoff, currently Executive Director Global Sales, will assume leadership of the new go-to-market organization and bring Riedel’s primary customer-facing functions under a shared direction. The new setup is designed to make collaboration more seamless, accelerate decision-making, and strengthen how Riedel supports customers and partners across products and services.

Whitwam AVI appoints Jack Baker as Operations and Project Manager

Whitwam AVI is continuing to strengthen its operations with the appointment of Jack Baker as operations and project manager. Having spent the past three years as maintenance manager, Baker brings an in-depth understanding of the business and its clients. In his new role, he is developing tools and processes to improve onboarding, renewals, and contract management, while supporting colleagues and removing barriers to support consistent, scalable delivery.


He has held engineering roles at Virgin Media and Ultra Electronics, as well as aboard several mega-yachts, giving him extensive experience of complex, high-pressure technical environments.

Partnerships

Absen, Polywall Announce Strategic Technology Partnership

Polywall and Absen announced a strategic technology partnership. The collaboration delivers solutions that provide organizations with a seamless, high-performance foundation for their command and control environments.

The partnership addresses the growing demand for sophisticated, reliable visualization solutions in network operations centers (NOCs), security operations centers (SOCs), transportation hubs, utilities, and public safety facilities. By combining Polywall control room software platform with Absen's LED displays, enterprise customers get a unified ecosystem that enhances operational efficiency, situational awareness, and decision-making.

The joint solution has already been successfully deployed in complex operational environments, including high-profile government and financial sector projects . At the heart of the partnership is a commitment to interoperability, with both companies' technologies tested and validated to ensure optimal performance and reliability in 24/7 operational settings.

AIMS Welcomes Bolin Technology and ITDev as Newest Members

The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) today announced that ITDev and Bolin Technology have joined the organization as its newest members. The additions bring a professional PTZ camera and AV over IP hardware manufacturer and a FPGA design and IP licensing specialist into the alliance, further broadening the range of expertise represented among AIMS members as adoption of IPMX and SMPTE ST 2110-based standards continues to expand across broadcast and Pro AV.

Bolin Technology designs professional PTZ cameras and AV over IP solutions built for real-world production environments. ITDev and Bolin Technology join a growing roster of broadcast and Pro AV companies working within AIMS to advance IPMX and support the industry's transition from proprietary, point-to-point systems to open, standards-based IP media networking.

AISpeech Appoints Empire PRO as U.S. Distribution Partner

AISpeech has appointed Empire PRO as its U.S. distribution partner to support its continued growth in North America. Under the agreement, Empire PRO will help bring AISpeech products to dealers, integrators, consultants, and end users across the United States, supported by regional inventory, order fulfillment, technical assistance, and customer service for the Pro AV channel.

Empire PRO is a professional audio, video, and lighting distributor based in the Los Angeles area. The company serves dealers, systems integrators, consultants, and technology partners with access to leading AV brands, in-house inventory, logistics support, technical resources, and full-system solution support.

Almo Pro AV Partners with Audio-Technica 

Almo Pro AV and Audio-Technica have jointly announced that Audio-Technica’s flagship D50 Digital UHF Wireless System is now available for order through Almo Pro AV. For integrators, the partnership offers much more than just access to a new wireless platform. Almo Pro AV’s in-house audio team also provides technical and business development support, while LinkLab Services can help with everything from system design and programming to commissioning and labor. Together, these resources give integrators a way to move from product selection to project deployment with expert support at every stage.

As wireless systems become increasingly integrated into commercial AV networks, RF reliability, scalability, and ease of deployment are critical considerations for integrators. The D50 is designed specifically for these demanding environments. The system uses antenna summing and Maximal Ratio Combining (MRC) technology to improve RF stability across the available UHF frequency range. Its high-density capabilities allow integrators to deploy more wireless microphones in environments where RF spectrum is limited. Dante networking also simplifies system integration by allowing multiple channels of digital audio to travel over a single network cable. For integrators, that can mean less cabling, easier troubleshooting and potentially lower installation labor.

AtlasIED Partners With PT Hikari Indo Sarana

AtlasIED announced its partnership with PT Hikari Indo Sarana, a Jakarta, Indonesia-based distributor. The partnership aims to expand AtlasIED’s APAC reach.

Hikari Indo Sarana has over 25 years of industry experience and has consistently held its highly respected position since its inception in 2001. The company is known as a top-quality project supplier and system integrator. Hikari Indo Sarana specializes in the hospitality, office, data center, and industrial sectors.

INFiLED Appoints UC Technology Partners for the Northeast United States

INFiLED has appointed UC Technology Partners as its representative firm for the Northeast United States, extending the LED display manufacturer’s reach into one of the country’s densest commercial AV markets. The appointment forms part of a wider expansion of INFiLED’s North American channel strategy, through which the company is building a network of regional representative firms to bring its sales and support capability closer to integrators and end users.

Founded in 2024 and based in Connecticut, UC Technology Partners is an AV and IT sales and marketing organization representing manufacturers in the unified communications and commercial AV sectors. The Northeast-based firm covers nine states: New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maine, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Vermont, and Rhode Island. Its founders, Aaron Chisena and Rob Leclerc, bring more than five decades of combined experience earned working directly with manufacturers, integrators, service providers, and end users.

TRENDnet Partners with Hiperwall

TRENDnet and Hiperwall announced a new partnership that makes select TRENDnet managed switches compatible with Hiperwall technology. This collaboration gives users better networking infrastructure options for demanding AV over IP and video wall installations.

The new compatibility enables businesses and organizations of all sizes to deploy Hiperwall-powered video wall systems using certified TRENDnet managed switches. This delivers the network performance and reliability required for high-end visualization environments across a wide range of applications and industries.

Click here for a full list of TRENDnet managed switches now certified for compatibility with the Hiperwall video platform.

Company News

Reinforcing its commitment to helping customers build recurring revenue through a growing portfolio of services, ADI has redesigned its Parasol experience within its 1Plan platform, providing custom integrators with a single place to design, sell, activate and manage recurring services. The update brings Parasol into the 1Plan platform alongside ARCC, ADI's cloud-based network management service. Customers can now access Parasol and ARCC through a single portal, simplifying access to recurring services. They also benefit from modernized business administration capabilities, including more streamlined credit card management, granularity for user management and permissions, enhanced notification management, and centralized end-customer contact management.

AVer Information introduced its Try & Buy Program, an evaluation initiative that allows organizations to test eligible AVer products in their own environments before making a purchasing decision. Designed to simplify the technology evaluation process, the program provides customers with up to 60 days to assess AVer solutions within their existing meeting rooms, classrooms and professional AV environments.

PPDS announced the evolution of its EcoDesign learnings, wrapped together with its ‘future proof product thinking’, to become ReDesign. Alongside the new naming, the company has extended the circular design approach that enabled the EPEAT Climate+ Gold rated Philips Signage 3650 EcoDesign, applying it to the development of new products. This philosophy reinforces PPDS’ long term commitment to sustainability, circularity, and social responsibility, embedded through every stage of its product lifecycles. The reimagined ReDesign philosophy is built around six core principles: reduce, reuse, repair, refurbish, recycle, reinvent.

Product News

Biamp announced that its Kleeo Desk Manager is now Zoom Certified for Workspace Reservation. This certification enables organizations to provide employees with a unified, streamlined desk booking experience directly within Zoom Workspace Reservation, bringing the power of Kleeo to the collaboration tools their teams already use.

Blackwire Designs has announced a full catalog integration into Specifi, the all-in-one business management platform built for AV integrators. This integration allows custom integrators to feature, specify, and quote Blackwire products across their entire workflow, from Specifi-built integrator websites to final client proposals. Authorized Blackwire dealers using Specifi can effortlessly pull accurate product data, specifications, live pricing, and high-resolution imagery directly into client-facing proposals, technical documents, and the client portal, eliminating manual data entry.

Boland Communications introduced a new SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its full range of professional 4K HDR monitors. Featuring integrated 25GbE connectivity and SMPTE ST 2022-7 protection, the option brings resilient UHD monitoring directly to IP-based production environments without requiring external ST 2110-to-SDI gateways. The integrated design reduces the switch ports, gateways, transceivers, cabling, rack space, and power required for monitor walls, production control rooms, master control facilities, mobile production units, and other multidisplay environments. Removing external conversion equipment also simplifies installation and maintenance while reducing system complexity and potential points of failure.

Carousel has unveiled enhancements to its integration with the Amazon Signage Stick. Carousel Cloud's latest update introduces several key feature enhancements that streamline digital signage operations across Amazon Signage OS devices. The Carousel dashboard now supports over-the-air updates, flagging when Carousel app or Amazon Signage OS updates are available and allowing operators to launch them together manually or schedule them to install automatically overnight. Energy efficiency is improved through an updated Power Save feature, which uses Amazon Signage's HDMI-CEC display control to automatically switch compatible HDMI displays on and off at scheduled times. Furthermore, content display reliability is enhanced via Amazon Signage's OS-level rotation APIs, keeping settings fixed across reboots to ensure proper portrait and inverted-landscape playback for all content, including YouTube. To provide deeper device visibility, Carousel now reliably identifies specific Amazon Signage Stick models by reading their model identifiers directly through APIs, while regular resource monitoring tracks CPU, memory, disk usage, and overall health to give operators a clear view of each player's operational status.

Unlike the first two weeks of August, there was not a flood of acquisitions this week. That didn't mean there wasn't an abundance of new hires, promotions, strategic partnerships, and more company announcements you needed to know.

[SCN Top AV Consultants 2026]

So, sit back and get caught up with this week's Pro AV Newsmakers.

PEOPLE MOVERS

Almo Pro AV Expands Leadership Team

Almo Pro AV expanded its leadership team with two internal promotions and one executive appointment. The leadership advancements include Jane Tran, VP of growth marketing; Liz Wheeler, director of business development; and James Salter, VP of vendor marketing.

Tran leads Almo Pro AV's marketing strategy to help attract new customers while strengthening existing relationships. Working closely with the company's sales and marketing teams, she oversees demand generation initiatives and digital marketing efforts that help manufacturer partners and customers drive growth. Tran brings nearly 20 years of experience building brands and helping technology organizations grow across multiple industries.

Wheeler leads a team of business development managers and helps shape the strategic direction of the company's business development organization. Working across multiple areas of the business, she collaborates with manufacturer partners, sales leadership and key stakeholders to strengthen relationships and expand opportunities throughout the channel. Recognized for her strategic insight and collaborative leadership, Wheeler has been a key contributor to Almo Pro AV's success for more than a decade and will play an important role in the continued evolution of the company's business development strategy.

Salter brings more than 20 years of experience in the Pro AV and technology industries. In this new role, Salter leads the company's vendor marketing group, working closely with manufacturer partners to strengthen strategic relationships. He is an accomplished marketing leader, having successfully led global teams and scalable programs that delivered measurable business results. Previously with Microsoft, AVer, and Canon, Salter brings deep expertise in partner marketing across Pro AV, cloud, cybersecurity, IoT, enterprise software and other emerging technologies.

Pieter Claes Joins AtlasIED

AtlasIED has appointed Pieter Claes as director of sales-EMEA. In this role, Claes assists with AtlasIED’s footprint expansion in EMEA by strengthening relationships with local customers, channel partners, and sales representatives across the region. He also collaborates with AtlasIED’s sales team, independent manufacturer representatives, and key channel partners to strengthen relationships, expand market opportunities, and drive growth across strategically targeted verticals.

Claes joins AtlasIED with more than 15 years of experience in professional AV sales and channel development. Most recently, he served as regional sales director at Biamp, where he worked closely with customers, partners, and integrators.

CODA Audio USA Adds to Technical Team

CODA Audio USA has added three new technical team members who will offer support in the areas of pre-sale support, system design, and commissioning. The new additions to the team will provide a strong support base of expertise and experience across the network.

New York City-based Brad Ward joins CODA Audio USA as a freelance design consultant, bringing vast experience as a sound designer and AV consultant. He specializes in the design and engineering of high performance sound systems for theatre, music, and immersive environments worldwide.

Ward is joined by Houston-based founder and CTO of MultiPoint Integrated Technologies, Michael Mordente, who has enjoyed 3-plus years in the professional audio space, including large scale stadium and arena touring, system design and install, consulting, training and R&D. Completing the trio is New Jersey-based Shil Patel, a systems design engineer specializing in large-scale professional audio and integrated AV systems for houses of worship, institutional, and commercial environments. The founder of system integrators Omni Technology,

Diversified Expands Global Services Strategy 

Diversified has added a new Global Managed Services Practice, bringing together the company’s proven managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello has joined Diversified as VP-global managed services to lead the new practice.

The practice will focus on three main priorities: delivering consistent quality at a global scale, creating long-term client value, and driving intelligent service operations. Mello brings more than two decades of experience building and scaling technology-enabled services for global organizations, including NTT DATA, Orange Business Services, and IBM. Across his career, he has created new practices, launched differentiated service offerings and led complex transformation initiatives that aligned technology, operations, and commercial strategy. A patent holder and author, Mello has a proven record of turning innovation into scalable capabilities and measurable business value.

Partnerships, Announcements, and More Company News

ADI Launches Inaugural Control4 NEXT Conference for Certified Technicians

ADI is launching its Control4 NEXT, a three-day education and training conference created for Control4 Certified Technicians. As part of ADI’s continued investment in the long-term success of the Control4 platform and its authorized dealer community, the event will provide attendees with advanced technical education, hands-on product training, and direct access to the teams shaping the future of Control4.

Scheduled for October 20-22 in San Antonio, TX, Control4 NEXT reflects ADI's continued commitment to innovation, technical excellence, and customer success. Designed to become an annual gathering for the Control4 professional community, the conference will bring together advanced training, direct collaboration with engineering and product teams, and advanced previews of future innovations across the Control4 platform.

More than a training event, Control4 NEXT is designed to strengthen connections across the Control4 ecosystem, giving integrators an opportunity to learn, collaborate, share best practices and explore new opportunities for business growth.

frame:work Becomes a Member-Based Organization

frame:work, the community for live pixel people that has been organizing conferences, meetups, and the New Talent List through countless volunteered hours since 2019, today announces the next step: a professional society for community, by community. The new framework.video website is live and membership is open.

“This is a genuinely exciting next chapter for frame:work," said SCN Hall of Famer and board member, Sarah Cox. "Membership is open, it's open at every stage of a career, and that part matters. Growth was never the number. It's whether people feel they belong here and can contribute and feel that what they know is worth sharing or help someone looking for advice. Everyone has something to teach and something to learn, and membership is how we make room for that support and growth across our pixel community.”

Humly Strengthens German Market Presence

Humly has strengthened its presence in Germany through a new distribution partnership with DELO Computer GmbH. The agreement expands access to Humly's workplace hardware and software ecosystem while providing customers and reseller partners across Germany with enhanced local product availability, technical expertise and responsive customer support.

As an official distribution partner, DELO Computer will help strengthen Humly's market visibility throughout Germany while ensuring products are readily available through local sales channels. The partnership also enables faster response times, localized technical support and stronger engagement with resellers and customers across one of Europe's largest workplace technology markets. Building on DELO Computer's established expertise in modern workplace technologies, the companies will work together to help organizations create more transparent, productive and people-centered work environments.

Syntegra Brings LEA Professional to Bulgaria

LEA Professional announced a partnership with Syntegra, a Sofia, Bulgaria-based commercial AV distributor. This partnership will connect the Bulgarian AV industry with LEA Professional’s extensive technology catalog.

With nearly 40 years of combined experience in the AV industry, the Syntegra team is perfectly positioned to assist LEA’s footprint expansion in Europe. Through this partnership, Syntegra will represent LEA Professional’s Network Connect series of professional amplifiers, as well as the companion Dante Connect series, which features Dante and AES67 connectivity.

SFM Named Master Distributor for DJI Enterprise in Canada

SFM was appointment master distributor with the civilian drones and aerial imaging technology company, DJI Enterprise. The agreement gives SFM direct access to distribute DJI Enterprise's complete portfolio—including drone platforms, payload and sensor accessories, docking and automation software, and enterprise data management tools.

SFM will be supported by DJI Enterprise with pre and post-sale technical guidance, deployment assistance, and training for its partner base. The solutions are aimed at organizations that need faster, safer, and more accurate ways to collect data, spanning fields such as public safety, geospatial, energy and utilities, and oil and gas.

Uniguest Renames Tripleplay, eStream and pCare under Hub Brand

Uniguest has renamed three of its flagship technology platforms as part of a strategic move to bring its core portfolio together under the Hub brand. Tripleplay is now Hub AV, eStream is now Hub Media, and pCare is now Hub IPS. The Tripleplay, eStream, and pCare brand names will be retired, with the platforms moving forward as Hub AV, Hub Media and Hub IPS respectively. Together with the existing Hub Digital Engagement Platform, the renamed solutions create a unified family of Hub platforms spanning Uniguest’s key markets and applications.

The move follows the successful relaunch of Otrum as Hub at ISE 2025 and represents the next stage in Uniguest’s strategy to create a clearer and more cohesive identity across its technology portfolio. While the names are changing, the underlying platforms are not. Customers will continue to use the same technology, supported by the same teams, expertise and product roadmaps.

Under the new naming structure:

• Hub AV, formerly Tripleplay, provides IPTV, digital signage and video distribution technology for enterprise, hospitality, sports, corporate and other professional environments.
• Hub Media, formerly eStream, provides media management, enterprise video and content delivery capabilities.
• Hub IPS, formerly pCare, delivers interactive patient experiences for healthcare providers.
• Hub, Uniguest’s Digital Engagement Platform, provides a unified platform for managing and delivering digital experiences across hospitality and other environments.

The new hires and promotions kept rolling at an increased pace last week. There were also plenty of noteworthy partnerships formed. But before we get to that, there were a trio of big stories from FORTÉ, LED Studio, and Uniguest.

GPA and FORTÉ have agreed to conclude their current partnership at the end of to pursue their respective strategic priorities and growth initiatives. The two have been in a strategic alliance since 2020, which has contributed to the successful delivery of AV projects and programs designed to enhance communication and collaboration for customers worldwide. However, both companies agreed future strategies are best advanced independently. Mark J. Pescatore spoke to Jeff Stoebner, chairman and CEO of FORTÉ, for more. You can read it here.

The very next day, Uniguest acquired Visix to enhance its workplace and campus engagement strategy. You can get all the details here.

Lastly, LED Studio North America has rebranded to VOD North America. Per a company release, this transition formalizes a deep operational partnership with global LED display manufacturer VOD Visual to significantly scale manufacturing, engineering, and localized support across the region.

The rebrand introduces greater operational agility to meet surging North American demand. The expansion is anchored by 56,000 square feet of new infrastructure, featuring a primary operation facility and product showroom in Sacramento, CA, alongside a dedicated secondary showroom in San Antonio, TX. The Sacramento hub will also house advanced engineering resources and a dedicated domestic RMA repair and service center designed to significantly reduce turnaround times and streamline post-sale support for North American clients.

Now, get caught up on the Pro AV week that was.

People News

Advanced Systems Group Appoints Eran Binyamin Zeitoun as Senior Technical Program Manager

Advanced Systems Group (ASG) appointed Eran Binyamin Zeitoun as senior technical program manager. Zeitoun will help lead a new ASG business initiative focused on enterprise media asset management and storage systems, newsroom computer systems (NRCS), and media infrastructure solutions for broadcasters and media organizations.

Zeitoun provides technical strategies, solution architecture, program management, and client engagement to help organizations design and deploy scalable, future-ready media workflows. Zeitoun joins ASG after a distinguished 27-year career with Dalet Digital Media Systems, where he most recently served as senior infrastructure and solution architect. During his tenure, he designed and validated enterprise media and IT solutions for leading broadcasters and media organizations worldwide, served as the highest technical escalation point for complex issues, and worked closely with engineering, professional services, support, and project teams to ensure successful implementations and rapid issue resolution.

Audio Engineering Society Announces Results of 2026 Elections

The Audio Engineering Society has announced the results of its 2026 Board of Directors and Board of Governors elections. The Society’s membership has elected David v.R. Bowles as President-Elect, as well as several new Governors and Regional Vice Presidents.

In the AES Elections for the Board of Governors (BoG), the following have been elected as regional Vice Presidents: Malik Williams, Vice President: Eastern Region, USA/Canada; Jess Berg, Vice President: Western Region, USA/Canada; and Merlijn van Veen, Vice President: Northern Region, Europe. Additionally, newly elected as at-large Governors are Helen Caddes, Ivo Marković and Angela Piva. Valerie Tyler has been re-elected as Secretary.

Save for the president-elect, each newly elected individual will serve a two-year term. Bowles will serve on the AES Board of Directors as president-elect in 2027, in 2028 as president, in 2029 as past president, followed by two years as a Governor. All those newly elected will begin their terms on January 1, 2027.

The 2027 Audio Engineering Society Board of Directors will be led by president Cesar Lamschtein, past president Brecht De Man, and Bowles. Joining them in key officer roles are secretary Valerie Tyler and treasurer Jayant Datta, alongside director Agnieszka Roginska. One additional director will be elected by the Board of Governors within the next 60 days.

In addition to the directors, the AES 2027 Board of Governors features regional VPs Masataka Nakahara (Asia-Pacific), Merlijn van Veen (Northern Europe), Piotr Majdak (Central Europe), Huseyin Hacihabiboglu (Southern Europe/Middle East/Africa), Ezequiel Morfi (Latin America), Malik Williams (Eastern USA/Canada), Kelvin Grimble (Central USA/Canada), and Jess Berg (Western USA/Canada). The Board is completed by governors Jamie Baker, Fariuska Lira Barully, Leslie Gaston-Bird, Helen Caddes, Gary Gottlieb, Ivo Marković, Angela Piva, and Bernarda Ubidia.

Celestion Appoints Torben Müller as Business Development Manager

Celestion appointed Torben Müller to the position of business development manager. In his new role, Müller’s primary focus is identifying, exploring, and developing new opportunities for growth alongside Celestion’s valued customers and partners. He is also responsible for serving many of Celestion’s international distributors, plus several key OEMs across both the pro audio and guitar sides of the business.

Müller joins Celestion with an extensive background in the music instrument and professional audio industries. He initially taught music at a grammar school before transitioning to the music technology industry. He spent more than a decade in sales and promotion at Tube Amp Doctor (TAD) known for premium-quality valves for guitar amplifiers. His tenure at TAD, which also serves as Celestion's German distributor, provided an opportunity for Müller to gain a deep understanding of Celestion’s products and customers.

DPA Microphones Appoints Raul Contreras as West Coast Regional Sales Manager

DPA Microphones welcomes Raul Contreras as its new West Coast regional sales manager. In this role, Contreras oversees sales and customer relationships throughout the Western United States, supporting DPA Microphones, Austrian Audio, and Wisycom, while working closely with dealers, distributors, and end users to further strengthen the company’s presence across the region.

Contreras, who steps into the role following the retirement of industry veteran John Root, brings more than 15 years of experience in driving business growth, strategic partnerships, and brand development across the pro audio, music technology and consumer product industries. Throughout his career, Contreras has held leadership positions with respected global brands, including Native Instruments, Monster Energy, and HOTPIT Autofest. It was in these positions that he built strong relationships with channel partners, developed go-to-market strategies, and led initiatives that expanded market presence and revenue across North America and Latin America.

RCF USA appoints Michael Curtis as Product Specialist and System Engineer

RCF USA appointed Michael Curtis as product specialist and system engineer, further strengthening the company’s technical support and customer education initiatives throughout North America. In his new role, Curtis provides loudspeaker system design and application support for RCF’s growing network of consultants, integrators and sales partners while also leading the development of technical training, educational content and customer-focused resources across the company’s professional audio portfolio.

Zixi Appoints Alyson Stewart as Senior Director of Sales

Zixi has appointed Alyson Stewart as senior director of sales. In her new role, Stewart drives direct sales and partnerships, deepening Zixi’s relationships with broadcasters, media companies, and enterprise clients as the company continues to expand its footprint across the media and entertainment industry.

Stewart is responsible for growing new business across Zixi’s direct sales channel, strengthening go-to-market partnerships, and supporting customers as they transition live video workflows from legacy infrastructure to scalable, IP-based delivery.

Partnerships

Bogen Communications Joins the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools

Bogen Communications has joined the growing list of PASS Partners, a coalition focused on improving safety and security in educational environments through industry collaboration and guidance. The approval highlights Bogen Communications’ investment in the education industry and positions the company within a network of manufacturers, consultants, and public safety professionals focused on standardizing school safety practices.

PASS develops School Safety and Security Guidelines that provide a tiered framework for assessing risk and implementing protective measures across K-12 facilities. The guidelines are widely referenced by school administrators, design consultants and integrators when planning and upgrading safety infrastructure.

By supporting PASS, Bogen Communications gains direct visibility into evolving school safety requirements and the opportunity to contribute to discussions that shape how communication systems are specified and deployed in educational settings. Bogen Communications' engagement allows the company to align its product development and system design with frameworks already used by decision-makers in the field.

CODA Audio USA Appoints Five New Rep Firms

CODA Audio USA continues its rapid expansion in the United States with the appointment of five new rep firms to significantly increase the company’s reach in the United States professional audio market. The new firms add to CODA Audio USA’s existing network of representation, bringing on board yet more experience and expertise to propel the brand forwards.

MultiPoint Integrated Technologies will represent CODA in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Delaware, Washington DC, Maryland, Western Pennsylvania, and Virginia Beach, whilst Frequency Sales will take care of Illinois and Wisconsin. UC Technology Partners will take the reins in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Upstate New York, with Caliber Sales looking after Florida. Completing the new lineup is Bassett Sales Corporation who will operate in Hawaii, Northern California, and Northern Nevada.

Sennheiser Becomes Official Sound Provider of Formula E

Formula E and Sennheiser announced a multi-year partnership under which Sennheiser will become Formula E’s official sound provider. The collaboration will see the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship integrate Sennheiser’s professional audio solutions and pioneering AMBEO immersive audio technology across the global series, creating new ways for fans to experience the excitement, energy and emotion of electric racing.

As the first all-electric FIA World Championship, Formula E continues to lead the way in sport-tech innovation. Through this partnership, Formula E and Sennheiser will explore how advanced audio capture and encoding workflows can create more immersive experiences for viewers watching on any device. By partnering with Sennheiser, the series aims to set a new global benchmark for live sports broadcasting and fan engagement, utilizing Sennheiser’s expertise to capture the unique, high-performance soundscapes of the GEN4 era.

Company News

AtlasIED’s German Experience Center Holds Grand Opening

AtlasIED hosted a multi-day grand opening event at its new Warendorf, Germany experience center and showroom. The opening included hands-on training and product demos for a wide range of European distributors and integrators, as well as a reception and celebration to commemorate the event.

The experience center is designed as a collaborative hub for distributors, system integrators, consultants, and end users to gain hands-on experience with the company's solutions. During the opening event, attendees participated in live product demonstrations, project presentations, and interactive training sessions. They also had opportunities to directly access and program the Atmosphere platform.

In addition to manufacturer-led courses, AtlasIED is expanding its curriculum to include specialized instruction for third-party technologies, such as EASE and Dante, while a dedicated seminar room supports small-group, software-focused training sessions.

Custom Channels Introduces Next-Generation Customer Portal

Custom Channels has rolled out its completely reimagined customer portal, giving businesses a more powerful and intuitive way to manage branded music and messaging across every location, from a single storefront to hundreds of sites nationwide.

As physical spaces become increasingly connected and digitally intelligent, organizations need more than music management tools. They need the flexibility to deliver consistent, brand-building customer experiences while responding to local opportunities and customer preferences. Developed in direct response to customer feedback, the new portal enables businesses to do exactly that through a single, scalable platform.

Designed to support organizations of every size, the new portal scales effortlessly from a single location to regional operations and national enterprise deployments. Customers no longer need different management tools as their businesses grow. The same intuitive platform supports every stage of expansion while preserving a consistent brand experience.

Hosa Technology Launches Pro Access

Hosa Technology has introduced Pro Access, a purchasing program that gives qualified professionals direct access to Hosa's catalog of interconnects, adapters, and patch solutions at professional pricing.

Hosa makes the cables, adapters, and patch solutions behind the final connections in an AV system, at the rack and at the endpoint. The catalog spans more than 1,200 SKUs across Euroblock, Cat6, HDMI, fiber optic, DMX, AES/EBU, and analog audio, from mic lines to speaker runs. Pro Access gives qualified professionals the Hosa catalog at pro pricing, with no minimums, quotas, or purchase commitments.

The program is open to businesses of any size—from independent contractors to full integration firms. Applicants complete a one-time business verification, then order online or by phone in any quantity.

Shure Secures Sustainability in AV Certification

Shure is now officially SAVe Certified at the corporate level. Twenty-one Shure Associates, representing a broad cross-section of company operations, participated in the SAVe Certification process, which involves an educational program, workshop, and planning session. The certification program is designed to help organizations develop action plans to advance the 2030 SDGs.

SAVe provides a vehicle for the AV industry to achieve sustainable development and serves as a bridge to other industries, NGOs and partner organizations who share the conviction that we must take urgent action to preserve the health of our planet, communities, and people.

SAVe initiatives include SAVe Certification, a process by which organizations can develop an action plan to advance the SDGs; SAVe: A Second Life, a program designed to reduce e-waste by giving AV equipment a second life at the end of its first one; and SAVe Sustainable Manufacturers Council, which seeks to provide AV manufacturers the information, tools and leadership necessary to accelerate the sector’s transition to a more sustainable future.

What you missed:

• Bose Professional acquired Fulcrum Acoustic and Live Media Group acquires Gravity Media's U.S. mobile production assets.
• Nine key appointments were made at Analog Way, Pro Audio Design/Theory Professional, Diversified, VTG, KMH Integration, and QuickLink.
• Electronics veteran Don Ambrose retired, LEA Professional expands, and AtlasIED prepares you for flight.

Last week was a very busy one, as seven key appointments were made across the industry, ranging from CEOs to architects. Of course, the big news of the previous week came from two audio powerhouses merging.

Bose Professional acquired Fulcrum Acoustic, the Massachusetts-based manufacturer of high-performance loudspeakers, amplifiers, and immersive audio systems. Fulcrum will continue operating under its own brand, with its products, customer support, service and partner relationships remaining unchanged. This marks Bose Professional's first acquisition since becoming an independent company following Transom Capital Group's purchase of the business in 2023. You can get more of the details in our full article here.

In other acquisition news last week, Live Media Group acquired Gravity Media's U.S. mobile production assets, adding eight mobile production units—including three premium production trucks with existing major broadcast contracts—to its expanding nationwide fleet. The transaction also includes the addition of engineering and technical staff, further strengthening Live Media Group's production expertise across the country. As part of the agreement, Live Media Group and Gravity Media have also established a strategic partnership that will allow the companies to collaborate on projects requiring both mobile production facilities and services. While Live Media Group assumes ownership and operation of Gravity Media's U.S. based Outside Broadcast (OB) truck fleet, Gravity Media will continue to support projects through its internationally recognized RF technology and other services, creating a comprehensive solution for clients operating throughout the United States.

Now, sit back, and get caught up on the week that was in your Monday edition of Pro AV Newsmakers.

People News

Andy Towers Named New Analog Way Western Regional Sales Manager

Analog Way has added Andy Towers as Western regional sales manager. Towers is a recognized video wall and processing expert with more than 15 years of business development and global sales strategies experience.

Towers joins the company with vast experience in image processing and dvLED technology, further bolstering Analog Way’s expertise in the market. Prior to coming on board, he spent three years as sales-senior applications specialist at Christie Digital Systems. Earlier, Towers served in Western regional sales management at Delta Electronics and Jupiter Systems and as an account manager at AVDG.

Don Ambrose Retires from Arlington

Arlington Industries' Don Ambrose officially retired on Sept. 1, after serving as director of sales and marketing since 2023. Ambrose joined Arlington as its Southern regional manager in March of 2005. He was promoted to national sales manager in 2012 succeeding Ray Kennedy.

Ambrose leaves Arlington after a 47-year career in the electrical industry that also included roles at Westinghouse Electric Supply Co., Ideal Industries, Firex, and Johns Manville. He began his career in the electrical industry in 1979, upon graduating from The University of Texas at Austin. After years in electrical distribution, he secured a position on the supplier side of the business, where he rose through the ranks to National Sales and Marketing roles at four separate companies.

Ambrose has served in a voluntary capacity under three different presidents of the National Electrical Manufacturer’s Representative Association (NEMRA). He was also the recipient of the NEMRA’s Excellence in Regional Sales Management Award at their Chicago conference in 2013.

AtlasIED Welcomes New Eastern Regional Sales Manager, Transportation

AtlasIED, a recognized leader in the commercial audio and security industries, today announces the appointment of Ethan Janzen as Eastern Regional Sales Manager, Transportation. In his role, Janzen will lead AtlasIED’s transportation sales in the Eastern United States, enhancing the company’s presence in the region.

Janzen joins AtlasIED with 16 years of experience driving revenue growth across the commercial audiovisual (AV) industry. Having worked with top companies for nearly two decades, Janzen brings incredibly strong industry connections that will be key to supporting AtlasIED’s transportation footprint. Janzen specializes in channel enablement & scaling, market share & competitive displacement, and possesses strong multi-vertical experience, which will be critical in reinforcing AtlasIED’s presence in airports, rail, bus, and other transit verticals.

Diversified Appoints Pete Emminger as Global Chief Technology Officer

Diversified appointed Pete Emminger as global chief technology officer. Emminger is leading the company’s global go-to-market technology strategy, helping clients anticipate market shifts, strengthen technical capabilities, and navigate an increasingly connected technology landscape. He is working across Diversified’s business to connect emerging technologies with practical client needs, while helping shape the company’s technical direction, strategic partnerships, and future solutions.

Emminger brings more than two decades of experience leading technology strategy, product development, and transformation across media, entertainment, live production, and sports.

Most recently, he served as global chief technology officer at NEP Group, where he led the evolution of the company’s service and product offerings, including the development of new software products. His work included aligning technology investments with business priorities, increasing development velocity and focusing resources on solutions with the greatest potential to support customers and long-term growth.

Robert Weisenfeld joins G&T as Director, Broadcast & Media

Gardiner & Theobald (G&T) has added Robert Weisenfeld as director, broadcast and media, strengthening the firm's technical services capabilities for clients operating live-feed and broadcast environments.

Weisenfeld brings more than two decades of broadcast operations and engineering experience, including senior technical management roles with the Associated Press and NEP Group, where he has led live production infrastructure for major sports, news, and entertainment broadcasts. His addition reflects G&T's continued investment in specialized technical expertise to support clients across studio builds, broadcast facility moves, and live-production environments—from traditional broadcasters to corporate headquarters, auction houses, and production studios that depend on live-feed infrastructure.

KMH Adds In-House Architecture

KMH Integration is expanding its ability to serve media, broadcast, and IT organizations by adding Keith Hanadel, an accomplished architect with decades of industry experience, to its team. The addition of in-house architectural design and team leadership to KMH’s total project management platform reinforces the company’s position as a systems integrator with the planning, technology, design, engineering, and execution expertise needed to bring projects of any scope from “concept to completion.”

At KMH Integration, Hanadel is using his 30-plus years of experience planning and designing facilities for media and broadcast organizations worldwide, including CBS, Disney, Univision, NBCUniversal, MLB Network, YouTube, PGA Tour, and Netflix. Prior to joining KMH, he was Northeast region practice lead for media at Gensler. His career also includes 23 years at HLW International, leading the firm’s national Media and Entertainment practice.

Pro Audio Technology and Theory Audio Design Appoint Rafael A. Nevares as President

Pro Audio Technology and Theory Audio Design have appointed growth-oriented leader Rafael A. Nevares as president. Bringing more than 35 years of executive experience to the dual role, he is focused on spearheading the next chapter of growth for both companies, focusing on market-driven brand strategies, cross-functional team alignment, and customer-centric scaling.

An audio/video industry veteran, Nevares has built a reputation for leading organizations from early-stage concept to successful execution. He has held high-level executive and BoD positions for several prestigious premium audio brands, including AudioQuest, Audio Research Corporation, MartinLogan, and Gold Peak’s Kinergetics Holdings (Celestion and KEF).

QuickLink Expands North American Team

QuickLink welcomed Kane Peterson to its North American team as pre‑sales, customer success, and product development engineer. In this newly expanded role, Peterson supports customers across the region with workflow consultation, pre‑sales guidance, onboarding, and product development insights.

Peterson brings more than 34 years of broadcast industry experience, with a career defined by deep technical expertise and a strong commitment to customer success. Throughout his decades in the field, he has worked closely with broadcasters, production teams and technology partners to design workflows, guide complex projects and deliver solutions that elevate content creation and live production.

Virtual Technologies Group Appoints Kevin Farnham as CEO

Virtual Technologies Group (VTG) has appointed Kevin Farnham as chief executive officer. Farnham oversees VTG’s strategic vision and work with the firm’s executive team to lead its long-term growth strategy.

Farnham has been a board member for VTG since 2024 and has actively advised on key operational and value creation initiatives over the last two years prior to this appointment. As CEO, he leverages his operational expertise to bring together the scale, breadth and technical capabilities of VTG’s business offerings to reach an even greater number of prospective clients and help the firm achieve its next phase of growth. Nick Jean-Baptiste, managing partner at Jacmel and former VTG CEO, has assumed the role of Board Chairman.

Farnham joined VTG with more than 25 years of executive leadership experience, playing pivotal roles in scaling operations and driving sustained revenue growth across enterprise technology, cloud, IT, technical staffing, managed security services, and managed infrastructure solutions businesses. Before joining VTG, he was a senior operating executive with Abry Partners, where he successfully collaborated and partnered with management teams to enhance portfolio performance.

Company News

AtlasIED Is Ready for Takeoff: Solutions Installed in 80% of J.D. Power’s Top 30 Airports

As North America's busiest airports continue to raise the bar for the passenger experience, clear, reliable communication has become an essential part of that equation. In the latest J.D. Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study, 24 of the highest-rated airports rely on AtlasIED's public address and life safety communication technologies, underscoring the company's role in supporting seamless passenger communications across some of the continent's top airports. The study measured passenger satisfaction across mega, large, and medium airports using feedback from more than 30,000 travelers in the United States and Canada.

Of the 30 airports recognized in the report, AtlasIED communication systems are installed in all 10 top mega airports, six of the top 10 large airports, and eight of the top 10 medium airports. AtlasIED's transportation portfolio enables airports to provide consistent communication across terminals while meeting the operational needs of facilities of all sizes. As airports invest in modernization initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and the passenger experience, intelligent communication systems are essential components of next-generation airport infrastructure.

