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.

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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

ACT Entertainment, SGM Lighting Announce Exclusive U.S. and Canada Distribution Partnership for New PALCO Family

SGM Lighting is pleased to announce an exciting new partnership with ACT Entertainment, under which ACT will serve as the exclusive distributor for SGM’s newly unveiled PALCO Family of entertainment and touring wash lights throughout the United States and Canada.

The introduction of the PALCO Family marks a significant milestone for SGM Lighting, representing a true “return to form” in the entertainment lighting sector. Following the successful launch of SGM’s new POI architectural lighting families, the PALCO Family reaffirms the company’s commitment to innovation and excellence in both architectural and entertainment markets.

It is important to note that SGM’s existing portfolio of architectural and legacy entertainment products—including the popular P-6, Q-8 and P-10 wash lights, as well as the VPL series, and the newly launched POI Family—will continue to be sold and serviced through SGM’s existing agent and dealer network. This exclusive distribution arrangement with ACT applies solely to the PALCO family. In addition, SGM’s current agent network will maintain access to the PALCO product line through a unique cooperative arrangement designed to leverage the reach and depth of SGM’s established agent network in the U.S. and Canada, ensuring continued strong support for customers across the continent.

Adamson Appoints PIB Indonesia as Exclusive Distributor in Jakarta, Indonesia

Adamson has appointed PT. Panca Inti Bermitra (PIB Indonesia) as its exclusive distributor in Indonesia. This strategic partnership marks a significant milestone in Adamson’s expansion across Southeast Asia.

With decades of experience in professional audio distribution and integration, PIB Indonesia has built a reputation for excellence, technical expertise, and customer-centric service. The company will now represent Adamson’s full range of products, including the acclaimed CS-Series, IS-Series, and Vergence Group, ensuring Indonesian customers have direct access to cutting-edge sound reinforcement technologies.

AJA Video Systems joins RAVENNA Community

Video technology manufacturer AJA Video Systems, has become the latest company to join the RAVENNA community, a network of partners designed to advance the RAVENNA standard for distributing real-time audio over internet protocol (AoIP).

As a result of the collaboration, AJA’s popular DANTE-12GAM and OG-DANTE-12GAM audio embedder/disembedder products support RAVENNA. These AJA solutions make it easy to bridge between SDI and AoIP infrastructures and include dual 12G-SDI input and outputs, providing up to 32-channels of audio embedding and 32-channels of disembedding simultaneously for a total I/O capacity of 64-channels.

C2G.com Migrates to LegrandAV.com

The C2G.com website will officially migrate to LegrandAV.com, marking a strategic step in aligning the C2G brand more closely with the broader Legrand | AV portfolio. All traffic to C2G.com will automatically redirect to a dedicated C2G product destination at the new website (which you can get to by clicking here), where customers will continue to access the full C2G catalog, product information, warranty details, and technical resources.

As part of the transition, customers who currently purchase directly through C2G.com will find the same functionality on LegrandAV.com, including the ability to browse by part number, review technical specifications, access resources, and use the robust MyAccount portal tools for quotes, orders, tracking, and returns. Customers without a Legrand | AV account may continue purchasing through trusted channel partners, which will all remain fully supported purchasing paths.

Riedel and Haivision Join Forces to Advance WirelessVideo Transmission

Riedel Communications and Haivision have a new partnership allowing selected Haivision products to be offered as part of Riedel’s managed technology services. By combining Haivision’s ultra-low-latency live video transmission systems with Riedel’s Easy5G Private 5G solution, customers will be able to source comprehensive wireless video solutions from a single provider, including planning, operation, and support delivered by Riedel’s managed technology team.

The joint setup made its debut on November 11 at German public broadcaster WDR’s live broadcast marking the start of the Cologne Carnival season. Two Easy5G base stations provided reliable coverage across the entire Heumarkt, one of Cologne’s largest public squares. Two of WDR’s 10 cameras were equipped with Haivision’s 5G mobile video transmitters, one stationary wireless camera aimed at the audience, and one mobile unit used for live interviews and dynamic stage shots. The transmitters converted the SDI signals to IP and delivered them with stable, low-latency performance over the Easy5G Private 5G network to the Haivision StreamHub receivers in the OB truck.

December is upon us, but November went out with a bang in the Pro AV world. Right before the Thanksgiving holiday, Broadsign acquired Place Exchange, an independent OOH supply-side platform (SSP), with a minority investment from Crestline Investors. The strategic move combines Broadsign’s content management system, ad serving, and buy-and-sell side capabilities with Place Exchange’s SSP and complementary solutions. You can get the full details in our coverage by clicking here.

Now, before December brings a flurry of winter Pro AV moves, let's get caught up on the final week of November.

People News

Jim Veltrie, President/CEO, Tower Products Retires

After a long and distinguished career, James A. “Jim” Veltrie president and CEO of Tower Products, and its internationally known divisions, Markertek and TecNec Distributing, has announced his retirement effective December 30th, 2025.

Veltrie was one of the first employees hired by Mark Braunstein, founder, president, and CEO as well as chairman of the board of Tower Products, in 1987. He was appointed to the president and CEO position upon Braunstein’s retirement in 2016.

Throughout his 38-year career, Veltrie has been an integral part of the company’s consistent growth and stability, establishing long-term, positive business partnerships. He also led the successful transition to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) Company, a milestone that solidified the company’s future.

Veltrie worked closely with Tower’s board of directors to elect a successor. Current chief marketing officer, Gregory DeCelle will be named president and CEO upon his retirement. DeCelle will bring his extensive knowledge of the industry, 32-year tenure, experience and leadership as he and Veltrie work together toward a smooth transition.