LEA Professional Partners with Audium

LEA Professional has partnered with Audium, an AV distributor based in the capital of Portugal. This partnership will bring LEA Professional’s extensive technology catalog to customers throughout Portugal.

With over 40 years of experience in the professional audio industry, the Audium team is perfectly positioned to expand LEA’s presence in Europe. Through this partnership, Audium will represent LEA Professional’s Network Connect series of professional amplifiers and companion Dante Connect series featuring Dante and AES67 connectivity.

LA Dodgers Team up with LG on Stadium Tech and Fan Experience

LG Electronics USA has been named a partner of the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers under a new multi-million-dollar, three-year marketing and technology partnership that combines display innovations with one of Major League Baseball's most iconic franchises.

The partnership establishes LG as a Dodgers marketing partner throughout the club's 81 regular-season home games as well as home postseason games. Fans will experience LG through in-game branding, digital and social media integrations, and interactive brand activations. LG also plans to partner with the Los Angeles Dodgers on community-impact initiatives benefitting residents throughout Southern California (details to be announced later).

The agreement builds upon LG's collaboration with ANC to enhance the fan experience at Dodger Stadium through advanced dv LED display technology. As part of the stadium's latest digital transformation, LG commercial display solutions power key visual experiences throughout the ballpark, including 771 feet of high-impact LED ribbon boards encircling the historic stadium and delivering dynamic game information, statistics, entertainment content and sponsor messaging.

What to know:

• M&W Pro Audio, PCD, Planar, and USSI Global made personnel moves.
• Williams AV, Avocor, and others announced new partnership.
• The first-ever SCN Top Consultants guide dropped.

It was another busy week in Pro AV, but there was some big news right here at SCN. Not to toot our own horn, but this week launches the first-ever SCN Top Consultants 2026 list. This was a massive undertaking between the SCN team and Sean Wargo and Lee Dodson at Apogee Insight to bring you a list of more than three dozen specialists influencing Pro AV project specifications. We encourage you to take a look here.

[Nominations Open for Best in Market Pro AV 2026]

Now, on with the show.

People News

M&W Pro Audio Appoints Jay Schlabs as Chief Revenue Officer

M&W Pro Audio has appointed Jay Schlabs as chief revenue 0fficer. Schlabs brings more than two decades of leadership experience in professional audio, global sales strategy, channel development, and consumer products to the company as it prepares for the launch of its first generation of products.

Schlabs began his career in professional audio at Mackie Designs, where he served as national sales manager. He later joined inMusic Brands as executive director of sales, where he spent thirteen years leading global sales and marketing efforts across multiple professional audio brands. Most recently, Schlabs served as senior director of e-commerce at PetSafe Brands, where he spent nine years leading the company's e-commerce strategy and digital growth initiatives.

PCD Strengthens Engineering and Sales Teams

PCD added a pair of industry professionals to its growing team. Flynn Kelly, CTS, has joined as senior design engineer, while Rick Shaffer joined as design sales consultant serving the Greater Sacramento and Northern California region.

With more than 30 years of experience in audiovisual systems design, engineering and project delivery, Kelly brings extensive expertise designing enterprise-scale media networks and unified communications environments for corporate, education and commercial clients.

Prior to joining PCD, Shaffer served as a workplace life safety specialist at Accenture, where he managed access control initiatives, security operations and complex systems implementations while supporting the organization's North American ISO 27001 information security certification efforts. Earlier in his career, he led facilities and technology teams supporting large houses of worship, overseeing modern AV systems that included live production, streaming and lighting environments.

Planar Welcomed Will Lundy as Regional Account Manager for Southeast United States

Will Lundy has joined Planar as regional account manager for Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Based in Nashville, he is responsible for driving sales and supporting reseller partners and customers throughout the region.

Lundy has built a strong foundation in technical expertise, customer support, and sales through prior roles at Planar as an installation technician and sales development representative. His hands-on industry experience, Pro AV knowledge, and customer-focused approach make him a valuable resource for Planar partners and customers throughout the region.

USSI Global Promotes Abed Zein to Executive Leadership Role

USSI Global promoted Abed Zein to VP of revenue operations. In his new executive role, Zein leads initiatives focused on enhancing billing accuracy, delivering an exceptional customer experience, improving operational efficiency, and developing scalable processes that support USSI Global's continued growth strategy.

A member of the USSI Global team since 1995, Zein most recently served as senior director of operations, digital signage solutions. During his three decades with the company, he has led major customer programs spanning satellite communications, digital signage deployments, and managed services while building a reputation for operational excellence, customer satisfaction, and disciplined financial management.

Zein now oversee a growing team responsible for supporting billing accuracy, contract compliance, process automation and operational consistency across multiple business units. The centralized approach adds another layer of quality assurance to ensure projects are invoiced according to each customer's contractual requirements while improving efficiency for project management teams.

Partnerships

Avocor and NowSignage Announce New Strategic U.K. Partnership

Avocor announced a new strategic partnership with NowSignage, a cloud-based digital signage CMS provider. The initial focus for the partnership will be on the U.K. market, targeting sectors in which both brands operate, including education, enterprise, and retail.

NowSignage software is compatible with the newly launched Avocor B-Series and represents Avocor’s entry into the business and commercial digital signage display market. The collaboration also brings together two brands with strong roots in the U.K., the region that served as the founding market for Avocor a decade ago.

Alongside retail, as well as business signage and wayfinding in the enterprise sector, a key application for the partnership will be the growing need for campus-wide communication, lecture hall signage, and student information displays across U.K. higher education.

Avocor and NowSignage are also jointly committing to a commercial strategy that will combine resources and support sales channels, distributors, and integrators. Furthermore, the NowSignage software application can be loaded directly onto the Avocor B-Series with immediate effect.

Williams AV Expands Distribution in South Africa

Williams AV announced South African audiovisual distributor Audiosure as its newest international partner. By teaming up with Audiosure, Williams AV ensures that local systems integrators throughout South Africa have the expertise and support needed to deploy modern assistive listening technologies successfully.

"South Africa is an exciting market with 12 official languages and growing awareness around hearing accessibility, creating meaningful opportunities to improve inclusion in public spaces," said Per Persson, VP of international sales and product management at Williams AV. "Audiosure has a strong reputation in the AV industry and brings valuable local expertise and technical knowledge to this partnership. We're excited to work together to help venues across South Africa and neighboring countries deliver more accessible and inclusive audio experiences."

Company News

Chyron Introduces Virtual Placement 8.1

Chyron released Virtual Placement 8.1, the latest update in its live sports virtual graphics platform. Built to help broadcasters operate with greater confidence under live conditions, Virtual Placement 8.1 introduces workflow and graphics enhancements that make production more flexible, reliable, and efficient. The release focuses on smarter live workflows, stronger downstream reliability, broader line tracking stabilization, and a more integrated PRIME graphics experience within the platform.

With this release, operators gain greater control over chroma keying during live play, a new program-to-isolated camera comparison workflow for lower-latency calibrated feeds, expanded line tracking stabilization across more sports and venues, and smoother access to advanced PRIME graphics tools directly within Virtual Placement. Together, these updates help customers adapt faster on air, maintain cleaner and more stable virtual graphics, and streamline live production workflows.

LG Offers New B2B Financing Service

LG Electronics USA launched the LG Financing Referral Service, a new program designed to connect businesses with participating financial institutions that offer financing and leasing options for eligible LG commercial display solutions. This new B2B service aims to help organizations deploy display technology while managing their capital budgets through flexible payment structures.

Designed to provide commercial display customers with enhanced investment flexibility and access to new financing sources, the LG Financing Referral Service reduces upfront capital requirements and offers financing structures that align with operational and budgeting needs. The program supports projects across hospitality, retail, corporate workplaces and other commercial environments seeking to modernize customer and employee experiences through digital display technology.

The LG Financing Referral Service supports eligible commercial display deployments through participating financing providers and resellers. Program features include flexible financing models, predictable monthly payments, support for eligible LG solutions, integrated support and services, lease-end flexibility, and a third-party financing model.

Violet Audio Expands dMix 128 with Integrated MCP Server

Violet Audio has added a built-in Model Context Protocol (MCP) server to its dMix 128 Digital Mixer platform, further expanding the system’s ability to integrate with software applications, control systems, automation platforms, and emerging AI-assisted workflows.

Running directly within the mixer, the MCP server complements the dMix 128’s browser-based control architecture, OSC server, QRC/JSON control framework, AES67 networking, SMPTE ST 2110-30 support, and NMOS integration, creating a highly connected platform for modern audio environments.

The week that was:

• Led by VP Sam Malik, Patriot Visual Group enters the Pro AV space.
• Hal Truex picked to lead PCD.
• AtlasIED, AVIXA, Bose Professional, and more announced strategic partnerships.
• Important updates from AES and WAVIT.

Pro AV Newsmakers, Monday, July 27

While Neat and Legrand | AV were among a bunch of Pro AV manufacturers to announce strategic partnerships last week, the big news of the week was the introduction of Patriot Visual Group. Headquartered in Irvine, CA, Patriot Visual Group (PVG) is an American-owned company that offers a comprehensive range of visual solutions and will be led by VP Sam Malik, a Pro AV industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience driving growth and innovation.

[Register for the AV/IT Summit]

As a small high-touch distributor with 50,000 square feet of warehouse space in Atlanta, GA, Patriot Visual Group stocks a wide assortment of products and provides quick turn-around shipping. The company sources its products from multiple high-end manufacturers and provides a full warranty on each unit, with spares included. Additionally, PVG offers full service and support on every product the company sells.

“PVG offers a wide range of high-quality visual solutions to address most any installation requirements an AV integrator may be tasked with," Malik said. "These various displays come from 1st tier partners and there is no second sourcing. To better ensure timely delivery of our products so as not to hold up the installation process, we stock many of our products here in the USA. We sell only through a limited dealer channel—never direct to the end user. Equally important, we offer cash discounts for even greater margins.”

Now, get caught up with the week that was in the latest Pro AV Newsmakers.

People News

John Rudolph Retires, Hal Truax Takes the Helm as President of PCD

As John Rudolph prepares to step down after three decades of leadership at PCD, he named industry veteran Hal Truax as the company's new president. The transition marks the culmination of a thoughtful succession plan designed to ensure continuity for employees, customers and partners while positioning PCD for continued growth.

Founded in 1980 by Henry Beaumont, Rudolph joined the company in 1999, and helped transform PCD into a full-service audiovisual systems integrator, expanding into education, government, hospitality, performing arts, corporate and commercial markets while strengthening the company's reputation for engineering excellence and trusted customer relationships. Now, Truax assumes the role after joining PCD as VP in early 2025, quickly becoming a driving force behind the company's continued expansion. With more than 30 years of experience in professional audiovisual integration, executive leadership, business development and strategic growth, Truax brings a unique combination of technical expertise and customer-first leadership that aligns naturally with PCD's culture. His promotion follows months of collaboration alongside Rudolph, ensuring a seamless transition for both employees and clients.

Product Updates

Bogen Communications Introduces Nyquist Version 11.0 Software Release

Bogen Communications releases its Nyquist Version 11.0 software release. The latest update introduces expanded SIP interoperability, enhanced system monitoring, additional device support, and expanded automation capabilities to enable more comprehensive communication channels and capabilities for integration. Nyquist Version 11.0 provides support for the latest Nyquist peripherals, including NQ-DSC01 VoIP Double-Sided LED Message Display and Flasher, NQ-VCTRL Digital Remote Volume Control Call Switch, NQ-IPHRN01 Indoor/Outdoor IP Horn with Talkback, and NQ-ZPMS-G2 Zone Paging Microphone Station. The latest software release also enables video calling between NQ-ZPMS-G2 devices, expanding communication capabilities for facilities requiring more interactive paging and intercom workflows.

Nyquist Version 11.0 expands SIP interoperability with support for RingCentral, Twilio and Zoom SIP calls, enabling integration with widely used unified communications platforms. The enhanced software improves call security by enabling Secure SIP with TLS 1.2 and SRTP for PBXi SIP trunks. Additionally, the update adds support for multiple incoming SIP trunks from the same PBXi, providing greater flexibility for more complex communication environments.

To improve system supervision, Nyquist Version 11.0 adds Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology (SMART) of SSD drives for the NQ-SYSCTRL. As a result, system health issues can now be reported directly to syslog and displayed within Check Server Status, improving visibility into System Controller hardware performance and helping administrators proactively identify potential issues.

Partnerships

AtlasIED Partners with A&L Group

AtlasIED announced its partnership with Selangor, Malaysia-based AV distributor Acoustic & Lighting System (A&L Group). This partnership is set to greatly expand AtlasIED’s presence in Malaysia and Vietnam.

A&L Group joins the partnership with over 35 years of industry experience. Originally founded in Malaysia, the team has expanded its footprint across Southeast Asia, including Vietnam. A&L Group prides itself on the strong, collaborative relationships it holds with clients, suppliers, and industry stakeholders. The team is entirely committed to fostering long-term partnerships based on reliability, quality, and open communication.

AVIXA Partners with Futuresource Consulting 

AVIXA is partnering with Futuresource Consulting, a global market research and consultancy firm, to offer deep dive studies that analyze Pro AV demand in education and corporate markets. The studies will include end users and technology buyers as well as integrators. Through this partnership, AVIXA and Futuresource Consulting will provide objective and clear market insights for key pro AV verticals. This research complements AVIXA's five-year supply-side industry forecast for products and services.

AVIXA will work with its membership, combined with Futuresource’s buyer decision maker sources to build a complete picture of education and corporate pro AV demand and expectations. AVIXA and Futuresource will begin by co-developing a report focused on the North American education market. The report, which will be released in the fourth quarter of 2026, will be based on a combination of Futuresource Consulting’s decision maker data from its annual survey along with AVIXA’s membership survey.

Bose Professional Expands Distribution with Peats

Bose Professional welcomed Peats Wholesale, a consumer technology and AV distribution company in Ireland, to its growing network. Based in Dublin, Peats connects global brands with Irish retail networks and professional AV/IT integrators. For the first time in Ireland, integrators and end user's will be able to visit the Peats Wholesale Experience Centre and listen to the full line-up of Bose Professional solutions.

Peats joins Bose Professional as part of the company’s growing hybrid sales model, integrating dedicated, in-house sales leadership, and engineering with a network of distributors worldwide. This strategic evolution is designed to deliver deeper regional engagement, streamlined access to technical resources, and a highly responsive partner experience from initial system design through final deployment.

Alongside its extensive product portfolio, Peats provides end-to-end technical expertise, including system design, product training, and after-sales support across the retail, corporate, education, and hospitality sectors. Bose Professional product support and training will be available on site in partnership with the Bose Professional UK & IRL Team, with products available over the counter or for next day delivery.

INOGENI and Yealink Partner to Deliver Flexible 4K BYOM Switching

INOGENI and Yealink have partnered to bring two-to-three host BYOM switching to flagship Yealink hardware, integrating the TOGGLE Series directly with the SmartVision 40 intelligent video bars, AVHub multi-camera audio-visual processor, and MCore touch console computing kits.

The solution combines Yealink SmartVision 40 intelligent videobars with AI-powered dual-eye camera tracking and integrated audio for enhanced meeting experiences; Yealink AVHub intelligent audio-video processor, providing centralized management of cameras, microphones, and speakers for large and divisible spaces; and Yealink MCore mini-PC computing kit, running native Microsoft Teams Rooms or Zoom Rooms and powering room displays and touch controllers

Together with INOGENI’s TOGGLE ROOMS, the ecosystem delivers seamless automatic or manual host switching, instantly connecting guest laptops to the room's professionally installed AV equipment while preserving the native room experience.

LEA Professional Partners with NSL Group

LEA Professional has partnered with NSL Group, a New Zealand-based AV distributor. This partnership will connect New Zealand AV customers with LEA Professional’s extensive technology catalog.

NSL prides itself on exclusively offering the highest quality audio and commercial AV technology to its customers. This partnership will bring LEA Professional’s Network Connect series of professional amplifiers, as well as the companion Dante Connect series, which features Dante and AES67 connectivity, to customers throughout New Zealand. These series enable integrators to utilize cloud-based remote control, monitoring, notifications, and more from any internet-enabled device, allowing them to stay connected from anywhere in the world.

Legrand | AV, Utelogy Expand Cloud Management Reach

Legrand | AV's Luxul Pro AV networking switches are now supported within the Utelogy cloud-based AV management platform. The integration, developed through the Utelligence Alliance Partner Program, extends Legrand | AV’s commitment to open AV infrastructure, ensuring that the company’s networking solutions work within the management environments that integrators and operators already rely on.

Networking has always been foundational to Pro AV, but commercial-grade networking, purpose-built for the performance, reliability, and manageability demands of AV environments, is increasingly central to how they are designed, operated, and serviced. Legrand | AV’s Luxul line is engineered specifically for that role, delivering the switching infrastructure that AV systems depend on. Connecting Luxul to the platforms where AV management happens is a natural extension of that mission. Through the Luxul driver in Utelogy, integrators and operators can now monitor and manage Luxul AV networking switches directly within the platform, alongside the AV devices they already oversee.

SFM Named Canadian Distributor for Neat Video Collaboration Solutions

SFM was appointed the Canadian distributor for Neat. The agreement enables SFM to bring Neat’s complete portfolio of video collaboration solutions to market across Canada, providing resellers and system integrators with direct access to the Neat portfolio which addresses the full spectrum of deployment environments—from personal workspaces and intimate huddle rooms to mid-size meeting rooms and large-scale conference facilities—ensuring channel partners can match the right solution to every client requirement.

The appointment reflects the complementary strengths of both organizations. SFM brings specialized knowledge of the Canadian AV and unified communications landscape, a proven well-established national distribution network, and long-standing relationships across the AV and IT channel.

Zixi, Comcast Technology Solutions Partner to Provide Unified Video Supply Chain Distribution

Zixiand Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) announced a strategic new integration to deliver C-band replacement solutions for linear broadcasters and content distributors. The collaboration brings together the end-to-end video management capabilities provided by Comcast Media360 with the Zixi Software Platform to give operators a direct migration path from C-band satellite to IP-based content distribution.

With the C-band satellite transition underway, programmers and distributors are exploring solutions to migrate linear workflows to IP while maintaining the kind of reliability, rights compliance, and affiliate distribution control that C-band has historically provided. At the core of the joint Zixi and CTS solution is a technical integration between the Zixi Software Platform and Comcast Media360, which provides customers with a 24/7 managed service backed by the proven reliability and scale of Comcast Technology Solutions.

Announcements

Introducing WAVIT's Wave of Influence Program

Women in AV/IT (WAVIT) unveiled its reimagined Wave of Influence Mentorship Program with a bold new vision for mentorship that empowers women across AV/IT to build meaningful connections and grow through every stage of their career. Unlike traditional mentorship programs that pair one mentor with one mentee for a predetermined period, the Wave of Influence embraces a fresh, member-driven approach.

Participants have the freedom to connect with multiple mentors, mentees, and peers based on their goals, interests, expertise, and career stage creating flexible relationships that can last for a single conversation or continue for years. Careers are rarely linear, often requiring guidance from multiple perspectives throughout different stages of professional development. Recognizing this shift, WAVIT reimagined its mentorship program to create a more flexible, personalized, and collaborative community experience that better reflects today's workforce.

Powered by the UpNotch mentorship platform, the new Wave of Influence provides AI-powered recommendations that help members discover mentors, peers, and professional connections aligned with their goals.

Sound Tube and Original Syndicate added new hires. D-Tools, Somfy, and Miri Technologies made product enhancements. Sony, Panasonic Projector & Display, and Martin Professional announced new partnerships. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

[What to Know about the 2026 AV/IT Summit]

Get caught up in the busy Pro AV week that was in your Monday fill of Pro AV Newsmakers.

People

Original Syndicate Expands Leadership and Specialist Team 

Original Syndicate (OGS) has strengthened its leadership and specialist capabilities with the appointment of three new team members. Joining the company are Tyler Baum as business development manager, Michael Hernandez as head of production, and Bryan "Bee" Washington as technical operations center operator. They join Monica Vandehei, senior technical producer, and Cassidy Pearsall, senior technical producer, as part of a broader expansion that reflects OGS's continued investment in technical expertise, production excellence and client support as the business enters its next phase of growth.

Baum is focusing on developing strategic partnerships and helping organizations navigate increasingly complex communications technology projects. Drawing on extensive experience across LED volume environments, virtual production and business development, he will work with organizations to identify technology solutions that align with their operational and creative objectives. Hernandez brings extensive experience in creative production, virtual production, and large-scale immersive projects. Having worked across live touring, XR Studios, and the launch of Sphere, he oversees the production systems that support the successful delivery of OGS projects, ensuring teams, workflows, and project execution remain aligned from concept through completion. With more than a decade of broadcast engineering experience supporting global sporting events, major streaming platforms and international broadcasts, Washington plays a key role in monitoring, maintaining, and optimizing technical systems for clients.

Vandehei brings a background spanning live events, virtual production, and creative technology. Having managed complex production environments across theater, fashion, television, and feature film projects, she works closely with clients to align creative ambitions with practical technical solutions from concept through to implementation. Lastly, Pearsall brings expertise across live events, virtual production, cinema technology and systems integration. She now supports clients with workflow development, technical design, and project delivery across a wide range of production and education-focused environments.

SoundTube Expands Customer Design Resources

SoundTube Entertainment welcomed Nelson Lugo as design engineer, further expanding SoundTube's ability to support integrators, consultants, and end users with expert audio system design, product selection, and project support. In his role, Nelson works directly with customers to develop audio system designs, recommend solutions tailored to project requirements, and provide engineering support throughout the design and specification process. His addition reinforces SoundTube's commitment to helping customers deploy high-performance audio systems with confidence while expanding the resources available through the company's Design Services program.

Nelson brings nearly two decades of experience spanning professional audio, technical support, manufacturing, AV integration, and customer-facing engineering roles. Over the past 18 years, he has developed extensive expertise designing, supporting, and implementing professional audio systems from concept through deployment.

Partnerships

Martin Professional Announces Strategic Partnership with the Iconic Royal Albert Hall

Martin Professional has announced a strategic partnership with London’s Royal Albert Hall, creating a closer collaboration between manufacturer and venue that will help shape future lighting technology development. The partnership creates a direct feedback loop between real-world applications and product design, providing Martin with insight from one of the world’s most demanding venues while supporting the Royal Albert Hall’s continued investment in advanced lighting systems across a diverse global program.

The Royal Albert Hall maintains a substantial Martin Professional inventory, comprising MAC Ultra Performance, ELP PAR, MAC Aura XIP, MAC Encore Performance CLD, and MAC Viper Wash DX fixtures in the main auditorium. MAC Ones, ERA 400 Performance CLD, and ELP CL Profiles can be found in a smaller performance space in the building.

Neutrik Group Americas Expands Distribution Reach for NEUTRIK and REAN Brands

Neutrik Group Americas introduced a new channel partnership with DigiKey, an electronic components distributors. This collaboration will expand DigiKey’s customer access to the complete portfolio of NEUTRIK and REAN connectivity solutions across the Americas as well as the global markets.

Through this new reseller relationship, DigiKey will offer both NEUTRIK and REAN brand products, making these solutions more accessible to engineers, integrators, manufacturers, OEMs, and technical buyers who rely on DigiKey’s extensive distribution platform and streamlined purchasing experience.

Panasonic Projector & Display Americas and Illumibot Launch World's First AI-Powered Mobile Projection Fleet

Panasonic Projector & Display Americas launched IllumiBeastin partnership with Illumibot. As part of the fleet of co-branded, AI-powered, projection-enabled Cybertrucks, Panasonic Projector & Display Americas will sponsor the first six IllumiBeasts that bring professional-grade projection mapping directly to brands, venues, events, and audiences anywhere in the United States.

Projection mapping has grown in popularity as organizations look to enhance audience engagement. Historically, projection mapping has been reserved for large-scale productions with significant budgets, specialized technical crews, and fixed venues.

Illumibot aims to transform this landscape with the world's first AI Personalized Projection platform. Designed so users can leverage a smartphone camera and natural language prompts to detect surfaces, generate visuals, and map projections in seconds, the technology helps reduce the need for complex mapping software.

The IllumiBeast powers projection mapping on wheels. Smaller scale projects that couldn’t otherwise benefit from projection mapping due to space, budget, and staffing restrictions receive a comprehensive system that’s fully self-contained, AI-ready, and designed to be operational within minutes, directly to their door.

Each vehicle arrives fully equipped with MEVIX laser projection technology, including the PT-MZ20K, a 20,000-lumen 3LCD WUXGA laser projector that’s ready to deliver large-format, high-impact projection experiences on demand. As the solution’s projection sponsor, MEVIX equips each IllumiBeast with professional-grade projection technology, enabling a mobile projection mapping solution that any brand, event organizer, or venue can access without a production team or a permanent installation.

Sony Electronics, CatchLight Collaborate to Expand Visual Reporting Capacity in Local Newsrooms

CatchLight, the organization investing in the power of images to inform and connect, announced a new strategic equipment initiative with Sony that will put professional camera and video tools directly in the hands of local visual journalists. High-quality visual journalism depends on reliable equipment that can capture clear images, video, and audio in the unpredictable conditions local journalists face every day. With Sony and other collaborators, CatchLight is expanding access to the tools and support local newsrooms need to strengthen their visual capacity and tell deeper, more nuanced stories.

Through the initiative, Sony will provide 24 professional Alpha camera and video kits to select CatchLight Local member newsrooms, including 16 CatchLight Local Fellows and Report for America Corps Members. Each kit includes professional equipment, including full-frame cameras, telephoto zoom lenses, digital shotgun microphones, and external flash with wireless radio control. In addition to equipment kits, Sony will also provide access to Sony Pro Support memberships, technical support representatives, and online training sessions that can be accessed through CatchLight’s learning library.

Products

AIMS Announces Second IPMX Product Testing and Certification Event

The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), together with the Video Services Forum (VSF) and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), will host the second IPMX Product Testing and Certification Event. Scheduled for Aug. 24–28 at the EBU headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the week-long gathering is open to AIMS and VSF member companies and will expand the growing IPMX-certified product ecosystem while introducing formal certification of new capabilities developed as part of the IPMX roadmap.

The Geneva certification event follows a "dirty hands" interoperability session scheduled for July 20–24 at the Matrox Video facility in Montreal, Canada. That members-only session will give AIMS participants hands-on testing of new IPMX developments ahead of the formal certification event, continuing the model of pre-certification interoperability work that has proven effective throughout the IPMX program.

The August event will introduce certification for capabilities that have been in active development prior to the launch of the full realized standard in 2026. These include Host Key Exchange Protocol (HKEP) and HDCP handling for protected content, and the Privacy Encryption Protocol (PEP) security layer, which enables interoperable content encryption across multi-vendor deployments. HEVC and AVC compression profiles, which have seen strong industry interest in enabling efficient transport across existing infrastructure, are also progressing toward certification.

Audio-Technica Introduces 20 Series USB Microphone Control Application

Audio-Technica unveiled its new 20 Series Control Application, a Stream Deck plug-in designed to provide streamlined control of compatible Audio-Technica USB microphones directly from Elgato Stream Deck devices. Developed for streamers, content creators, podcasters, gamers and audio production professionals, the application delivers fast access to essential microphone functions through customizable Stream Deck keys, dials and foot pedals.

Compatible with the Audio-Technica AT2020USB-X, Audio-Technica AT2020USB-XP and Audio-Technica AT2040USB microphones, the 20 Series Control Application allows users to mute and unmute microphones instantly, adjust microphone input levels, and, for AT2020USB-XP users, control Automatic Gain Control (AGC) and Noise Reduction (NR) functions directly from the Stream Deck interface.

D-Tools Cloud Release #100 Delivers 66 New Capabilities in Platform History

The new D-Tools Cloud Release #100 delivers 66 improvements, more new capabilities than any release since the platform’s 2018 debut, spanning payments, sales reporting, inventory, and project drawings. Many of the improvements came directly from customer requests, and together they make D-Tools Cloud faster, clearer, and more complete at every stage of the integration business lifecycle.

Some of the new capabilities are Accelerated ACH Deposits, a new next-day funding option in D-Tools Payments; a new QuickBooks Online and Xero filter that shows at a glance which invoices have been pushed to accounting, and which still need to be linked, across Purchase Orders, Change Orders, and Billing, reducing the risk of duplicate or untracked entries; a new Product Tracking Mode lives on the product itself and can be switched individually or in bulk, with a change-guard dialog that protects data integrity by blocking any mode switch while a product has assets or quantities allocated, checked out, or reserved, and explaining why; and the enhanced Interconnect Diagrams module, launched last fall, with more branded, flexible, and production-ready for client-facing documentation.

The Sales Results module receives the largest set of upgrades: a new default “Total” revenue view that combines project, service contract, subscription, and service call revenue without double-counting; new date-range presets; a cleaned-up Lost Opportunities gadget; and a new drill-down Details view exposing the underlying opportunities, service calls, and change orders behind any number. Sales Forecast receives parallel improvements, including clearer labels, an improved 12-month projection window, corrected tooltips, and subscriptions now folded into forecast totals.

Miri Introduces New Platform for NetConnect+ Plans

Miri Technologies is rolling out a new online portal that provides customers and resellers with self-serve management tools and usage analytics for the company's NetConnect+ global mobile data plans. The intuitive Miri Data Platform lets users manage the full lifecycle of NetConnect+ SIM cards and plans themselves, from provisioning new SIMs to usage reporting and billing.

The Miri Data Platform dashboard provides users with full autonomy to control and monitor usage of their purchased NetConnect+ SIM cards. It enables self-activation of new NetConnect+ SIMs while offering at-a-glance views of active SIMs and their associated devices, along with high-level usage information.

Somfy Releases a New Verified Plugin for Q-SYS

Somfy has a new Q-SYS Verified Plugin supporting PoE (Power over Ethernet) shading solutions. As a contributor to the Q-SYS Ecosystem, Somfy collaborated with Q-SYS to create a market-ready control solution that integrates seamless control of Somfy’s intelligent motors into the Q-SYS Full Stack AV Platform.

The Somfy Sonesse PoE Motors Plug-in enables integrators to configure, monitor, and control PoE-powered shading systems directly within Q-SYS Designer Software. By leveraging network-based power and communication, the plugin helps simplify system architecture while supporting reliable and consistent performance.

The solution also allows integrators to align shading control with AV and environmental systems within a unified platform, improving usability, and delivering a more cohesive experience across commercial environments. This plugin complements Somfy’s existing Q-SYS Verified Plugin for Somfy Connect UAI Plus and SDN motors, providing additional flexibility when designing IP-based shading systems alongside AV, lighting, and environmental controls.

Audinate, SMPTE

Audinate Introduces All-New Spanish Language Dante Training Program 

Audinate's new Dante Certification program is now available in Spanish. Designed for today's rapidly evolving AV landscape, this essential update equips professionals with the networking and AVoIP expertise the industry demands, while offering up to 19.75 AVIXA Renewal Units and up to 10.75 CEDIA CEUs.

The updated curriculum reflects the latest developments across the Dante platform. Participants will gain deeper insight into foundational networking concepts such as IP addressing, VLANs, QoS, multicast, and IGMP, as well as Dante-specific topics including network design, Dante Controller, AES67/ST2110 interoperability, Dante Domain Manager, Dante Director, advanced troubleshooting, and more. Courses are offered free of charge for all three levels, and certifications remain valid for three years.

SMPTE Builds IP Skills for the AV and Media Technology Workforce

The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) is expanding access to practical, industry-focused education that prepares today's AV and technology workforce for increasingly connected production environments. Building on its open-access Standards Library, SMPTE's education offerings help professionals progress from foundational knowledge to real-world IP media implementation. The journey begins with the free, self-paced Essentials of Media over IP (EMIP) course and continues with the instructor-led Understanding SMPTE ST 2110 virtual course, beginning July 21.

Developed in collaboration with EVS, the free Essentials of Media over IP (EMIP) course introduces the fundamentals of IP networking for media. Participants can then continue with Understanding SMPTE ST 2110, where live instruction, demonstrations, and interactive discussions explore the standards, technologies, and workflows used to deploy interoperable IP-based production environments.

Graduates of Understanding SMPTE ST 2110 are eligible to participate in the SMPTE ST 2110 Practical Lab, an immersive hands-on experience developed in collaboration with Lawo. Completion of Understanding SMPTE ST 2110 is required before participating in the Practical Lab, where participants configure, synchronize, test, and troubleshoot interoperable IP media systems using technologies from leading industry partners including Lawo, Arista Networks, Meinberg, Bridge Technologies, Matrox Video, AJA Video Systems, Macnica, Leader Electronics, NVIDIA, Embrionix, and others.

The course is led by Willem Vermost (EBU), Wim Van Roy (Lawo), Gerard Phillips (Arista Networks), Chris Lapp (Cisco), and Leigh Whitcomb (Meinberg). Guest lecturers include Felix Poulin (Radio-Canada), Andreas Hildebrand (Lawo), Olivier Ettlin (Simplexity), Pedro Ferreira (Bisect), Stefan Ledergerber (Simplexity), and François Legrand (Radio-Canada).

One week after the news of two brand new CEOs at Adder Technology and Epiphan Video, M&W Pro Audio introduced a new CEO of its own. There were also strategic appointments from Chyron, Korbyt, Visionarty, and Hai Robotics, while NSCA welcome new executive leadership to its board.

[The SCN July Issue Is Here: Dive Into an AI Future]

Missed it? Don't worry. As always, get caught up on the week that was in your Monday dose of Pro AV Newsmakers.

Chyron Strengthens Middle East Presence with Appointment of Ahmed Magd

Chyron recently appointed Ahmed Magd as sales director for the Middle East. Magd comes to Chyron with a strong leadership and live video production background, including previous senior commercial roles at Riedel Communications, Clear-Com, and Al Masa IT Distribution. His experience encompasses distributor and reseller management, key client relationships, and cross-border business development initiatives.

With almost two decades of experience in broadcast and media technology, Magd is responsible for driving Chyron's growth strategy across the Middle East, strengthening relationships with customers and partners, and helping broadcasters leverage Chyron's solutions for graphics, sports production, newsroom operations, and live content creation. Magd has a strong reputation for driving business growth, expanding partner ecosystems, and establishing market leadership in highly competitive environments.

Hai Robotics Expands Americas Leadership

Hai Robotics has appointed two senior executives to its Americas leadership team: Alan Berstein as general manager, Latin America (LATAM) and Paul Pendleton as VP of delivery.

Berstein leads Hai Robotics' growth and expansion strategy throughout Latin America while strengthening support for customers and partners across the region. He is responsible for building and scaling the regional team, expanding market presence, and ensuring customers have access to the resources and expertise needed to maximize the value of their automation investments.

Pendleton leads the end-to-end delivery of Hai Robotics' warehouse automation deployments across the Americas, overseeing delivery strategy, execution, talent development, customer satisfaction, and operational performance. Pendleton joins Hai Robotics with extensive experience leading large-scale automation programs and complex industrial projects for enterprise customers

TJ Waldorf Appointed SVP of Marketing at Korbyt

Korbyt appointed TJ Waldorf as SVP of Marketing. He brings more than two decades of experience leading go-to-market strategy for high-growth SaaS organizations, including leadership roles with several private equity-backed enterprise SaaS companies.

Most recently, Waldorf served as CMO at 1WorldSync, where he helped triple annual recurring revenue (ARR), expand the company’s global marketing organization and played a key role in its acquisition by Syndigo. Throughout his career, he has led marketing transformations, product launches and revenue growth initiatives across enterprise technology companies.

M&W Pro Audio Names Phillip Bunch as Chief Executive Officer

M&W Pro Audio has appointed Phil Bunch as chief executive officer. Bunch brings extensive professional audio manufacturing, operations, executive leadership, and global supply chain experience to the company. Bunch joined M&W Pro Audio immediately prior to the company's worldwide debut at the recent InfoComm trade show in Las Vegas, where M&W introduced its first two products, the D24 and D32 digital mixers. SCN covered the company's arrival here: Pro AV Newsmakers: Introducing M&W Pro Audio.

Prior to stepping into the new role at M&W Pro Audio, Bunch previously served for eight years as VP of global operations at Tectonic Audio Labs. He was previously the longtime president of Phase Group, where he has been responsible for overseeing the company's operations across its QA and engineering services, automation, supply chain management, and procurement divisions. Additionally, Bunch has held senior leadership positions at Eastech and Esoteric Audio, overseeing engineering, product development, manufacturing, quality, procurement, and global supply chain organizations throughout Asia and North America.

NSCA Welcomes New Leadership

NSCA announced the election of new officers to its board of directors for 2026-2027. Shedan Maghzi, strategic advisor at Avidex and current NSCA treasurer, assumed the role of president on July 1, 2026.

Maghzi replaces Dale Bottcher, who is chief revenue officer at AVI-SPL. Bottcher will serve as NSCA’s immediate past president, replacing Dan Schmidtendorff, president and CEO at Communication Company.

Don Mastro, chief revenue officer at FORTÉ and current NSCA secretary, will become NSCA vice president; Chris Wasp Jr., CEO at Ronco, will be named NSCA treasurer. Christina De Bono, president at ClearTech Media, will return to her role as NSCA secretary after most recently serving as NSCA vice president.

As Wasp Jr. leaves the board to join the executive team, and Laurie MacKeigan, president at Backman Vidcom, steps down after fulfilling her three-year term, two new board members joined for the 2026-2027 term: Dawn Cagliano, president at IVCi and 2026 SCN Hall of Famer, and Brandon Conick, COO at CTI. It was originally announced during the 2026 Business and Leadership Conference that Valley Communications Systems CEO Michael Tremble would join the board of directors, but a series of mergers and acquisitions forced NSCA’s Leadership Development Committee to develop a new plan. Tremble will remain co-chair of NSCA’s Business and Leadership Conference Planning Committee.

Visionary Appoints Phillip Cordell as VP of Marketing

Visionary Solutions appointed Phillip Cordell as VP of marketing, a newly created position established to support the company's continued growth and expand its investment in digital content, customer education, and brand development. Cordell brings a combination of audiovisual industry expertise and creative storytelling experience to the role. He spent more than 13 years in AV integration, advancing from field technician to vice president of technical operations at M3 Technology Group, where he led engineering, installation and technical support teams. Following the sale of his stake in the company in 2020, Cordell founded HiPhi Productions, producing films, television, and digital content that has generated more than 50 million social media views.

As VP of marketing, Cordell leads Visionary's marketing strategy, brand development, and digital content initiatives while expanding the company's educational resources for partners, integrators and end users. His production background will support the development of online training programs, technical education, product demonstrations and multimedia content designed to accelerate adoption of Visionary's growing portfolio, including the recently introduced nexAV We-Cosystem.