Company News

Arlington Appoints New Rep in Upstate New York

Arlington’s line in upstate New York will be represented by Lachut Electrical Sales of North Syracuse, NY. Founded by Ron Lachut, Lachut Electrical Sales has been in business since 1980. His son, Jason Lachut, is the president and principal of the company. Lachut Electrical Sales will assume responsibility for sales and create demand for Arlington’s products in upstate New York, replacing Flynn-Reynolds who resigned the Arlington line.

Clockaudio Moves Stateside

Clockaudio (UK) has launched a new distribution operation in the United States. As part of this transition, distribution operations will shift from Canada to the United States to better serve the growing American market. This important move will facilitate the logistics by having all the products shipped domestically and ensure even faster delivery times across the United States.

Clockaudio USA will be based in Minnesota and includes a team with years of experience and expertise in microphones, audio hardware, and software integration. They will play a key role in supporting Clockaudio (UK) advance into the expanding U.S. market. Together, the companies aim to provide seamless access to high-performance audio products for the Pro AV world.

CODA Audio Partners with Production Futures

CODA Audio has partnered with the Production Futures organization. Production Futures was founded to create opportunities for newcomers to gain access, learn, train, network, and develop careers in the production industries, working with its partners to bridge the skills gap, support fresh talent, and future-proof the sector.

Through its online platforms and ON TOUR events, the Production Futures community helps to connect new faces with real opportunities, with representatives of its brand partners available to offer advice, as well as access to training and job opportunities. The organization’s pledge is that by 2030, every business in the entertainment production industry should be able to offer a placement, apprenticeship, or training opportunity.

Epson, Vivi Join Forces to 'Redefine How Teachers Connect with Students'

Epson announced a partnership with classroom engagement, campus communications, and school safety software creator, Vivi, to help simplify wireless screen mirroring in educational settings.

Uniting high-impact projection with the freedom and flexibility of wireless teaching, Epson and Vivi offer a seamless solution to help educators bring concepts to life in real time. This partnership supports an integrated solution designed specifically for K-12 learning environments that empowers teachers to untether from the front of the room and enables students share content, capture screenshots of the teacher’s display, annotate, and interact collaboratively. Teachers can play content, give permissions to students to share, get immediate feedback and more to encourage collaboration. It also simplifies IT administration with a flexible, OS-agnostic platform.

Vivi and Epson worked together on this modern solution to help schools simplify AV IT ecosystems. Providing an alternative to flat panels, without sacrificing functionality or impact, Epson’s wide range of 3-chip 3LCD projectors, from interactive displays to high-lumen options, breathe new life into ordinary walls and spaces with bright, vibrant, high-resolution images. When paired with Vivi’s wireless screen sharing, digital signage, communication and safety tools, schools get a solution that supports immersive learning and turns nearly any lesson, or space, into a multi-sensory experience.

ViewSonic Launches Certification Program for Direct View LED Installations

ViewSonic has launched a dvLED Installation Certification Program. Created for AV installers, the program facilitates integrators and contractors to install ViewSonic dvLED solutions effectively and efficiently.

As the dvLED market grows, the Installation Certification Program allows installers and integrators the opportunity to build their customer base and offer on-site support, as well as create an additional revenue stream. The program will kick-off in December 2025 in Brea, CA, with future locations and dates to be announced throughout 2026.

The program includes two days of instructor-led, on-site training combined with hands-on coaching using actual products and components. Each course is designed to ensure installers and integrators fully understand dvLED core technologies and learn proper installation practices for ViewSonic Direct View LED solutions through extensive, practical training.

Pro AV Around the Globe

Bolin Technology has a new strategic partnership with Nippon RAD of Tokyo, Japan. The strategic partnership marks Bolin’s first in Japan and represents a major step in strengthening its presence across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region—an emerging market for IP-based broadcast and Pro AV technologies. Through this new agreement, Nippon RAD will serve as a strategic business partner representing Bolin’s entire line of PTZ cameras and accessories in Japan, providing local sales, technical support, and demonstration capabilities for Bolin products.

L-Acoustics opened its expanded Asia-Pacific regional headquarters in Singapore. The new facility includes a dedicated L-Acoustics Creative Studio where artists, content creators, and partners can discover, experiment with, and create spatial audio mixes using L-Acoustics groundbreaking immersive sound technology. The new headquarters features the L-Acoustics Creative Studio, a 506-square-foot (47-square-meter) immersive audio studio equipped with 23 L-Acoustics speakers arranged in a three-dimensional configuration—including frontal, surround, and overhead arrays. The space is also equipped with L-Acoustics DJ technology, the latest immersive innovation for club and festival environments, enabling DJs and electronic music artists to learn the technology and prepare spatial sets.

LEA Professional has partnered with Audio Americas, a manufacturer’s representative that will enhance LEA’s presence in Latin America. Audio Americas will bring LEA’s rich technology catalog to channel partners across the region. Audio Americas specializes in commercial and residential AV, with a stable of over 120 customers in 24 countries. Through this partnership, Audio Americas will represent LEA Professional’s Network Connect series of professional amplifiers and companion Dante Connect series featuring Dante and AES67 connectivity.

A week has surprisingly passed without a Pro AV acquisition, but that doesn't mean there wasn't plenty of headliners to go around. AVIXA has some new board and LSC members, AVPros has a new name, and places like Sharp and Follow-Me had people on the move.

[SCN Installation Showcase 2025]

Get caught up on what you may have missed last week below.

PEOPLE NEWS

AVIXA Announces 2026 Board of Directors

AVIXA has named its 2026 AVIXA Board of Directors and Leadership Search Committee.