Company News

Compare, Explore, and Decide with cavlo Compares at Seattle Tech Expo

cavlo is introducing a new feature at this year's cavlo Seattle Tech Expo, giving attendees an entirely new way to experience audiovisual technology. Debuting October 21–22 at the Lynnwood Event Center, cavlo Compares is a hands-on product evaluation experience designed to help integrators, consultants, end users and technology professionals compare similar technologies in a neutral environment and determine which solutions best fit their own applications.

Developed in partnership with Coherent Design, cavlo Compares moves beyond traditional product demonstrations by allowing attendees to interact with multiple solutions within the same product category, all under the same conditions, so they can evaluate products based on their own priorities and project requirements.

Coherent Design will oversee the on-site evaluation process to ensure every participating manufacturer is presented fairly and consistently. Products will be displayed using standardized conditions, allowing attendees to compare features, performance, usability and functionality without influence.

LEA Professional Announces New Partnership with AVL Alliance

LEA Professional announced a new partnership with AVL Alliance, a Rocky Mountain region-based manufacturer’s representative. This partnership will bring LEA Professional’s extensive technology catalog to customers throughout Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, and parts of Texas.

AVL Alliance brings over 25 years of experience in live production and integration to the partnership. Through this partnership, AVL Alliance will represent LEA Professional’s Network Connect series of professional amplifiers and companion Dante Connect series featuring Dante and AES67 connectivity.

June came to a scorching hot close with Pro AV personnel announcements and partnership news, and that momentum has carried over to July. We had a Broadcast AV acquisition, while Adder, Ampetronic | Listen Technologies, Epiphan Video, and FOR-A made strategic appointments and hires, while Visionary, Chryon, and Owl Labs offer new trainings and services.

[The SCN July Issue Is Here: Dive Into an AI Future]

In acquisition news, Broadcast Solutions GmbH, a systems integrator and provider of innovative solutions for the broadcast media industry, is acquiring BFE Studio und Medien Systeme GmbH. This transaction is expanding its service portfolio to include in-depth expertise in the areas of studio and production technology, media IT, control center and control room systems, and customized hardware and software development.

As an independent company and an established brand with offices in Mainz and Vienna, BFE will become part of the Broadcast Solutions Group. The existing shareholders, Martin Dempf and Sven Hesselbach, will continue to jointly manage the company as managing directors. Peter Dinkel and Doris Hartl will continue to lead BFE in Vienna as managing directors. Customers and partners will not experience any changes to their points of contact, ongoing projects or services.

Now, make that cup of coffee, sit back, and get caught up on the week that was in your Monday dose of Pro AV Newsmakers.

Neil Hillier Appointed CEO to Lead Next Chapter at Adder

Adder Technology has appointed Neil Hillier as chief executive officer as part of a planned leadership transition and strengthened executive structure designed to support Adder’s continued growth, innovation, and global expansion. Additionally, Adder appointed: Paul Allen to chief financial officer; Jamie Adkin to VP of global sales; and Duncan Miller to VP global marketing and customer experience to bring together marketing, customer experience, and professional services and support.

Hillier succeeds Adrian Dickens, who transitions to the role of founder and executive chair following 42 years leading the business, with Nigel Dickens moving to Emeritus CTO. Hillier’s appointment aligns with the long-term stewardship principles established through the company’s recently announced Employee Ownership Trust.

Since joining the company in 2016, Hillier has played a key role in helping drive more than 70% revenue growth, building on the company’s global market position and helping shape its long-term strategy. With over two decades in the KVM industry, Hillier brings broad leadership experience spanning engineering, technology, operations and commercial management.

Ampetronic | Listen Technologies Strengthens Executive Leadership Team

Listen Technologies and Ampetronic have promoted Kevin Jewkes to SVP of global revenue and named Alan Kennedy VP of operations. Jewkes is responsible for Ampetronic | Listen Technologies’ overall sales strategy, sales operations, team leadership, and global go-to-market execution across North America and international markets. He strengthens and grows channel and partnership programs and works with the chief marketing officer and also collaborates with product management to ensure customer and market insights inform product strategy.

Kennedy is responsible for the strategy, performance, and scalability of the organization’s operational engine. He ensures that supply chain, manufacturing, logistics, quality, facilities, and IT operate as a unified system to reliably deliver products, support growth, and meet customer commitments. His background and experience are well-suited to translating company and product strategy into operational architecture that will enable the organization to scale efficiently.

Daktronics Sarah Rose Inducted to IDEA Hall of Fame

Sarah Rose, VP of global services at Daktronics will be honored by the Information Display & Entertainment Association (IDEA) at the 2026 IDEA Conference in Cincinnati, OH. Rose, along with John Adams of The Score, are two long-time fixtures in the sports industry who will be inducted into the IDEA Hall of Fame at a formal ceremony on July 15 during the conference.

Rose leads Daktronics’ global technical and professional services teams. She ensures they are fully equipped to deliver an outstanding customer experience by fostering a learning approach, both internally and externally. Previously, she managed the service teams for large sports venues, rental and staging, and international markets.

She has been a regular IDEA Conference attendee and influencer for more than 25 years. She represented a Daktronics team that received a total of 14 Allied Achievement GMAs and the President’s award in 1999. Her passion and activism for IDEA are always on display, serving on various committees, including Women and Inclusion & Outreach, which introduces high school and college students to careers in the industry.

Epiphan Video Appoints George Birchall as Chief Executive Officer

Epiphan Video has appointed George Birchall as chief executive officer. Birchall, formerly chief commercial officer, succeeds founder Mike Sandler, who will transition into the role of president.

Birchall has played a central role in expanding Epiphan's global commercial operations, deepening partner engagement, and driving the adoption of Epiphan solutions across multiple markets. As CEO, he leads the company's day-to-day operations, strategic growth initiatives, and ongoing investments in innovation.

FOR-A America Expands U.S. Sales Team

FOR-A America has added two regional sales leaders. Both Jaz Wray and Fernando Cruz come with a wealth of experience in SaaS platforms, AI-driven live production technology, and IP-based workflows. Cruz and Wray help advance customers’ vision and success with revived energy and excitement.

Wray’s sales and project management experience extends beyond media and entertainment to telecommunications, working with companies such as NEP, Ross Video, and Barco. Cruz led business development for the Corporate, Education, and Government segments of Sony Professional and Phantom/Vision Research, and most recently drove the global promotion and sales acceleration of SMPTE ST 2110 and IPMX solutions for Macnica Americas.

Company News

BirdDog's Entire Product Line Is Now NDI 6.3 Compatible

NDI announced that BirdDog has become the first hardware manufacturer to achieve full NDI 6.3 compatibility across its entire product lineup of cameras, encoders, and decoders. BirdDog hardware now natively supports NDI 6.3’s enhanced discoverability features. Those features include active Discovery Server registration through the new Sender Advertiser APIs, hostname-based device grouping, and real-time property broadcasting. This makes scalable IP video deployments far simpler, especially in segmented enterprise networks where that kind of simplicity has historically been difficult to achieve.

Before NDI 6.3, scaling across subnets was manual and complex. Discovery Server setup, IP tracking, and mDNS limitations made it difficult for sources and receivers to connect across VLANs. NDI 6.3 fixes that at the protocol level. Compatible BirdDog devices now auto-register with a central Discovery Server, route video via unicast, and send real-time status updates, significantly reducing deployment overhead.

Chyron Launches the All-New Chyron Academy:

The all-new Chyron Academy has officially launched, a ground-up redesign of the company’s product-training platform. Built on a fully custom, Chyron-branded learning experience, the new Academy replaces Chyron’s previous training system based on a third-party platform and launches with learning content covering the latest version of PRIME, Chyron’s flagship real-time broadcast graphics platform.

Chyron Academy is designed to serve two audiences at once: Customers and freelancers training on PRIME for the first time, and longtime Chyron users looking to become experts in the platform’s latest capabilities. Over the life of the previous legacy training program, more than 3,700 broadcast professionals registered to train on Chyron products, earning nearly 1,900 belt certifications across PRIME, PAINT, and Click Effects, including more than 60 Certified PRIME Black Belts worldwide. Chyron has transitioned that community to the new platform, migrating more than 950 current learners, along with the full certification history for every learner.

The redesigned Academy centers on a PRIME Belt certification path, taking learners through four levels—Yellow (Designer Basics), Green (Intermediate), Blue (Advanced), and Black (Expert)—with earned badges and completion dates appearing on each learner’s dashboard as a visual record of skill mastery. Every course module pairs a demo with a hands-on, full-screen simulation, so learners practice real PRIME workflows, such as building a lower-third graphic step by step, rather than passively watching video. An animated progress dial fills as learners complete demos, simulations, and quizzes, with a belt certification awarded automatically at 100% completion. Learners can enroll and move through the belt levels at their own pace. The program is suitable for individual learners, or supervisors or instructors can monitor the progress of their teams. The platform launches with five published PRIME courses spanning roughly 150 hands-on lessons, demos, simulations, and quizzes combined.

Owl Labs Launches Owl 360 Services

Owl Labs recently introduced Owl 360 Services, its first subscription service built to meet the needs of IT administrators. As organizations look to support hybrid work with deeper video enablement across more spaces, Owl 360 Services delivers three subscription tiers, offering dedicated support, centralized device management, proactive insights, and warranty coverage scaled to the size and complexity of the deployment.

The newly launched, highest-value Enterprise tier delivers a premium channel partner-only offering with advanced analytics, dedicated account management, and four-year warranty coverage, while the Enhanced tier will follow soon in Q3 with advanced analytics, dashboards, and API integrations. Every Owl Labs device is enrolled in the Core tier at no additional costs, giving all customers built-in analytics from the start. All three tiers provide unique insights, including talk-time insights, meeting duration tracking, visibility into the most frequently used devices and rooms, bulk deployment capabilities, reliable update management, and improved device tracking.

PlexusAV Appoints SINIUS PRO GmbH as New Distribution Partner

PlexusAV appointed SINIUS PRO GmbH as its distribution partner for Germany. The partnership will support PlexusAV’s continued growth in the German market, providing system integrators and AV professionals with access to its high-performance, open-architecture AV over IP solutions based on the IPMX standard.

The announcement follows a meeting at the EAV Group Solution Center in Heilbronn, Germany, bringing together the PlexusAV and SINIUS PRO teams. Through this partnership, SINIUS PRO will provide local market expertise, technical support and access to PlexusAV’s AV over IP solutions for system integrators and AV professionals across Germany.

Screen Innovations and Shade Innovations Unleash AI-Powered Support Agent

Screen Innovations (SI) and Shade Innovations have unveiled ATEN, an AI-powered support assistant built exclusively for its global network of dealers and installers. Named after the ancient Egyptian sun god whose light reached everyone, everywhere, ATEN was designed to provide instant access to SI expertise—anytime, from anywhere. Whether at a desk, on a jobsite, or atop a ladder on a late Sunday evening, dealers and installers can access accurate guidance and answers in seconds through text or voice.

Purpose-built for the custom integration industry, ATEN has been trained on SI's extensive library of product documentation, recorded support calls, installation guides, specifications, technical resources, and support knowledge. ATEN delivers immediate assistance across the company's entire portfolio, including motorized screens, window coverings, Black Diamond, SI Motor Technology, Zigbee and PoE protocols, the SI Ecosystem, drapery solutions, and more.

Visionary Level 1 Technical Training Approved for AVIXA CTS Renewal Units

Visionary Solutions' Level 1 Technical Training has been approved by AVIXA as a CTS Renewal Unit (RU) Provider course. The in-person training program is approved for 3.5 renewal units for CTS, CTS-D, CTS-I and Audiovisual Network Professional (ANP) certifications through May 31, 2028.

Visionary's Level 1 course provides an introduction to Visionary's AV over IP product portfolio and the foundational knowledge required to deploy audiovisual systems. Designed for system integrators, IT professionals, and technical support personnel new to Visionary products, the course covers network configuration, VLite installation and operation, encoder and decoder configuration, deployment best practices, third-party control integration, and system troubleshooting.

Participants gain an understanding of core AV over IP concepts, Visionary's product portfolio and system architecture, network considerations for reliable audiovisual distribution and best practices for system design and deployment. Course participants will learn how to deploy Visionary's solutions in bring-your-own-device (BYOD) environments and configure VLANs to separate video and audio traffic across different networks. The hands-on curriculum also covers endpoint configuration and management, troubleshooting techniques and operational workflows commonly encountered in professional AV environments.

It was a busy week in Pro AV as 12 people were either appointed or promoted to new positions. There were also key partnerships secured from AVI-SPL, Neat and Kinly, Yealink, and several others.

[Survey Open for SCN Top AV Consultants]

Get caught up with what you may have missed at InfoComm in this week's newsmakers.

People News

Anthony James Partners Names Michael Martin Chief Technology Officer

Anthony James Partners (AJP) has named Michael Martin chief technology officer (CTO). Martin has led AJP’s broadcast systems and network infrastructure practice for nearly two decades. As CTO, he is focused on guiding the company's technology strategy across all disciplines while continuing to oversee the planning and design of integrated systems across the firm's project portfolio.

Martin specializes in SMPTE ST 2110 IP-based production environments, broadcast control rooms, network architecture, and large-scale fiber and structured cabling infrastructure. With more than 44 years of industry experience, he has led the design and development of broadcast systems for some of the largest and most complex sports and entertainment venues in North America, delivering modern IP-based control rooms and technical infrastructure engineered to support high-density workflows and long-term scalability.

d&b audiotechnik Announces David Servinis as Regional Manager for Ontario

d&b audiotechnik appointed David Servinis to the position of regional manager, Ontario. In this new role, Servinis is responsible for supporting and growing the d&b presence across the Ontario market by working closely with partners, integrators, consultants, and end users throughout the region.

Servinis brings an extensive background in the professional audio and music industries to d&b audiotechnik. He most recently served as the North Central territory manager in commercial acoustics for Primacoustic. Throughout his career, he has focused on relationship building, technical sales, and consultative problem-solving across a variety of music and audiovisual sales roles, including positions at MCR Rental Solutions and CCR. Servinis studied recording arts and music production at the Harris Institute and remains an active musician and guitarist in the local Hamilton music scene.

Cleerline Appoints Robin Roy as Senior Account Manager

The Cleerline Technology Group appointed Robin Roy as senior account manager, overseeing the continued development of Cleerline’s distributor network across the United States. Based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Roy brings more than 20 years of experience in the commercial and residential AV channels, having demonstrated success in previous roles with distributors and independent sales representative organizations throughout the Atlanta region. During that time, she was introduced to Cleerline solutions and recognized early on that fiber infrastructure would become critical in meeting the growing bandwidth demands of commercial AV applications.

Russel Goodwin Promoted to VP of Engineering & Operations at C.V. Lloyde Audiovisual

C.V. Lloyde Audiovisual has promoted Russel Goodwin to VP of engineering and operations. Goodwin joined CVLAV in 2022 and has played a key role in strengthening the company’s engineering capabilities and operational excellence. Most recently serving as director of engineering, he has helped guide the successful design and deployment of complex audiovisual systems for sports and entertainment facilities across North America.

In his new role, Goodwin oversees engineering and operations while continuing to support the company’s commitment to innovation, quality, and exceptional customer experience.

PJ Pedroni Appointed Senior Director of National Sales USA at digiLED

digiLED has appointed PJ Pedroni, based in Seattle, as senior director of national sales. Pedroni leads efforts to grow awareness of digiLED in new markets, highlighting the company’s global track record of delivering ambitious projects across sports, immersive experiences, attractions, and DOOH applications.

Having started his career in outdoor advertising, Pedroni traces his passion for ambitious visual experiences back to one of the defining projects of his early career: an installation in New York City. The project, located at the intersection of 42nd Street and Broadway, won "Spectacular of the Year" in 2002 and sparked a lifelong appreciation for projects that push creative boundaries and capture public imagination on a grand scale.

DMF Lighting Names Bryan Biga as VP of Residential Sales

DMF appointed Bryan Biga as VP of residential sales. Biga brings more than 25 years of residential lighting sales leadership to the role and will be responsible for leading residential sales efforts for both DMF Lighting and HK Lighting across North America.

Biga joins DMF Lighting from sister company HK Lighting, where he served as senior sales director-residential, driving new business development and building the brand’s residential channel. Throughout his career, Biga has demonstrated a consistent track record of transforming underperforming markets, developing high-performing teams, and forging lasting customer relationships. He has deep expertise in channel management, independent rep management, key account development, and sales training, capabilities that position him well to support DMF Lighting’s integrator partners and accelerate growth in the residential market.

FORTÉ Names Tobias Enders Managing Director, Europe

FORTÉ has promoted Tobias Enders to managing director, Europe, expanding his leadership responsibilities across the company’s growing European operations.

In this role, Enders serves as the central leadership point of contact for FORTÉ’s growing European Region, partnering with FORTÉ’s leadership in Ireland, the U.K., Sweden, and Germany. Enders provides more day-to-day focus on existing expansion plans, including new facilities in Frankfurt and London that will each have full Velocity meeting room solution capabilities, along with stronger coordination with FORTÉ’s technology partner network.

Enders previously owned and led GMS, an audiovisual integration business based in Frankfurt, Germany. GMS became part of FORTÉ through acquisition in April 2025. Since joining the organization, he has been instrumental in driving record growth in Germany, leading with FORTÉ’s unique managed services and innovation offerings, along with driving a new expansion effort in Munich. Enders brings expertise helping enterprise organizations create connected, productive, and future-ready workplaces. His background includes leadership roles focused on smart workplace solutions, digital services strategy, advanced analytics, and global project delivery. He holds a diploma in International Management and is a certified ITSM and Project Management Professional.

WAVIT Expands Board with Five New Visionaries

As Women in AV/IT (WAVIT) continues to expand its impact across the audiovisual and technology industries, the organization has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of five new members to its Board of Directors and the nomination of a new VP. Joining the board are Vanessa Tolisano, Gisela Ramirez, Kristy Demsay, Kim Lonas, and Susan Milwit, while Cheryl Walton has been nominated to serve as VP.

As WAVIT enters its fourth year, the organization continues to broaden its leadership with representation across sales, operations, HR, channel partnerships, mentorship, diversity initiatives, and emerging technologies. The addition of these five leaders marks a significant milestone for WAVIT as the organization continues to expand its programs, mentorship opportunities, scholarships, and community initiatives designed to support women throughout every stage of their AV/IT careers.

Company News

AIMS Launches the Official IPMX Training Series Online

The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) has launched its Official IPMX Training Series, a free online program designed to help the Pro AV community better understand, design, configure, and deploy IPMX-based AV over IP systems. The Official IPMX Training Series is structured across three progressive levels, Foundations, Systems, and Networks, providing a clear learning path that supports both newcomers to AV over IP and experienced professionals seeking deeper technical insight.

The courses will balance demonstrations with business and technical information, helping participants understand not only how IPMX works, but how it fits into real-world workflows. The curriculum will also explore how IPMX relates to and builds upon complementary standards such as AES67, SMPTE ST 2110, and AMWA NMOS, while providing insight into the ecosystem clusters emerging around open, interoperable AV over IP deployments.

AVI-SPL Launches Autonomous Freight Operations, Announces New Partnerships

AVI-SPL has started commercial autonomous freight operations between Dallas and Houston using the Volvo VNL Autonomous powered by the Aurora Driver. The operations will support AVI-SPL’s freight movement and reflect the company’s continued investment in operational innovation and supply chain strategies designed to improve scalability, reliability, and long-term efficiency.

The collaboration marks an important step in demonstrating how autonomous trucking can be applied in real-world logistics operations where speed, consistency, and reliability are critical. As demand for freight capacity continues to grow, autonomous transport has the potential to strengthen supply chains through greater uptime, improved asset utilization, and enhanced cargo security.

Additionally, AVI-SPL expanded operations in Costa Rica, Australia, and Switzerland. The expansion reflects AVI-SPL’s continued global growth strategy and investment in delivering consistent customer experiences, local expertise, and scalable support across international markets. The expanded presence in Costa Rica, Australia, and Switzerland enables AVI-SPL to better support regional customers while also strengthening service delivery capabilities for global enterprise clients operating across multiple countries and time zones.

Neat and Kinly to Accelerate Intelligent Platform Deployment

Neat and Kinly announced a global partnership during InfoComm 2026. Kinly has been designated a Mastery partner, the highest tier in Neat’s Global Partner Program, specifically for its technical expertise and global enterprise deployment capabilities.

The strategic alliance instantly mobilizes Neat’s video portfolio with Kinly’s global network of customers, providing a single, standardized, end-to-end solution for enterprise modernization. This collaboration ensures customers worldwide can seamlessly deploy intelligent meeting room technology to transform their workplace collaboration environments.

nsign Partners with BrightSign on Expanded Digital Signage Deployment

nsign partnered with BrightSign at InfoComm 2026, expanding the deployment options available to customers, integrators and channel partners worldwide. The partnership highlights nsign's international growth strategy, particularly in North America, where BrightSign media players are widely deployed across enterprise digital signage networks in sectors such as retail, quick service restaurants (QSR), hospitality, transportation, and corporate communications.

By supporting selected BrightSign media players, nsign can now be deployed on both new and existing BrightSign-based infrastructures, allowing organizations to adopt the platform without replacing previously installed hardware. This provides a practical migration path for companies looking to modernize their digital signage operations while protecting existing technology investments.

For AV integrators and channel partners, the integration expands the range of deployment scenarios available to customers. Many large multi-site organizations already operate BrightSign-based networks and are increasingly looking for CMS platforms that combine ease of use, centralized management, scalability, and remote device control.

SFM Named Canadian Distributor for Yealink Video Conferencing Solutions

SFM was appointed the Canadian distributor for Yealink. The agreement enables SFM to bring Yealink's full suite of professional video conferencing products to market across Canada, offering resellers and system integrators direct access to one of the world's most trusted collaboration technology portfolios. The portfolio addresses a wide spectrum of deployment environments —from compact huddle spaces to executive boardrooms and large-scale enterprise installations—ensuring resellers can match the right solution to every client requirement.

The appointment reflects the complementary strengths of both organizations. SFM brings specialized knowledge of the Canadian Unified Communication technology landscape, a proven distribution network, and long-standing relationships within the AV and unified communications channel. Yealink, ranked among the world’s top videoconferencing solution providers, delivers enterprise-grade technology deployed by organizations across more than 140 countries—solutions engineered to support the demands of modern hybrid work environments at any scale.

Pro AV Around the World

The Cleerline Technology Group announced the appointment of Quartz AVA as the distributor for its optic solutions across the Benelux region (Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg). For over 30 years, Quartz AVA has been a value-added distributor of premium audiovisual and custom integration technologies. Based in the Netherlands and serving a network of dealers, integrators, and home cinema specialists, Quartz AVA provides comprehensive technical support, training, logistics, and project guidance across the region.

SpinetiX appointed ALGAM Enterprise as SpinetiX distribution partner for France, Monaco, and North African countries such as Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. ALGAM Enterprise offers the full SpinetiX portfolio and provides field commercial, technical, and consultative support to system integrators and channel partners delivering demanding large digital signage projects across the territory.

It was yet another busy week in Pro AV. Audix, PPDS, and Grass Valley were among those to announce strategic promotions and hires, while WAVIT announced the winners of the 2026 Mary Cook Empowerment Scholarship. And yes, there were two more acquisitions of note.

[Survey Open for SCN Top AV Consultants]

First, CTI made its second acquisition in less than a month, acquiring Texolve Digital of Oakmont, PA. Adding Texolve’s team, which provides broadcast engineering and integration at the highest level, will expand the broadcast media division’s ability to serve clients worldwide.

Next, Legrand acquired Girtz Industries, a provider of custom-engineered modular power enclosures and related services based in Monticello, IN. Girtz Industries’ development and integration of complete power systems support the reliable provision of critical power across datacenter, industrial, and commercial applications. It joins Legrand as a business unit within the company’s Electrical Wiring Systems division led by Ravi Ramanathan. David Girtz, who has served as Girtz Industries’ president and CEO for nearly 40 years, will continue to lead the Girtz business and team, reporting to Ravi.

Now, before InfoComm opens its doors, get caught up with the week that was in your regular dose of Pro AV Newsmakers.

People News

AUDIX Welcomes Eric Reese and Sam Vitali

AUDIX appointed Eric Reese to VP and Sam Vitali to the position of director of sales–European markets.

In his new role within the Videndum Creative Solutions family of brands, Reese oversees all functions at AUDIX, including sales, marketing, product development, and operations. He brings over 26 years of extensive experience in the AV and entertainment industry to his new position. Having started his career as a reliability engineer at Peavey Electronics, his background spans the entire product chain—from manufacturing and designing integrated AVL systems to global business development and channel management.

Vitali oversees sales, marketing, and operations within the EMEA region to ensure the brand is optimally represented and supported across Europe. He brings a wealth of experience across sales, marketing, and operations within the music technology industry. He joins AUDIX following a highly successful tenure at Focusrite.

beyerdynamic Names Jesse Dean Managing Directorof the Americas

beyerdynamic has appointed Jesse Dean as managing director of the Americas. In this role, Dean oversees beyerdynamic's business operations, sales strategy, and brand development across North and South America.

Dean brings more than 25 years of experience across the professional audio, video, creator, and consumer technology industries to beyerdynamic. Throughout his career, he has held a range of leadership roles. Most recently, Dean served as director of business development, Americas at RØDE, where he played a key role in the brand’s expansion across the United States.

Brompton Technology appoints Andrew Beaudet as Head of Sales for the Americas

Brompton Technology welcomed Andrew Beaudet as its new head of sales for the Americas. With almost three decades of experience across the music and digital signage industry, Beaudet found his passion for sales running a distributions company with independent manufacturers.

Building on that knowledge, he branched into digital signage where he worked with major LED display manufacturers. By meeting people in the live events industries and observing their work, he developed a keen understanding of what they deserve from large-format LED displays. During his 10 years working with BARCO in its live event and retail division, the camaraderie of the production teams he worked with left a lasting impression. He brings that same respect and understanding to his new role at Brompton.

Grass Valley Appoints Sam Craig as Vice President, Global Pre-Sales

Grass Valley has appointed Sam Craig as VP, global pre-sales. Craig returns to Grass Valley after serving as VP of advisory services at Diversified and previously spent seven years with the company in a number of leadership role.

In his new role, Craig leads Grass Valley’s global pre-sales organization, working closely with regional teams across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC to strengthen collaboration, align customer engagement strategies, and support continued growth across the Grass Valley Media Universe.

PPDS Names Tom Keefe as new Director of Sales for Philips LED in North America

PPDS has welcomed sales professional and Pro AV ‘veteran’, Tom Keefe, as its new director of sales dvLED North America. Keefe's appointment plays an integral role in PPDS continued growth trajectory and long term ambitions in North America, which includes establishing Philips Professional Displays as the preferred partner for premium indoor and outdoor dvLED projects.

An AVIXA CTS holder, he brings extensive market knowledge and 23 years of experience to the PPDS team, with proven expertise in sales, business development, category management, marketing strategy, brand building, distribution, partner relationship management, and market analysis. His core responsibilities include developing and defining PPDS’ organizational sales structure and executing its go-to-market strategy.

Howdy, Partner

Audinate and Soundtrack Technologies Partner to Streamline Business Music with Dante Integration

Soundtrack Techvologies, a music streaming provider for businesses, announced that its hardware solution, the Soundtrack Player, is now compatible with Audinate’s Dante ecosystem. This strategic integration makes it easier than ever for businesses to deploy professional-grade background music across industry-standard Dante networks.

The collaboration bridges the gap between AV networking and commercial music streaming. By enabling Dante directly on the Soundtrack Player, integrators can now route licensed, high-quality music to any Dante-enabled device—including speakers, amplifiers, and processors—via the local network.

Miri Technologies Partners with Midwich For Distribution in North America

Miri Technologies has expanded the global reach and availability of its products with the signing of a new distribution partnership for the United States and Canada with Midwich. The agreement reinforces Miri's channel partnership strategy for meeting the rapidly growing demand for the X510 dual-cellular bonding router and the new V410 4K live encoder/decoder in the world's largest commercial market.

The Miri X510 router enables resilient internet connectivity anywhere by forging multiple wired and wireless links (including Ethernet, Wi-Fi, 4G, 5G and satellite) together to overcome speed limitations and withstand network disruptions even in challenging environments. Powered by Speedify channel bonding technology from Connectify, the X510 bolsters internet connectivity for any type of data and supports use cases ranging from live streaming and remote broadcast contribution to trade shows and disaster response.

WAVIT Announces Recipients of 2026 Mary Cook Empowerment Scholarship

WAVIT (Women in AV/IT) announced the recipients of the 2026 Mary Cook Empowerment Scholarship: Designing the Future. Created in memory of industry pioneer Mary Cook, the scholarship recognizes emerging women leaders in the AV/IT industry who demonstrate passion, leadership potential, and a commitment to advancing their careers in audiovisual technology.

This year marks a significant expansion of the program, with two scholarships awarded for the first time, made possible through the support of sponsoring partner Shure. The scholarship program continues WAVIT’s mission to invest in the next generation of women in AV and honor Mary Cook’s enduring legacy of mentorship, advocacy, and empowerment within the industry.

The 2026 scholarship recipients, Alexa Johnson of IMS Technology Services and Emily Cieslak from TeamPeople, were selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants for their enthusiasm, career ambition, and dedication to shaping the future of AV/IT.

We know, InfoComm prep is in full force. You may have missed some of the big news last week, but fear not. SCN and AV Network has you covered with our weekly check in on Pro AV's biggest newsmakers.

Before we get to that, June opened with Other World Computing (OWC) acquiring PowerON Services, known for its IT asset disposition (ITAD), trade-in, reverse logistics, refurbishment, and technology value recovery solutions. The PowerOn acquisition is an ideal enhancement to OWC’s SellYourMac.com (SYM), a purchaser and reseller of used Apple computers, iPhones, and iPads. Want to know more? Click here.

That was followed by an acquisition by SCN Top 50 Systems Integrator, Ricoh. Ricoh Company and Ricoh Asia Pacific acquired Global Vision Multimedia Group, a specialized provider of audiovisual and multimedia integration services with expertise across the Asia-Pacific region. The acquisition accelerates Ricoh's expansion of its workplace services portfolio and service delivery footprint in the region.

Founded in 2016, Global Vision Multimedia brings end-to-end services spanning design, integration, and ongoing support for AV and multimedia solutions and over 140 experts across the region. Global Vision Multimedia serves multinational corporations and regional enterprises across multiple industry sectors, supported by deep local expertise and the ability to centrally manage complex, multi-country projects, ensuring consistent, high-quality service delivery across the region.

By integrating Global Vision Multimedia's strong regional track record and complementary capabilities with Ricoh's global workplace services portfolio, Ricoh further strengthens its position as a global integrator, meeting the needs, challenges and ambitions of customers across the Asia-Pacific region.

Now, on with the show.

People News

ASG Promotes Joe Marchitto to Western Regional CTO

Advanced Systems Group (ASG) has promoted Joe Marchitto to Western Regional CTO. In this new leadership role, Marchitto’s is working on advancing tools, workflows, and engineering alignment across the organization.

Marchitto will oversees the management and evolution of ASG’s system design across both pre and post-sales functions to streamline project execution, deepen engineering engagement, and deliver a more seamless and responsive client experience. He works closely with ASG professional services manager Rob Wentz to align team objectives for the upcoming year, while continuing to support pre-sales engineering on the West Coast.

He previously served as CTO-strategic accounts, where he provided pre-sales engineering support for enterprise clients across the West Coast. Marchitto became a trusted advisor to customers, navigating complex technical environments and helping design solutions that balanced performance, scalability, and cost.

CODA Audio USA Appoints Mark Meding

CODA Audio appointed Mark Meding as managing director of CODA Audio USA. In this role, Meding leads the company’s continued strategic expansion across North America, with a focus on further strengthening market presence, developing channel partnerships, and driving sustainable revenue growth.

With more than 30 years of experience in the professional audio and AV industry, Meding brings a proven track record spanning business ownership, sales management, product management, and business development. Throughout his career, he has built strong relationships across manufacturers, integrators, consultants, and distribution partners, perfectly positioning him to accelerate CODA Audio’s growth in the region.

Live Technology Appoints Curtis Lewis

Live Technology, supplier to the audio, lighting, and video markets, appointed Curtis Lewis to the position of lighting sales manager. Lewis represents Live Technology’s extensive lighting portfolio, with a focus on supporting and supplying new and existing customers, including maintaining and developing close relationships with lighting designers.

With 25 years experience in lighting sales, Lewis brings a proven track record of success to Live Technology. While dealing across the board with all of Live Technology’s distributed lighting brands (Elation, Obsidian, Robert Juliat, Stage Smarts, Martin, and JEM) he takes the lead for the company on Elation products, with a view to accelerating the brand’s growth in the UK market.

Gudrun Scharler Appointed CEO of Riedel Networks

The Riedel Group today announced the appointment of Gudrun Scharler as CEO of Riedel Networks. She succeeds Michael Martens, who has led Riedel Networks since 2012 and will support a structured handover through the end of August.

Scharler brings extensive executive experience from leading telecommunications and technology companies, where she has improved operational performance, led customer-focused transformation, and managed complex organizations. Her track record includes key roles at Unitymedia, where she served as chief operations officer, as well as senior leadership positions at Nets Group, E-Plus, Sunrise Communications, and Telefónica Germany. Most recently, she expanded her leadership experience through roles at Canyon Bicycles and P2 eBike GmbH.

Company News

Mason Technologies Breaks Ground on New HQ

Mason Technologies broke ground in May for its future corporate headquarters in the Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge, NY. The groundbreaking ceremony brought together business leaders, industry organizations, and government officials from across Long Island to celebrate the company’s continued success and investment in the region.

Its new HQ will be a 69,000-square-foot building with a 2,800 square-foot atrium and a dedicated exhibition and event space intended for networking, collaboration, and technology demonstrations.

The company’s mission has always been to work with individuals and organizations who help change the world, primarily in healthcare spaces, higher education, and government projects. Founded in 2002 by CEO Jennifer Mason with just two employees, Mason Technologies now has locations in four states and 275 W-2 employees, with plans for continued growth as construction moves forward on the new facility.

Welcome to InfoComm month. May is officially behind us, and June opens with a flurry of moves. CCS Presentation Systems and Advanced Systems Group welcomed new people while there were rebrands, headquarter remodels, and partnerships made.

[Voting Is Live for SCN Installation Product Awards 2026]

Get caught up with the week that was below.

People News

Advanced Systems Group Welcomes Brian Gross

Advanced Systems Group (ASG) welcomed Brian Gross as an account manager in its audio team. Gross brings a blend of hands-on studio experience, technical knowledge, and client-focused insight. He joins Hamid “Gadget” Hopkins, director of audio and post, team and supports clients across a wide range of applications, from music recording and studio design to immersive audio.

With a career rooted in recording studios, music production, and audio post, Gross has designed, built, and run commercial recording facilities. He has an intuitive understanding of how technology should foster, not obstruct, the creative process.

Atlona Announces Addition of Alesia Hendley to Pro AV Team

Atlona has welcomed Alesia Hendley to its growing Pro AV team. Bringing more than 15 years of industry experience spanning live production, broadcast, manufacturing, and business development, Hendley joins the organization with a strong reputation for technical expertise, industry leadership, and relationship-driven growth.

Throughout her career, Hendley has worked across a wide range of AV environments including stadiums, conference centers, theaters, arenas, and large-scale live event venues. Beginning her career as a front-of-house (FOH) engineer, she developed extensive hands-on experience in audio, video, lighting design, and video wall integration before transitioning into manufacturing and business development leadership roles with companies including Access Networks, Audinate, and most recently Sennheiser.

CCS Presentation Systems Reestablishes California Presence with New Partner Team

CCS Presentation Systems (CCS) launched its California operations with the appointment of Peter and Sorina Pantis as partners. The partnership marks CCS’s return to the California market, where the company previously operated through 2018, and follows its recent entry into the Pacific Northwest as part of a broader push to extend its partner-led model into key western markets.

Peter Pantis has five years of experience with CCS, most recently serving as director of technical and installation services. He has held roles ranging from design engineer to engineering manager, helping shape technical standards and deliver complex AV projects across the company’s operations.

As partners, Peter and Sorina Pantis lead CCS’s efforts throughout the state, serving customers across education, corporate, healthcare, houses of worship, and other commercial markets.

Company News

dBTechnologies USA Expands West Coast Representation with Plus 4 Marketing

dBTechnologies USA has appointed Plus 4 Marketing as its new manufacturer’s representative firm for the Pacific Northwest territory. The territory includes Washington, Oregon, Western Idaho, and Western Montana, with Plus 4 Marketing providing regional representation, dealer support, technical outreach, and market development throughout the area.

Following the passing of founder Jim Mathews in 2022, his son Joe Mathews has continued leading the Plus 4 team, carrying forward the values, relationships, and customer-focused approach that established the company’s respected reputation throughout the professional audio industry. The firm has built a longstanding reputation for combining technical fluency with a highly relationship-driven approach to representation—supporting dealers, integrators, consultants, rental providers, and end users through close collaboration and long-term market development.

Humly Updates Branding and Workplace Ecosystem

Humly will showcase its new global brand identity and expanding ecosystem strategy at InfoComm 2026. Visitors to Booth C9278 will experience Humly’s new visual direction in North America for the first time, alongside demonstrations of new technology integrations and ecosystem partnerships that reinforce the company’s evolving workplace philosophy.

Originally unveiled at the ISE exhibition in Barcelona earlier this year, Humly’s new branding represents a strategic evolution for the company as its workplace platform, software and sensor ecosystem, and integration partnerships continue to grow. The refreshed identity emphasizes simplicity, calmness, and intelligent enablement, all of which are values that align with the changing expectations of modern workplaces and enterprise users.

PMA Research Channel Tracking Reveals Best-Selling Projectors

PMA Research posted highlights from their most recent Projector Tracking Service results to the “Top-Selling Projectors” area of their website.

For more than 30 years now, PMA Research has collected monthly sell-through data from leading U.S. projector dealers, retailers, web resellers, and distributors. Their Tracking Service family of monthly reports offers timely data and analysis on unit sales, true volume-weighted street prices, and inventories of projectors for these channels.

B2B Laser Projectors (Normal/Semi-Throw) with 5,000 and Higher Lumens: In the +5,000 lumen B2B laser-phosphor projector segment, Epson nearly swept this “Top 5” list with the four best-selling models in April. Sony rounded out the +5,000 lumen B2B laser-phosphor projector list. The list includes: Epson PowerLite L690SU; Epson PowerLite L695SU; Epson PowerLite L795SE; Epson PowerLite L690U; and Sony VPL-PHZ61.

Installation Projectors with Interchangeable Lenses: This “Top 5″ list is compiled from PMA’s monthly Projector Distributor Tracking Service panel, which is made up of IT, Pro AV, and CEDIA distributors. The list includes: Sony VPL-FHZ85; Sharp/NEC XP-A824U; Epson EB-PU1008; Sony VPL-FHZ80; and Panasonic PT-MZ882.

Consumer Ultra-Short-Throw Projectors: This “Top 5″ list is compiled from PMA’s monthly Retail Projector Tracking Service panel, which is made up of U.S. retailers, web resellers, and custom installers. The list includes: Epson EpiqVision LS800; LG PU615U CineBeam S; Epson Lifestudio Grand EH-LS670; YABER K300s; and Optoma GT3500HDR.

Whitwam AVI Upgrades HQ Demo Space

Whitwam AVI has upgraded the meeting room at its Winchester headquarters, creating a live demonstration space where clients can experience modern corporate AV solutions in a real-world setting. Designed around simplicity, flexibility, and ease of use, the new space showcases the kind of bespoke workplace AV systems the company delivers for its corporate environments.

As a specialist AV integration company, Whitwam AVI designs, installs, and maintains AV systems across corporate, heritage, government, houses of worship, and other specialist environments, providing end-to-end support from initial design through to ongoing assistance. Renowned for delivering carefully planned systems in demanding spaces, the upgraded meeting room reflects Whitwam AVI’s growing focus on workspace AV, showcasing exactly what clients need from modern corporate environments: systems that support hybrid meetings, BYOD workflows and simple day-to-day operation.

At the heart of the upgraded meeting room is a simple, user-friendly AV system supporting both wireless and wired meeting workflows. The space features a Panasonic Laser Projector as the main display, with a Lightware Taurus UCX-4x2 switcher providing central source selection and signal management. A Barco ClickShare CX-30 enables wireless presentations, while the Sennheiser TeamConnect Bar M provides high-quality audio and video. Whitwam AVI also plans to install a Joan 6 Pro Gray panel and PoE wall mount outside the room, demonstrating how meeting spaces can be managed as bookable resources.

Yorkville Sound Has New Distribution Partnerships

Yorkville Sound is now the exclusive Canadian distributor for Morley, the effects pedal company which designs wah pedals, volume pedals, switchers, and innovative guitar and bass effects solutions. Morley has been trusted by musicians around the world for decades for its roadworthy construction, reliable electro-optical technology, and artist-driven designs.

Additionally, Yorkville Sound announced a new partnership with Ludwig Marketing to represent Yorkville Sound products throughout the Midwest United States. Under the agreement, Ludwig Marketing represents Yorkville Sound in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa.

What a busy week it was in Pro AV. People were on the move, HARMAN opened a new Experience Center, Crestron announced a huge partnership, and we had a pair of acquisitions you may have missed.

There were two big acquisitions that went down on the same day last week. First, Panasonic Projector & Display Corporation started Tuesday morning bright and early, announcing it had acquired U.K.-based media technology company Hive Media Control (HIVE), strengthening its capabilities in media playback and control for immersive and fixed-installation environments. We had all the details, so CLICK HERE to continue reading.

Later in the day, CTI announced its THIRD acquisition of 2026, acquiring Valley Communications Systems of Chicopee, MA. The acquisition expands CTI’s coverage throughout the Connecticut River Valley, including the Boston, Hartford, and Albany markets, and adds Valley’s 80-year legacy of audiovisual innovation and client service to CTI’s growing national footprint. Find out more by CLICKING HERE.

Now, get caught up on the rest of the week's action.

People News

Audio-Technica Strengthens Leadership Team

Audio-Technica has announced key leadership appointments designed to further strengthen its sales organization and drive continued growth across the Americas. Mark Humrichouser has been promoted to VP, sales, U.S headquarters and System Solutions Group Americas. In this expanded role, he oversees brick and mortar sales, e-commerce, System Solutions Group (SSG) Americas Sales, broadcast sales, SSG Marketing and regional SSG initiatives.

Jim Schanz joined the company as executive director, System Solutions Sales, effective March 23, reporting to Humrichouser. He leads initiatives to strengthen pro audio channels, deepen customer relationships, and identify growth opportunities.

Brompton Technology Appoints New Regional Sales Manager for Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau

Brompton Technology has appointed Jude Lam as regional sales manager for Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau. In her new role, Lam supports Brompton’s customers and partners across her territory, helping to deepen the company’s presence in the market and build on its existing relationships across the region.

Lam joins Brompton with strong industry experience spanning international LED sales, virtual production, and customer engagement across multiple territories. She spent time at AOTO, where she supported broadcasting and control room projects across the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and more recently PIXREAL, where she worked on a number of key international projects.

Daktronics Welcomes Steffan Piolet to European Sales Team

Daktronics has expanded its international sales team with the hiring of Steffan Piolet to expand the company’s indoor and stadium projects in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Scandinavia, and Eastern Europe. His focus is on ensuring the market understands how our indoor offerings differ from the outdoor business.

Previous experience for Piolet has been in multiple phases, including a digital signage integrator in the retail and hospitality industries, in sports technology for launching and monetizing direct-to-consumer streaming services, and playing sports as a professional cricket player.

Korbyt Appoints Andrew Robson as Chief Executive Officer

Korbyt has appointed Andrew Robson as chief executive officer. Robson brings a distinguished track record as a chief executive and revenue leader in the financial services technology sector and is uniquely positioned to lead the company into its next chapter of growth. Robson joins Korbyt from Verity, a provider of research management software, data, and analytics serving more than 350 financial services firms globally, where he served as CEO from 2021 until the company's acquisition by TMX Group in 2025.

As CEO, Robson is focused on accelerating Korbyt’s product innovation, strengthening customer engagement, expanding global market opportunities, and further scaling the Korbyt Anywhere platform. In corresponding moves, Travis Kemp has been appointed chief product officer, leading the strategic direction and continued evolution of the Korbyt Anywhere platform, including AI-powered digital signage and space management innovations, and Nathan Fullington has been appointed chief customer officer.

PlexusAV Strengthens US Team

PlexusAV appointed Seth Warner as U.S. sales manager, based just outside Cleveland, OH. After serving six years in the US Air Force and five years in law enforcement, Warner brings a disciplined, solutions-focused mindset to his role. He has spent the last decade working within the AV industry, alongside extensive experience implementing EHR and EMR systems across hospitals, giving him a strong understanding of complex, mission-critical environments and customer needs.

PPDS Welcomes Nicole Rutherford as New Event Marketing Specialist in North America

PPDS has appointed Nicole Rutherford as new event marketing specialist. An accomplished business owner, leader, and marketing professional of over 10 years, Rutherford supports PPDS day-to-day marketing efforts with a strong focus on events, partner engagement, and sales enablement.

These responsibilities incorporate coordinating logistics for trade shows and regional events, managing marketing assets, supporting digital and social content, and working with both national and regional partners to help drive brand awareness and engagement.

Re-Sauce Welcomes Beth Warren as Global Consultancy Partner

Re-Sauce welcomed Beth Warren as its global consultancy partner, leading growth and transformation across key regions. An enterprise marketing executive with more than 20 years’ experience, Warren brings a proven track record in driving revenue growth, brand transformation and scalable go-to-market strategy for both publicly listed and high-growth B2B technology companies. She is recognized within the digital signage sector, with deep expertise as a retail SME, spanning connected store experiences that keep CMS, retail media and ad-tech platforms at the center of the ecosystem.

The partnership marks a significant step in Re-Sauce’s international growth strategy, strengthening its presence in the North American market and beyond, and enhancing its ability to support clients operating across multiple regions. In her new role, Warren focuses on positioning marketing as a core growth driver for B2B organisations, helping clients differentiate more effectively, sharpen their brand positioning and translate full-funnel strategy into measurable commercial outcomes.

Company News

AVIXA Unveils New AVIXA.org to Enhance Content Discovery for AV Professionals

AVIXA launched its new AVIXA.org, designed to enhance the discovery of professional AV resources for AVIXA members and the broader AV community, including training, certification, and thought leadership.

“Our goal was to move the website to its next phase by removing any sense of disconnection between users and the valuable content they consistently tell us they need,” said Steven Guzi, director of digital product, AVIXA. “Much like our trade shows, we want everything we provide to be easy to discover and useful, whether you’re an experienced Pro AV professional or exploring your future in AV.”

The evolution of the new website reflects extensive stakeholder and user feedback gathered through interviews at trade shows, surveys, and analysis of user behavior from the previous version of the site. This research process highlighted that many users were missing pathways to both new and essential resources that can support their growth through the Pro AV industry. In response, AVIXA introduced new features designed to improve content discovery as users navigate education resources, industry insights, and additional offerings.

Adder Releases AIM 6 Software Upgrade

Adder Technology launched its latest release of AIM, its IP KVM matrix management software, introducing an enriched user experience for both system administrators and desktop operators. Rebuilt with a focus on visibility, control and usability, AIM 6 simplifies the management of complex ADDERLink INFINITY matrix environments while enabling fast and intuitive switching at the desktop.

AIM 6 has been redesigned from the ground up. A new, intuitive interface provides clearer system insight, streamlined navigation, and more efficient day-to-day control. From monitoring system health to managing users, devices and connections, administrators can now interact with their entire IP KVM matrix more quickly and with greater confidence.

The update delivers improved system visibility and control across the IP KVM matrix; simplifies management workflows for faster configuration and operation; redefines the user experience with a more intuitive, accessible interface; and strengthens system security with enhanced protection and access control.

Coastal Source Launches Nationwide 2026 Road Tour 

Coastal Source will take its latest innovations on the road this spring and summer with a nationwide 2026 Road Tour, bringing hands-on demonstrations, new product introductions, and interactive system design tools directly to dealers across the country.

Running from May through July in key markets nationwide, the tour will highlight major additions across the Coastal Source ecosystem, including new EVO and VIA lighting solutions, the 1000 Series Bollards, expanded outdoor audio offerings, and the introduction of PowerSource, a plug-and-play outdoor power distribution system designed to simplify installation and improve system performance. The tour will also introduce the Coastal Source Design Studio, an interactive platform that streamlines system design and presentation for dealers. Visit the Road Tour webpage here for dates.

EPOS Powers-Up Battery Replacement Strategy

EPOS is ’charging-up’ a battery replacement program to simplify a more sustainable future ahead of new legislation coming into force across parts of the world. Going forward all new product launches will provide the option to replace batteries with a simple paperclip or similar tool, rather than any complex or complicated procedures.

Søren Holm Printz, VP corporate strategy and product management, said EPOS is committed to extending the lifespan of its products by offering user-friendly battery replacement solutions. The EPOS IMPACT 500 on-ear Bluetooth headset is the newest member of the product range, and part of the enhanced sustainability strategy, where just a paperclip is required. Furthermore, original equipment replacement batteries will remain available through EPOS and its partners for five years after a product is discontinued.

Samsung and AOPEN Partner to Unify Multi-OS Classrooms

AOPEN, known for its commercial and industrial computing solutions, and Samsung Electronics America announced a strategic collaboration that seamlessly pairs AOPEN Open Pluggable Specification (OPS) models, based on Intel Core processors, with Samsung Interactive Displays. This partnership delivers a plug-and-play computing experience on large-format interactive flat panels, designed to bridge the gap between personal devices and front-of-room classroom technology.

By integrating AOPEN’s WB5116-W and Chromebox OPS models with Samsung’s Interactive Display lineup, the collaboration brings an elegant, modular solution to modern education: centralized device management across multiple operating systems.

VIVID Studios Joins Stage Precision's Global Service Network as an Authorized Service Partner

Stage Precision has welcomed VIVID Studios to its Service Partner Program as an Authorized Service Partner (ASP). Specialists in creative technology and immersive experiences, VIVID Studios will support the delivery of Stage Precision solutions across complex, experience-led projects.

Launched in 2023, Stage Precision’s Service Partner Program was created to build a trusted network of technical partners across the live-event, virtual production, and AV sectors. Dubai-based creative technology specialist, VIVID Studios, has integrated Stage Precision's SP Grid platform into its wider ecosystem of system design and digital experience tools. Using digital content design, AV technology, and artificial intelligence, VIVID transforms venues and attractions into living, interactive environments.

Pro AV Around the World

Bluesound Professional announced a new sales representative agreement with Generation AV. Lenbrook Asia will continue to serve as the official distributor, while the new representative partnership with Generation AV will accelerate the brand’s growth in the Asia region, bringing their innovative audio solutions to a broader audience. Specializing in the professional, commercial, and residential markets, the company is well suited to ensure Bluesound Professional’s scalable audio streaming solutions reach the right installations, enhancing audio experiences across a wide range of commercial spaces.

Crestron Electronics has been named the Official Smart Hospitality Systems of Espai Barça, a project redefining Spotify Camp Nou and its surrounding district into a next-generation, always-on destination. Espai Barça is FC Barcelona’s landmark initiative to modernize and expand its stadium and campus, reimagining one of the sports venues as a year-round destination for sport, business, hospitality, and community engagement. As part of a multi-year collaboration, Crestron has already and will continue to deliver the underlying technology infrastructure across Spotify Camp Nou, providing an integrated ecosystem of content, collaboration, and control solutions.

HARMAN Professional Solutions officially opened its newly revamped Experience Center in Singapore. Designed as a purpose‑built business Experience Center, the space demonstrates how HARMAN Professional solutions address customer needs across multiple vertical markets through real‑world applications and collaborative engagement. More than a traditional showroom, the space has been reimagined as a platform for solution exploration, co‑creation, and executive engagement, reflecting the evolving ways B2B organizations navigate technology amid increasing complexity in today’s business environment.

PPDS has formed a new strategic partnership with leading Italian AV distributor, Prase, a Midwich Group company. Founded in 1993, and a Midwich Group Company since 2019, Noventa di Piave (Venice)-based Prase distributes an extensive range of AV and IT solutions with corporate, education, and retail among its core target verticals. PPDS recently joined Prase at MIR 2026, Italy’s largest AV event, which included the official launch and availability of the foldable and height-adjustable 135-inch Philips Unite LED 6000 Series AIO.

There were quite a few partnerships announced last week. AtlasIED and NETGEAR AV made headlines, while Almo Pro AV extended its partnership with Hall Research. There were many others collaborating with each other, so get caught up with the week that was in this weeks Pro AV Newsmakers.

[This Is the Way: Share Some Popcorn with Grogu]

People on the Move

MultiDyne Expands APAC Presence with Appointment of Sales Director

MultiDyne Video & Fiber Optic Systems appointed Alex Collins as sales director, APAC. Collins brings more than 20 years of experience across the broadcast and Pro AV industries, including more than a decade of leadership and channel management expertise throughout Southeast Asia and broader APAC markets. He leads regional sales development, channel partnerships, customer engagement, and business expansion initiatives across APAC.

Prior to joining MultiDyne, Collins held senior regional sales and channel management positions with Vizrt, Ross Video, and Nevion, where he developed go-to-market strategies, expanded reseller ecosystems, and drove adoption of advanced live production, IP-based workflow, and fiber infrastructure technologies throughout the region.

Partnerships

AtlasIED Announces Partnership with NETGEAR AV

AtlasIED has partnered with NETGEAR AV. The collaboration aligns AtlasIED’s expertise in intelligent audio and security solutions with NETGEAR’s leadership in managed network switching and AV over IP infrastructure.

At the core of the partnership is a focus on optimizing audio deployments over high-performance networks. By pairing AtlasIED's Atlas+Fyne POE++ loudspeaker solutions with NETGEAR AV managed switches, customers benefit from simplified installation, reduced infrastructure complexity, and consistent audio performance across a wide range of commercial environments.

Almo Pro AV and Hall Research Expand Distribution Partnership

Almo Pro AV and Hall Research have expanded their distribution partnership. Through this agreement, Hall Research’s newly aligned portfolio of five AV-focused brands, including Atlona, is now fully available through Almo Pro AV.

Almo Pro AV customers, many of whom have long relied on Atlona solutions, now have access to a broader portfolio of complementary AV brands under the Hall Research umbrella, including Hall Technologies(healthcare), Atlona (switching and signal extension), Captivate(collaboration tools), Javelin (cabling/accessories), and Gain Audio(audio/speakers). Importantly, the Atlona products, and value proposition remain unchanged, with continuity in innovation, quality, and support, now backed by a stronger parent organization.

AVer Solutions Obtain HETMA Approved Status

AVer Information's TR335 AI Auto Tracking PTZ Camera, MT300N NDI Matrix Tracking Box, and PTZ310UV2 PTZ Camera have received HETMA Approved Status. Evaluated by a committee of higher education technology managers, the TR335, MT300 and PTZ310UV2 each earned an overall score of “Exceeds Expectations,” recognizing performance, reliability and integration capabilities in higher education environments.

The TR335 is a 4K AI Auto Tracking PTZ camera featuring 30x optical zoom and support for 4K resolution at 60 frames per second. Designed for broadcasting, streaming and recording applications, the TR335 includes 3G-SDI, HDMI, USB and IP outputs, enabling integration across a range of AV environments. The MT300N is an NDI matrix tracking box that enables AVer Pro AV cameras to function as voice-tracking systems through preset point configuration, eliminating the need for a dedicated in-room PC or server. The PTZ310UV2 is a UHD PTZ camera delivering 4K resolution at 60 fps with 12x optical zoom and 8MP image capture. Designed for broadcasting and streaming, it delivers low-latency IP video over standard networks and simultaneous output via HDMI, NDI, and IP.

L-Acoustics Named DATALAND's Immersive Audio Partner

Co-founders Refik Anadol and Efsun Erkılıç reveal further details of DATALAND, the Museum of AI Arts, opening to the public on June 20, 2026. Representing a paradigm shift in the museum-going experience, Anadol and Erkılıç unveil Data.Link, an intelligent system connecting art, architecture, and audience through advanced AI systems, real-time data assimilation, integrated technologies, and wearable devices. Made possible through collaborations with NVIDIA, Google Cloud, Founding Olfactory Partner L’Oréal Luxe, Epson, L-Acoustics, Empatica, LG Electronics, Gensler, ARUP, Scaleable, Valerie Confections, and Constellation Immersive, an affiliate of Creative Artists Agency (CAA), DATALAND emerges as the world’s first omni-sensory museum.

Sound is elemental, immediate, and inseparable from how we experience the world around us. DATALAND's 250-speaker audio ecosystem is driven by L-ISA immersive sound from L-Acoustics. L-ISA technology delivers a living soundtrack that evolves in real time, woven from original music by composer and sound designer Kerim Karaoğlu, the acoustic ecology of the rainforest, and the sacred healing songs of the Yawanawá. L-Acoustics L-SMART technology continuously monitors and optimizes power consumption to average 30% greater efficiency, with zero compromise to the sound. Suspending audio dynamically across a three-dimensional canvas—in front of, above, and entirely surrounding the visitor—DATALAND achieves a spatial resolution with no precedent in any permanent museum anywhere in the world.

Violet Audio US Launches to Support North American Initiative in Live Sound

Melbourne, Australia's Violet Audio has formed Violet Audio US, a new distribution company established to bring the company’s professional audio solutions to the North American live sound market. Industry veteran Phil Wagner is president of the new entity, which oversees sales, marketing, training, and support for the evolving Violet Audio product range across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Violet Audio US will focus initially on the rollout of the dMix 128, a high-performance live mixing platform designed to deliver advanced processing power and flexibility at a highly competitive price point. Violet Audio US’s launch reflects a broader global expansion strategy for the brand, following a new partnership with the company’s headquarters.

Watchfire Partners with WOW

Watchfire has been selected to manufacture the advanced digital display technology powering the WOW’S EON Network, a synchronized communications platform across Inglewood’s Sports & Entertainment District located in Greater Los Angeles.

The network represents a major leap forward for the digital signage industry, demonstrating how advanced display manufacturing and engineering can transform static infrastructure into dynamic, city-scale communication systems. Developed by WOW, the EON Network is an infrastructure project that turns traditional digital signage into a unified, city-scale storytelling medium. Phase 1 features over 60 high-resolution screens across 10 strategic locations surrounding SoFi Stadium, Intuit Dome, and the Kia Forum.

To bring the concept to life, Watchfire utilized its new high-resolution 4mm outdoor display platform to meet the technical demands of synchronized, street-level storytelling at scale.

There were some big strategic moves this week from Diversified and Riedel Communications, as well as new (or renewed!) partnerships from Powersoft and Nanolumens.

[Check out Our InfoComm Impulses... So Far]

As always, we're here to make sure you stay caught up on all the big Pro AV news of the week. Get caught up on what you may have missed from the week that was.

People on the Move

Diversified Welcomes Viral Tripathi as CIO

Diversified has appointed Viral Tripathi as chief information officer (CIO). The technology executive brings more than 30 years of experience leading enterprise transformation and delivering business outcomes in private equity-backed professional services and global organizations where strategic vision, global scale and agility in execution matter.

At Diversified, Tripathi leads the company's enterprise technology strategy, overseeing global IT across applications, cybersecurity, data and analytics, digital innovation, infrastructure, and business systems. His role includes strengthening the digital and data foundation needed to support AI enablement, improving operational efficiency, and ensuring technology serves as a true driver of commercial value and long-term competitive advantage.

Riedel Appoints Marc Engroff as CFO

Riedel Communications expanded its leadership structure, appointing Marc Engroff as chief financial officer (CFO) of Riedel Communications. At the same time, Frank Eischet transitions into the role of chief operating officer (COO) of the Riedel Group, with an increased focus on group-level strategy and cross-functional alignment.

Engroff assumes responsibility for key corporate functions including finance, controlling, M&A, global purchasing, and IT. He plays a central part in further developing the company’s financial structures and supporting its sustainable growth trajectory. With Engroff taking over operational financial leadership within Riedel Communications, Eischet is now dedicating greater focus to overarching priorities across the Riedel Group, including strategic alignment, operational scalability, and the continued development of global structures. He continues to serve as managing director of Riedel Communications alongside Thomas Riedel, jointly representing both the company and the Riedel Group.

Smode Tech Expands Development Team with Four New Hires

Smode Tech has added four new team members across software development and research roles. Aurore Bordes joined as a C++ graphics application developer and product specialist. In this dual role, contributes to new feature development while also supporting the technical needs of SMODE’s user base.

Nicolas Tisserand joined as a senior software developer, where he is focused on the extension and maintenance of the SMODE software suite. He brings more than 20 years of programming experience across a wide range of domains, including music software, 3D reconstruction, virtual and mixed reality and robotics, with expertise in C++, C, Rust and several other languages across desktop, mobile and embedded platforms. Manu Cheremeh joined as a CIFRE doctoral researcher, and will split his time 50% at Smode Tech and 50% in the ATI Paris 8 University lab over the next three years. His is working on research, development, and integration of real-time generative AI modules within SMODE.

Finally, Maxime Cots joined as a senior software developer. His focus is on improving how SMODE handles asset input and output, including images and video, to streamline workflows for studio artists. Cots brings experience from Lumiscaphe, a real-time graphics and VR software company, and MPC/The Mill, the visual effects studio, where he developed internal pipeline tools including rigging engines, render submitters and task orchestration systems.

Partnerships

Nanolumens Partners With 3Dot Technologies

Nanolumens has formed a partnership with 3Dot Technologies, a Burlington, Ontario-based distributor specializing in video wall systems. The partnership expands Nanolumens’ presence in Canada and enables broader access to its full portfolio of display solutions across all vertical markets.

Through the distribution partnership, 3Dot Technologies will provide regional sales support, system design consultation, installation and integration services for Nanolumens direct view LED and video processing solutions. 3Dot Technologies brings experience in designing and deploying customized video wall systems across a wide range of industries, including government, corporate, retail, healthcare, higher education, transportation, entertainment and more. The company supports projects through demonstration, consultation, system configuration, installation and ongoing maintenance.

Powersoft Renews Technology Partnership with Bose Professional

Powersoft has renewed its long-term technology partnership with Bose Professional, extending a collaboration that has seen the two companies develop a shared amplification platform for the professional installed sound market. Under the renewed agreement, Bose Professional will continue to market the PowerShareX four-channel amplifier series, comprising the PSX1204D, PSX2404D and PSX4804D, built on Powersoft’s amplification technology. The platform is well suited to a wide range of environments where permanently installed audio systems are required, including corporate spaces, hotels, retail outlets, educational facilities, theatres, performing arts centres, places of worship and sports facilities.

The PowerShareX series combines high energy efficiency, precise audio signal control and significant power density in a compact form factor. Designed to operate within the Bose Professional ControlSpace ecosystem, which brings together amplifiers, processors and loudspeakers under a single unified software platform, the amplifiers simplify deployment while maintaining seamless functionality across integrated audio installations.

Pro AV around the Globe

In an effort to expand its European footprint, LEA Professional has partnered with Aura Audio, an AV distributor based in the South West coast of Finland. This partnership will bring LEA Professional’s extensive technology catalog to customers throughout Finland.

With over 30 years of experience in the professional audio industry, the Aura Audio team is positioned to expand LEA’s reach in Europe. Through this partnership, Aura Audio will represent LEA Professional’s Network Connect series of professional amplifiers and companion Dante Connect series featuring Dante and AES67 connectivity. These series enable integrators to utilize cloud-based remote control, monitoring, notifications, and more from any internet-enabled device, allowing them to stay connected anywhere in the world.

It was another busy week in Pro AV. Audio-Technica is now Crestron certified, the PowerHouse Alliance welcomed a new member, and Humly and Xyte collaborated on collaboration.

[ENTER TODAY: SCN Installation Product Awards 2026]

Get caught up in your weekly dose of Pro AV newsmakers.

Company News

Brad Sousa Impact Fund Now Accepting Applications for 2026 Grants

The Brad Sousa Impact Fund, organized by the AVIXA Foundation, is accepting applications for grants through May 25, 2026. Recipients will be announced at a special ceremony on Thursday, June 18, during InfoComm 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The fund was established to honor the late Brad Sousa, chief technology officer of Forté (formerly AVI Systems) and a member of the AVIXA board of directors. It supports the AVIXA Foundation’s global mission through impact investing and strategic partnerships, with a primary focus on developing audiovisual and digital transformation professionals—and strengthening their understanding of each other’s interconnected needs. Through digital transformation, organizations and communities integrate technology into everyday life to drive meaningful impact and enable lasting change.

The Brad Sousa Impact Fund will award grants to people in pursuit of educational and vocational outcomes; programs that impact society, community, and culture; and partnerships that amplify missions of associations, community, and nonprofit organizations. In 2025, three grantees were selected from a diverse group of submissions and honored at InfoComm 2025 in Orlando, FL. Rosie Riveters, Tech25, and WorkSource Montgomery (WSM) were given financial support for their missions. Their efforts provide hands-on STEM-learning for young women, address the demand for skilled AV broadcast and event technicians, and provide a cohort for career exploration and pathways to employment in AV and IT.

Audio-Technica Solutions Now Certified for Use with Crestron Automate VX

The Audio-Technica ATND1061 ceiling array microphone and ATUC digital discussion systems have been certified by Crestron for use with its Automate VX voice-activated camera switching solution. The collaboration between Audio-Technica and Crestron offers seamless, scalable, high-performance solutions for professional environments, including corporate boardrooms, classrooms and government chambers, that demand both clarity and efficiency, without technical disruptions.

As official trigger sources for the Automate VX solution, ATND1061 and ATUC provide low-latency beam talker position data and discussion states for fast, precise camera switching. When paired with the Automate VX system, the ATND1061 delivers accurate, AI-driven camera switching based on voice detection from any angle, ensuring effortless tracking of meeting participants. In addition, the ATND1061DAN Dante® audio networking enabled array can leverage the capabilities for streamlined communication, elevating the video conferencing experience. When the ATUC is paired with Automate VX technology, the discussion system's push-to-talk functionality triggers the appropriate camera to instantly focus on the active participant, ensuring everyone is seen and heard clearly.

The Automate VX voice-activated camera switching solution receives input from the ATND1061 or ATUC to automatically trigger connected Crestron 1 Beyond cameras, bringing a multicamera studio experience to any collaboration space. Participants never lose sight of who’s speaking as the Automate VX system not only switches to the appropriate camera, but also autoframes the speaker to ensure that even nonverbal cues are captured so conversation can continue to flow naturally.

D-Tools Releases SI v24

D-Tools released System Integrator (SI) v24, the latest version of the company’s end-to-end business management platform, highlighted by a new multi-user project editing feature that enables real-time enhanced collaboration capabilities to integrators worldwide. This release addresses the real-world pressures integration firms face today, including tighter project timelines, more complex scopes of work, and the constant need to do more with leaner teams. SI v24 reflects D-Tools’ ongoing investment in practical capabilities that improve how integration teams work, from initial estimate through final installation, without adding complexity or compromising accuracy.

The centerpiece of SI v24 is multi-user project editing, a long-requested capability that changes how integration teams work together. For the first time, team members across sales, design, engineering and installation can work within the same project at the same time. SI v24 also improves how integrators coordinate with outside parties. A new Gantt chart export to Microsoft Project lets teams share detailed project timelines with architects, general contractors and other collaborators who do not use SI. Integration firms can present professional, accurate project plans to any stakeholder without workarounds, duplicate entry, or reformatting work.

Humly and Xyte Bring Workplace Devices and Room Intelligence into One Platform

Humly and Xyte Connect+ have partnered on a new integration, empowering seamless integration of Humly hardware products on Xyte’s cloud platform, bringing Humly Room Display and Humly Booking Devices into a single platform for monitoring, control, and management.

Xyte’s approach provides a consistent way to deploy, monitor, and manage devices from day one, strengthened through an open API to drive third-party development and integration with technology partners like Humly. The Humly devices automatically connect to Xyte’s cloud environment, where manufacturers, integrators and end users can access real-time system health data, monitor performance, execute remote commands, and manage devices at scale through a unified interface. Customers can also connect Humly devices through Xyte Edge, a new on-prem interface device that enables secure local connectivity to the cloud platform.

Through integration with Humly Sense, organizations can bring environmental data from built-in Humly sensors and other open networked devices into Xyte for centralized visibility and analysis. The initial rollout imports environmental data collected through sensors built into Humly hardware devices, enabling customers to adjust temperatures and address Co2 levels as conditions change. These and other continuous readings are presented within Xyte’s analytics environment, providing intelligence to optimize workplace conditions, improve space utilization, and fuel operational decisions.

The Xyte integration embodies Humly’s continued investment in open integrations and interoperable ecosystems following the release of a Q-SYS plug-in at ISE 2026 and the launch of Humly Sense last year. By joining the Xyte platform, Humly strengthens its position within the AV and workplace technology landscape while extending the value of its hardware and sensing capabilities. For Xyte, the integration welcomes its first dedicated workplace experience technology provider to the platform, and expands its offering with proven room booking, desk management, and workplace intelligence solutions. The addition of Humly sensors to gather data-driven insights also extends Xyte’s reach into building intelligence, with Humly Sense offering a direct route to third-party sensors in HVAC, lighting and other building systems.

Peavey Commercial Audio Appoints Streetwise Sales for Northeast US

Peavey Commercial Audio has announced the appointment of Streetwise Sales as its official sales partner in the United States. The partnership marks a significant step in Peavey Commercial Audio’s strategic growth plans, enabling closer engagement with integrators, consultants, and end users across key sectors including corporate, hospitality, education, and large public venues. By leveraging Streetwise Sales’ extensive industry relationships and regional expertise, Peavey aims to accelerate adoption of its comprehensive portfolio of networked audio, DSP, and loudspeaker solutions.

Streetwise Sales is known for its deep understanding of the professional and consumer audio landscape and its ability to drive meaningful market engagement for leading technology brands. Through this collaboration, customers across the United States will benefit from enhanced access to Peavey Commercial Audio’s solutions, backed by responsive, knowledgeable local support. With Streetwise Sales now representing Peavey Commercial Audio from Virginia to Maine, both organizations are aligned in their mission to deliver innovative, scalable, and user-friendly audio solutions that empower integrators and end users alike.

PowerHouse Alliance Announces AV Plus as New Member 

PowerHouse Alliance has added MDY Group, now doing business as AV Plus, as its newest member. The company will provide coverage across Southern California and Southern Nevada, strengthening the organization’s presence in these key markets.

AV Plus brings a strong presence across multiple locations, including Southern California and Southern Nevada, with plans for continued expansion. The company enhances PowerHouse Alliance’s network with additional regional strength and technical capabilities.

The addition of AV Plus reflects PowerHouse Alliance’s continued focus on strategic growth and maintaining comprehensive territory coverage across the U.S. The organization remains committed to its long-standing mission of combining national scale with localized service and expertise.

Pro AV around the World

Broadsign welcomed Manuel Ameneiros as head of Latin America (LATAM) media sales and service. The newly formed role is designed to provide additional support to customers and partners in LATAM and grow and scale the business. Working out of Mexico City, Ameneiros advances strategic relationships with agencies, advertisers, and media owners across LATAM. With programmatic digital OOH (pDOOH) still developing in the region, he also helps customers navigate the shift toward more automated, data-driven OOH buys that integrate seamlessly with omnichannel campaigns.

GUDE Systems is strengthening its sales network in Africa and the Middle East through a new partnership with Abcom Distribution and Abcom Digital Kenya. At the same time, GUDE has recruited Kumaran Kannan, an experienced industry expert, to further develop its AV business in these growth markets. Through this strategic collaboration, GUDE Systems aims to provide AV integrators and specialist planners in the region with direct access to its high-quality, IP-based power distribution units (PDU).

A week with no Pro AV acquisitions? Egads! Last week, while there were no acquisitions to report, there were a lot of newsmakers in Pro AV, including some new digs for MAXHUB. Mark J. Pescatore and Wayne Cavadi were in Las Vegas for NAB Show 2026, where several newsworthy announcements were revealed.

[5 Lessons Learned at NAB Show 2026]

Check out all that and more below.

People News

AtlasIED Announces Two Appointments to Support Its Expanding International Operations

AtlasIED announced a pair of appointments to its international team. Bartosz Pętlak has been appointed as applications engineer for the EMEA region, while Roger Lim has taken on the role of applications engineer for the APAC region.

Pętlak joins the AtlasIED team with 17 years of AV and digital signage experience, supporting regional growth through technical expertise, tailored solution design, and close collaboration with customers and partners to deliver successful deployments.

“The AtlasIED team and the company’s extensive product catalog are responsible for an impressive amount of applications in the EMEA region, and I’m honored to join the efforts,” said Pętlak. “I look forward to leveraging my experience in the industry to deliver solutions that address a wide range of complex customer requirements and drive successful project outcomes.”

Lim will support customers and partners by providing solution design, implementation, and technical expertise to ensure successful deployments across the region. With over 30 years of experience as a seasoned AV and pro audio specialist, Lim is well-equipped to excel in this role at AtlasIED. His extensive background in acoustics, sound reinforcement, and signal flow aligns perfectly with the strengths of AtlasIED's technology offerings. "I am excited to build and nurture strong relationships with customers in the APAC region. Being able to assist them in person is empowering, and I take pride in the strong presence that AtlasIED has established and will continue to expand in this area," said Lim. "I am passionate about ensuring that our solutions perform well in real-world environments and provide long-term value. I look forward to directly supporting our customers in my region."

CEDIA Appoints Andrea Harvey as Director of Design & Build Outreach

CEDIA appointed designer Andrea Harvey as director of design and build outreach. Harvey will create a new department within CEDIA to enable its members to grow their businesses by forging strong partnerships with interior designers, architects, and builders.

Harvey brings more than 20 years of experience at the intersection of interior design, construction, manufacturer partnerships, and professional education. She is the founder of Ash Interiors & Design, where she has cultivated strong relationships across the design-build ecosystem while advancing collaboration among trade professionals. Her background also includes representing luxury manufacturers, delivering professional education programs, and presenting at national industry forums.

In her new role, Harvey positions smart-home technology as an essential component of the modern home construction process by engaging with designers, architects, homebuilders, and their trade organizations. Through targeted events, strategic partnerships, and program development, Harvey will support CEDIA members’ business growth by increasing adoption of integrated technology in both new-build and retrofit residential projects.

Diversified Welcomes Tyler Affolter as Chief Revenue Officer

Diversified has appointed Tyler Affolter as chief revenue officer (CRO), a strategic leadership move that reflects the company’s continued focus on growth at the intersection of media, workplace, and digital experience.

As CRO, Affolter leads Diversified’s global commercial organization, helping accelerate growth across the company’s established media, collaboration and digital signage businesses while extending those core strengths into broadcast and experiential AV. He further aligns go-to-market strategy with Diversified’s engineering, delivery and services capabilities, supporting the company’s next phase of growth as it expands its leadership in mission-critical media-rich environments, strengthens its ability to serve global client ecosystems and grows lifecycle support capabilities that extend well beyond deployment.

Company News

AES Goes “Immersive Audio in All Flavors”

The Audio Engineering Society (AES) will present the Immersive Audio Academy 12th Edition, “Immersive Audio in All Flavors,” on April 30, 2026, at noon ET, as part of its ongoing series examining current developments in immersive and spatial audio.

This online event will bring together a panel of internationally recognized experts to explore a range of approaches to immersive audio production, distribution and implementation across multiple application areas, including music, broadcast and emerging media. The session is intended to provide insights into the technologies, workflows, and creative practices shaping the field.

Topics will include current hardware and software solutions supporting immersive audio workflows, the accessibility of immersive production tools, and the evolving role of spatial audio in contemporary content creation. The session will also consider future directions for immersive audio and the challenges associated with broader adoption across the industry.

Broadsign Partners with JB Hi-Fi to Accelerate Retail Media Network

Australian consumer electronics retailer JB Hi-Fi is deploying the Broadsign Platform to build and scale its in-store retail media network (RMN), which spans over 200 stores across Australia. The technology will streamline operations, enabling JB Hi-Fi to seamlessly plan, execute, optimize, and measure in-store media and ad campaigns across locations from one central hub.

With the Broadsign Platform providing real-time availability, intuitive ad serving, and robust campaign reporting out-of-the-box, JB Hi-Fi will be able to unlock impactful in-store opportunities and deliver measurable results across its network. An open API also allows JB Hi-Fi to integrate with its preferred retail systems, platforms, and processes, while still maintaining complete ownership and control over its network.

MAXHUB Announces New US Corporate Headquarters

MAXHUB officially opened its new North American headquarters and Experience Center in Irvine, CA. The new facility signals a long-term investment in MAXHUB’s commitment to the North American market. Additionally, it further demonstrates the company’s investment in local support and inventory, which is intended to elevate brand awareness and visibility while strengthening business partner confidence and trust. The new corporate Experience Center represents MAXHUB’s dedication to empowering the AI connected workplace with innovative technology that enables people to communicate more effectively.