John Bailey, SVP, technology and innovation, AVI-SPL, has been elected as secretary-treasurer of the Board by AVIXA membership. AVIXA members also elected to the board Loubna Imenchal, managing director, Middle East, Turkey, Central Asia, and Africa (MEA) at Axis Communications; and Cristiano Mazza, CTS, partner, Grupo Discabos.

The AVIXA Leadership Search Committee (LSC) has appointed Ilya Bukshteyn, corporate VP for Microsoft Teams calling, devices, and premium experiences; John Joseph, co-founder and managing director, Blue Rhine Industries; and Christine Schyvinck, president and CEO, Shure, to AVIXA’s board of directors.

Carolina Sosa, CFO of Integración AV, has been elected by AVIXA members to the Leadership Search Committee. In addition, Jatan Shah, chair of the AVIXA board of directors, has appointed Faye Bennett, founder and managing director of Faye Bennett Consultancy Services, and Christine Rogers, VP of XTG, AVI-SPL, to the Leadership Search Committee (LSC).

A complete listing of the 2026 AVIXA Board of Directors appears below:

LSC chair: Jatan Shah, QSC
Chair of the board of directors: Tobias Lang, LANG AG
Vice chair: Mradul Sharma, 3CDN Workplace Tech
Secretary-treasurer: John Bailey, AVI-SPL
Directors: Kristin Bidwell, Audiovisual Consulting Team; Ilya Bukshteyn, Microsoft; Nicholas E. Cox, Sr., Mizuho Americas; Loubna Imenchal, Axis Communications; John Joseph, Blue Rhine Industries; Cristiano Mazza, Grupo Discabos; Christine Schyvinck, Shure; and Tom Shen, Shen Milsom & Wilke.

Follow-Me appoints Menno Appelhof as Technical Sales Specialist

Follow-Me has appointed Menno Appelhof to the role of technical sales specialist. With 35 years of experience spanning lighting design, operations, and sales across the live entertainment industry, Appelhof plays a pivotal role in expanding Follow-Me's global distribution and sales partner network while supporting both partners, designers, and end users with technical expertise. His focus is on streamlining operations for partners, designers, and end users to ensure Follow-Me continues to deliver its performer tracking technology and support in the industry.

Appelhof's extensive career began in the mid-1980s, when he started building shows and pushing flight cases at just 15 years old. His journey evolved through lighting design and programming to sales, where he established his own distribution company representing lighting brands. Throughout his career, he has worked with companies including Avolites and Elation, gaining deep expertise in control systems and lighting technology.

Neutrik Americas Appoints Stacy Kaskonas Director of Key Accounts and Systems Integration

Neutrik Americas has appointed Stacy Kaskon as director of key accounts and systems integration. In this newly defined role, Kaskon leads strategic partnerships and engagement initiatives with Neutrik Americas’ customers across the Americas, focusing on long-term collaboration, systems integration, and customized connectivity solutions within the professional AVL (Audio, Video, Lighting) market.

Kaskon joined Neutrik Americas in May 2011 and has since held several leadership positions in sales and business development. Throughout her tenure, she has played a pivotal role in building trusted relationships with key accounts, driving growth in core product lines, and supporting the company’s expansion into new solution areas.

Sharp Names Robert Davis VP of Services and Solutions

Robert Davis has joined Sharp's professional display business as VP of services and solutions. In his new role, he works across the professional display organization to drive Sharp's commitment to delivering an enhanced customer experience for end users and dealers. In addition, his leadership and experience is critical to scaling Sharp's LED business.

Throughout his career, he has focused on building high-performing teams and developing the next generation of key decision makers. Known for transforming service organizations into strategic growth engines, Davis brings a unique ability to align customer experience with long-term business value. His stewardship has supported innovation, operational efficiency, and recurring revenue growth across diverse industries, with companies such as Fifth Third Bank, Convergys Corporation, ADT, Johnson Controls, and Samsung.

COMPANY NEWS

AVPros Rebrand to Tecnetics

AVPros has rebranded to Tecnetics. The new name reflects the organization’s expanded capabilities beyond audiovisual integration, encompassing low voltage infrastructure, physical security, and managed IT field services designed to deliver complete, measurable outcomes across every layer of enterprise technology.

Under the leadership of two industry veterans, Ciaran Hamilton and Giovanni Agramonte's shared vision, complementary expertise, and passion for innovation, will define the company’s approach to technology integration. Hamilton leads with a consultative mindset—bridging engineering precision with strategic insight to help organizations adopt solutions that enhance the way they work. Agramonte, a seasoned AV and IT professional, brings extensive experience in system design, implementation, and operations management, ensuring each project is delivered seamlessly from planning to post-support.

The name “Tecnetics” encapsulates the company’s focus on technical precision, connectivity, and integrated delivery. While the company’s guiding vision, “Connecting Technology to Business Outcomes,” underscores its mission to deliver measurable, scalable, and secure technology ecosystems that directly support operational goals.

Sean Wargo, Lee Dodson Partner with Jetbuilt

Jetbuilt has partnered with industry veterans Sean Wargo and Lee Dodson of the newly formed Apogee Insight to advance its market intelligence initiatives and deliver insights to the professional audiovisual industry. The partnership combines Jetbuilt’s ecosystem with Wargo and Dodson’s decades of experience in research, analytics, and market strategy. Together, the team will develop a comprehensive data initiative designed to help industry professionals identify emerging trends, evaluate market potential and make more informed business decisions.

By applying advanced analytics to this real-world data, Jetbuilt’s new initiative will reveal how technologies are being specified, which markets are growing and where demand is shifting across verticals such as education, corporate, government and entertainment. Unlike traditional industry reports, which rely heavily on surveys or limited sampling, Jetbuilt’s dataset reflects verified project activity from professionals actively designing and delivering audiovisual systems. Jetbuilt’s direct connection to the market makes the data more accurate, current, and representative of actual industry movement.