The grand opening event took place on Thursday, April 16. During the event, attendees had the opportunity to experience MAXHUB products and solutions, with an emphasis on AI. The audience saw how MAXHUB collaborates with Microsoft as part of its AI Collaboration Workspace solution. This includes seeing how MAXHUB enhances the meeting room with its AI Video and Audio Fence through the Microsoft Teams Rooms (MTR) XBar series, Teams Collaboration Boards, and MAXHUB Collaboration Board Solutions. Attendees also saw how MAXHUB products integrate with other third-party solutions, including NDI, AV over IP, and more. They had the opportunity to discover the latest MAXHUB DvLED solutions including all-in-ones and custom solutions.

Guests also learned about the Microsoft/MAXHUB partnership, which started from an entry level MTR System 3 years ago and has now grown into a total solution for everything from huddle spaces to large rooms for both MTR Windows and MTR Android environments. Microsoft's AI strategy and MAXHUB's unique MTR Windows solution (the W70 Kit, V7 Teams Xboard) help unify the AI workplace. Similarly, for small room environments, MAXHUB's Express Solution: the V555T+Touch Console, Commercial Display + Xbar + Display Stand, make a compelling choice.

Renkus-Heinz Opens New Experience Center in Bangkok

Renkus-Heinz inaugurated a new Experience Center in Bangkok, serving as a strategic regional hub to foster innovation, demonstration and collaboration. The modern facility offers partners, consultants, and end users an immersive, hands-on environment to experience its audio solutions.

The Experience Center showcases Renkus-Heinz’s loudspeakers, subwoofers, and technology via dedicated demo rooms, allowing visitors to discover these innovative solutions and explore how they can be used to enhance audio across a range of environments, from theaters and transportation hubs to houses of worship. 

To celebrate the site’s opening, Renkus-Heinz welcomed RH Partners from APAC to a special launch event featuring live beam-steering presentations, along with system configuration, commissioning, and control demonstrations using the Omnibeam algorithm and the latest RHAON III software. The event also included an immersive spatial audio demonstration by Amadeus Acoustics, showcasing advanced spatial audio technologies and highlighting the power of intelligent acoustic control.

Well, that was a wild week of Pro AV, wasn't it? As the staff of SCN prepared to head to Las Vegas for NAB Show 2026, four acquisitions went down that you may have missed last week (or at least need a refresher!).

Thomas Riedel, founder and owner of Riedel Communications and the Riedel Group, acquired ARRI. This marks the largest acquisition of his career to date. Under Riedel's new ownership, ARRI’s existing management team will continue to lead the company and further advance its ongoing transformation. The company will retain independent operations and remain headquartered in Munich. You can read our full coverage from last Tuesday by clicking here.

CTI made yet another acquisition, because of course they did. CTI has been one of the busiest companies in Pro AV acquisitions since the end of 2024, and last week added Nomad AV Systems of Eden Prairie, MN. Nomad strengthens CTI’s Justice Division with courtroom AV integration expertise that began with innovative mobile solutions used daily in courts across the United States, and later expanded to include full audiovisual design and integration services. Read all about it right here.

AJA Video Systems made an announcement on Wednesday that it acquired Comprimato, a live video encoding and processing software provider for virtualized and cloud productions and broadcasts. The move will unify the AJA and Comprimato development teams behind AJA’s BRIDGE LIVE family of IP streaming products. You can find out the details by clicking here.

Lastly, Sportway Media Group and Broadcast Solutions jointly acquired Studio Automated, an AI technology provider for automated and remote live sports production. By combining AI-driven technology, software-defined workflows, premium broadcast hardware, and global operational expertise, the partnership aims to cover the entire spectrum of live sports production—from grassroots competitions to top-tier international events. You can read about it here.

That wasn't all. There were quite a few people moves you want to know. As always, we have you covered in this weeks Pro AV Newsmakers.

People News

ASG Taps Andy Darcy to Drive Growth Across IP Broadcast, Live Sports, and Experiential AV

Advanced Systems Group(ASG) appointed Andy Darcy as VP of system build and delivery. The SI side of ASG has expanded rapidly, driven by an increasing demand for IP-based (ST-2110) broadcast facilities, live production environments, and experiential AV deployments. Darcy’s new role focuses on scaling the System Build and Delivery team to meet that demand while improving efficiency, collaboration, and overall client experience.

Previously chief technical officer, West Coast, Darcy brought deep experience across systems integration, engineering, and sales leadership to that role. He began his career in systems integration, live sports, newsroom, master control design, and buildout. He then moved into global roles supporting integration partners and product management. Now, he oversees operations, project management, and build teams while improving alignment across the team to support its growth.

Michael Phipps Promoted to President and CEO of Christie

Christie parent company, Ushio, has promoted Michael Phipps to president and chief executive officer of Christie Digital Systems and its subsidiaries.

Phipps succeeds Takabumi Asahi, who held the position for two years and continues as chief executive officer of Ushio Group. Phipps joined Christie in 2008, becoming chief financial officer in 2019 and president and COO in 2024.

“The industry is constantly changing, but what stays at the heart of what we do is our customers," said Phipps. "We listen to their business challenges and work collaboratively to support their vision, so they can rely on our technology to create unforgettable experiences. I want to thank Mr. Asahi for his guidance over the past two years and look forward to continuing to work with our customers and employees in my new capacity."

Daktronics Hires Jeff Taggart to the Sales Team

Daktronics welcomed Jeff Taggart as the newest sales representative supporting high schools and community facilities in eastern Missouri and southern Illinois. In this role, Taggart partners with athletic directors, school administrators, activity coordinators, and local sign companies as they explore upgrades to their scoreboards, timing systems, and LED video displays. He will serve as the primary contact for project questions, product recommendations and guidance on Daktronics’ industry-leading solutions designed specifically for high school sports and community recreation venues.

As a new member of the high school, parks and recreation team, Taggart brings a customer-focused approach centered on communication, collaboration and ensuring schools receive the support they need from project planning through installation and long-term service.

INFiLED Strengthens North American Team

INFiLED announced a series of leadership changes within its North American operations. Henry Ambrose has been promoted to president and general manager, while Chris Donaldson joins as SVP of sales, North America, and Bryan Boehme takes on the role of senior business development manager for Location Based Entertainment in the Americas. The appointments reflect INFiLED’s continued investment in its U.S. team as it looks to build on growing demand across rental, fixed installation, and location-based entertainment markets.

Ambrose originally joined INFiLED as VP of business development to launch its North American operations, and has since built the business from the ground up, developing strategic market initiatives, assembling a high-performing cross-functional team, and positioning the company as a trusted provider of LED display solutions across rental, fixed installation, and experiential environments. He has more than three decades of experience in engineering, product development, and executive leadership, including nearly 14 years at Video Equipment Rentals (VER), most recently as the executive director of LED Install, and earlier in roles at Barco and Sharp Electronics.

Joining the expanded North American leadership team, Donaldson brings more than 27 years of Pro AV industry experience to his new role. Donaldson has built a strong reputation for developing high-performing sales teams, strengthening channel partnerships, and delivering sustained commercial growth in competitive markets. In his new position, he leads U.S. sales strategy and execution, with a focus on channel development, expanding market share, and aligning INFiLED’s portfolio with the evolving needs of the North American AV community.

Boehme brings more than two decades of global sales leadership to the role, having previously served as VP of global sales at Christie Digital, where he partnered with leaders in themed entertainment, live events, and enterprise environments. At INFiLED, he focuses on deepening the company’s engagement with creative studios, integrators, designers, and operators across the LBE ecosystem.

OWC Appoints Rob Steffens as Chief Financial Officer

Other World Computing (OWC) appointed Rob Steffens to the position of chief financial officer (CFO). Steffens is responsible for leading global finance, operations, and strategic planning.

He brings more than two decades of hands-on financial and operational leadership scaling high-growth media and technology businesses to his new role at OWC. Steffens played a central role in transforming Marvel Entertainment from a ~$100 million publicly traded business into a $4.5 billion acquisition by Disney, and then helping scale it into a $50 billion global entertainment powerhouse over the following decade. Across multiple senior leadership roles at Marvel, including CFO and co-president, he drove landmark deals, expanded high-margin divisions, and led complex post-merger integration and global growth initiatives.

SoundTube Welcomes Jason Pavao as Sales Engineer

SoundTube Entertainment appointed Jason Pavao as sales engineer. In this role, Pavao works closely with integrators, consultants, and distribution partners to provide an increased field presence as SoundTube continues to build and enhance its team.

Pavao brings a well-rounded background in audio, AV systems integration, unified communications, and technical sales support as a field sales engineer for many years. His experience includes hands-on work in customer-facing technical roles with companies like Yamaha, Bosch and others, giving him a practical understanding of project workflows and real-world application requirements.

Partnerships

d&b audiotechnik and L-Acoustics Unite with a a New Standard for Noise Prediction

L-Acoustics and d&b audiotechnik have teamed up with SoundPLAN to develop the SDE standard. A considerable step towards reliable noise prediction, SDE provides a neutral standard for noise prediction across multiple sound systems.

As outdoor events continue to grow in urban areas, effective noise management has become critical. Until now, predicting noise emissions from festivals and events with systems from different manufacturers has been challenging, as each system relied on its proprietary tools. The lack of interoperability often resulted in inconsistent noise predictions, making it difficult to meet environmental requirements.

The SDE standard directly addresses this challenge by providing a unified method and file format to ensure reliable, consistent, and comparable predictions in environmental noise software. It defines how to export data from system design software, such as d&b’s ArrayCalc or L-Acoustics’ Soundvision, and details the methodology for calculating complex acoustic interactions. This includes calibration and decoherence factors, ensuring the highest level of accuracy at any distance—something that hasn’t been possible until now.

With SDE, system technicians can export their designs as standardized SDE files, which can then be imported into environmental noise software like SoundPLAN. This streamlined, secure and fast workflow, as well as the consideration of complex acoustic summation for the correct calculation of coherent sources (considering phase), allow consultants and event organizers to perform equivalent calculations in order to accurately predict noise emissions for festivals with multiple stages and systems from different manufacturers. In the future, the SDE format will be made available to other manufacturers and other noise pollution software.

Shure Partners with Edge Sound Research To Provide Ultimate Audio Experiences 

Shure has become a minority investor in EDGE Sound Research, a start-up company who is developing new experiential audio technologies that redefine how many audiences consume sound. The company was founded in 2019 by two University of California, Riverside students, Ethan Castro and Valtteri Salomaki. Castro was inspired by his life experiences as a hard-of-hearing music producer and engineer. Salomaki has been focused on information systems and marketing strategy. Together, they have grown into an innovative organization working to revolutionize entertainment.

Shure and EDGE Sound Research have already been collaborating on new innovations. Shure’s DCA901, the first array microphone tailored for broadcast, brings an improved immersive experience to every home with the help of EDGE Sound Research’s Virtual Sound Engine. Fans watching from their couches can now hear the game with the same sense of presence once exclusive to premium seating.

Casambi and Somfy Partner to Advance Intelligent Lighting and Shading Ecosystems

Casambi and Somfy announced a strategic partnership designed to deliver seamless integration between wireless lighting control systems and motorized shading solutions. No matter the scale, complexity, or control protocol, Casambi’s LightingOS unifies devices and technologies from its global OEM ecosystem, connecting everything through one powerful, intuitive platform. From luxury hotels to university campuses, retrofits to new builds, Casambi thrives in many environments.

Somfy’s innovations in motorized shading and daylight control complements Casambi’s wireless lighting platform, creating a unified solution that supports automated scenes, daylight harvesting, glare reduction, and energy optimization. Together, the companies aim to reduce system complexity for specifiers and installers while delivering a premium end user experience.

Company News

Dale Pro Audio Expands Capabilities with Launch of Dale Integration Services

Dale Pro Audio has launched Dale Integration Services, a new team created to deliver comprehensive audio consulting, design, procurement, and deployment services. Dale Integration Services helps clients plan, source, and deploy AV systems with greater confidence and efficiency, all while reducing the complexity and uncertainty often associated with audio-related projects.

With deep technical expertise and strong manufacturer relationships, Dale Integration Services helps clients identify, procure, and deploy the ideal solutions for their specific use case with confidence—resulting in fewer operational headaches and systems that perform as intended from day one. From early-stage consultation through procurement and installation, Dale Integrations Services offers a seamless, integrated approach. Core services include:

• Consultation and System Design
• Procurement, Staging, and Logistics
• Rack Fabrication
• Installation
• Programming and Commissioning
• RF and Wireless Implementation

The Digital Signage Summit Turns 20

Returning to the Hilton Munich Airport, Germany, on May 20-21, for its 20-year anniversary edition, The DSS is driving exchange between senior executives, technology leaders, and the brands investing in the next wave of connected experiences. In 2026, The DSS, presented by Integrated Systems Events and invidis consulting GmbH, takes on an even more international scope, reflecting its position as a truly global platform for the industry. 

To mark this anniversary, The DSS 2026 program will look back at the breakthroughs that have shaped the industry over the past 20 years and look ahead to what will define the next decade of digital signage strategy.

This May, the event returns with an insightful program, cementing 20-years as the must-attend digital signage business event. This milestone edition will focus on NextGen Signage, centered around nine conferencing themes: Managed Signage, Digital Signage in Retail and Beyond, Converged Communications, Operating Systems and Cyber Security, Green Signage, Future-Proofing Digital Signage, AI in Signage, The Future of CMS, and Retail Media. Across two days of keynotes, panel discussions, and expert-led sessions, The DSS 2026 will offer critical insight on the transformative forces impacting the industry from global politics and artificial intelligence to climate change and market maturity which are reshaping the operational and strategic foundations.

What seems like the usual cadence, last week brought us some more Pro AV acquisition news. This time, FOR-A acquired Tamu Radiance, a spin-off of the information equipment business of Tamura Corporation along with Tamura’s consolidated subsidiary, the manufacturing arm, Aizu Tamura Corporation.

Through this transaction, FOR-A merges the strengths of its video solutions with Tamura’s audio and wireless technology by creating innovative products and solutions by integrating its video technology with the acoustic and wireless intercom technology of Tamura Corporation. By bringing together the development, manufacturing, and sales resources as a single entity, this acquisition enables technological integration that achieves "manufacturing" beyond the mere inheritance of existing assets.

That wasn't all that went down last week. Buckle up; here is your weekly dose of Pro AV newsmakers.

People News

ASG Names Broadcast Engineering and System Design Veteran Andrea Cummis VP of Systems Engineering

Advanced Systems Group (ASG appointed Andrea (Andy) Cummis as VP of systems design and engineering. In this role, Cummis leads design and engineering for ASG’s systems integration business, leading broadcast engineering, system design, and complex integration projects. She was the first woman to serve as president of the national board of the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE).

She was the SVP of engineering and operations for Oxygen Media, responsible for its successful launch. Cummis was the founder of a New Jersey-based integrator known for designing and building advanced broadcast facilities, control rooms, and production environments. She’s held several high-level engineering roles within broadcast networks, TV stations, media organizations, and live event venues during her career.

Also last week, ASG entered a partnership with Beam Dynamics, developers of the Beam Asset and License Intelligence Platform, to offer the platform to its global clientele. For ASG, the introduction of Beam's asset intelligence and lifecycle economics capabilities reflects the firm’s commitment to supporting clients with the most powerful tools available.

DisplayNote Appoints Paul McNicholl to Drive MSP Channel Growth

DisplayNote has appointed Paul McNicholl as business development manager for Managed Service Providers (MSPs), as the company expands its channel strategy and route to market. His role centers on helping partners introduce solutions that can be deployed across diverse customer environments, while aligning with both commercial objectives and operational requirements.

McNicholl brings experience across multiple industries and will focus on developing relationships with MSP partners, supporting the adoption of DisplayNote’s software within managed service offerings.

Hitomi Broadcast Expands Sales Team

Hitomi Broadcast added Nicola Milburn as technical sales manager. In this role, Nicola works with customers and partners to help them get the most from Hitomi’s MatchBox timing measurement solutions while supporting the company’s continued growth.

Milburn brings extensive experience in technical sales within the broadcast technology industry, with more than 19 years in direct sales and over a decade working with channel partners across international markets. Her career has focused on helping broadcasters and production teams understand and deploy complex technical solutions through practical demonstrations, product knowledge and ongoing support.

At Hitomi, Nicola works closely with existing customers to ensure they are fully utilizing MatchBox solutions while also introducing new capabilities across the expanding MatchBox ecosystem. She also leads market development initiatives aimed at bringing Hitomi’s precision timing technology to new sectors, while representing the company at tradeshows and industry forums.

Company News

ADI Expands Relationship with Daisy; Gets Expo Tour on the Road

Daisy announced a strategic relationship with Parasol, a 24/7 remote support service owned by ADI, to enhance customer support across Daisy’s growing customer base. Initially, Parasol will extend Daisy’s technician-led support model beyond traditional business hours, providing always-available expertise for clients nationwide.

Daisy is leveraging Parasol’s expert team to provide overflow and after-hours support via phone, text, email, and chat. This ensures clients enjoy consistent and reliable around-the-clock access to qualified technical help and proactive system monitoring when issues arise outside regular business hours.

The expanded relationship enables Daisy to extend coverage during evenings, weekends, and periods of high call volume, ensuring clients continue to receive timely, knowledgeable support while relieving branch owners and technicians from constant phone and text traffic. Together, Daisy and Parasol will continue developing new ways to help enhance ongoing customer experiences as technology and service expectations evolve.

Also last week, ADI launched its annual ADI Expo Tour. Beginning in April, the ADI Expo will travel to 28 cities across the United States and Canada, bringing the power of an industry tradeshow to selected markets by connecting dealers, integrators, and leading manufacturers for an immersive one-day experience designed to uncover new revenue opportunities, strengthen competitive positioning, and deliver actionable insights participants can implement immediately to grow their business. The show kicked off in Nashville, TN on April 7, followed by Toronto, ON on April 9. This week, it heads to Detroit, MI on April 14, and then Fort Lauderdale, FL on April 21, Anaheim, CA on April 23, and Teaneck, NJ on April 30. In May, the Expo will travel to New Orleans, LA, Chicago, IL, and Charlotte, NC. In June the Expo will be in Edmonton, AB, San Jose, CA, and Arlington, VA.

Registration Opens for CEDIA Expo/CIX 2026

Registration is now open for CEDIA Expo/Commercial Integrator (CIX) 2026, returning to the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, September 1-4, 2026. CEDIA Expo/CIX will bring together more than 14,000 attendees and 300-plus exhibiting brands across key categories, including lighting, security, audio, video, smart home technology, and design. The event combines product discovery, hands-on training, and industry collaboration, providing integrators and installers with the tools, insights, and partnerships to grow their business.

Attendees will experience 20 dedicated Sound Rooms along with immersive product demonstrations, and in-depth Manufacturer Product Training sessions, creating a highly practical environment for learning, product evaluation, and connection. To learn more about CEDIA Expo/CIX 2026 and register, please visit cediaexpo.com.

Grass Valley Launches Future Playmakers Program

Grass Valley launched its Future Playmakers Program, a new global initiative designed to support and develop the next generation of professionals in sports production and media technology. The program reflects Grass Valley’s continued investment in education, workforce development, and long-term industry growth. It is built to help students gain practical experience while enabling higher education institutions to strengthen their production programs with access to professional-grade tools and workflows.

The Future Playmakers Program combines scholarships, hands-on learning, technology access, and institutional collaboration. It is designed to create a sustainable pipeline of talent trained on industry-standard solutions used across live sports and event production. Through the program, Grass Valley will select up to 10 students annually from participating partner institutions. Selected students will receive financial support alongside access to experiential learning opportunities designed to bridge the gap between academic study and real-world production environments.

Haverford Systems Transitions to an Employee-Owned Company

Downingtown, PA’s Haverford Systems, a longtime provider of audiovisual integration services, turned the entire family-owned enterprise over to its employees by forming a 100% employee stock ownership plan (ESOP).

Becoming an ESOP presents a variety of benefits for the Haverford team. First, it allows for a succession plan that creates continuity in company leadership and culture because leadership can remain in place and employees maintain ownership of the company. Second, because that ownership is represented by shares in the company distributed to employees over time, the ESOP creates a retirement benefit in addition to other savings plans, such as a 401k or 403b. Third, because Haverford Systems is a registered S-Corp, the ESOP status frees the company from state or federal corporate tax obligations, allowing for more liquidity, increased cash flow, and better opportunities to grow and expand.

Haverford Systems clients and partners can look forward to increased employee engagement and motivation, increased focus on long-term value for all stakeholders, and continuity of company culture that will continue to prioritize client experience and quality of work.

LEA Professional Partners with Precision Sales Group (PSG)

LEA Professional announced a new partnership with manufacturer’s representative Precision Sales Group, based in Concord, NC. This collaboration enables LEA to customers in the Southeastern United States.

With over 20 years of experience working with dealers in the Southern United States, Precision Sales Group (PSG) is perfectly positioned to assist with LEA’s sales growth in the region. Through this partnership, PSG will represent LEA Professional’s Network Connect series of professional amplifiers and companion Dante Connect series featuring Dante and AES67 connectivity. These series enable integrators to utilize cloud-based remote control, monitoring, notifications, and more from any internet-enabled device, allowing them to stay connected anywhere in the world.

WAVIT Expands 2026 Mary Cook Empowerment Scholarship to Support Women in AV/IT

WAVIT (Women in AV/IT)'s Mary Cook Empowerment Award: Designing the Future returns for 2026, now, thanks to Shure, with two scholarship recipients, expanding the program’s impact and providing additional opportunities for women entering the professional audiovisual industry. Created to honor the legacy of the late Mary Cook, the scholarships, like Cook, champion the advancement of women in the AV/IT industry.

Each recipient will receive a full InfoComm experience, industry memberships (WAVIT membership, AVIXA membership, and access to WAVIT’s mentorship program), and mentorship opportunities and direct access to industry leaders and guidance.

Application deadline is April 29, 2026, and recipients will be announced June 1.

Shure made three strategic leadership moves, Yorktel announced multiple partnerships in Canada, and Biamp opened a new Experience Center. Oh, and did we mention there was an acquisition... because of course there was.

TSL acquired JLCooper Electronics, which is known for professional control, automation, synchronization, and interfacing products. The move ensures continuity of service and support for JLCooper's global customer base spanning Pro AV, live events, music, radio, and education markets. It also expands TSL’s capabilities into adjacent markets while broadening its technology offering to its core broadcast customers. We covered it in more detail here.

There was also a big strategic partnership between Sony Corporation and TCL Electronics Holdings Limited made official. Following a memorandum of understanding announced in January, the two companies officially announced the partnership on March 31. While it primarily concerns home entertainment products, there is a Pro AV element as well. The two formed new company, BRAVIA Inc. Want to know what that means for you? Click here.

Now, on with the show.

People News

Shure Bolsters Leadership

Shure is welcoming two new vice presidents and appointed longtime company officer to its executive staff.

Phil McPhee has joined Shure as VP of operations and chief supply chain officer. He brings more than two decades of global leadership experience across operations, manufacturing, sourcing, and product-driven organizations in the pro and consumer audio industries. McPhee is responsible for Shure’s global operations division and supply chain functions.

Jerome Nolasco has been named VP of information technology. Nolasco brings to Shure more than 25 years of enterprise IT leadership experience across multiple industries, with a strong track record of delivering large-scale digital transformation, modernizing core technology platforms, and partnering closely with business leaders to drive measurable outcomes. He has deep expertise in ERP and CRM transformation. He is also recognized for establishing enterprise AI governance and advancing practical AI use cases with business partners across sales, marketing, supply chain, and finance. His approach emphasizes strong business cases, disciplined execution, and alignment with enterprise strategy.

Althea Ricketts has been appointed to the executive staff in her current capacity as VP of corporate initiatives. In this expanded role, Ricketts continues to lead Shure’s inclusion, diversity, equity, and access strategies and Shure’s sustainability efforts, as well as oversee the program management office.

“Althea’s journey at Shure spans more than 30 years, with impactful leadership across global marketing, global sales, customer service, strategic planning, and support services,” said Schyvinck. “Her experience and customer-centric approach have shaped key transformation initiatives across all facets of Shure’s business processes.”

Company News

Absen’s 2026 Spring Event Sees New Products Launched

Absen hosted its 2026 Spring Launch at its Dongjiang Intelligent Manufacturing Center. Led by Chairman Hansen Ding, the event gathered over 100 clients, partners, and industry experts from 25 countries. The event showcased Absen’s 25 years of deep expertise in LED display technology, while reinforcing its commitment to working hand in hand with partners worldwide for shared success and future growth.

Absen officially released its 2026 Pro AV Product Roadmap, upgrading three major series, including the KLCOB V2, NX, iCon X136 V2, and launching four new series, including the CL V3, KDS, AW Pro, ALT. This comprehensive matrix covers indoor COB/SMD, creative displays, and DOOH applications.

Biamp Opens New Brisbane Experience Center

Biamp opened its new Experience Center in Brisbane, marking a significant milestone in the company’s continued investment in the Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) region. The opening coincides with the company’s 50th anniversary.

The Brisbane Experience Center is designed as a two-level facility that combines a fully operational office environment with dedicated demonstration spaces, enabling visitors to experience Biamp solutions in both everyday use and controlled comparison scenarios. The upper level serves as a Biamp office, where employees operate within a modern enterprise environment enhanced by integrated AV technologies.

The open-plan space incorporates Biamp sound masking to improve speech privacy and support productivity, fixed seats as well as hot desking are available and shown on the Workplace booking dashboard. Visitors can explore two distinct collaboration environments—a flexible bring-your-own-device (BYOD) space and a dedicated Microsoft Teams Rooms deployment—each powered by high-performance audio and video solutions, demonstrating how organisations can tailor meeting experiences to suit different user needs and workflows.

The lower level is purpose-built for immersive demonstrations, showcasing the full breadth of the Biamp portfolio. A comprehensive loudspeaker demonstration area enables side-by-side comparison across a wide range of solutions, from compact distributed models to premium high-performance systems. Visitors can evaluate both music playback and speech intelligibility, gaining a deeper understanding of acoustic performance across different environments, with the added flexibility to stream audio directly from personal devices.

K-array Reveals Its 2026 K-Academy Program

K-array has commenced its 2026 program of in-person K-academy training sessions. Tailored for system integrators, consultants, distributors, and industry professionals, these events offer a deep dive into the K-ARRAY, KSCAPE, and KGEAR ecosystems through a unique two-day K-experience held at the company’s headquarters in Tuscany, Italy.

Taking place regularly throughout 2026, the sessions provide attendees with an opportunity to explore K-array technologies through a combination of presentations, demonstrations and real-world project examples. The program offers an immersive, hands-on learning environment, while also giving participants the chance to meet the teams behind K-array’s solutions.

K-academy online courses are now AVIXA CTS-certified, with CTS holders earning 2 Renewal Units (RUs) per course. K-academy sessions are scheduled for the following dates during 2026: April 21-22, May 19-20, June 16-17, July 21-22, September 15-16 and November 24-25.

revenueify Launches New Al Sales Coaching Platform

revenueify has launched revenueify ai sales coaching, a new Al Sales Coaching Platform designed to help commercial integrators build real selling skills through practice and give sales managers actionable data they can coach from. Al has been everywhere in the market, but many integrators are tired of hype that creates noise without measurable improvement. Most tools either help an individual seller in isolation, or require enterprise level investments that are difficult for the average integration firm to implement and sustain. revenueify built a different approach, a connected Al Sales Coach grounded in methodology, built for industry nuance. and designed to produce manager ready insight that drives execution.

Commercial integrators sell into complex buying groups and high consequence projects where discovery quality, stakeholder alignment, and value-based messaging matter. revenueify ai sales coaching is designed to close two common coaching gaps in this environment. Skills are built through practice. not theory alone. Managers need a clear view of what skills the team actually has and what to coach next. The platform connects practice to consistent scoring and turns it into a leader view so coaching becomes focused and repeatable.

revenueify ai sales coaching can be deployed based on the needs and maturity of the organization. It can be used inside an ALM. Assessment to baseline skills and inform recommendations. It can run as a standalone coaching platform for reinforcement and leader visibility. It can be integrated into the REVUP Portal learning experience. It can be embedded into broader enablement programs for ongoing measurement, onboarding, and long-term reinforcement.

Yorkville Sound Announces Two New Canadian Distribution Partnerships

Yorkville Sound will be the exclusive Canadian distributor for Novation and Sterling by Music Man.

Founded in the U.K. in 1992, Novation has established itself in music technology, creating innovative tools for musicians, producers, and performers. The brand designs a range of MIDI controllers, synthesizers, grooveboxes, and grid-based performance instruments. Sterling by Music Man delivers the designs and innovation of Ernie Ball Music Man to a broader range of players, offering high-quality instruments that capture the look, feel, and performance of their premium counterparts. Known for its craftsmanship, modern playability, and distinctive aesthetics, Sterling guitars and basses are trusted by musicians worldwide across a wide range of styles and stages.

These partnerships further strengthen Yorkville Sound’s portfolio of musical instrument brands and reinforces its commitment to providing Canadian dealers with innovative, high-quality products backed by service and support.

Pro AV Around the Globe

Listen Technologies and Ampetronic have enlisted Avientek as a distributor of their combined portfolio of assistive listening and communication solutions in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. Avientek is a value-added distributor specializing in Pro AV, unified communication and collaboration, educational technology, emerging technology, and cyber security solutions across the Middle East, Africa, and India. Avientek will represent Ampetronic alongside the brand’s existing distributor in the GCC region. Avientek will also be the sole distributor for Listen Technologies and the Auri system across the region.

Nureva announced the appointment of MEDIA PLUS as its distributor in Japan. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Tokyo, Media Plus specializes in audiovisual and communications solutions including videoconferencing, AV system design, and integrated room solutions for corporate environments. Media Plus will bring Nureva’s audio conferencing product line to customers across Japan through its established market presence and solution-led approach.

Williams AV announced Audio-Technica France as its newest international distribution partner, expanding the company’s global channel network to support this increasing demand. Over the past six months, Williams AV has added distribution partners in Singapore, Panama, Morocco, and Spain, continuing its steady international expansion.

MultiDyne is turning 50. Nanolumens is celebrating two decades with a new headquarters. Advanced Systems Group, Planar, Renkus-Heinz, and Chryon made strategic personnel moves. It was another hectic week on the Pro AV news wire.

[FORTÉ Research Dives into AI, Collaboration Spaces]

Sit back, relax, and get caught up with your weekly does of Pro AV Newsmakers.

[Apogee Insight Acquires PMA Research]

Ampetronic | Listen Technologies Names Vice President of Human Resources

Listen Technologies and Ampetronic have named Chris Linford VP of human resources (HR). Linford has been a consultant to Ampetronic | Listen Technologies for the past 11 months as the two brands have aligned leadership, resources, and over 65 years of combined experience under Allvida, a group of accessibility-focused companies. Linford continues to work with Maile Keone, president and CEO of Ampetronic | Listen Technologies, and the executive team in this new role.

In her role, Linford helps shape the culture at Ampetronic | Listen Technologies as she oversees talent acquisition, employee experience, performance management, compliance, learning and development, and total rewards. She ensures HR practices are scalable, compliant, and aligned with the organization’s mission.

Linford is an experienced senior HR executive and people leader. She has expertise in HR operations, succession planning, organizational development, and diversity and inclusion. Previously, Linford held senior HR and chief people officer roles at organizations across the financial services industry. She holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification and the SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) designation.

ASG Names Kevin Poole Senior Project and Support Manager

Advanced Systems Group (ASG) has appointed Kevin Poole as senior project and support manager within the ASG Workflow and Tools practice. Poole’s role is a newly created position designed to strengthen project execution and post-sale client support within the group. Poole reports to Joe Marchitto, CTO, Workflow and Tools.

The bulk of his responsibilities involves managing the team’s project coordination and supporting its Southern California client base. In this role, he serves as a central point of contact for its customers once a project moves forward, helping ensure deployments run smoothly and issues are resolved quickly.

Eric Wolff Joins Chyron as Director of Venues Sales, North America

Chyron announced today the appointment of Eric Wolff as director of venues sales, North America. Wolff comes to Chyron with a wealth of relevant experience having served previously as director, broadcast operations and media production for T-Mobile Arena, with prior stints in lead production roles with the Arizona Cardinals, Van Wagner (NCAA Championships), and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Initially, Wolff’s role focuses on growth in the collegiate and minor league space.

"I’m incredibly proud and excited to join such a world‑class organization as Chyron," Wolff said. "In my 35 years in this industry, Chyron has always stood out as a true leader, and it’s an honor to now be part of the team. I can’t wait to contribute to the work of the best in the business."

Planar Expands U.S. Sales Force with West Coast Additions

Planar has expanded its U.S. sales force with the addition of two West Coast team members. The company recently welcomed a new regional sales director as well as business development manager for the company’s Consultants, Architect and Design (CAD) Group.

Antonio Dias leads Planar’s sales initiatives across the Western U.S. as regional sales director. He brings nearly 20 years of Pro AV industry experience, joining from Crestron Electronics where he held senior leadership roles supporting consultants, resellers, industry partners and end users. Recognized for his collaborative leadership style and strategic approach, Dias is well-positioned to strengthen relationships and deliver value for Planar’s reseller partners and customers throughout the region. He will report to Tani Klein, VP of North America Sales, and be supported by a seasoned team of regional account managers and applications engineers across the Western U.S.

Planar also welcomed Douglas Schoenherr as the company’s CAD Group business development manager for the Western U.S. He joins with nearly 30 years of experience in the Pro AV industry with a strong focus on consultant engagement and specification development. He previously served as consultant liaison at Biamp, where he cultivated strong relationships with AV/IT and MEP design consultants across the Southwest U.S. His experience working with the consultant community will help strengthen Planar’s engagement with architects, designers and technical consultants, supporting the specification of Planar displays across a wide range of applications. He is based in the Denver area and will report to Lainie Mataras, general manager of the CAD Group, and work closely with Applications Engineers Orlando Helena and Dusty Masanz.

Renkus-Heinz Welcomes Tony Jacques

Renkus-Heinz is continuing to expand its Tech Support operations with the latest addition of Tony Jacques as applications engineer. He serves as a key technical resource for integrators, consultants, and end users, providing hands-on guidance and supporting the deployment of Renkus-Heinz solutions across a wide range of applications.

Jacques’ audio background has taken him all over the world, working in a range of fields that have provided him with the expertise to strengthen the customer support of one of the world’s leading loudspeaker manufacturers. His career spans live sound, touring, installation, broadcast, and event production, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the challenges audio professionals face every day.

Events

TOLA Expo 2026 Set for Its Largest Gathering Yet in Dallas

The 6th Annual TOLA Expo returns to Dallas on May 6–7, 2026, at the Dallas Trade Mart (Atrium), bringing together custom integration professionals from across Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas—and beyond for the region’s largest residential technology trade show and education event.

Building on the success of the 2025 Expo—which welcomed nearly 200 integration companies and more than 500 attendees—TOLA Expo 2026 will deliver an expanded show floor, new technologies, and increased participation from across the custom integration channel.

Hosted in the Grand Pavilion Atrium at the Dallas Trade Mart, the four-story, glass-ceiling venue creates an engaging environment for hands-on interaction with factory experts from leading brands including Lutron, Nice, DMF, Samsung, Kaleidescape, Sonance, Proluxe, eero, Josh.ai, Epson, and more.

Partnerships, Anniversaries, and More

Bogen Communications Announces Technology Partnership With 911Cellular

Bogen Communications has announced a technology partnership with 911Cellular, a developer of critical communication technology, including silent panic buttons, mass communication software, and an incident management platform for K-12 schools nationwide. The integration connects 911Cellular panic buttons with Bogen Communications’ Nyquist IP-based paging platform to enhance emergency notification and response coordination.

Through the integration, when a 911Cellular panic button is activated, an alert is transmitted to the Nyquist system. The Nyquist platform can then broadcast emergency messages across multiple audio and visual channels, helping ensure that staff and other designated stakeholders are promptly informed of the situation and provided with response instructions. The integration is designed to reduce response times and limit incident severity by ensuring that key details surrounding an event are communicated quickly and clearly. By linking 911Cellular’s blend of software and hardware-based alerting tools with Bogen Communications’ infrastructure, schools can align notification workflows with established safety protocols.

Green Hippo Debuts Hands-On Hippotizer Media Server Training at Pixel Academy

Green Hippo launched its new Hippotizer Media Server training courses at Pixel Academy, a purpose‑built AV learning hub combining hands-on creativity, real‑world technology, and expert‑led instruction. Green Hippo and sister brand tvONE, both part of ACT Entertainment, have created Pixel Academy to equip the next generation of live events and AV professionals with the skills to deliver immersive and interactive visual experiences.

Based inside Green Hippo’s R&D Innovation Centre in Maidenhead, just 20 minutes from London Heathrow, the Academy gives direct access to the latest high‑performance tools, including the Hippotizer MX Series Media Servers, CALICO PRO creative video processors, and a full suite of high-resolution LED displays that create a truly immersive space.

MultiDyne Celebrates 50 Years of Innovation

MultiDyne Video & Fiber Optic Systems is celebrating its 50th anniversary as NAB Show 2026 approaches, marking five decades of innovation, customer-focused engineering, and sustained growth across the broadcast and live production industries.

Founded in 1976 by Vincent Jachetta, an Italian immigrant and NBC engineer, MultiDyne’s story began with a single breakthrough product developed in the family basement: the TS-1, the broadcast industry’s first portable test signal generator. That invention not only launched the company, but also earned MultiDyne its first Emmy Award and established a guiding philosophy that continues today: identify real-world challenges and engineer precise solutions.

MultiDyne has since evolved from a small family-run operation into a globally recognized provider of fiber-optic transport, signal processing and live production solutions. Along the way, the company has achieved major milestones including two Emmy Awards for technological innovation, strategic business acquisitions, and significant international growth with the 2023 opening of its European office.

In recent years, MultiDyne has experienced its strongest period of growth, achieving record performance while expanding its operational infrastructure, engineering resources and product portfolio. This momentum has been fueled by increasing demand across live production environments spanning broadcast, digital cinema, and professional AV markets.

Nanolumens Marks 20th Anniversary With New Headquarters 

Nanolumens is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026 with the opening of a new headquarters in Duluth, GA. The milestone marks two decades of growth for the privately-owned and operated U.S. company, founded in 2006 and based in the greater Atlanta area since its inception.

The new headquarters is nearly 45,000 square feet and consolidates the company’s offices and warehouse operations into a single location. The building includes dedicated warehouse space and increased vertical storage capacity designed to support logistics, product fulfillment and spare product and module management. The move allows Nanolumens to scale operations more efficiently as demand for LED visualization technologies continues to grow.

A major feature of the new headquarters is a 2,500-square-foot demonstration showroom that showcases Nanolumens’ display technologies in real-world environments. The showroom includes application-focused zones highlighting use cases such as control room environments, immersive installations and architectural display systems. The showroom integrates technologies from ecosystem partners, including NovaStar, Barco, Megapixel, 7thSense, Pixera, and Smart Monkeys, and content from studios such as Gentilhomme, Render Impact, and Float4, highlighting how display technology, processing platforms, and digital content work together in deployed visual environments. The integrated setup reflects Nanolumens’ approach to supporting complete visualization systems rather than standalone display hardware.

Transformation Entertainment Group to Distribute MuxLab Products in the U.S. Market

Transformation Entertainment Group (TEG) has entered into a new distribution partnership with MuxLab, a global manufacturer of professional AV signal distribution solutions. The agreement expands TEG’s portfolio with MuxLab’s extensive line of AV over IP, matrix switching, signal extension, and connectivity products.

TEG will immediately begin offering MuxLab’s full line of products, including AV over IP systems, HDMI/USB extenders, matrix switchers, and broadcast‑grade connectivity solutions.

Pro AV around the Globe

Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) has a new distribution partnership with Clean Sound & Light SRL, a Romania-based provider of professional audio, lighting and staging solutions. Through the agreement, Clean Sound & Light will serve as the official distributor of EAW products throughout Romania. The partnership marks an important step in strengthening EAW’s presence in Eastern Europe while reintroducing the brand to the Romanian market. With extensive experience supporting AV and staging projects of all sizes, Clean Sound & Light brings strong market knowledge and a project-focused approach that aligns with EAW’s commitment to delivering high-performance, reliable sound solutions.

LEA Professional is expanding its European reach through a newfound partnership with Copenhagen, Denmark-based distributor Matrix Sales. As a premier AV distributor in Denmark, the Matrix Sales team has proven its expertise as it delivers quality AV technology to its customers. Through this partnership, Matrix Sales will represent LEA Professional’s Network Connect series of professional amplifiers and companion Dante Connect series featuring Dante and AES67 connectivity.

Pliant Technologies announced a new distribution partnership with Audio Tecnologias based in Barcelona, Spain. The agreement expands Pliant’s presence in the Spanish market and strengthens Audio Tecnologias’ portfolio of advanced communication systems for broadcast, live events, education, industrial, and corporate applications. Founded in 2008, Audio Tecnologias specializes in the sale of professional audio products and the design and implementation of integrated communication solutions. Over the years, the company has delivered a range of high-profile projects across Spain.

Roland Professional A/V has announced the appointment of DWR Distribution as the official distributor for its product range in South Africa. This partnership represents an important step in Roland’s strategy to expand its presence across the African Pro AV market and strengthen support for integrators, production companies, houses of worship, corporate AV teams, and content creators across the region.

NAB Show 2026 is coming and InfoComm 2026 is right behind it. As people prepare for the heart of trade show season, you may have missed a few appointments, new hires, and promotions.

[Embracing the Workforce Evolution]

Don't worry. We got you covered. Starting with, as seemingly always, more acquisition news.

Burbank, CA-based Royer Labs was acquired by Sounds Great Holdings, marking a new phase of growth while preserving the sound quality and craftsmanship that has long defined the brand. Founded in 1998, Royer Labs, per its release, "helped lead the modern ribbon microphone renaissance with their R-121, along with pioneering phantom-powered and tube ribbon designs."

In a corresponding move, Dave Hetrick was named Royer Labs new president and chief revenue officer, where he will lead global sales strategy from the company's Burbank headquarters. Royer Labs is now focused on expanding global sales, investing in product development, and deepening relationships across the professional audio community.

Now, on to the news you missed.

People on the Move

Advanced Systems Group Names Peter Thordarson as Technical Account Executive

Advanced Systems Group(ASG) appointed Peter Thordarson to the newly created role of technical account executive. Joining ASG with nearly four decades of expertise, Thordarson brings a deep background in broadcast media engineering, management, and enterprise production.

Thordarson acts as a dedicated client advocate and sales-technical expert, guiding clients toward innovative approaches with technology and industry best practices. His primary responsibility is to partner with clients, offering his expertise to align their expectations with a forward-thinking technical strategy that achieves both workflow optimization and successful business outcomes. Within ASG, Thordarson will serve as the essential link, contributing his deep knowledge throughout the process to ensure ASG's teams deliver a transformative customer experience.

Neat Appoints Javed Khan as CEO to Lead AI Transformation

Neat appointed Javed Khan as chief executive officer (CEO). Khan, a seasoned technology executive with a proven track record in AI-driven transformation, takes the helm as the company gears up for global expansion. Khan is uniquely positioned to unite sophisticated edge computing with Neat’s simple user experiences.

Khan joins Neat following his tenure at Aptiv, where he served as EVP of intelligent systems, building intelligent edge solutions across automotive, transportation, robotics, aerospace, and defense. Prior to Aptiv, Khan was the SVP and general manager of Cisco Collaboration, where he led the turnaround and modernization of the Cisco Webex portfolio across video conferencing, video devices, and contact center solutions during and after the pandemic.

Screen Innovations and Shade Innovations Announce Executive Appointments

Screen Innovations (SI) and Shade welcomed three new leadership positions as the company continues to expand its global reach and product portfolio. Together, these key individuals will help strengthen operations, optimize procurement and supply chain performance, enhance customer and dealer support, and drive strategic sales and marketing initiatives across key markets.

Adam Kelinsky will serve as chief operating officer (COO), Jay Woodi has been named director of procurement, and Shannon Gustafson has been named VP of sales. Together, they bring deep industry expertise and will play critical roles in advancing the company’s operational capabilities, strengthening supply chain performance, and expanding sales initiatives across key markets.

Kelinsky oversees engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, procurement, and operational execution across both brands. A mechanical engineer, he brings more than 20 years of experience leading engineering-driven manufacturing and operations organizations across defense, technology, and consumer sectors. Woodi brings hands-on experience building procurement capability in fast-scaling, founder-led organizations. He specializes in supporting companies as they grow toward $100M+ scale, with a focus on supplier leverage, cash discipline, and execution speed.

Gustafson, who has been with Screen Innovations since 2010, is a long-time driving force within the company, she has stepped into numerous roles as the organization has grown. Her previous role was International Sales Manager, where she played a key role in expanding the brand into 77 countries and establishing a strong global footprint. Over the past 12 months as VP of sales, she has continued strengthening dealer relationships and driving international growth.

Events

cavlo Tech Expo Returns to Nashville

The cavlo Tech Expo will return to Nashville, TN, on April 22–23, 2026, bringing together professionals from across the Pro AVL, broadcast, live events, digital signage, and technology integration industries for two days of hands-on discovery, education, and networking.

Designed as a more accessible and community-driven alternative to traditional trade shows, cavlo enables attendees to connect directly with manufacturers, distributors, and innovators in an environment focused on meaningful engagement.

This year’s event includes strategic participation from the Higher Education Technology Managers Alliance (HETMA) supporting its “Road to 10K” initiative, as well as WAVIT (Women in AV/IT), which will showcase mentorship and internship programs aimed at strengthening the industry’s talent pipeline.

Daktronics and Riedel Communications were among two companies making strategic hires. PlexusAV and Powerhouse Alliances announced new partnerships. Get caught up on news from last week in the latest Pro AV Newsmakers.

[Pro AV Madness: March into the Tournament with 2025-26 College Basketball Installations]

People News

Daktronics Hires Danson Kincaid to Serve North Texas Sign Companies

Daktronics hired Danson Kincaid as the new sales representative for sign companies throughout North Texas. Kincaid serves as a primary point of contact for sign partners in the region, providing information on Daktronics LED display solutions, product resources and support for upcoming projects. His role includes assisting sign companies with project coordination and customer support.

Kincaid brings industry experience from his time as a Daktronics intern, where he worked with sign companies and supported project coordination and communication efforts. This experience provided him with insight into the processes involved in delivering digital display projects. He earned a degree in Sports Management and competed in roller hockey at the collegiate level, experiences that contributed to his team-oriented approach and communication skills.

KOKUSAI DENKI Electric America Welcomes Mondae Hott

KOKUSAI DENKI Electric America has appointed Mondae Hott as regional sales manager for the Northeast. Mondae leads sales and business development across the Northeast down through North Carolina, working closely with dealers, systems integrators, broadcasters, and production teams to help customers get the most from KOKUSAI DENKI’s broadcast camera and imaging solutions. A key part of her duties includes supporting partners and end users directly, which is an approach that’s central to the company’s strategy.

Mondae brings more than 20 years of industry experience to the position. She spent over two decades with Ensemble Designs, where she played a central role in managing international sales initiatives. During that time, she built strong relationships across global markets and earned a reputation for being responsive, technically knowledgeable and committed to helping customers. When Ensemble Designs was acquired in 2024, it closed a long chapter in her career and paved the way for her role with KOKUSAI DENKI.

Ampetronic | Listen Technologies Announce Promotion and New Hire

Listen Technologies and Ampetronichave promoted Kasey Kaumans to national account manager and named Robert C. Luckey consultant liaison.

Kaumans and Luckey work closely with national partners across the professional AV channel and within the consultant community, respectively, to meet their customers’ need for assistive listening and communication solutions that promote audio accessibility in commercial venues and public settings.

As national account manager at Ampetronic | Listen Technologies, Kaumans, who joined Listen Technologies in 2006, collaborates closely with national partners across the professional AV channel, including integrators and national resellers, to expand adoption of Ampetronic and Listen Technologies solutions and support the company’s growth in the Americas. He also works closely with regional sales managers, manufacturer representatives, marketing, and product teams to ensure consistent execution and strong partner engagement.

In his role as consultant liaison at Ampetronic | Listen Technologies, Luckey works directly with the AV consultant community to amplify their input in service of new products and provide seamless day-to-day support. Luckey has been deeply embedded in the commercial AV channel throughout his career. He has collaborated with consultants, integrators, distributors, and architects on everything from audio DSP and sound masking to conferencing, AVoIP, and acoustical instrumentation. He understands how projects come together, where they can get complicated, and how to be useful at each stage.

Prior to joining Listen Technologies, Luckey was a manufacturers’ representative and represented Listen Technologies in New England. He is very knowledgeable about Listen Technologies’ and Ampetronic’s combined suite of products, including Auri, the world’s first Auracast broadcast audio-based solution for assistive listening.

Riedel Expands Managed Technology Division in the Americas

Riedel Communications appointed Jan Schaffner as VP, managed technology Americas. Schaffner joined Riedel in 2018 and has played a key role in developing the company’s managed technology activities in the Americas. Having most recently served as program manager responsible for the division’s regional expansion, he has contributed to multiple innovation initiatives across global sports leagues and live event environments. In his new role, Schaffner leads the continued growth of the Managed Technology Division in the Americas, focusing on sustainable expansion, local market alignment, and operational excellence.

Collaboration with existing rental partners and system integrators remains a key element of Riedel’s regional strategy. Rather than competing with traditional rental providers, the Managed Technology Division focuses on highly specialized service solutions and complex workflows that extend beyond classic rental models. By combining Riedel products with proprietary technology, operational expertise, and dedicated service teams, Riedel complements the capabilities of local partners, working alongside them to deliver large-scale, technically demanding productions.

SoundTube Adds Jimmy Martin as Design Sales Engineer

SoundTube Entertainment has appointed Jimmy Martin as design sales engineer. Based in Austin, TX, Martin will support integrators, consultants, and distribution partners with system design, pre-sales engineering, and technical sales support across SoundTube’s expanding portfolio. His career includes technical support at Screen Innovations, custom microphone and analog console manufacturing with Wunder Audio, and inside sales and design roles at Biamp and HARMAN. In those positions, he supported programming, audio-video design, and pre-sales engineering for complex commercial AV projects.

Martin joins SoundTube with substantial hands-on experience in professional audio, live sound, AV systems design, and technical support. His background spans retail pro audio sales, live sound engineering, AV installation, manufacturing, and inside sales for major industry brands.

USSI Global Adds Ralph Annunziata as SVP of Operations

Ralph Annunziata has joined USSI Global as SVP of operations. In his new role, Annunziata is focused on driving enterprise-wide process improvements, operational efficiency, and scalable execution to support the company’s continued growth.

A seasoned business transformation leader, Annunziata has more than 30 years of experience in the IT and services industries. Most recently, he served as senior director of operations at Stratasys, but has also held leadership positions at RCA Communications Systems and Eastman Kodak. At USSI Global, he will oversee operations for on-site repairs, depot repair, and logistics.

Partnerships, Trainings, and More: Company News

Almo Pro AV's E4 Experience Stops Next In DC on March 17

After a successful kickoff in Anaheim last month, Almo Pro AV is bringing its 2026 spring E4 Experience to the DC Metro area on March 17. The event will spotlight the public sector and emerging technology markets, bringing together integrators, end users, and technology partners for a day of education, command-and-control demonstrations, and invaluable networking.

“This stop marks the seventh time the E4 Experience has visited the DC Metro area,” said Greg O'Rourke, director of trade shows and events for Almo Pro AV. “For professionals whose work touches public safety, operations, or complex monitoring environments, this E4 Experience should absolutely be on their radar.” He added, “Attendees will have access to more than 55 exhibitors, along with our public sector sales and business development teams that are ready to help explore new opportunities in government and mission-critical environments.”

Almo Pro AV supports integrators working in the public sector with a broad portfolio that includes displays, drones, audio systems, XR/VR technologies, and software solutions while also offering NDAA- and TAA-compliant products designed to meet federal procurement requirements. The DC Metro E4 Experience will also feature a keynote presentation from Tim Albright, founder of AVNation. His session, tailored for the public sector market, will examine how evolving security frameworks, regulatory requirements, and infrastructure expectations are reshaping the AV industry and the role of integrators.

PlexusAV Partners with Bassett Sales Corporation 

PlexusAV announced a new partnership with independent manufacturer representative firm Bassett Sales Corporation. The agreement strengthens PlexusAV’s growth strategy across Southwest territories of the United States, including Southern California, Southern Nevada, Arizona, and Hawaii.

Bassett Sales Corporation has a long-standing reputation within the physical safety and security markets, representing Pro AV brands. Its recent expansion into professional AV brings strong synergies as AV and IT infrastructures continue to converge.

Together, the companies will work closely with regional distributors and integrators to provide enhanced access to PlexusAV’s high performance AV over IP solutions. The partnership will offer all the tools and technical training needed to educate and deploy seamless, high-performance networking built on IPMX interoperability.

PowerHouse Alliance Adds Three Strategic Vendor Partner

PowerHouse Alliance has added three new vendor partners: Cleerline, LOEWE, and Optoma. The additions further expand PowerHouse’s offerings across fiber optic cabling and connectivity systems, premium home entertainment, projection and display, and residential security categories.

Cleerline enhances the Alliance’s infrastructure category with its fiber optic connectivity solutions, delivering unsurpassed performance and longevity. Optoma adds depth across both residential and commercial display segments. Its portfolio includes 4K UHD home theater projectors, high-brightness commercial projection systems, interactive flat panels, and large-format displays, providing dealers with versatile solutions for home cinema, corporate, hospitality, and education environments.

For residential customers, LOEWE brings design-forward OLED televisions and integrated audio systems to the PowerHouse portfolio.

SFM Appointed Authorized Reseller of Technologie Optic.ca Products

SFM has been appointed as an authorized reseller of Technologie Optic.ca products, a Canadian manufacturer of transceivers and optical networking components. As an existing authorized distributor of NETGEAR networking products, SFM is now adding Technologie Optic.ca’s NETGEAR-compatible transceivers to its portfolio, completing the picture for channel partners who can now source both the networking equipment and the optical connectivity components they need from a single trusted partner.

Technologie Optic.ca is a Canadian specialist in advanced optical connectivity solutions, offering an extensive selection of transceivers, optical and direct attach cables, multiplexing and optical amplifier system compatible with the world’s leading networking equipment brands. Its NETGEAR-compatible transceiver lineup covers a wide range of applications, from enterprise LAN deployments to data center interconnects, ensuring that SFM’s integrators, resellers, and network professionals have access to the right module for every use case.

Introducing WyreStorm Academy, a Dedicated Training Platform for AV Professionals Worldwide

WyreStorm has launched WyreStorm Academy, a brand-new online training platform designed to support AV professionals with structured learning, certification pathways, and practical knowledge for system design, deployment, and sales.

The platform launches with foundational courses covering AV over IP design and technical configuration, with built-in assessments and certification requirements to ensure meaningful learning outcomes. The custom-built platform will continue expanding with additional courses to support integrators, designers, and AV professionals worldwide.

It was a busy week in the acquisition files once again for Pro AV.

Collabtech Group Acquires MediaCentric

Collabtech Group acquired MediaCentric, a wholesale AV design, installation, commissioning, and services firm. The combined organization brings together advanced AV field execution, digital signage and video wall expertise, global infrastructure, and scalable support services to help partners deliver more reliably, without taking on added operational burden. Following the acquisition, partners of Collabtech Group also now have expanded access and a clear path to broader geographic support.

[SCN Stellar Service Awards 2026 Nominations Now Open]

MediaCentric services Arizona, Colorado, California, and Texas, with deep expertise in digital signage, video walls, complex integrated environments, and large-scale field operations. Through the acquisition, partners gain access to a single, channel-only delivery platform with expanded reach and capability across the full delivery life cycle, from proof of concept programs through deployment and ongoing support.

Amino Secures Private Ownership

Amino Communications has been acquired by Sapphire Technology Group (“STGL”), establishing stable private ownership to support its next phase of disciplined growth in Pro AV, digital signage and pay TV. STGL is wholly owned by Keith Todd CBE, who was chairman of Amino from 2007 to 2019.

The acquisition provides long-term investment backing and a simplified capital structure designed to accelerate product development, strengthen operational performance and drive sustainable profitability. Leadership and customer-facing teams remain unchanged. Amino will continue operating under its established brand, with no changes to customer relationships or support models.

VTG and NSCA Make Strategic Moves

Also making headlines for the second time in a month was VTG. Virtual Technologies Group (VTG), backed by Jacmel Partners, acquired Vector Tech Group, a regional provider of customized and integrated IT solutions to businesses and other organizations. Vector Tech will continue to serve its current roster of customers and employees as a subsidiary of VTG. Brightwood Capital Advisors provided financing for the transaction. Get all the details from our coverage by clicking here.

Lastly, NSCA acquired Navigate Management Consulting. Combining Navigate Management’s expertise with NSCA’s business resources and AI capabilities gives members more direct access to tools and guidance. You can find out more by clicking here.

Now, on with the show.

People News

Advanced Systems Group Promotes Gretchen Taipale to VP, Managed Services

Advanced Systems Group (ASG) has promoted Gretchen Taipale to VP, managed services, following the promotion of Jody Boatwright, former VP of Managed Services, to ASG’s Chief Strategy Officer.

In her new role, Taipale sets strategic direction for ASG’s Managed Services department and oversee the delivery of media operations and production services through a global workforce that supports some of the world’s largest enterprise organizations. Managed Services provides staffing and builds fully operational teams for production, studio, media, and creative environments that are embedded at client facilities. Taipale joins the executive team after serving as managing director for ASG’s Creative and Production Managed Services team, where she led account management and agency services.

Palmer Digital Group Names Chuck Lewis President  

Palmer Digital Group has promoted longtime VP Chuck Lewis to president. Lewis has been largely responsible for the company’s year-on-year growth since launching in late 2018, setting up the organization’s B2B structure with an emphasis on business development and marketing for the fast-growing QSR and fast casual market. That emphasis resulted in near-immediate success thanks to a focused product portfolio, strategic partner network, and in-house manufacturing operation that accelerated delivery of durable, modernized digital menu boards and kiosks equipped with hardware and software.

Lewis has taken on many additional leadership responsibilities over the company’s first seven years, including marketing activities (strategic planning and communications), customer service, project management and new product development. The latter includes the introduction of a battery-powered mobile kiosk in 2025, and a forthcoming AI-powered outdoor kiosk with an outdoor-rated speaker.

Further differentiating Palmer Digital Group is the company’s installation department, which also continues to grow in 2026. Lewis recently added two more project managers to this department, which can handle local, regional, and national deployments.

Partnerships, New Locations, and More Company News

Screen Innovations and Shade Innovations Partner with Phoenix Marketing Group

Screen Innovations (SI) and Shade Innovations have partnered with Phoenix Marketing Group (PMG) to to deliver support, training, and in-field expertise to dealers nationwide—before, during, and long after every SI system is installed.

Phoenix Marketing Group has expertise spanning architecture, design, lighting, shading, automation, audio/video, outdoor entertainment, and acoustics, strengthening SI’s position as a complete, next-generation smart home solutions provider for both indoor and outdoor environments. PMG’s seasoned, CI-focused sales team—comprising over 40 highly trained sales professionals—will act as an extension of SI’s own sales and support force, ensuring dealers across the country receive consistent, superior service.

Sennheiser Relocating American HQ to Nashville

Last fall, Sennheiser announced plans to relocate its Americas Regional Hub from Old Lyme, CT, to Nashville. Now, the company has an address: Sennheiser will be moving to Rock Nashville, a 600,000-square-foot production campus that offers purpose-designed rehearsal studios and industry-driven initiatives.

The project represents the creation of at least 25 jobs and an investment of $2.5 million into the Tennessee economy. Sennheiser is the first company to partner with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) to locate within the Rock Nashville facility. The company plans to have U.S. operations fully transferred from Connecticut to Nashville by Q4 2026.

SoundTube Appoints Midwest AV for Illinois and Wisconsin

SoundTube Entertainment announced the appointment of Midwest AV as its manufacturer’s representative for Illinois and Wisconsin. Midwest AV is led by Barbara Sjodin, who brings more than 20 years of industry experience, including 10 years working directly as an AV integrator. That hands-on background provides firsthand knowledge of system design, bid processes, installation workflows, and project commissioning. Today, Midwest AV continues to work closely with integrators and consultants across the region in a representative capacity.

The appointment strengthens SoundTube’s commercial presence in Illinois and Wisconsin, supporting its expanding portfolio of Dante/PoE-enabled loudspeakers, the IPD ecosystem, outdoor and landscape solutions, and SolidDrive invisible speakers for architecturally sensitive environments.

TransAudio Group Adds Trinnov Audio Products to Portfolio

TransAudio Group has added Trinnov Audio products to its growing list of innovative manufacturers. Trinnov Audio, the French specialists in advanced audio processing and room optimization technologies recently launched NOVA, a compact, powerful, and flexible studio processor designed to bring enhanced room optimization to both professional and project studios.

At the heart of NOVA is Trinnov’s Optimizer technology, a room optimization engine using Trinnov’s 3D Microphone for acoustic measurement. Trinnov’s La Remote provides hands-on access to key functions and personalized shortcuts. With up to six channels of optimization available via software licenses, NOVA dramatically improves the accuracy of your monitoring environment, reducing the influence of room anomalies and enabling better mix decisions with confidence.

There were more people on the move and partnerships made last week. On top of that, L-Acoustics and Adder Technology opened new digs. Take a look at what you may have missed in this week's Pro AV Newsmakers.

[SCN Stellar Service Awards 2026 Nominations Now Open]

People News

Advanced Systems Group Promotes Jody Boatwright to Chief Strategy Officer

Advanced Systems Group has appointed Jody Boatwright as chief strategy officer where he leads research and guides ASG’s future direction as the business evolves. Boatwright works across ASG leadership as well as industry leaders and economic issues that impact the company’s media and entertainment business. Boatwright’s experience as VP and general manager of Managed Services, a role he held for nearly 11 years, is directly applicable to this new role. As chief strategy officer, Boatwright is focused less on day-to-day operations and more on developing future-facing initiatives.

Before joining ASG to run the Managed Services team, he spent a decade in systems integration, often working directly with ASG as a strategic partner. He then spent nearly 11 years inside ASG, focusing on the services side of the business: managed service operations, production, creative services, and, most notably, building and leading the company’s managed services practice. That background allows him to step back and look across the entire business. He cited software-defined workflows, storage, and consulting as areas of focus.

Broadsign Accelerates APAC Expansion

Broadsign has made four key appointments across the Asia-Pacific region. With consistent growth across OOH and in-store advertising, the company is scaling its APAC footprint to meet escalating market demand and continue providing best-in-class service for its customers and partners. The new hires include:

Adel Dani Kabbara joins as regional service delivery director across APAC and holds extensive experience across customer success, technical account management, strategy, and technical solutions, gained through his time with the likes of Criteo, Tealium, and RadiumOne. Kabbara is responsible for ensuring implementation and customer success across the region.

Alec Jeffrey joined Broadsign in early 2026 from B2B publisher Octomedia, where he served as group sales manager. In his new role as sales executive, Jeffrey is responsible for driving adoption of Broadsign’s recently enhanced platform amongst OOH media owners and retailers.

Alexandra Martin also joins the business as sales executive, working with brands, agencies, and demand-side partners to deliver further growth across the programmatic OOH ecosystem. Martin brings deep media expertise and relationships from the likes of Seedtag, JustEggs Digital, and SBS Australia, where she has previously held a number of sales- and solutions-focused roles.

In addition to the above hires, Bryan Magee has recently joined Broadsign in a consultative capacity, focused on the implementation and delivery of Broadsign’s automation strategy. Magee brings a wealth of OOH and agency experience, having previously held numerous senior roles with Dentsu and WPP Media. More recently, Magee has consulted for numerous tech companies, start-ups, and media agencies.

Partnerships and Company News

OCVIBE and Daktronics Announce Technology Partnership

OCVIBE, the 100-acre mixed-use development transforming the area surrounding Honda Center, announced a partnership with Daktronics. The collaboration will bring a fully integrated digital display system able to power large-scale, high-impact digital moments across the OCVIBE campus. Centered around 20,000 square feet of high-impact LED digital displays in the district’s Urban Park, the technology package will create a seamless, immersive environment that elevates the overall guest experience, improves wayfinding, and sets the stage for real-time engagement opportunities throughout the district.

As an emerging neighborhood built for daily life and around culture, entertainment, and dining, OCVIBE is incorporating advanced digital display technology into its foundation. Its partnership with Daktronics will ensure the digital surfaces throughout the district will be dynamic, responsive touchpoints that guide, inform, and inspire guests in a creative way each time they visit.

Included in the partnership are a media screen located within the Urban Park measuring 36x126 feet featuring a 8mm pixel spacing, a 32.5x126 foot marquee spanning the Katella and Cerritos parking garages featuring a 10mm pixel spacing, and more than 400 additional digital displays throughout OCVIBE’s parking garages.

L-Acoustics Opens Americas Regional Headquarters in Nashville

Originally reported in December 2024, L-Acoustics has officially opened its first dedicated Americas regional headquarters in Nashville. Located within the CAA Creative Office Building at Nashville Yards, the new 11,100-square-foot facility features the first L-Acoustics Showroom with HYRISS on the American continent and an L-Acoustics Creative Studio equipped with L-ISA and L-Acoustics DJ technology.

The Nashville facility features only the second L-Acoustics Showroom with HYRISS globally, following London’s 2024 opening. This technology makes a single room capable of delivering everything from an intimate dinner party ambiance to full cinematic immersion to live concert sound. The L-Acoustics Creative Studio represents the latest evolution of the format launched in Lititz, PA in 2024 and Singapore in 2025. The studio features both L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound technology and L-Acoustics DJ, the company’s latest innovation for club and festival environments.

MC Marketing joins Adaptive Technologies Group

Adaptive Technologies Group has appointed MC Marketing to represent its audio and video mounting and rigging designs in Southern California, Southern Nevada, Arizona, and Hawaii. MC Marketing is an AVL manufacturer's rep firm with over three decades of experience in the professional AVL marketplace and highly recognized by the touring, installed live sound, and AV integration markets.

RF Venue Unveils House of Worship Program

For the specific issues faced by churches, RF Venue has created a cost-free House of Worship Program. Through expert guidance, guesswork can be eliminated, and reliable wireless audio can be achieved that enhances the message and never detracts.”

Anchored on a dedicated landing page, the new program continues the model of RF Venue’s education initiatives and training, providing clear, accessible, brand-agnostic guidance from wireless experts in plain language, without confusion or sales pressure. Resources include a house of worship blog series, videos, webinars, and quick and easy-to-read eBooks that explain concepts applicable to all wireless users.

Yorkville Sound Announces New Canadian Distribution Partnerships

Yorkville Sound is now the Canadian distributor for three new brands. The first is Aguilar Amplification, a New York–based bass amplification brand. Founded in 1995 in New York City, Aguilar Amplification products are used by touring artists and studio professionals around the world for their articulate sound and build quality.

Additionally, Yorkville Sound is the distributor for the Finland-based innovator, Darkglass Electronics. The brand specializes in modern bass amplification and effects, recognized for precision control and artist-driven design. Lastly, Yorkville Sound with be the exclusive Canadian distributor for Spector Musical Instruments. The Brooklyn-founded bass brand is trusted by touring artists and recording professionals around the world for its precision engineering and bold aesthetics,

Pro AV around the Globe

Adder Technology opened its new Customer Experience Center (CXC) at its global headquarters in the U.K. The purpose-built environment marks a decisive step forward in how Adder supports customers evaluating complex technology decisions where connectivity and control are mission-critical.

NDI announced a strategic partnership with Jiaruisen. (JRS), a Shenzhen-based technology distributor, appointing the company as NDI’s official distribution partner for China. Under the new structure, JRS will provide front-line commercial and technical support, including licensing in local currency, product evaluation and certification services. This localized model is designed to remove barriers for Chinese OEMs and product builders integrating NDI into cameras, decoders, converters, switchers, displays and audio devices, delivering a seamless, trusted, and fully localized experience tailored specifically for the domestic market.

It was a quieter week in Pro AV, but there were still partnerships made, new locations opened, and people on the move. Get caught up with what you missed in your weekly dose of Pro AV Newsmakers.

[SCN Stellar Service Awards 2026 Nominations Now Open]

People News

EAW Announces New Inside Sales Team

Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) has promoted Orlando Rosario to inside sales manager, international, and Christina Luccini to inside sales support for the United States and Canada.

After serving as inside sales manager for the U.S. market and supporting the LATAM market, Rosario now oversees international inside sales operations. He brings more than 15 years of experience across sales, operations, and technical roles, including positions at GE Healthcare, Cognex Corporation and Waters Corporation. Luccini's promotion follows her marketing and sales internships. In her new position, she provides sales support and customer service across North American markets.

Company News

Blackwire Designs Announces New Strategic DistributionPartnership With eero

Blackwire Designs has a new strategic distribution agreement with eero, an Amazon company and pioneer in mesh networking. This partnership brings eero’s lineup of fast, reliable, and secure Wi-Fi systems to Blackwire’s extensive dealer network, offering a streamlined solution for high-performance networking without the traditional complexity of enterprise-grade hardware.

The partnership focuses on eero’s professional-grade hardware, including the eero Max 7, which utilizes advanced Wi-Fi 7 technology and multi-gigabit connectivity to support high-bandwidth applications in modern smart homes. For expansive properties, the IP66-rated eero Outdoor 7 provides reliable coverage up to 15,000 square feet. The agreement also includes eero’s Power over Ethernet (PoE) solutions, such as the eero PoE 6 and the eero PoE Gateway, which feature centralized power management and high-speed wired ports to simplify large-scale residential and commercial installations.

Dimensional Innovations Transitions to Employee Ownership

Dimensional Innovations, headquartered in Kansas City, has transitioned to an employee-owned company through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The move reinforces the firm's long-term independence while giving employees a direct stake in its continued growth. Dimensional Innovations delivers large-scale experience design and fabrication projects for professional and collegiate sports franchises, higher education institutions, healthcare systems, and Fortune 500 companies nationwide.

As private equity investment accelerates across the design and fabrication sector, Dimensional Innovations is taking an alternative approach by placing ownership in the hands of its employees. Company leadership believes the model strengthens accountability, deepens collaboration and encourages forward thinking for both employees and clients.

Lectrosonics Appoints Mizzen Marketing as Manufacturers Representative for TOLA Region

Lectrosonics has appointed Mizzen Marketing as its new manufacturers’ representative firm for the TOLA region (Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas). Mizzen Marketing represents the full Lectrosonics product line, bringing its technical expertise and customer support to the Pro AV, house of worship, and production sound markets in the territory.

Founded in 2005, Mizzen Marketing has established a strong reputation for providing superior support to manufacturers and integration partners. Under the recent leadership of principal and president Lisa Peveler, who acquired the firm in late 2025, and partner Alec Brognano, the company has, as described by Peveler, “launched into a Mizzen 2.0 era.” This evolution expands their focus beyond traditional audio/video integration to include a robust portfolio of high-end audio and production solutions.

Legrand | AV, Xyte Partner on Multi-Vendor RackLink Cloud Platform with AI-Driven Automation

Legrand | AV and Xyte have expanded Legrand | AV’s RackLink Cloud platform enabling broader support of third-party audiovisual (AV) and unified communication (UC) devices via Xyte’s Connect+ ecosystem. Building on the long-standing collaboration between Legrand | AV and Xyte, including a 2025 initiative that connected multiple Legrand | AV product lines to the Xyte cloud, the RackLink Cloud is now evolving into a vendor-agnostic solution.

Through Xyte’s Connect+ ecosystem, RackLink Cloud users can monitor and control not only Legrand | AV devices but also a wide variety of third-party devices within a single interface. This unified, multi-vendor approach eliminates siloed monitoring tools by bringing disparate devices together under one infrastructure, helping reduce downtime, streamline workflows, and improve user experiences for enterprise customers and integrators.

RackLink Cloud is built on an open architecture that supports collaboration with multiple technology partners, ensuring customers benefit from flexibility, interoperability, and choice as cloud and AI capabilities continue to evolve.

Riedel Opens Kuala Lumpur Office to Strengthen Global 24/7 Software and IT Support

Riedel Communications has officially opened a new office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, marking a strategic expansion of its global customer success and IT software support capabilities. The new facility reinforces Riedel’s commitment to providing "round-the-clock" expertise as its portfolio continues to evolve toward software-driven and service-based media workflows.

The Kuala Lumpur office officially opened its doors on Jan. 28 and is led by Mustapha Kamal, service and support manager, who has returned to his home city after four years in Wuppertal. To mark the opening, Riedel welcomed Malaysian partners and customers to the new facility for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, hands-on technology demonstrations, and networking sessions, offering guests insight into the role of the Kuala Lumpur team and how it supports Riedel customers locally and globally.

If promotions, new hires, and partnerships are any indication of a healthy industry (spoiler: they are), Pro AV is thriving. With ISE 2026 in action to kick off February, you may have missed the flurry of moves that happened across our industry the past couple weeks.

[SCN Stellar Service Awards 2026 Nominations Now Open]

Don't worry. That's exactly what we are here for. Get caught up with the latest people movers and partnerships in Pro AV.

People on the Move

Advanced Systems Group Appoints Industry Veteran Derek Pezzotti to Lead Sports and Venue Market Growth

Advanced Systems Group (ASG) has appointed Derek Pezzotti as senior account executive. Pezzotti joins ASG’s Production and Innovation team to help expand the company’s presence in the sports and venue segment. In this role, Pezzotti works closely with ASG’s consulting, design, engineering, and integration teams.

Pezzotti arrives at ASG after an almost 20-year career spanning sports team and event operations, broadcast news, broadcast equipment manufacturer, and, most recently, a consulting firm specializing in broadcast technology for stadiums. This varied background has given him a 360-degree perspective of how venues are planned, procured, built, and run in real-world conditions. That background translates into faster project development and solutions that meet both technical and business goals.

Ampetronic | Listen Technologies Promotes Mikey Shaffer to Vice President of North American Sales

Listen Technologies and Ampetronic have promoted Mikey Shaffer to VP of North American sales. In this role, Shaffer is responsible for accelerating revenue growth, expanding market presence, and optimizing channel performance across North America. She leads the North American sales teams and channel partners in selling Listen Technologies and Ampetronic assistive listening systems.

Shaffer joined Listen Technologies in 2016 and has held marketing, vertical markets, and regional sales roles at the organization. Prior to her promotion, Shaffer served as senior director of sales in North America. Under her leadership, the team delivered a period of exceptional growth and operational maturity.

D-Tools Names G Paul Hess as CEO

D-Tools has appointed G Paul Hess to chief executive officer as part of a long-planned leadership succession. After more than a decade as CEO marked by strong, consistent growth, Randy Stearns has chosen to “downshift” from the role while remaining actively involved.

Hess brings decades of experience in the electronic systems industry, beginning his career as an integrator and later holding senior and executive leadership roles across product, sales, and marketing at organizations including Snap One and ADI. Having worked closely with integrators, manufacturers, and channel partners throughout his career, Hess has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the electronic systems community and how D-Tools’ platform can unlock greater efficiencies, profitability, and growth.

Visionary Appoints Ryan Nowak as VP of IPTV and Signage Solutions

Visionary appointed Ryan Nowak as VP of IPTV and signage solutions. In this role, Nowak leads system architecture, deployment strategy, and technical alignment for Visionary’s IPTV platform to support customers and partners worldwide.

Nowak brings more than 20 years of experience spanning IPTV systems engineering, global solution deployments and product strategy leadership. He works closely with Visionary’s product management, engineering and support teams to ensure scalable and reliable IPTV and signage deployments across enterprise, education, healthcare, sports and broadcast environments.

Prior to joining Visionary, Nowak held multiple senior leadership roles at VITEC, where he most recently served as strategic growth unit product director for Engage and Connect solutions. Earlier roles included head of product management for platforms and director of deployments, where he led global IPTV and signage deployments across diverse network environments. Earlier in his career, Nowak spent more than a decade with the Green Bay Packers as a technology systems engineer, supporting and maintaining technology systems across Lambeau Field and other managed facilities, including live-event operations and fan-facing technology environments.

Vizrt Welcomes Expanded Enterprise Team

Vizrt expanded its team to ignite a new era of professional-grade production, communication, and connection for enterprises. Under the leadership of Vizrt’s CRO, Ryan Poggi, the expanded enterprise team brings decades of expertise in enterprise technology to deliver broadcast-level engagement, once only available to Sports, Media and Entertainment corporations, to organizations of all sizes.

As the new VP of Enterprise, Andy Baillie brings a wealth of experience across content automation, AI and analytics, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) technologies. Baillie has held growth leadership positions at IBM, DocuSign, and Seismic. With a history of pioneering disruptive technologies that scale, he is uniquely positioned to deliver transformative outcomes for Vizrt customers.

Coming from leadership positions at Microsoft, SoftwareOne, and Pax8, Nikki Meyer leads the global Channel Sales team. She manages a high-performing team to deliver solutions via Vizrt’s international community of trusted partners, expanding the reach of communities that can create content that captivates viewers.