The collaboration will extend beyond reporting statistics to interpreting the meaning behind those numbers. By combining Wargo’s background in data science and market methodology with Dodson’s operational experience as a manufacturer and marketing executive, Jetbuilt’s initiative will translate complex analytics into meaningful narratives.

Nanolumens, Noro Partner to Launch Portal for Human-Centered Hybrid Collaboration

Nanolumens and Noro, the company behind the Portal immersive communications system, announce a partnership to bring Portal to market, a platform designed to bridge the hybrid collaboration gap by making remote participation feel human, natural, and connected. Nanolumens and Noro will introduce Portal globally through existing Nanolumens and Noro integrator networks with configurations tailored for enterprise, education and command environments

Portal combines Nanolumens’ expertise in dvLED display technology with Noro’s leadership in life-size, immersive design and intelligent spatial camera systems, creating a seamless environment where remote collaboration feels natural, connected and truly in-person. Unlike traditional video walls or conferencing systems, Portal delivers full-scale, real-time presence with true-to-life proportions, spatial depth, and natural body language, no headsets, glasses, or complex interfaces required.

Salamander Designs Expands Partnership with NuTech Group across New York

Salamander Designs has expanded NuTech Group’s territories to now include New York Metro, Long Island, and Northern New Jersey to further support dealers with personalized support for Salamander products. As it has for over two decades, NuTech Group will continue to represent Salamander in Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C.

With this expansion, Salamander Designs continues to strengthen its commitment in training, technical support, and service for its line of residential media cabinets, seating, and technology furniture solutions across the East Coast.

Utelogy, Canon Forge Strategic Partnership to Enhance Smart Workspace Integration

Utelogy announced its partnership with Canon CR-N Series PTZ cameras, further strengthening its growing ecosystem of supported devices.

As part of this strategic partnership, Utelogy has added support to the Canon CR-N Series PTZ camera line, CR-N100, CR-N300, CR-N500, and CR-N700. This new integration, delivered through the Utelligence Partner Program, enables organizations to take full control of their camera environments directly within the Utelogy platform.

Users can benefit from a comprehensive range of remote management capabilities, enabling more efficient and scalable control across meeting rooms, classrooms, training spaces, and other environments.

Yes indeed, Pro AV faithful. Another week sees yet another major Pro AV acquisition. This week it was SoundPro adding to its brand.

SoundPro acquired ProAudio.com, based in Grand Prairie, TX. ProAudio.com will begin integrating its operations under the Sound Productions brand. During the transition, customers can continue to expect the same great service, with expanded access to SoundPro’s extensive inventory, educational resources, and technical expertise. You can get the full details in our complete coverage by clicking here.

There was plenty more that occurred. Get caught up below.

People News

Almo Pro AV Introduces Revitalized Hospitality Leadership Team

Almo Pro AV has formed its newly revitalized Hospitality Leadership Team. The strategic move is designed to accelerate growth, strengthen customer partnerships, and deliver technology, furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E), and service opportunities to the thriving hospitality industry.

The division is led by SCN The Nine 2023 alum Karen Castaño, recently appointed VP of hospitality, who brings more than a decade of proven leadership and strategic experience to the role. Under her direction, the hospitality division is focused on expanding Almo’s market presence and enhancing its end-to-end support for resellers, integrators, and hospitality customers nationwide.

Joining Castaño are Gregory Kokorda, director of FF&E sales and Ashley Parrent, director of sales, Hospitality. Kokorda oversees Almo Pro AV’s FF&E sales strategy, leveraging years of experience in hospitality design and product integration. Known for his consultative approach and attention to detail, Kokorda helps partners deliver cohesive, functional, and visually compelling environments that enhance the guest experience. He plays a key role in advancing Almo’s position as a comprehensive solutions provider for hotels and resorts nationwide. Parrent manages sales strategy and partner development within the Almo Hospitality Division. With a strong background in Pro AV and hospitality technology, Parrent is dedicated to helping resellers and integrators grow their business while delivering exceptional guest-focused outcomes. Her leadership ensures customers receive personalized, end-to-end support from planning through installation.

Fivestone Studios, Bella Add Creative Leader Gregory Hadden

The digital experiential specialists at Fivestone Studios, along with their colleagues at commercial production and post company Bella, welcome creative innovator Gregory Hadden to their teams as EVP, Creative and Growth. Hadden brings more than two decades of global creative leadership experience to his new role, having built and led studios and campaigns for the likes of Google, PepsiCo, Ram Trucks, Hasbro, IBM, and IKEA. As the founder of TMI, creator of Motive Made Studios, and architect of Project Unlimited Productions, he has pioneered new possibilities for clients through storytelling, tech, community, and commerce, proving that big ideas are the driving force behind sustainable growth.

As EVP, Creative and Growth, he works across Fivestone Studios and Bella to shape integrated growth strategies, build long-term client partnerships, and drive creative excellence across every discipline, from film and design to brand strategy, emerging tech, and original IP.

Renkus-Heinz Appoints Jonathan Phillips as CRO

Renkus-Heinz has appointed Jonathan Phillips as chief revenue officer. Phillips oversees global partnerships and revenue strategy. Phillips brings 25-plus years of expertise scaling technology companies from innovation to market. A named inventor on patents in materials processing and algorithmic analysis, he secured multi-million-dollar development programs from the Canadian government while advancing manufacturing technologies with an advanced science team at Equispheres. Earlier, he built and led Canadian operations for Cintex Metal Detection Systems through its acquisition by 3i and co-led Canadian Inkjet Systems to its sale to Domino Printing Sciences.