Company News

AES Opens Submissions for 6th International Conference on Audio for Virtual and Augmented Reality and Immersive Games

The Audio Engineering Society (AES) has announced details for its 6th International Conference on Audio for Virtual and Augmented Reality and Immersive Games (AVARIG2026), taking place in Europe and including immersive game audio for the first time, June 30 – July 3, 2026, at Sorbonne University/d'Alembert and IRCAM/STMS in Paris, France.

Submissions for peer-reviewed papers, extended summaries, workshops and tutorials are now being accepted through March 24, 2026. Accepted contributions will be included in the AES E-Library and considered for a special Journal of the Audio Engineering Society issue following the conference. Sponsorship opportunities are currently available, with conference registration opening soon. For details on submissions, programming, and how to participate, visit AES.org.

​Audacy and Sonos Forge Exclusive Partnership

Audacy and Sonos have announced a strategic partnership that includes Audacy serving as the exclusive U.S. sales and distribution representative for Sonos Radio’s streaming inventory. Through the partnership, Audacy will leverage its sales capabilities, technology and audio expertise to expand Sonos Radio’s advertising business and strengthen monetization across the platform. The partnership reflects Audacy and Sonos’s shared vision of maximizing the power of audio wherever and however people are listening, for both audiences and marketers.

Sonos Radio’s more than 100 stations will also be distributed on the Audacy platform, expanding access to Sonos Radio’s curated music, artist channels, and mood-driven listening experiences. Listeners will be able to discover Sonos Radio stations across the Audacy app and web, with Sonos Radio featured alongside Audacy’s popular owned-and-operated brands. In addition to distribution on the Audacy app and website, Audacy will also distribute Sonos Radio stations across various platforms, including Google Home, Alexa, and Apple Music. Audacy’s complete portfolio of broadcast stations has been available on Sonos devices since 2020.

AVI-SPL Achieves SOC 2 Type II Attestation

Among a bevy of announcements at ISE 2026, AVI-SPL announced that it has achieved SOC 2 Type II attestation. This attestation applies to the entire AVI-SPL organization and includes a separate SOC 2 Type II report for Symphony, AVI-SPL’s experience management platform. By earning SOC 2 Type II attestation directly, rather than relying on third-party platforms, AVI-SPL reinforces its commitment to security and its role as a trusted, enterprise-grade partner for organizations worldwide.

SOC 2 Type II attestation confirms not only that AVI-SPL has established strong security and confidentiality controls, but that those controls operate effectively over time. For customers, this provides assurance that their data and environments are protected throughout the full lifecycle of engagement, from design and deployment through ongoing managed services and support.

Brompton Technology Welcomes New Partner to Panel Manufacturer Partner Program

Brompton welcomed Fabulux LED as the first Silver Partner in its Panel Manufacturer Partner program. Brompton is introducing the Silver Partner tier to its Panel Manufacturer Partner program, alongside the existing Diamond and Gold Partner levels. While Brompton works with a huge range of LED panel manufacturers, the Partner Program recognises the particularly strong relationships the company has developed with panel manufacturers including ROE Visual (Diamond Partner), Absen, AOTO, and INFiLED (Gold Partners).

Grass Valley and NETGEAR Partner on Enterprise Broadcast AV Workflows

Grass Valley and NETGEAR announced a strategic partnership to serve the rapidly growing Broadcast AV segment. The collaboration combines NETGEAR AV’s live media optimized switching and secure IP networking with Grass Valley’s software-defined production tools and hardware platforms to make it simpler for enterprises to produce, manage, and distribute high-quality content.

Enterprise organizations, including corporations, universities, houses of worship, esports, and venues, increasingly require broadcast-quality production capabilities but have historically faced prohibitive costs and complexity. This partnership directly addresses that gap. Both companies share a common vision of interoperability, built on major standards including NDI, SMPTE ST 2110, Dante, and SRT, alongside a customer-first approach that simplifies user experiences and delivers powerful tools.

Ross Video, BeckTV Expand Ravens’ LED Display System for Stadium-Wide Control

BeckTV and Ross Video have partnered to deliver a major upgrade at M&T Bank Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens. Building on a collaboration that began in 2017 and continued with a comprehensive content management system (CMS) overhaul in 2023, BeckTV led the design and integration of a fully unified LED display system that is now fully installed and operational for the current NFL season.

The upgrade introduces new LED boards in Premium Club and concourse areas, extending the Ravens’ CMS beyond the bowl displays. At the heart of the solution is the Ross XPression Tessera M9 engine, enabling real-time graphics rendering and data integration for LED displays and IPTV. The system also incorporates the Ross Ultrix FR5 routing platform, custom Rocket Surgery graphics design, and DashBoard control interfaces for seamless venue-wide management.

To support large-scale visual experiences, the system leverages Carbonite Mosaic for compositing live video and graphics and Ultrix Carbonite switchers for routing and processing. These technologies, combined under BeckTV’s design, ensure pixel-accurate rendering across massive LED surfaces, including end-zone boards approaching 13,000 pixels wide. The expanded CMS now drives content to 52 unique displays throughout the stadium, including concourse TVs, club screens, vomitory displays, and upper and lower ribbons. Full redundancy is built into the system to guarantee reliability during high-profile events.

Pleneo, Sennheiser Announce Intelligent Room Kits

Pleneo and Sennheiser unveiled the availability of two intelligent meeting room kits designed to remove installation complexity, reduce deployment cost, and enable consistent, AI-ready collaboration experiences in medium and large meeting spaces at scale.

The Pleneo Medium Room Kit and Pleneo Large Room Kit are designed to change that. Engineered for medium and large rooms, the kits extend AI-enabled collaboration into larger environments that are typically difficult to standardize and scale. By integrating Sennheiser ceiling microphones as part of a fully orchestrated Pleneo system, the kits deliver high-performance audio pickup that supports intelligent meeting experiences in the spaces where collaboration matters most.

Each kit is built around Pleneo RoomHub, which connects all room endpoints into Pleneo Room OS, the system layer that powers the room as a single, unified environment. Room OS enables zero-touch deployment and automated setup, allowing complete rooms to be brought online without specialist configuration or individual tuning of audio or video settings. Rooms deploy over standard IT infrastructure, using enterprise-grade security and governance frameworks by design.

Visix Named Premier Partner in BrightSign Bright Alliance Program

Visix has been recognized as a Premier partner in the BrightSign Bright Alliance program. This designation acknowledges Visix's commitment to leveraging BrightSign's media players and operating system, BrightSignOS, to power enterprise-level visual communications.

As a Premier partner, Visix will collaborate more closely with BrightSign to strengthen integrations, streamline support, and deliver greater value to customers. This ensures faster alignment on technology updates, deeper knowledge sharing, and coordinated assistance for complex deployments. Visix's priority access to BrightSign firmware and engineering resources accelerates development, supports advanced technical troubleshooting, and fosters continuous innovation informed by client feedback. All of this supports seamless performance and exceptional service, ultimately enabling more powerful, engaging digital signage experiences.

Welcome to February. January went out with a flurry of Pro AV news and the new month is coming at us with several big stories. In the words of LeBron James, this past Monday, there was not one, not two, but three Pro AV companies announcing acquisitions.

Audiotonix Acquires Three Audio Brands

The first sees Audiotonix acquiring DPA Microphones, Wisycom, and Austrian Audio. All three brands now join the growing Audiotonix brand portfolio of leading audio technology and solutions companies that includes Allen & Heath, Calrec, DiGiCo, DiGiGrid, Fourier Audio, Group One Limited, Harrison, JH Audio, KLANG:technologies, Slate Digital, Solid State Logic, sonible, and Sound Devices.

“With the development work we have been investing in with Sound Devices, it makes technological sense to add Wisycom to the team," explained James Gordon, CEO of Audiotonix. "The next logical step is to move closer to the performer with microphones, and DPA as a premium brand is the ultimate choice. Austrian Audio, with their decades of microphone and headset design experience, have immense potential and will help complement our existing and future portfolio. We always aim to work with brands that add value for our customers, and the future potential of this trio as part of Audiotonix is not hard to imagine."

Ricoh's Second Acquisition This Year

In its second acquisition in less than a month, SCN Top 50 systems integrator Ricoh was at it again. The company acquired ET Group, a Canadian workplace technology and collaboration integrator. This strategic acquisition by Ricoh Canada accelerates Ricoh’s expansion into high‑growth digital services, strengthens its position as a leading provider of end‑to‑end workplace experience solutions in Canada, and reinforces its global strategy to support an evolving workplace environment. If you missed it, get caught up with our coverage here.

VTG Rounds Out Busy Monday

Virtual Technologies Group also announced an acquisition, acquiring Whitlock Infrastructure Solutions, a software solutions and IT services firm specializing in IT operations management for enterprise organizations. The acquisition of Whitlock strengthens VTG’s commercial enterprise service capabilities and federal government services expertise. Check out our full story here.

People News

Ampetronic | Listen Technologies Names Mark Coombes VP of International Sales

Listen Technologies and Ampetronic have named Mark Coombes VP of international sales. Coombes is leading the brands’ international sales and business development efforts across Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.

As a member of the Ampetronic | Listen Technologies executive management team, Coombes helps shape and execute the brands’ global expansion strategy. He also mentors and develops Ampetronic’s and Listen Technologies’ combined team of regional sales leaders. Coombes is an experienced sales leader in the Pro AV industry. He has a record of success achieving significant revenue growth and building high-performing teams and channel partnerships across several brands. During his career, he has lived in the Middle East, France, and the U.K. He brings unique cultural insight and an extensive network to his new role.

DMF Lighting Strengthens Marketing Leadership

DMF Lighting announced key marketing leadership updates designed to support continued portfolio expansion, channel engagement, and long-term growth across both indoor and outdoor lighting solutions.

As part of this strategic evolution, Stephen Roome has transitioned into the role of senior marketing manager, HK Luxury, DMF Lighting’s sister company focused on architectural outdoor and landscape lighting marketing manager, integrator channel, assuming responsibility for marketing strategy and execution supporting the company’s custom integration partners.

Roome has been with DMF Lighting since 2021, most recently serving as CI channel marketing manager. In that role, he played a central part in shaping DMF’s integrator-focused marketing efforts, including the launch of products, the expansion of DMF Luxury initiatives, oversight of DMF’s B2B strategy, and the development of content-driven programs designed to support integrators in the field.

In his new position, Roome is applying his expertise in B2B channel marketing and digital strategy to help accelerate HK Lighting’s growth in the exterior lighting market.

Lynn is focusing on programs, campaigns, and tools that align DMF’s product innovation with how integrators specify, sell, and deploy lighting solutions. Her responsibilities include driving data-informed marketing initiatives that support dealer engagement, demand generation, and long-term channel success.

Hewschott Transitions Daniel Lee to Group CEW 

Hewshott, a global AV, IT, theater, and acoustics consultancy firm, has completed a global transition with current UK managing director, Daniel Lee, acquiring Hewshott and becoming the new Group CEO. Under his ownership, Hewshott will continue its 24-year legacy of independence, ethical conduct, and exceptional client experience. Founder and outgoing Group CEO Peter Hunt will continue as MD of Hewshott Australia, while maintaining his industry association roles.

The leadership transition has been strategically planned to foster stability, continuity, and create new opportunities. Building on the foundations instilled by Hunt from day one, Lee plans to evolve and amplify the company’s global capability to be unified, visible, and influential, all while staying true to the same core principles that define the Hewshott way.

L-Acoustics Appoints Olivier Maynard as Executive Director of Strategic Market Development

L-Acoustics has appointed Olivier Maynard as executive director of strategic market development and significantly expanded the recently established division’s capabilities to accelerate growth across key vertical markets worldwide. The new Strategic Market Development division regroups three core disciplines—Business Development, Creative Engagement, and Market Intelligence—working in close coordination with regional sales teams to drive demand and strengthen L-Acoustics’ position in both established and emerging markets. Maynard is also spearheading commercial innovation, developing new business models from concept to implementation throughout the organization. Joining the company’s Executive Committee, he works alongside the leadership team to integrate market development and new business models into the company’s long-term vision to connect humans through the best shared sound experiences.

Maynard brings extensive experience in strategic market development and business model innovation. He spent over a decade at Boston Consulting Group leading projects in go-to-market strategy, sales, and digital transformation for industrial companies before joining Groupe Beneteau, a global leader in recreational boating, as Director of Digital, New Business Models, and Transformation. In that role, he led the company’s digital strategy and served as Deputy CEO of Services, developing innovative financing and service models. At L-Acoustics, he applies this expertise to professionalize the division’s approach to vertical markets while exploring new business model opportunities that keep L-Acoustics at the forefront of industry innovation.

tvONE Appoints Amit Singh as Regional Sales Manager for India and the Middle East

tvONE expanded Amit Singh’s role to regional sales manager for India and the Middle East. With more than a decade of experience in the audiovisual industry, Singh brings extensive expertise in AV project design, brand development, and distribution management to the role. In his expanded role, he is responsible for leading sales strategies, strengthening partner relationships, and promoting tvONE’s brands and solutions throughout India and the Middle East.

A seasoned techno-commercial professional with a proven track record in the AV industry, over the past 10 years, Singh has successfully managed and developed business relationships, designed comprehensive AV solutions, and driven brand growth and market awareness. His background includes working with original equipment manufacturers Audio-Technica and Wyrestorm, where he gained deep insight into OEM strategy and channel development.

Partnerships and Company News

Introducing Diversified Digital

Diversified formally introduced Diversified Digital as ISE 2026 opened its doors—a dedicated Digital Experience practice built to design, deploy, and support enterprise-scale digital environments with holistic lifecycle management.

Diversified Digital brings together Diversified’s digital signage, immersive, and experiential AV capabilities, expanding its ability to help enterprise clients deliver experiences that are both engaging and operationally sound as digital experience networks become increasingly business-critical. While Diversified has delivered complex digital and immersive environments for decades, the launch of Diversified Digital represents a deliberate step forward formalizing a dedicated practice designed specifically for large-scale rollouts, governance, and lifecycle operations, regardless of whether the experience lives in a single flagship space or across hundreds or thousands of locations.

In a digital experience context, scale is not defined solely by the number of endpoints. For many organizations, scale also means the complexity, visibility, and performance expectations of a single environment—such as a stadium, museum, customer experience center, or public venue—where immersive and experiential AV must perform flawlessly under real-world pressure.

Diversified Digital is built to support both ends of that spectrum in high-impact, single-location immersive environments where reliability, content orchestration, and operational readiness matter as much as design, and large-scale enterprise rollouts where consistency, governance, and lifecycle management are critical across regions and business units.

Diversified Digital is technology-agnostic by design and built to support complex enterprise environments with predictable outcomes. Rather than focusing on isolated platforms or limited delivery models, the practice is structured to help clients manage digital experience as part of a broader, integrated enterprise ecosystem.

DTEN Names SFM Canadian Distributor

DTEN has appointed SFM as its Canadian distributor. This strategic partnership grants SFM distribution rights for DTEN's complete portfolio of collaborative communication solutions throughout Canada, opening significant new revenue opportunities for its Canadian channel partners.

The collaboration brings together SFM's extensive distribution network and industry expertise with DTEN's collaboration technology platform, providing Canadian audiovisual professionals, system integrators, and IT resellers with immediate access to one of the fastest-growing segments in enterprise technology. As organizations consolidate their hybrid work strategies, DTEN's purpose-built solutions address the demand for seamless, reliable collaboration tools.

HDBaseT Alliance To Mark 15 Years of Revolution

The HDBaseT Alliance is celebrating 15 years of HDBaseT technology and its enduring impact, which has continuously evolved to reshape how the industry designs, deploys, and experiences Professional AV. Attendees to ISE 2026 were invited to join the festivities in “An HDBaseT World.”

Since its founding by LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Valens Semiconductor, HDBaseT has delivered uncompressed, long-distance, plug-and-play connectivity over a single Category cable. HDBaseT boasts a world-wide ecosystem of manufacturers, certified installers and integrators operating across a variety of verticals including video conferencing, education, immersive experiences, home entertainment, live events, and digital signage.

At this year’s show, live demonstrations from Valens Semiconductor, the inventor of HDBaseT technology and co-founder of the HDBaseT Alliance, will showcase next-generation multi-media signal distribution solutions streamlining complex system architectures.

Neutrik Americas Appoints Sigma Component Design New Distributor

Neutrik Group Americas is growing its presence in Canada with the appointment of Sigma Component Design as its new manufacturer’s rep for the region. As an independent manufacturer’s representative serving the Canadian electronics industry, Sigma will represent the complete product portfolio of Neutrik Group brands and will provide sales support and customer service throughout the region.

Sigma Component Design is known for power, thermal, passive, and electromechanical components. From design to fulfilment, Sigma works with customers to provide complete design support from its world-class suppliers. Founded in 2002, Sigma has completed thousands of application designs and has a team of technical sales reps dedicated to serving the needs of the Canadian market.

NDI Expands Its Partnership with OBSBOT

NDI announced an expanded partnership with OBSBOT through a renewed licensing agreement that will see NDI integrated across OBSBOT’s entire product lineup as a native capability. NDI is now available free of charge on OBSBOT products, with no additional licensing required for end users. OBSBOT plans to significantly increase the number of products shipped with NDI built in, as more of its product line adopts native support.

OBSBOT’s products are widely used by creators, educators, and teams who want professional capabilities without enterprise-level complexity. Native NDI support allows those users to connect OBSBOT cameras directly into IP video workflows for streaming, remote production, and hybrid use, without adding extra hardware or licensing steps. This also highlights NDI’s interoperability, allowing OBSBOT cameras to work seamlessly with a wide range of software, switchers, and production platforms.

Pro AV Around the Globe

AudioControl has announced the appointment of Habitech as master distributor of the brand’s AV entertainment solutions in the United Kingdom. Habitech is currently the distributor for RTI in the U.K. Based in Hampshire, England, and founded in 2006, Habitech specializes in supplying a broad range of custom install products and services to technology integrators representing home entertainment, smart home control and lighting, networking, and more to end-users.

AVPro Global appointed Generation AV as its representation for the AVPro Edge and RTI brands in Asia. Founded in 2019 and based in Singapore, Generation AV offers decades of combined experience in the professional audio/video, control, and automation markets. In addition to strategic sales and business development, the Generation AV team delivers technical support and application engineering services to partners, integrators, and customers—assisting with product selection, system design, project support, and troubleshooting. Additionally, the company appointed LCAVI as their distributor of residential audio, video, and control solutions, representing the AudioControl, AVPro Edge, and RTI brands in France.

LEA Professional announces its partnership with distributor Televic Conference France, which will help expand LEA Professional’s commercial reach throughout Europe by providing better access to French customers. Televic Conference France will represent LEA's extensive technology catalog. Through this partnership, Televic Conference France will offer LEA Professional’s Network Connect series of professional amplifiers and companion Dante Connect series featuring Dante and AES67 connectivity. The comany also announced a newfound partnership with Dubai-based distributor Pro Lab Trading. The partnership will bring LEA to customers in the Middle East Region. Pro Lab Trading is the region’s one-stop shop for professional audio, lighting, staging, rigging, and special effects equipment and supplies.

Legrand | AV expanded its global partnership with TD SYNNEX. This enhanced collaboration reinforces a joint go-to-market strategy for Legrand | AV’s portfolio of industry-leading brands, including Chief, C2G, Da-Lite, Middle Atlantic, Luxul, and Vaddio. As part of this expanded agreement, TD SYNNEX Maverick, TD SYNNEX’s specialist AV, UC, and digital signage division, will now offer the full Legrand | AV brand portfolio across its entire European footprint.

PureLink announced a new strategic partnership with AVer Information Europe. The cooperation establishes a structured cable and signal management certification program for AVer systems, designed to improve installation reliability in enterprise, education, and public-sector environments. Through this partnership, PureLink’s portfolio of solutions for video conferencing, workspace connectivity, and USB-C–based signal management will be aligned and validated for use with AVer cameras, video matrices, AV hubs and USB-based collaboration systems.

RTI appointed Aquila Data Singapore as their distributor for commercial solutions in Singapore. Aquila Data Group was founded in 2001 and is based in Jakarta, Indonesia, with offices in Singapore and Malaysia. The company specializes in distribution of Unified Communication (UC) and Audio Visual (AV) devices, providing solutions such as video conferencing, audiovideo (AV), and smart technology integration. Additionally, Stars AV is its new distributor for RTI residential and commercial solutions in Spain and Portugal. Stars AV already represents AVPro Global brands AudioControl and AVPro Edge in the territory.

January in the Pro AV industry is alive and well. Before ISE 2026 kicks off, there were a flurry of big moves from Disguise, Daktronics, Chyron, Custom Channels, and many more.

[SCN's ISE Insiders 2026]

It was a hectic week of new hires, promotions, and partnerships. Get caught up below in your weekly Pro AV Newsmakers rundown.

People News

Analog Way Appoints Jeff Singer as Chief Marketing Officer

Analog Way appointed Jeff Singer as chief marketing officer (CMO). In this worldwide role, Singer leads Analog Way’s global marketing strategy with a strong focus on go-to-market execution, sales enablement, and ownership of the company’s product roadmap and product definition. Drawing on his extensive experience in technical product marketing and a customer-centric approach, he will also contribute to elevating the user experience across all customer touchpoints, ensuring consistent value throughout the customer journey.

With over 30 years of experience in global marketing and product launches, Singer has led go-to-market and demand generation strategies for technology-driven organizations worldwide. He previously served as executive director of global product marketing at Crestron Electronics, where he developed and led the positioning of strategic platforms across global markets.

Chyron Strengthens Support in Sports Venues

Chyron promoted Owen Seaton to VP, venue solutions. Seaton brings a wealth of expertise to the role, including both customer perspective and deep knowledge of venue display control technology. Based on input from end users and buyers as well as his own experience, Seaton contributes vital guidance to roadmaps for Chyron products.

Seaton is backed by a strong and growing team of technical, support and creative services professionals. Over the past two fiscal years, these teams of experts have consistently grown at 90% year-over-year on average.

Custom Channels Names René Arnold Senior Director of Partnerships

Custom Channels has appointed René Arnold to the position of senior director of partnerships. Arnold drives the company’s channel sales growth and deepen its integration into the commercial AV ecosystem by reaching more enterprise customers through trusted AV and IT partners.

Arnold comes to Custom Channels from audio and visual business solutions provider Rockbot, where she served as senior manager of the partner program. Prior to Rockbot, she was an account manager at AVI Systems (now Fortè). Prior to Forté, Arnold got her start in the commercial AV industry at PTG (Promotion Technology Group), where she developed a strong appreciation for the benefits of joining together music and digital signage. Arnold also credits her time there for providing her with a solid understanding of how to best support partners and their needs.

Daktronics Hires Thomas Welling to AV Channel Partner Team

Daktronics has hired Thomas Welling as an account executive in the company’s AV channel partner sales team with a focus on expanding AV market growth in the Southeastern United States. Welling began this full-time position in 2025 to proactively meet with clients to understand their project requirements and propose effective AV solutions to meet those needs.

Welling brings previous Daktronics sales internship experience and a degree in Sport and Entertainment Management to this role. This includes experience representing Daktronics at industry conferences and customer demonstrations.

OpenDrives Appoints Trevor Morgan as CEO

On the heels of investment news, OpenDrives promoted long-time chief operating officer, Trevor Morgan, to chief executive officer. Morgan has led a multi-year operational and strategic transformation of the business and brings deep experience in data management and SaaS across both early-stage companies and Fortune 500 enterprises, including Cisco and Capital One.

OpenDrives ended last week with the announcement of an add-on investment to its previous funding rounds led by IAG Capital Partners. The new capital will support OpenDrives’ continued strategic market growth as it expands its software platform across media, sports, and enterprise video production teams worldwide.

Panoptec Technologies Holding Strengthens Group Leadership

Guntermann & Drunck GmbH (G&D) made key leadership appointments at Panoptec Technologies Holding, the group uniting G&D, VuWall, and Tritec under a shared strategic and technological framework. Mark Schmidt has been appointed chief technology officer (CTO) of Panoptec Technologies Holding, and Alena Lombartová has joined the organization as chief financial officer (CFO).

Schmidt has been with VuWall since its early European expansion in 2014 and most recently served as the company’s CTO, where he played a central role in shaping its technology roadmap, security initiatives, and platform strategy. In his new role, he focuses on aligning R&D efforts across the group, leveraging synergies between engineering teams, and accelerating the execution of Panoptec’s shared innovation roadmap.

Lombartová joins Panoptec as Group CFO, bringing international experience in financial leadership, strategic planning, and operational governance within technology-driven organizations. Previously serving as CFO at Leyard Europe, she brings extensive experience and deep expertise in the AV industry to her new role.

StreamGuys Names VP of Digital Sales and Strategy and New EVP of Technology

StreamGuys appointed Dara Kalvort as VP of digital sales and strategy and promoted Eduardo Martinez to EVP of technology. Kalvort leads the company’s sales efforts for the StreamGuys Ad Network, growing digital audio revenue through relationships with agencies and brands. The move creates new revenue opportunities for publishers while giving brands access to highly targeted, premium digital audio audiences. Martinez, who spent nearly two decades at StreamGuys, previously served as VP of technology, leading R&D and helping bring many of the company’s core products to market. In his new role as EVP of Technology, he mentors and guides technical operational teams across the company.

Partnership and Events

Audinate Celebrates the 20th Anniversary of Dante

2026 will mark the 20th anniversary of Dante, celebrating two decades of innovation and AV excellence that have transformed professional audio and video distribution worldwide. Originally developed to simplify the complexity of digital audio networking, Dante has grown from a bold idea into the de facto standard for AV over IP. Today, Dante is trusted by manufacturers, integrators, and end users across multiple environments, including live sound, commercial installations, education, and broadcast.

“Twenty years ago, Dante didn’t just solve a technical challenge. It redefined what was possible for AV,” said Aidan Williams, chief executive officer at Audinate. “What began as a better way to move high-quality audio reliably and easily over IP has become a platform that underpins today’s AV systems. This milestone validates our vision, the sustained collaboration of our partners, and the depth and commitment of the global Dante community.”

Dante has continuously evolved to meet the needs of a rapidly changing AV landscape. From enabling plug-and-play audio networking to expanding into video, control, and cloud-based management, Dante has ushered in an era in which AV systems are more flexible, software-driven, and network-centric than ever before.

Updates for AES Show Nashville 2026

AES Show Nashville 2026 will deliver a tightly curated three-day technical program, Friday, Oct. 30- Sunday, Nov, 1, paired with a two-day exhibition taking place Saturday and Sunday, designed to bring together audio professionals, technologists, creators, and educators for in-depth learning, discovery, and connection.

The exhibit floor will serve as a central hub for activity throughout the weekend and will feature the AES Main Stage, home to the opening ceremony, the show’s main keynote, and a dynamic schedule of interviews, insights, and appearances from industry leaders and “famous friends” across music, media, and technology.

Advanced Systems Group and Nu·Studio Announce Exclusive Partnership

Advanced Systems Group (ASG) announced an exclusive partnership with Nu·Studio, the company behind the first modular, portable studio designed for immersive audiovisual production. Under the agreement, ASG will serve as the exclusive reseller of Nu·Studio, bringing the platform to market through its global sales, installation, and service infrastructure.

Nu·Studio is a studio infrastructure designed to be adaptable as technology, standards, and workflows evolve. Built as a modular, reconfigurable acoustic control room, it allows for integrated audiovisual workflows with a portable, non-permanent framework that installs in days and can be relocated or reconfigured as needs change.

The partnership brings together Nu·Studio’s modular studio environment with ASG’s 28 years of experience in end-to-end sales, installation, training, and long-term service for media production environments worldwide.

Bergamot Asset Management Acquires 50% Stake in Augspurger and Professional Audio Design

Bergamot Asset Management has acquired a 50% stake in Augspurger and Professional Audio Design and Malekpour Design Partners. The three companies will operate under the newly created Augspurger Holdco, a new parent company created in partnership with Bergamot and Dave Malekpour, founder and president of the group.

The partnership, which was completed prior to Thanksgiving after several months of due diligence, combines Bergamot’s capital investment and operational leadership with Malekpour’s entrepreneurial vision, positioning Augspurger for new growth and operational efficiencies while maintaining its reputation for "craftsmanship, performance, and design excellence."

Disguise, ASB GlassFloor Partner

Disguise and ASB GlassFloor announced a strategic partnership that turns the arena floor into a fully customizable interactive digital surface. This will enable coaches to visualize ball tracking data as well as players’ live positions, movement speed and performance metrics right on the playing surface, allowing teams to win more matches. The technology will also enable more venues to become multi-purpose entertainment spaces by offering augmented reality (AR) floor experiences, such as interactive games, to fans and advertisers at halftime.

ASB GlassFloor’s operational system for the digital court, GLASSCOURT OS, feeds directly into Disguise’s servers. Adopting the Disguise environment means that, on top of the GLASSCOURT OS solutions, ASB GlassFloor now enables all venues to use the most state-of-the-art media servers in the industry to directly feed interactive content to the floor.

As part of the partnership, the Disguise platform will be used exclusively on all ASB Arena and Event Services floors, as well as ASB GlassFloor sports courts and activations, including the NBA All Star Weekend, FIBA Basketball Champions League Final 4 and the EuroLeague, and the company’s facility in Orlando, the ASB Athletes Lab. Developed in collaboration with the NBA, the Athletes Lab will be used to showcase the technology and allow teams and clients to see the immersive sports solution in action, as well as acting as a testing ground for future innovation. Disguise and ASB GlassFloor will also provide three full-sized, portable event rental basketball courts that will see usage at marquee sports events across the United States and Europe this year.

Playback Distribution Announces New Distribution Partnership with Vicoustic for U.S. and Canada

Playback Distribution was appointed U.S. and Canadian distributor of Vicoustic. The partnership is poised to strengthen Vicoustic’s presence in North America by targeting key growth opportunities in the Hi-Fi, residential custom integration, and pro audio markets, and uplevel the customer experience by streamlining the process from project design to fulfillment.

Founded in 2007 in Portugal, where every product is designed and manufactured to this day, Vicoustic is known for high-performance acoustic treatment that blend technical rigor with sustainable and stunning design. The company has maintained a strong presence in North America for over a decade, delivering acoustic solutions that span professional audio, hi-fi and home cinema, residential CI, and more.

“The SoundTube Showdown” Training Experience Scheduled in Kansas City

SoundTube Entertainment is hosting The SoundTube Showdown, a two-day immersive training event taking place Feb. 18–20, 2026, in the Kansas City area. Designed to move beyond the traditional classroom seminar, the SoundTube Showdown blends in-depth technical training, certification credits, and high-value networking into a dynamic, game-inspired experience where every participant walks away a winner.

The event builds on SoundTube’s Tubey Training program, named for the brand’s squeeze-ball mascot, Tubey, and transforms it into a competitive, high-energy learning environment focused on real-world AV solutions and system design.

Pro AV Around the World

LEA Professional’s commercial audio technology catalog is set to reach more Australian customers in 2026 through a new distribution partnership with Jands, one of Australia’s leading AV distributors. The Jands team has been providing technology solutions to its customers since 1970. Thanks to Generation AV, LEA Professional’s APAC manufacturer’s representative and authorized sales partner, Jands, and LEA Professional, the partnership came together.

There were a lot of people on the move last week. SCN Hall of Famer, Kirsten Nelson, joined Extron and Amanda Wildman became the first woman to hold the chairperson role in CEDIA’s history. There were plenty more, so get caught up on the week that was below.

[SCN's ISE Insiders 2026]

People News

AtlasIED Appoints Joey Palkowitch as Director of Commercial Audio Sales

AtlasIED appointed Joey Palkowitch as director of commercial audio sales. In this role, Palkowitch will lead the company’s commercial audio strategy and market development efforts across key verticals, including education, industrial, corporate, and hospitality.

With over a decade of experience in driving commercial audio growth, Palkowitch is well positioned to take AtlasIED to the next level. He specializes in building high-performing sales teams, leading strategic partnerships, and executing scalable go-to-market strategies across complex ecosystems. Palkowitch has worked for multiple leading manufacturers and distributors to serve the integration, consultant, and end-user channels in the commercial audiovisual industry.

Palkowitch works with the AtlasIED sales staff, independent manufacturer reps, and key partners to help grow and strengthen channel relationships and increase sales in strategically targeted verticals. Additionally, his role is integral in bringing feedback from the field to product and engineering teams to help develop solutions specific to integrators’ challenges.

AVPro Global Names Matt Murray CEO

AVPro Global appointed Matt Murray, formerly chief technology officer, as chief executive officer while AVPro founder Jeff Murray transitions from CEO to chairman of the board. Matt, a seasoned senior leader who, alongside his father, built the foundation of AVPro, now leads the organization’s day‑to‑day and long‑term operations. Matt assumes overall leadership of the enterprise while Jeff, remains deeply engaged in strategy, governance, and mentoring. This planned generational leadership evolution honors AVPro’s heritage and opens new dimensions for future growth and innovation.

Matt’s appointment as CEO reflects his long‑standing commitment to AVPro’s customers, employees, and products, demonstrated by the way he has architected the company’s backbone and growth engine over the past decade. He has led the build‑out of AVPro’s operational infrastructure, including implementing the ERP platform (Enterprise Resource Planning), establishing a disciplined new product development system, and expanding the brand portfolio, which now serves a wide range of residential and commercial AV partners. With this experience and customer‑first mindset, Matt is well positioned to guide AVPro into its next phase, delivering innovative solutions while strengthening the culture and capabilities that have made the company a trusted partner around the world.

CEDIA Welcomes New Board Members and Officers

CEDIA welcomed several additions to its Global Board of Directors for the 2026-2028 term. Following a slate vote approved by CEDIA members, integrators Rich Green of Rich Green Design, Jennifer Mallett of Level Up Automation, and James Ratcliffe of Homeplay have now assumed their positions as board directors. Joining them will be board-appointed members, Kris Hogg of Samsung and Maryellen Oswald of Somfy.

The newly elected slate of officers forming the executive committee will be led by chairperson Amanda Wildman. An integrator and president/owner of TruMedia Home, Wildman becomes the first woman to hold the chairperson role in CEDIA’s history. Alongside her, Edward Gilmore will serve as vice chairperson, Stuart Tickle as treasurer, and James Chen as secretary. Former chairperson Alex Capecelatro will assume the role of Immediate past chairperson and remain on the executive committee.

The DAK Group Welcomes Denis Pozigun

Denis Pozigun, a globally recognized operating executive and M&A strategist with two decades of experience has joined The DAK Group's Integrated Systems and Live Experiences Practice. Pozigun brings deep sector expertise spanning integrated systems, mission-critical environments, broadcast, and live events.

Most recently, Pozigun led the global AV practice at Convergint, where he oversaw complex, multinational operations serving enterprise and mission-critical clients. Prior to that, he played a key role in international expansion initiatives at Diversified, giving him a first-hand perspective on platform scaling, cross-border integration, and value creation in highly technical environments.

At The DAK Group, Pozigun works closely with Ari Fuchs, managing director, to advise owners and investors navigating increasingly sophisticated M&A processes across the integrated systems and live experiences sectors. His operator-focused background enhances DAK’s ability to help clients translate operational complexity into clear equity narratives and position their businesses for premium outcomes.

Extron Welcomes SCN Hall of Famer Kirsten Nelson as New PR Manager

Extron appointed SCN Hall of Famer Kirsten Nelson as public relations manager. Nelson has over 25 years of experience in the Pro AV industry, encompassing publishing, journalism, technology communications, event programming, and hosting. Her background in editorial direction and content strategy will enhance Extron’s communications and strengthen its relationships.

Nelson’s career highlights include serving as lead editor at Systems Contractor News for over 16 years and co-founded Residential Systems magazine. She created and launched multiple editorial franchises that continue today, including the SCN Nine, the SCN Top 50 Systems Integrators list, the SCN Hall of Fame, and Executive Q&A interview series. Nelson won the WAVE (Women in AV) Mentor Award in 2013 and was named to the SCN Hall of Fame in 2025. Her efforts have contributed to major industry initiatives, including AVIXA’s Center Stage at InfoComm. She also founded Cohort Assemble, an event series that focuses on creative technology and immersive experience design. Her appointment reflects Extron’s ongoing commitment to thought leadership and strategic communications.

Pliant Technologies Expands Sales Team

Pliant Technologies appointed Adam Grede as the company’s new regional sales manager. In this role, Grede supports all sales efforts for Pliant products to serve customers on the West Coast as well as across North America.

Based in Southern California, Grede joins a geographically diverse but tightly integrated sales team, working closely with regional sales manager Matthew Lott based in the New York metro area, and sales administrator Kathy Belcher, who operates from Pliant’s headquarters in Auburn, AL. Together, the team will work as a unified group to ensure responsive, consistent support across all regions.

Company News

cavlo Trade Show Reformats and Returns to Music City

The cavlo Trade Show is returning to the entertainment mecca of Nashville, TN, for its spring 2026 show. cavlo will bring the professional AVL community together at the Embassy Suites Murfreesboro for a two-day event. The regional audio, video, and lighting technology trade show will feature nearly 50 exhibitors, a free welcome reception, and educational breakout sessions for attendees.

cavlo will take place on April 22-23rd at the Embassy Suites Murfreesboro, just outside Nashville. The show floor opens at 4:00pm on the 22nd, with the complimentary Welcome Reception from 5-7:00pm; the show resumes on the 23rd at 9:00am. Breakout sessions begin at 1:00pm on the 22nd and continue on the 23rd. With discussion panels and educational sessions led by professionals in the design, integration, production and end-user communities. cavlo promises to be a great opportunity for AVL folks in the Southeastern US to convene. Complimentary registration to attend the show will open on Monday, February 23rd. cavlo is a trade-only event. For more information on exhibiting or sponsoring, or to register to attend, visit http://www.cavlo.tech.

DirectOut Expands into the US with New Subsidiary

DirectOut launched DirectOut LLC, its wholly owned U.S. subsidiary following recent strong growth and after more than 15 years of presence in the United States through its distribution partners. DirectOut LLC operates as a fully owned subsidiary of DirectOut GmbH but with a high degree of autonomy, enabling the team to respond quickly to the specific needs of the U.S. professional audio market. The company’s new headquarters in Fort Wayne, IN, also house its U.S. warehouse, streamlining logistics for customers across the region.

Vaino Gennaro has been appointed managing director of DirectOut LLC and will oversee all U.S. operations.

QuickLink Expands U.S. Reach With Midwich Distribution 

QuickLink announced a new U.S. distribution partnership with Midwich. Midwich will distribute QuickLink’s full portfolio of remote production and live contribution tools to resellers and integrators across the United States. The collaboration expands access to QuickLink’s innovative solutions while providing Midwich’s customers with the technical expertise, support and market experience needed to deploy high-quality, low-latency video workflows efficiently.

Pro AV Around the World

AtlasIED announced multiple strategic distribution partnerships with U.K.-based Solstice Marketing, ProAUDIO-AVT, serving Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, and UpOut, based in Turkey. Solstice Marketing offers a full suite of AV solutions, with customer service being a primary driver for its team. Headquartered in Wrocław, and with offices in Warsaw (Warszawa), Kraków, and Gdynia, ProAUDIO-AVT has delivered high-quality audio solutions to customers throughout Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia for over 35 years. Based in Istanbul and specializing in AV technology, UpOut is entirely focused on improving the customer experience.

Listen Technologies and Ampetronic have enlisted Nvincy Solutions to sell and distribute their combined portfolio of assistive listening and communication solutions in India. Nvincy is a distributor for AV and IT brands, delivering professional grade products and technical support across India.

The Pro AV world has gotten off to an auspicious start in 2026. There were a bevy of people on the move and new partnerships announced, as Samsung, FORTÉ, Sennheiser, Powersoft, and many more made headlines.

[Wayne's CES 2026 Coverage]

Get caught up on what you missed last week.

People News

FORTÉ Names Josh Braun CIO

FORTÉ, formerly AVI Systems, promoted Josh Braun to chief information officer (CIO), effective immediately. Braun becomes FORTE’s first-ever CIO, reflecting the company’s increasing emphasis on technology, security, and infrastructure as essential drivers of growth.

As CIO, Braun leads all aspects of FORTE’s information technology and digital infrastructure, including security, internal IT support, systems architecture, and long-term technology strategy. In addition, he will oversee the IT demands of FORTE’s 42 U.S. locations and presence in four European countries, and guide integration planning and execution as the company continues to expand.

Braun joined FORTE in 2016 as director of IT and was promoted to Vice President of IT in 2019. Throughout his tenure, he has built a strong, scalable IT foundation. His leadership has driven enhanced security protocols, improved employee tech support, and includes the implementation of modern systems that ensure reliability, efficiency, and organizational resilience.

Powersoft Expands North America Sales With Strategic Regional Hires

Powersoft expanded its U.S. sales organization with the appointment of Timo Hildebrandt as regional sales manager for the Western United States, Rob Howitt as regional sales manager for the Northeast, and Sunil Karanjikar as senior sales engineer.

Howitt joins Powersoft with nearly 30 years of experience in professional audio sales and regional account management throughout the Northeast. Before joining Powersoft, Howitt held regional sales leadership roles at Blaze Audio, ADI Global Distribution, and Audiopros. At Powersoft, he leads sales activities across the Northeast, supporting dealers, consultants and integrators while expanding the company’s regional footprint.

Hildebrandt brings more than 20 years of experience spanning sales leadership, operations, channel strategy, and business unit management across the consumer electronics and professional audiovisual industries. Prior to joining Powersoft, Hildebrandt held executive positions at Snap One, Resideo and AVAD, where he led sales operations, vendor strategy and organizational transformation initiatives. In his role, he oversees sales efforts across the western United States, focusing on channel development, partner engagement and regional growth.

Karanjikar adds more than 21 years of experience in live sound, system design and application engineering, with extensive manufacturer-side expertise. Prior to joining Powersoft, Karanjikar held senior application engineering and product management roles at Harman Professional Solutions, supporting large-scale deployments and developing technical resources for customers and partners worldwide. As senior sales engineer, he provides technical support, system design assistance, and training for Powersoft customers across the United States.

Re-Sauce Strengthens Global Communications Offering

Re-Sauce has appointed Beky Cann as head of global PR and marketing. Cann joins the Re-Sauce leadership team in 2026 to expand the consultancy’s communications and media services worldwide, strengthening its ability to support clients in brand storytelling, channel influence, trade press engagement, and strategic marketing delivery across Europe, Middle East, India, North America and APAC.

With 25-plus years of PR and marketing experience, including senior international roles in the professional AV, workplace, enterprise technology, and digital signage sectors, Cann brings deep market knowledge and an expansive network of connections built on decades of trust and industry collaboration.

SDVI Names Simon Eldridge COO

SDVI has appointed Simon Eldridge chief operating officer. In this new role, Eldridge oversees all functions except finance and accounting for the company. Eldridge is one of three company founders and has been serving as chief product officer. He will continue to report to Larry Kaplan, who remains in his roles as chairman and chief executive officer.

In a corresponding move, the company has also promoted Chris Brähler to the post of chief product officer. Brähler previously served as VP of product, and in his new role continues to drive product strategy and execution. He continue sto own the product roadmap while working closely with customers and the company’s solutions team to define new product requirements.

Company News

Almo Pro AV, INOGENI Announce Distribution Partnership

INOGENI announced a strategic distribution agreement with Almo Pro AV. This partnership significantly expands INOGENI's reach, introducing its full portfolio of innovative products to Almo’s extensive network of customers in the unified collaboration, videoconferencing, and audiovisual markets.

INOGENI’s product line, including the TOGGLE Series for BYOD/BYOM environments and its new voice-activated multi-camera switcher (CAMTRACK), directly addresses the market's growing demand for simplified, high-performance integration and interoperability.

Amino and Xibo Partner to Deliver Next Generation 4K Digital Signage

Amino announced a strategic partnership with Xibo, which sees the integration of the Xibo CMS with the purpose-built Amino H-Series media players to power reliable, enterprise-grade 4K digital signage networks.

Many organizations currently rely on consumer grade hardware for digital signage, which often struggles with the continuous operation, security and longevity required in demanding environments like retail, hospitality, or corporate workplaces. The Amino H-Series solves these challenges by providing dedicated, high performance 4K playback, enterprise grade security and effortless remote management, ensuring smooth and dependable performance across all industries.

This partnership removes traditional barriers of cost and complexity. The H200 and H200W models offer flexible Power over Ethernet (PoE) or wireless installation, rugged VESA-mounted designs, and cloud-based management through Amino’s Orchestrate for zero touch provisioning and real time updates. When combined with Xibo’s flexible Content Management System (CMS) and intuitive scheduling, this pairing offers robust performance that businesses can depend on.

AVer, Sennheiser Partner to Deliver Smarter Camera Tracking

Sennheiser's EW-DX microphone system, the newest addition to the Evolution Wireless Digital family, now integrates with the AVer MT300(N) Matrix Tracking Box via Sennheiser Sound Control Protocol v2 (SSCv2), enabling intelligent, audio-triggered camera switching across single and multi-camera setups.

With full SSCv2 compatibility, the latest MT300(N) firmware supports encrypted communication and faster, more responsive control signals from EW-DX wireless microphone systems. This enables quick, consistent camera switching based on active audio signals, making the solution well suited to wireless microphone workflows in professional collaboration and education environments.

This simple firmware update enhances responsiveness, security, and reliability, helping ensure the active speaker is clearly seen and heard while keeping system design straightforward. This integration builds on the established collaboration between Sennheiser and AVer, which also includes support for Sennheiser TeamConnect Ceiling microphones with AVer camera tracking solutions, offering flexible options across wireless and ceiling-based audio workflows.

Carousel Unveils Interactive Experience

Carousel in collaboration with content partner Studio Kudzu launched its new Interactive Experience, a fully immersive environment designed to help communications and IT teams explore the full capabilities of the Carousel platform. The new interactive experience is now available on Carousel’s Corporate Solutions page and is supported on multiple devices, including laptops, tablets, mobiles, and VR headsets, for an even deeper, hands-on demonstration.

The Interactive Experience enables prospective customers to explore a comprehensive digital signage deployment as if physically present in a modern, fully equipped business environment. Within the experience, users can discover: Dynamic content delivery in lobbies, hallways, conference rooms, and common areas; advanced emergency alerting features integrated with Common Alerting Protocol (CAP); room signage supporting event promotion and facility management systems, device management; engagement tools like interactive touchpoints, video walls and employee spotlights.

BLINC, Samsung Partner to Deliver DynamicSoftware Solutions

Behavioral Labs (BLINC) announced a new partnership with Samsung Electronics America to develop dynamic software solutions that strengthen Samsung Visual eXperience Transformation (VXT), the company’s content management ecosystem. The partnership combines Samsung’s industry-leading display hardware and VXT solution with BLINC’s innovative software capabilities to deliver powerful, intuitive, and scalable digital signage solutions for businesses across industries.

The first collaboration between Samsung and BLINC is the launch of Utilix, an intelligent, rule-based content management tool that empowers brands to effortlessly design, deploy, and manage large-scale digital signage content across thousands of screens. Utilix allows brands to create multifaceted, data-driven content that responds to variables such as time of day, audience demographics, and promotional priorities, delivering the right message to the right audience, at the right time.

Nanolumens, Renova Technology Drive Sustainability and Design Innovation

Renova Technology has established a strategic service agreement with Nanolumens, a U.S.-based LED manufacturer offering innovative display solutions across multiple market segments including transportation hubs, universities, corporate offices, and themed entertainment venues.

The agreement leverages Renova's data analytics capabilities to create value beyond traditional service providers. By analyzing component performance from the field, Renova's Engineering Team provides actionable insights to Nanolumens' R&D department. This creates a feedback loop that improves product design, extends display lifecycles, and accelerates next-generation development. The announcement comes as Renova Technology approaches its 30th anniversary as a leader in technology lifecycle services.

The new collaboration benefits Nanolumens customers with uptime excellence, optimized service delivery, and future product iterations designed with real-world performance insights that drive continuous improvement.

Neutrik Group Americas Strengthens Presence in Mexico

Neutrik Group Americas is expanding its relationship with EXIT in Mexico. EXIT has advanced infrastructure and fiber expertise with a 15-year history of serving the broadcast, entertainment, retail, and government industries. As a trusted partner in the region, EXIT provides its clients with the complete portfolio of Neutrik Group brands throughout Mexico.

EXIT is a specialist in infrastructure design, backed by leading brands in the market, which guarantees excellent performance and durability. The company has existing relationships with top cabling manufacturers, so integrating Neutrik Group products on the connector side is a natural fit, as EXIT can seamlessly provide its customers with an end-to-end solution.

Pro AV Around the Globe

RTI appointed AV Intelligence as the distributor for RTI’s residential solutions in Singapore. Founded in 2010, AV Intelligence has showrooms in both Singapore and Kuala Lumpur and serves residential and commercial integrators as well as specialty dealers across the region. Product offerings include high-performance audio products, home cinema solutions, distributed audio systems, and control and automation products. The AV Intelligence team provides support services to regional dealers, and they collaborate closely with interior designers and architects to ensure seamless systems integration for any project.

The final two weeks of 2025 saw a barrage of moves across the Pro AV industry. Before the newsmakers of 2026 come rolling in, get caught up on people movers at WyreStorm, 3G Productions, and Humly, as well as partnerships and announcements from AVIXA, Extron, and many more.

[4 Opportunities in 2026 for Pro AV Integrators in Hospitality]

Before we start, if you are part of the broadcast convergence in Pro AV, don't forget to register for NAB Show 2026. The show will once again gather in Las Vegas to explore the ideas, tools, and technologies rewriting the rules of creation, distribution and monetization. This April, NAB Show returns with even more to discover, so register today.

People News

Todd Liedahl Joins 3G Productions as Chief Operating Officer

3G Productions has appointed Todd Liedahl to serve as its chief operating officer. Based at 3G’s Nashville location, Liedahl is now tasked with overseeing all company operations, with an emphasis on driving efficiency and scale as 3G continues to grow its presence into a national full-service provider.

Liedahl comes to 3G Productions’ newly-created COO position following a seven-year tenure with AV Stumpfl, where he served as the Austrian manufacturer’s president of U.S. operations. While there, he built the brand’s American business presence from the ground up and scaled operations to meet growing demand. Prior to that, he was with Encore Global—formerly PSAV—for more than two decades, where he progressed through leadership roles focused on sales, operations, and event technology. As a result, his experience spans touring, live corporate events, complex integration projects, virtual production, and equipment rentals, making him the ideal candidate for his current capacity with 3G.

Humly Promotes Jonathan Boutin to Head of Marketing

Humly has promoted Jonathan Boutin to head of marketing. Based in Stockholm, Boutin will lead all global marketing initiatives across strategy and communications, and ensure that all marketing activities align with the Humly brand. He reports to CEO Anders Karlsson.

Boutin joined Humly three years ago in a sales and marketing role that prioritized partner relations, business development, and market expansion, where he successfully established and grew the company’s channel partner network in North America. Many of his responsibilities required close collaboration with Humly’s sales operation, fueling his familiarity with customer challenges and how to address them through product line and sustained marketing efforts. Boutin has already been hard at work on a holistic rebranding initiative that will refine Humly’s marketing and messaging for the company’s next phase, better align Humly with ideal customer profiles, and extend the company’s brand presence. The latter includes expanding into new markets and verticals to increase brand value.

WyreStorm Appoints Paul Lee as VP of the Americas

WyreStorm Technologies welcomed Paul Lee as the new VP of the Americas. Lee brings with him a rich history in the Pro AV industry, with experience spanning sales leadership, business development, post-sales operations, and global partner engagement. From his early days in Southern California to supporting large-scale AV deployments around the world, Le has built a reputation for being a thoughtful leader who understands the industry from every angle.

In his new role, Lee leads the charge in shaping a customer-first organization, a core pillar of WyreStorm’s long-term growth strategy for the Americas. He will work closely with teams across sales, technical services, and marketing communications to ensure that every interaction with partners, integrators, and end users reflects WyreStorm’s commitment to service, simplicity, and long-term value.

Partnerships and Company News

529 Education Savings Plan Now Covers Expenses for AVIXA Certification Exams and Prep Resources

AVIXA certification exams and related education expenses are now eligible under the 529 education savings plan in the United States. Recent legislation expanded the scope of education and training costs covered by a 529 education savings plan, making professional development more accessible. This expansion can empower pro AV learners to pursue industry-recognized credentials using tax-advantaged funds.

Funds from a 529 savings plan cannot be used for AVIXA memberships, but eligible expenses include certification exam fees, prep courses, and related training materials. This includes expenses related to both in person and online prep courses to provide flexible learning for professionals seeking Certified Technology Specialist (CTS), CTS-D, CTS-I, and Audiovisual Network Professional (ANP) certifications. Eligible courses and fees include CTS Prep Pathway, CTS Prep Pathway Plus Exam, CTS-I Prep, CTS-D Prep, and ANP Prep. In addition, exam fees are covered for CTS, CTS-D, CTS-I, and ANP.

Bogen Communications Forms Partnership with Alertus

Bogen Communications announced a partnership with Alertus Technologies, a provider of mass notification and emergency communication solutions. The collaboration enables organizations to leverage Bogen Communications’ Nyquist IP-based paging platform with Alertus’ alerting tools for a more comprehensive, automated emergency communication across facilities.

Bogen Communications’ integration allows Alertus alert messages to play through Bogen Communications’ overhead speaker and paging systems, supporting both software-based and SIP phone system-based connections. Alertus can automatically trigger the Nyquist platform Routines API.Routines are powerful user-definable routines that can automatically launch a procedure, or sequence of actions that the Nyquist system executes in response to a defined “trigger” event. Through API-level communication, Alertus can automatically trigger these Nyquist Routines, share alert information for custom messaging and zoning, and display Nyquist system status directly within the Alertus console.

The integration between Bogen Communications and Alertus offers key benefits, including fully automated alert paging, software-driven routine activation, optional text-to-speech functionality through SIP Annunciators and deployment based on industry-standard tools without the need for custom development. Users can select software-level or SIP-based integration to accommodate varying network and system environments.

D-Tools Partners with AiN Group

D-Tools announced a new partnership with AiN Group, a national network of select security and AV dealers. As part of this collaboration, AiN members will receive special pricing and access to both D-Tools Cloud and System Integrator (SI), giving them the flexibility to adopt the platform that best supports their business model, project complexity, and growth strategy.

AiN Buying Group brings together independent businesses to leverage collective buying power and secure enhanced pricing, programs, and support from Pro AV brands. By adding the full D-Tools product suite to its member benefits, AiN is equipping dealers with solutions designed to streamline workflows, strengthen operations, improve margins, and elevate the customer experience.

Extron Joins PAVSC as Founding Level Partner

Extron is now a Founding Level Partner of the Professional Audio Visual Society of Canada (PAVSC), a newly established national organization committed to advancing the AV industry across Canada. Extron is uniquely positioned to contribute meaningfully to PAVSC's initiatives. The company looks forward to working alongside other industry leaders to support Canadian AV professionals at every stage of their careers.

“We’re honored to be a Founding Level Partner of PAVSC and to support its mission of building a stronger, more connected AV community in Canada,” said Casey Hall, chief marketing officer at Extron. “At Extron, we’ve always believed in the power of education, collaboration, and innovation to drive the industry forward. PAVSC’s focus on mentorship and professional development aligns perfectly with our core values and long-standing commitment to the AV industry.”

Mersive Management Invests for Controlling Interest in Mersive Technologies

The management team of Mersive Technologies announced an investment resulting in management owning the controlling interest in Mersive Technologies. The investment marks an exciting new chapter for the company.

Mersive has been majority owned by OpenGate Capital since 2017. Under OpenGate's ownership, Mersive expanded its global footprint, strengthened its channel relationships, and advanced its position as a category leader in enterprise collaboration technology. Mersive will continue to operate independently, with its leadership team and employees remaining in place.

Uniguest Opens New Nashville Headquarters

Uniguest officially opened its new corporate headquarters in Nashville, TN, on December 16, 2025, marking a major milestone in the company’s ongoing expansion. The move follows a period of significant growth over the past five years, during which Uniguest has strengthened its leadership position in digital signage, IPTV, and digital engagement software across multiple vertical markets worldwide.

After more than a decade on Kraft Drive, Uniguest’s new headquarters provides a modern, collaborative environment designed to foster innovation and connection. The facility includes a global testing lab, multiple partner certification and training rooms, flexible workspaces for employees, and a fully immersive customer experience center showcasing Uniguest’s full technology portfolio.

VITEC and Actelis Networks Announce Partnership to Bring IPTV to RF-Only Facilities  

VITEC and Actelis Networks, which designs cyber-hardened, rapid deployment networking solutions for IoT applications, announced a new partnership to deliver IPTV and digital signage to facilities operating on legacy RF coaxial infrastructure. This market-ready solution enables IP video distribution over existing coax cabling, eliminating the need for costly retrofits. By combining VITEC’s advanced IPTV platform with Actelis’ proven Gigaline technology, the collaboration opens new addressable markets and makes modern IPTV and digital signage accessible to venues and organizations with RF-only networks.

The joint solution utilizes Actelis’ aggregation and endpoint devices and software, enabling seamless conversion between Ethernet and RF protocols. The system ensures efficient, reliable video delivery to thousands of endpoints, while compatible with legacy infrastructure and requiring minimal network modifications, making it ideal for phased implementations and large environments where continuous operation is essential. The joint solution can be deployed as the primary IP video transmission option, or it can be deployed as a hybrid solution in existing IPTV environments that need to extend their IPTV and digital signage to non-upgraded facilities that have RF only infrastructure.

Pro AV Around the World

AtlasIED announced its new agreement with MMconcept, a Netherlands-based distribution partner that will assist in the expansion of AtlasIED’s European footprint. The MMconcept team prides itself on offering this exact quality, making this partnership lineup perfect. AtlasIED’s reputation for delivering top-tier microphone systems and stands has cemented its position as a preferred provider among professionals in the music and recording industry. By integrating MMconcept's distribution capabilities, AtlasIED will effectively leverage local insights and market trends to tailor its offerings to the specific needs of European customers.

AudioControl announced the appointment of Miantic AV as distributor of residential AV solutions in India. AudioControl joins RTI as part of the AVPro Global family of premium brands represented by Miantic in the region. Miantic AV is a specialist distributor of market-leading technologies, supplying professional AV installers with innovative, award-winning audio/video products and integrated whole home solutions. Founded in 2016, Miantic AV is based in Hyderabad, Telangana, India, where the company operates an experience center displaying the latest solutions, with a satellite corporate office in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. The Miantic team has established a reputation for supporting integrators in the region with outstanding services and best-in-class solutions.

RTI appointed the Adeo Group as the distributor for RTI residential and commercial solutions in Italy. This collaboration strengthens RTI’s presence in a key European market, bringing its latest innovations even closer to Italian integrators. Founded in 2003 and based in Stazione di Lavis, Italy, Adeo Group is a distributor specializing in audio, video, automation, lighting control, security, home cinema, and networking solutions for professional integrators and AV specialists. Adeo Group has an experienced team covering all of Italy that supports the design, installation, and adoption of the most advanced technologies and automation platforms, both before and after deployment, ensuring the most efficient process as well as customer satisfaction.

WyreStorm Technologies announced a new distribution partnership with Trustech AV Solution to deliver WyreStorm’s extensive AV portfolio across India. With a broad footprint spanning tier-1, tier-2, and emerging cities throughout India, Trustech brings deep market expertise, proven logistics capability, and strong relationships across multiple verticals, including corporate, education, hospitality, government, and enterprise. The partnership is designed to support rapid deployment, local stock availability, and seamless access to WyreStorm solutions for partners and end users nationwide.

The new year is quickly approaching, but 2025 refuses to slow down. This week there personnel moves from Advanced Systems Group, AV Stumpfl, and more as several companies made new strategic partnerships.

[The Talent Challenge]

Get caught up below.

People News

Macky Beheshti Joins Advanced Systems Group

Advanced Systems Group (ASG) appointed Macky Beheshti as director of enterprise storage and systems. In this role, he focuses in the key areas of traditional IT facility integration, enterprise software, workflow solutions, managed services, and cloud orchestration for as-service delivery models.

Macky’s expertise plays a key role in expanding the company’s footprint into new verticals. Sectors such as corporate, education, government organizations, and healthcare all require secure and flexible storage and systems integration for mission-critical applications that can benefit from ASG’ enterprise-level support.

Richard Baldinger Joins AV Stumpfl as Managing Director, USA

AV Stumpfl welcomed Richard Baldinger as managing director of its U.S. subsidiary with offices in Atlanta, GA, and Santa Monica, CA. He brings more than 15 years of international leadership experience, with a strong track record of helping companies grow, scale and succeed in the U.S. market. His professional background spans sales, marketing, service, and product management, giving him a comprehensive perspective on building customer-centric organizations.

Most recently, Baldinger served as director of sales and marketing at Fronius USA, where he played a pivotal role in building the U.S. marketing and inside sales teams and led the company’s U.S. solar energy business unit. He also managed various media projects at the Ars Electronica Center in Linz, Austria, and organized dozens of events in various venues.

d&b audiotechnik North American Announces Key New Appointments in Canada

d&b audiotechnik North America made several new appointments in Canada. The company welcomed Cameron Wilkison to the role of managing director, d&b Canada. Wilkison will actively manage the overall business activities for d&b audiotechnik in the Canadian marketplace. Since joining the d&b Canada team in 2019, Wilkison has been overseeing and managing sales for western Canada. A veteran of the professional audio industry, Wilkison was previously with Canadian professional audio manufacturer Radial Engineering and Primacoustic, where he was involved in product development and responsible for a variety of sales and marketing activities throughout the region and internationally.

Francois Corbin, former managing director, and a key member of the d&b audiotechnik leadership team, will assume an advisory role for the company. Corbin will remain on staff in the near-term to facilitate the transition to the new managing director for d&b audiotechnik Canada.
d&b audiotechnik North America also appointed Pierre-Paul Gignac to the role of sales support specialist, which entails education and application support for Canada and regional sales for the province of Quebec. An audio systems designer for more than 22 years, Gignac was previously an independent contractor hired directly by clients for his audio engineering expertise and was also a key member of the Solotech design services team, where he was responsible for overseeing all design services for the Quebec City, Solotech office.

Nanolumens Adds Ryan Fowler and Tim DeLaere

Nanolumens has added two industry leaders, Ryan Fowler and Tim DeLaere, to strengthen the company’s presence in the federal and command and control markets. Fowler joins as federal segment leader, and DeLaere joins as control room segment leader. Their appointments emphasize Nanolumens’ focus on expanding its reach in high-demand, mission-critical environments through TAA-compliant displays and the secure Aurora platform.

Fowler brings over 20 years of experience in federal market development, account management and audiovisual technology sales. In his new role, Fowler leads Nanolumens’ federal channel strategy, working with partners and integrators to support government customers with tailored LED visualization solutions as the company continues emphasizing new markets with industry experts. DeLaere joins Nanolumens with more than 25 years of experience in advanced visualization, command and control environments and mission-critical system design. DeLaere focuses on strengthening Nanolumens’ partner ecosystem and expanding the company’s footprint in mission-critical sectors that require high-performance LED displays while highlighting the company’s broad TAA line up and secure Aurora processing platform.

Wisycom, DPA Microphones Appoint René Moerch as Group Product Director, Wireless

Wisycom and DPA Microphones have appointed René Moerch as group product director, wireless, a strategic leadership role that guides the combined wireless product roadmap for both companies. Following an increased investment in wireless product development, this appointment strengthens the brands’ joint management structure, reinforcing a unified approach to innovation across wireless microphones, IEMs, and RF distribution solutions.

Moerch has spent more than a decade with DPA, including nine years in product management and four years dedicated to wireless development. His recent contributions include his key role in developing the DPA N-Series Wireless System. With a deep understanding of the global broadcast, live production, and other pro audio sectors, Moerch plays a pivotal role in accelerating the delivery of next-generation RF technologies across both the Wisycom and DPA portfolios.

Having collaborated closely with Wisycom for several years, Moerch steps into this expanded cross-company role at a time when the brands are aligning more closely than ever to serve the market with high-performance, integrated wireless solutions. He leads new product introduction efforts at Wisycom’s headquarters in Italy and DPA’s facilities in Denmark, working on-site and remotely with the engineering, product and leadership teams. In addition to overseeing product strategy, Moerch is also part of the management teams of both companies.

Company News

AIMS Announces Inaugural IPMX Product Testing and Certification Event

The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), together with the Video Services Forum (VSF), the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA), and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), announced that the first official Internet Protocol Media Experience (IPMX) Product Testing and Certification Event. A major milestone for the IPMX initiative, the event will take place January 19–23, 2026, at the EBU headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the EBU having played an important role in the development and adoption of open media standards in the broadcast industry.

For the first time, manufacturers will have the opportunity to complete formal certification of products built to the IPMX set of specifications for professional media over IP. Certified products will qualify to carry the IPMX branding, signaling compliance with a rigorously verified set of transport and interoperability requirements.

Blackwire Announces New Partnership with Dylan Innovations

Blackwire Designs announced a new strategic partnership with Dylan Innovations, a provider of racks, TV brackets, structured wiring, and flush mounts. The Dylan Innovations lineup is now available at Blackwire, strengthening their position as a one-stop source for professional integrators.

This partnership is a direct response to the needs of the Blackwire dealer network and reinforces the company’s commitment to providing equipment that delivers real-world performance. With Dylan Innovations now in the lineup, integrators gain access to the full suite of products, including their signature flush-mount solutions for hidden outlets, robust rack systems designed for maximum accessibility, and articulating brackets. This partnership enhances Blackwire’s overall offering, making it easier than ever to find the right parts from a single, trusted source.

DVDO Bolsters Western U.S. Presencewith New Regional Sales Manager and Rep Firm Appointments

DVDO has expanded its sales presence across the Western United States with the hiring of industry veteran Pete Fox as Western Regional sales manager and the addition of three new manufacturers’ representative firms.

With more than two decades of experience in the Pro AV and technology sectors, Fox brings a proven track record of driving sales growth, establishing strong partner relationships, and supporting integrators throughout the project lifecycle. In his new role, Fox will lead DVDO’s expansion efforts across the Western region, strengthening customer engagement and supporting DVDO’s rapidly growing portfolio of AV and communication solutions.

To further enhance regional coverage and better support integrators and resellers, DVDO has also appointed the following sales representative firms: Southern California and Southern Nevada: Maxom Group; Rocky Mountains: CB Electronic Marketing; and Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas: Reliable AV Marketing.

#GALSNGEAR 2026 Leadership Retreats Announced

#GALSNGEAR is launching two signature leadership retreats in early 2026, designed to equip women in media, entertainment, and technology with the tools to lead with confidence and clarity. Leadership Retreat East will take place on Jan. 16 in Columbia, MD, timed ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. weekend to honor the spirit of equity and inclusion. Leadership Retreat West takes place on March 6 in Burbank, CA, in celebration of International Women’s Day/Month. The East event is hosted by Vectorworks, and both events are sponsored by Diversified.

Leadership Retreat East will be held at Vectorworks just minutes from BWI Airport. The program begins on the evening of Jan. 15 with a welcome networking event at Old Line Kitchen & Bar, offering attendees a chance to connect before the full-day workshop. The networking event will feature a Tequila tasting of TCapri, a hand-crafted small batch brand that is Black woman-owned. Founder Tiffany Capri Hainesworth will be participating in the retreat panel on career pivots.

Leadership Retreat West will be hosted by Keycode Media. With an understanding of the ongoing media and tech workforce disruptions brought on by mergers, layoffs, and the emergence of GenAI, this gathering will focus on emerging technologies and personal brand-building strategies in a changing employment environment. In addition to its work supporting “tequity” in the workplace, #GALSNGEAR recognizes that building a more sustainable and equitable industry also means engaging around climate impact. As such, Leadership Retreat West will include a special session on the Media Climate Accord and how women leaders can help move the industry forward on those goals.

Midwich Adds Turtle AV to its Expanding Portfolio of Professional AV Solutions

Midwich announced a new U.S. distribution partnership with Turtle AV, a manufacturer of Dante-enabled audio and video solutions, AV over IP platforms, USB extension products, and signal processing tools. The addition of Turtle AV strengthens Midwich’s portfolio and provides integrators across the country with streamlined access to a rapidly expanding range of network ready AV technologies.

Under the new agreement, Midwich will distribute Turtle AV’s full product collection including Dante AV A encoders and decoders, Dante audio products, Dolby Atmos and DTS converters, USB extenders, video wall processors, and Chazy Control.

Panasonic Partners on the Fairway

Panasonic Projector & Display Americas announced its partnership with TGL presented by SoFi, the team golf league fusing advanced technology, live action, and global fan engagement. Through this partnership, Panasonic joins TGL as its Official Projector Partner, providing its innovative projection technology that brings the league’s gameplay to life on its 64-by-53-foot screen, which is approximately 24 times the size of a standard golf simulator screen.

[TGL Playoffs: Technology at the Tee]

As part of the multi-year agreement, Panasonic delivers professional projection systems that help power the immersive environments within TGL’s custom-built SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. This includes Panasonic’s flagship PT-RQ50K 4K projectors, nine units in total, each delivering an impressive 50,000 lumens of brightness and native 4K resolution. Together, these high-performance systems deliver stunning color, detail, and intensity, creating a truly lifelike and dynamic visual experience that blurs the line between physical and virtual play.

Riedel and Racing Electronics Announce Strategic Partnership

Riedel Communications announced it has formed a strategic partnership with Racing Electronics, a provider of motorsport communication equipment in the United States, to deliver communication solutions that enhance safety, efficiency, and performance for race operations, controls, teams, drivers, and fans alike.

This collaboration brings together Riedel Communications' expertise in advanced intercom technologies, including their pioneering Artist-1024 infrastructures and award-winning Bolero wireless intercom system, with Racing Electronics' extensive radio communications experience, wide range of U.S. market-specific tailored communication accessories, and its reputation as a legendary force in the country’s motorsport industry.

Based on the partnership, Riedel will open new North America Motorsport Competence Centers in Racing Electronics’ facilities, building substantial staff and equipment resources to support both U.S. and visiting racing events. By combining Riedel's technologies shaped on large racing series, such as Formula 1 over decades, with Racing Electronics' products and customer service, this collaboration will provide seamless, reliable, and high-quality communication systems for all motorsport levels.

QuickLink Announces New U.S. Distribution PartnershipWith Broadfield Distributing

QuickLink announced a new distribution partnership with Broadfield Distributing, one of the industry’s most trusted sources for professional video, broadcast and AV workflow solutions. Under this agreement, Broadfield will distribute QuickLink’s full range of solutions throughout the United States, significantly expanding availability for customers across the region.

Through this partnership, QuickLink’s innovative offerings, including StudioPro, StudioEdge, and its full suite of remote production tools, will be added to Broadfield’s extensive product line inventory. The collaboration opens QuickLink products to Broadfield’s expansive reseller network, making it easier and more efficient than ever for U.S. customers to integrate QuickLink’s technology into their workflows.

Pro AV Around th Globe

DirectOut Technologies, based in Mittweida, Germany, welcomed DWR Distribution as is its new partner in South Africa. Established in 2006, DWR Distribution is a trusted distributor of audio, lighting, AV, and LED display solutions, offering full technical solutions for the architectural, commercial, broadcast, and entertainment markets. The company is also home to DiGiCo consoles in South Africa, a relationship that laid the foundation for the new partnership with DirectOut, as Kyle Robson, sales, support specialist for DWR explained.

Stage Audio Works (SAW) is closing out their 25^th anniversary year with a series of major investments in the manufacturing capabilities at its headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa. The company has expanded its in-house production capacity through investment in several new pieces of machinery, including a direct-to-material printer, a new CNC machine, an aluminium extrusion rolling machine and a dedicated embroidery machine. These developments consolidate more processes under one roof, enhancing quality control, speeding up production times and encouraging creative flexibility.

It was a relatively quiet week coming out of the Thanksgiving break, which is a bit surprising with all the acquisitions, partnerships, and people movers Pro AV has seen in 2025.

That's not to say we didn't have news. Including, yes, another acquisition.

[SCN Top 50 Systems Integrators 2025]

TRISON, a global company dedicated to the digital transformation of physical spaces, acquired Pioneer Group on Dec. 1. Pioneer Group focuses on being a multi-service provider of audiovisual solutions, network infrastructure, and electrical services mainly in the quick service restaurants and stadia verticals as well as retailers and corporate clients. This acquisition expands TRISON offerings by leveraging the expertise that Pioneer Group has gained over its 14 years in business. Pioneer Group has a strong client base that includes well-known names such as KFC, Joe and The Juice, and numerous sports clubs.

“This strategic acquisition underscores our unwavering commitment to global growth and to delivering customer experience solutions that profoundly and measurably influence our clients’ businesses," said Alberto Caceres Tejedor, global CEO of TRISON. "We aim to provide not only exceptional quality solutions but also unparalleled customer service. By joining forces with the talented team at Pioneer Group, we are poised to unlock even greater value for our customers and accelerate our journey towards sustained growth in the UK and beyond."

Now, check out last week's happenings in your weekly roundup.

People News

Alfalite Appoints Mariano Aragón as America Channel Sales Manager

Alfalite appointed Mariano Aragón as America channel sales manager, a new position aimed at expanding the company’s presence in the United States through strategic partnerships with system integrators and technology providers in the broadcast, virtual production (VP XR), workspace, government, and Security Operations Center (SOC) sectors.

Based in the U.S., Aragón leads Alfalite’s channel development strategy to expand its presence across North America. His mission is to position Alfalite as a trusted partner for studios, television networks, production companies, and corporate clients seeking the highest standards of quality, precision, and reliability in LED display solutions.

With over two decades of experience in international B2B sales and market development within the broadcast-media and technology services industries, Aragón brings a strong track record in business strategy, partner programs, and brand expansion. Early in his career, he spent more than eight years as international Affiliate sales director for RTVE—Spain’s national public broadcaster—where he was based in Miami and responsible for expanding RTVE’s distribution and partnerships across the Americas. For the past 10 years Aragón has worked an independent consultant advising international companies on market-entry and business development strategies in Latin America and the United States, helping technology brands scale their operations and partner ecosystems in competitive markets.

Ampetronic | Listen Technologies Announce Promotions and a New Hire

Listen Technologies and Ampetronic announced two promotions and a new hire. The brands have promoted David Serpa to VP of finance, and Sam Burkinshaw to head of strategic business development and partnerships. They have welcomed Irene Kondos as global inside sales and customer success manager. Serpa, Burkinshaw, and Kondos play important roles in helping Listen Technologies and Ampetronic advance their shared mission to make audio accessible to everyone.

As VP of finance, Serpa works closely with the executive team to shape financial strategy and support growth initiatives. He drives forecasting, budgeting, and scenario-planning and ensures financial decisions are data-driven and aligned with the organization’s long-term goals. He mentors the finance team and collaborates with sales, operations, and product leaders to drive results across the business. Previously, Serpa was the financial controller at Listen Technologies.

In his new role, Burkinshaw works closely with marketing, product management, sales leadership, and partners to shape go-to-market strategies and support the evolution of the full Ampetronic | Listen Technologies product portfolio. He also leads the exploration of new partnership opportunities and emerging technology collaborations. Previously, Burkinshaw served as head of business development at Ampetronic | Listen Technologies.

As the global inside sales and customer success manager, Kondos drives revenue growth, ensures outstanding customer interactions, and supports international partner engagement. She collaborates across functions, ensuring inside sales activities are aligned with company goals. Before joining the Listen Technologies and Ampetronic teams, Kondos led sales and business development for a company in the language industry. In that role, she used and recommended Listen Technologies solutions to support interpretation and language distribution.

Shure Forms New Strategic Alliances Team

Shure has formed a new Strategic Alliances team dedicated to strengthening partnerships, expanding the company’s technology ecosystem, and driving transformation across global markets. The creation of this team underscores Shure’s commitment to advancing collaboration within the UC and professional audio sectors by building deeper relationships with key technology partners and accelerating innovation through strategic engagement.

Leading the new Strategic Alliances organization is senior director Boris Seibert, who joins Shure from Logitech, where he served as a global sales leader driving B2B transformation and go-to-market execution. His new team will focus on building deep alliances with technology partners, driving ecosystem engagement, and enabling transformative partnerships that expand Shure’s reach, open new revenue streams, and accelerate customer adoption of next-generation solutions.

Symetrix Welcomes Jason DiCampello as Eastern Regional Sales Manager

Symetrix has welcomed Jason DiCampello, CTS, as Eastern regional sales manager. With over 25 years of experience in the Pro AV industry, DiCampello brings a wealth of expertise, integrity, and passion to his new role.

DiCampello is recognized for his consultative approach and deep commitment to customer success. Throughout his career, he has built strong relationships across the Eastern United States—particularly in Metro New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland—by delivering thoughtful solutions and trusted support.

Prior to joining Symetrix, DiCampello spent two decades at ClearOne, where he played a pivotal role in driving regional growth, mentoring teams, and shaping strategic initiatives. His background also includes work as a field application engineer, designing client audio solutions and providing software and audio training for integrators.

Company News