.“I’m thrilled to join the Renkus-Heinz leadership team at such a pivotal moment in the company’s journey,” stated Phillips. “With its legacy of innovation and a rapidly expanding portfolio of transformative solutions, Renkus-Heinz has strong technology and market position in professional audio. I'm focused on accelerating revenue growth through expanded distribution channels and deeper customer relationships in all key markets.”

RG Jones Sound Engineering Announces Pro Audio Restructure

RG Jones is expanding its Pro Audio division. After it found its new leader in commercial manager Sam Thomas in November 2024, RG Jones has appointed Sam Brazier and Ricky Spiers as project managers in the RG Jones Sound Engineering Pro Audio Division, alongside significant investment in its audio inventory.

Braizer is a theatrically trained engineer with a list of credits from touring and London’s West End. His expertise is in delivering complex audio systems with the key attention to detail required by musical theatre. Taking this knowledge into RG Jones’s client base is a challenge he is really looking forward to.

For Spiers, the relationship with RG Jones began almost a decade ago, working as a freelancer on many of the larger shows the company oversees. This knowledge of of the RG Jones landscape means Spiers is well placed to head up the day-to-day running of the Pro Audio division.

SoundPro Welcomes Hector Varela to the Sales Team

SoundPro welcomed Hector Varela to its sales team. With almost two decades of experience in the AV industry, Varela brings a deep understanding of both the technical and musical sides of sound. Before joining SoundPro, he worked with GC Pro for 18 years, managing projects ranging from live sound to system installations. As a seasoned front-of-house engineer, Varela has mixed for concerts, conferences, and a wide variety of live events, and he’s also known for his expertise in house of worship system design and consulting.

Company News

Neutrik Group Americas Announces Partnerships with New Manufacturer’s Rep Firms

Neutrik Group Americas announced the new addition of four electronics manufacturing rep firms that will represent Neutrik Group products throughout their North American and Mexican territories. These companies include CBC Electronics, LuscomBridge, MacInnis Group, and Kruvand Associates.

Located in Sorrento, FL, CBC Electronics was founded in 1972 and represents Neutrik Group products throughout Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Headquartered in Campbell, CA, LuscomBridge represents the union of Luscombe Engineering of San Francisco and Bridge Marketing. LuscomBridge will represent Neutrik Group throughout Northern California and Northern Nevada. The MacInnis Group has offices in Massachusetts, Long Island, and Upstate New York. Based in Dallas, TX, Kruvand Associates will represent Neutrik Group throughout Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, and Mexico.

More Renkus-Heinz News: Company Strengthens Northeastern Presence

Renkus-Heinz has a new sales rep agreement with the John B. Anthony. Backed by JBA’s regional expertise, the new partnership will bring Renkus-Heinz’s solutions to the New York and New Jersey region, reinforcing Renkus-Heinz's market presence throughout the Northeast.

JBA was founded in 1960 and is a regional provider of sales, marketing, and support solutions for the Pro AV market. The team has extensive experience in many areas of the industry, from pro audio and video to AV integration. Specializing in market verticals such as house of worship, sports venues and theater, JBA is positioned to ensure Renkus-Heinz’s advanced audio products are installed in the right applications to deliver optimum performance and customer satisfaction.

Sontronics Relaunches in US in Partnership with KMC Music

Sontronics has officially relaunched in the United States through a new partnership with KMC Music. This marks a major new chapter for the Sontronics brand as it brings its microphones to the states with renewed focus, expanded availability, and a long-term commitment to the American market.

Through this partnership, Sontronics will be represented exclusively in the U.S. by KMC Music, giving artists, engineers, producers and performers direct access to the full range of British-designed microphones.

Pro AV Around the World

Bolin Technology appointed Trigitec B.V. as the master distributor for Bolin products in the European Union. Through this agreement, Trigitec will represent Bolin’s complete portfolio of PTZ cameras, decoders, controllers, and AV over IP solutions throughout the EU, providing regional sales, marketing, technical support, and distribution services. The partnership ensures that Bolin’s European resellers and system integrators receive direct access to local expertise, faster product availability, and dedicated pre and post-sales assistance. Based in the Netherlands, Trigitec B.V. brings years of experience in professional AV distribution, systems integration, and technical consulting.

Humly is expanding its presence in Italy by appointing AGC The Company, led by founder Darwin Alessandro Cannavò, together with Alessandro Guerra, as its official commercial agency for the Italian market. AGC The Company will spearhead Humly’s local sales efforts, driving adoption of the brand’s hardware and software solutions for space booking, scheduling, visitor management, and workplace optimization across Italy. The new partnership reflects growing demand in Italy for smart, user-friendly workplace tools. The market is showing that organizations increasingly seek integrated solutions to book rooms, desks, and parking spaces, manage visitor journeys, and streamline workflows.

Utelogy Corporation is expanding its long-standing partnership with Continuant, a global audiovisual and unified communications (AV/UC) integrator and managed service provider. Together, the two companies are deepening their collaboration in the United Kingdom to deliver a unified solution for intelligent AV/UC management and support. Utelogy and Continuant have partnered for several years in North America, delivering innovative, service-driven AV and UC solutions to enterprise customers across multiple sectors. With this expansion into the U.K., Continuant will continue to leverage the Utelogy Platform to provide clients with real-time monitoring, analytics, and automation for their AV and UC environments, ensuring consistent performance and optimized operations across global deployments.

Another acquisition. A new CEO. There was some massive news that broke last week that was just too big to hold to our weekly recap.

The big news of the week was that Biamp acquired the assets of ClearOne. Wanting to know more, our own Mark J. Pescatore caught up with Joe Andrulis, EVP of corporate development for Biamp, and Derek Graham, CEO, ClearOne, to find out what exactly this means, not only for both companies, but their respective customers. You can read more here.

Two days later, Diversified made headlines by appointing Paul Lidsky as CEO. What does this mean for the integrator? Click here to find out.

And perhaps the most shocking news of the week was that No. 10 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups upset No. 1 Snickers in our SCN Halloween Candy Showdown bracket. Thank you to all our newsletter readers and LinkedIn followers that voted. It was a record-setting number! If you missed it, here is the round-by-round recap, with interviews from the winning candies.

People News

PPDS Names Bruce Wyrwitzke as New Senior Director of Sales for North America

PPDS has promoted Bruce Wyrwitzke to the leadership role of senior director of sales for North America. Leading PPDS’ total solutions growth strategy to support all market verticals in North America, Wyrwitzke, who is now entering his 25th year as an AV professional, joined PPDS as sales director in 2021.

During this period, Wyrwitzke has proved himself to be an accomplished leader, playing a pivotal role in positioning the company as a disruptive force in North America. In his new position, he will oversee all PPDS sales in North America, including digital signage, interactive displays, videowalls, dvLED, and professional TV, as well as complementary hardware and software, while continuing to support partners, customers, and colleagues on projects that extend beyond U.S. shores.

Riedel Communications Appoints Ulrich Voigt as Director Live Production Solutions

Riedel Communications welcomed Ulrich Voigt as director live production solutions, taking over the SimplyLive business leadership role from Luc Doneux. Voigt, a broadcast industry expert with 28 years of experience with software-based live production, has a focus on further integrating the SimplyLive product family into Riedel’s overall live video solutions strategy and driving additional growth across the business.

Voigt previously served as global head of product management and cloud transformation at Vizrt, where he was responsible for the strategic direction of software-based broadcast graphics, automation, and live production solutions. As member of the executive management team, he played a key role in the company's transformation towards integrated and cloud-based solutions and modern business models. Prior to Vizrt, Voigt was head of design at Qvest Media, leading the technological alignment of multi-system solutions for global consulting and systems integration projects.

Company News

Solid State Logic Appoints Commercial Audio as its Distributor in Czech Republic and Slovakia

Solid State Logic appointed Commercial Audio as its distributor in the Czech Republic and Slovakia regions. The company will provide end-to-end distribution services for SSL and Harrison Audio in both countries, including warehousing, logistics and support. The appointment builds on SSL's existing relationship with Commercial Audio in Poland for nearly 20 years, and will cover ACP (audio creation products) and large format consoles for live, broadcast, and studio.

Headquartered in Warsaw, Poland, Commercial Audio is known for its excellence in distribution, systems integration, and project management. The company has recently expanded its reach into Czech Republic and Slovakia with a dedicated team, while enhancing its knowledge base and capabilities. ​ ​ ​

tvONE and Matrox Video Partner on AV over IP Integration

tvONE announced a strategic partnership with Matrox Video, combining CALICO PRO’s high-performance video processing with the Matrox ConvertIP Series of encoders/decoders and converters. This integration enables connectivity to SMPTE ST 2110 and IPMX infrastructures, supporting compressed and uncompressed workflows with pixel-perfect results across a range of environments including broadcast, live events, control rooms, and experiential.

With CALICO PRO’s 66-million-pixel engine and Matrox Video’s FPGA core, customers gain flexibility, fidelity, and future-proof performance. Adding ST 2110 workflows to CALICO PRO enables direct integration into broadcast-grade IP infrastructures, allowing it to ingest uncompressed, low-latency video streams with precision. Customers can bypass traditional signal limitations, route content dynamically across fiber networks, and deploy CALICO PRO as a central processing hub in distributed environments. With IPMX support, it bridges the gap between Pro AV and broadcast, making CALICO PRO a versatile powerhouse in hybrid workflows.

Zoox: The Official Autonomous Ride-Hail Partner of the Vegas Sphere

Sphere Entertainment and Zoox, the autonomous ride-hailing company, announced a multi-faceted partnership that will make Zoox the official autonomous ride-hail partner of Sphere. As part of this partnership, the venue will have a dedicated autonomous vehicle ride-hail pick-up and drop off zone at Sphere, where guests will be able to utilize Zoox’s robotaxi ride-hail services through the Zoox app.

Zoox is creating a unique way to explore Las Vegas in a purpose-built robotaxi that gives riders back time, space, and choice. In September, Zoox officially launched its robotaxi service in Las Vegas, becoming the first company in history to provide a fully autonomous ride-hailing service in a purpose-built robotaxi.

Diversified has appointed Paul Lidsky as CEO. Lidsky, who has served as chairman of Diversified’s board of directors since 2023, brings more than four decades of leadership in IT solutions and technology services. In his expanded role as CEO, Lidsky is set to guide Diversified’s next stage of growth by driving market expansion and enhancing service delivery across its global footprint.

[Former Disney Exec Joins Diversified]

“Paul is a highly respected leader with deep expertise in the technology services industry and a strong history of building great companies with a focus on the people and partnerships that drive success and serve their clients,” said Will Fleder, partner at Tailwind Capital, Diversified’s primary investor. “We are confident that his leadership and experience will further strengthen Diversified’s position as a global leader and accelerate its continued growth.”

Before joining Diversified, Lidsky served as CEO of Core BTS, president and CEO of Datalink, and CEO of Calabrio, where he led companies delivering enterprise solutions across collaboration, cloud, data centers, networking, and security. His career also includes executive leadership positions at OneLink, Spanlink Communications, and Norstan.

“Diversified’s strength has always come from doing the fundamentals exceptionally well, delivering quality, expertise, and consistency in support of our clients,” said Lidsky. “I’ve had the privilege of serving as chairman and working closely with this team, and I see extraordinary opportunity ahead. As CEO, my focus is on building on that momentum by continuing to invest in our people, our partners, and the technologies that matter most to our clients. We continue to grow, adding new clients every year, and Diversified is well positioned to continue that growth as the industry evolves.”

This announcement comes on the heels of Diversified’s expansion in EMEA, where it recently opened a new strategic hub in Germany to expand its operational footprint and provide in-region engineering, project execution, and client support. It's one of several recent developments highlighting the company’s continued growth as well as its commitment to serving global customers.

Another week in Pro AV has past, and as the theme has been all year, there were a plethora of people on the move and partnerships made you need to know about. Perhaps the biggest news came out of Atlanta, where Zones announced its expansion into the world of Pro AV.

SCN was on hand at the Porsche Experience Center to hear the news firsthand (and drive a Porsche around the test track). We spoke to several of the Zones leadership to find out why the time was right to cross over into the commercial side. Find out more about Zones and what that means for the Pro AV industry (and check out the ride in the Porsche) by clicking here.

Now, on with the show.

People News

AtlasIED Welcomes Cameron Javdani

AtlasIED appointed Cameron Javdani as VP of market development for security solutions. Javdani has extensive expertise in both the audio and security sectors, earning a solid reputation as a respected voice within the Security Industry Association and among leading integrator networks. His background includes key leadership roles focused on market development, channel partnerships, and technological advancements to address the evolving demands of the industry.

In his new role, Javdani focuses on accelerating AtlasIED’s presence in the security market by strengthening relationships with integrators, consultants, and technology partners, while expanding industry outreach and advocacy for AtlasIED’s unified communications and life safety platforms.

HARMAN Professional Solutions Announces Sales Leadership Appointments

HARMAN Professional Solutions made strategic leadership appointments across its global sales organization to support continued growth and regional alignment. Amar Subash has been appointed to lead the professional solutions sales organization across the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region, while continuing to oversee sales leadership responsibilities for India. In this expanded role, Subash sets a strategic direction for both regions, focusing on accelerating growth and delivering on HARMAN’s commitments to customers. With Subash’s transition, Nick Screen has been selected to lead the APAC sales organization. Screen currently oversees channel sales and audio solutions across APAC, where he has focused on building strong partnerships, and supporting the growth of HARMAN’s professional audio business.

Over the past nine years at HARMAN, Subash has held a variety of leadership roles. Most recently, he led HARMAN Professional sales efforts across the APAC region and India. Prior to that, he served solely as director of sales and operations for the Asia Pacific region (APAC) from 2019 to 2021, and as finance director for APAC from 2017 to 2018.

Screen currently oversees channel sales and audio solutions across APAC, where he has focused on building strong partnerships, and supporting the growth of HARMAN’s professional audio business. He has been with HARMAN for more than 12 years, holding a number of impactful leadership roles such as director, channel sales and audio solutions (APAC) since 2021, preceded by his role as director, sports and transportation, business development (Global) from 2019 to 2021, and director, transportation solutions from 2016 to 2018.

QuickLink Appoints Austin Hinton as Solutions Enablement

QuickLink has appointed Austin Hinton as its new solutions enablement engineer. In this role, Hinton serves as a go-to technical expert, supporting QuickLink’s customers and partners across North America with deep, hands-on technical insight into StudioPro, StudioEdge, and the broader QuickLink portfolio.

Hinton joins QuickLink from Vizrt, where he served as a customer success manager, following several years with NewTek. Throughout his career, he has held positions with major media organizations, including FOX Television, Disney ABC, MLB, NBC Sports and ABC News, where he earned two Emmy Awards for his work in broadcast engineering and production. His unique combination of hands-on technical experience and a passion for enabling creative, reliable workflows makes him a natural fit for QuickLink’s expanding global team.

Anthony Mancuso Joins Winsted as Senior Strategic Market Manager

Winsted appointed Anthony Mancuso as senior strategic market manager, with a dedicated focus on the process control, manufacturing, and utilities markets.

In this new role, Mancuso is instrumental in developing strategic partnerships, expanding Winsted’s footprint in these critical sectors, and enhancing the company’s approach to customer-centric solutions. His more than 25 years of expertise will be key to building a strong network and furthering Winsted’s mission to provide innovative, reliable, and human-centered solutions for mission-critical environments.

Mancuso is widely regarded as a key subject matter expert. He brings a proven track record of building strategic teams and successful alliances and has worked with both large enterprises and smaller niche clients across a range of verticals. His insight into the demands of 24/7 operational environments uniquely positions him to drive value and growth at Winsted.

Company News

Introducing The New DaleProAudio.com

The new DaleProAudio.com is a resource for audio professionals in broadcast, recording, live events, houses of worship, higher education, and commercial installation—offering tailored solutions, expert guidance, and the latest in emerging technologies.

The new website includes improved navigation for finding relevant solutions and information faster; an emphasis on consultation and support—building relationships that go beyond the shopping cart; spotlights on unique and innovative products that tackle specialized challenges; and focused content tailored to the customers Dale Pro Audio serves.

Green Hippo Adopts SPNet Integration into Hippotizer Products

Green Hippo recently integrated Stage Precision’s SPNet protocol into its Hippotizer media server products, expanding the capabilities of both hardware and software offerings and unlocking new creative possibilities for users in live events, mixed reality, and projection mapping experiences.

Hippotizer is a software suite that is deployed on five different media server models and is also available as a standalone software-only product for planning and pre-programming. Hippotizer supports both 2D and 3D workflows, with SPNet integrated into the 3D workflow tool SHAPE, which is used for designing, previsualizing and executing project mapping activations.

For users, the new SPNet integration allows for advanced visualization and automation of their projection mapping workflows from SHAPE, enabling them to create highly customized experiences that leverage the full power of the Hippotizer product range.

The Screen Works Acquired, Set to Build on a 60-Year Legacy

The Screen Works is writing a new chapter—under new ownership and with a renewed sense of purpose. Earlier this year, longtime consultant and entrepreneur Andrew Schmahl acquired The Screen Works, the Chicago-based manufacturer known for its E-Z Fold, truss, and lace and grommet projection systems. Schmahl brings a blend of strategic vision and hands-on enthusiasm—along with a determination to restore the brand’s visibility in a digital-dominated age.

The company’s first steps include a complete rebrand, a redesigned website, and the launch of a Replacement Surfaces Program— allowing customers to more quickly and easily replace worn or damaged surfaces on existing frames (including Da-Lite, Draper, and AV Stumpfl) with new materials at lower cost.

Building on its heritage of durable, portable systems, The Screen Works is also investing in next-generation design, including borderless, edge-to-edge screen formats and custom curved aluminum frames engineered for large-format and architectural environments. These innovations bring a modern visual aesthetic and design flexibility once reserved for LED displays—at a fraction of the cost and complexity.

Sealoc, Praever Partnership Expands U.S. Reach

Praevar’s partnership with Sealoc marks a significant step in expanding its presence across the United States. Known for its proprietary Weatherloc technology, Sealoc delivers premium outdoor digital displays and end-to-end engagement solutions for some of the world’s most recognizable brands. By adding the Vanguard Series to its lineup, Sealoc strengthens its ability to provide scalable, serviceable, and impactful digital signage experiences.

Partnering with Sealoc as our first U.S. dealer is an exciting milestone for Praevar,” said Ralph Idems, CEO at Praevar. “Their reputation for delivering exceptional outdoor solutions aligns perfectly with our commitment to reliability, serviceability, and customer success. Together, we’re making digital signage more accessible and more effective for brands across North America.”

Yealink Joins NDI Ecosystem

Yealink has joined the NDI ecosystem. Yealink’s SmartVision 80 Premium Intelligent PTZ Camera is the company’s first product to receive NDI certification, with additional NDI-enabled solutions expected to follow.

As a Microsoft and Zoom certified partner, Yealink is recognized for its reputation delivering enterprise collaboration solutions. With the integration of NDI into its product line, Yealink takes a firm step into the world of video over IP, providing new levels of interoperability and flexibility.

Last week was a busy one in the Pro AV world. Companies like MultiDyne and Midwich Group had some restructuring with multiple hires, Absen opened a new showroom, and more partnerships were made.

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People News

Ampetronic | Listen Technologies Promotes Kim Franklin to Chief Marketing Officer

Listen Technologies and Ampetronic have promoted Kim Franklin to chief marketing officer. In this role, Franklin defines and drives global marketing strategy across Ampetronic and Listen Technologies. The brands create assistive listening solutions that make clear audio accessible in any environment or setting.

Franklin joined Listen Technologies in 2014 and most recently was global vice president of marketing. Franklin has formulated and implemented strategic marketing initiatives that have helped Listen Technologies increase brand awareness and revenue.

EAW Welcomes Chris Wilson as Education and Training Engineer

Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) appointed Chris Wilson as education and training engineer. In his new role at EAW, Wilson will lead both in-person and virtual product certification sessions while also developing general education trainings on audio fundamentals including system design, the physics of sound, and loudspeaker technology.

Wilson brings over two decades of experience as an audio engineer, trainer and product specialist, with a career spanning live sound, system design, electroacoustic development and technical education. Most recently, he served as a training engineer for Allen & Heath, where he delivered in-person console trainings across the country.

Wilson has also held roles with Live Nation Entertainment, Tectonic Audio Labs, Beyond LD, Six Flags Over Texas, and serves as chief technology officer at Wilson Design Labs and Rox Box Speakers, where he focuses on electroacoustic design. His wide-ranging expertise makes him uniquely equipped to bridge the gap between advanced audio technology and practical customer application.

Gérald Yven Appointed Global Real Estate Director for L-Acoustics

L-Acoustics has established a new global real estate division under the leadership of Gérald Yven as global real estate director. This strategic initiative ensures that L-Acoustics’ facilities match the excellence of its renowned audio technologies, creating inspiring environments that support innovation and collaboration for sound professionals, corporate partners, team members, and visiting artists across the company’s expanding international operations.

The real estate division will oversee L-Acoustics’ substantial investments into its global corporate and industrial real estate portfolio, coordinating major real estate projects from site acquisition and renovations to the design and construction of specialized L-Acoustics spaces such as creative studios and showrooms. This centralized approach ensures consistent implementation of L-Acoustics brand identity and operational standards across all global locations.

Yven brings extensive finance and project management expertise to his role, with previous experience in facility management at Generali and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield. His team includes Nassieba Adref, head of maintenance operations, who ensures the smooth daily operations of facilities worldwide with in-house teams and local facility management partners, and Camille Bertrand, real estate project manager, who pilots major renovation projects and new space development when L-Acoustics acquires or leases new locations.

Andrew Goulson Named Strategic Account Manager for LEA Professional

Aligning with its mission of constant and constructive team growth, LEA Professional appointed Andrew Goulson as strategic account manager. At LEA, Goulson supports LEA's sales and expansion efforts, working closely with the team to represent LEA’s technology catalog.

Goulson has nearly 20 years of experience in the AV industry, specializing in live sound and recording engineering. He will leverage this extensive experience by collaborating nationally with LEA’s outstanding representatives and dealers.

Midwich Group Restructures for North American Operations

Midwich Group today announced a reorganization of its North American leadership structure, designed to better leverage the combined strengths of Midwich US and SFM (a Midwich Group company) while enhancing service and support across the US and Canadian markets. The new structure formalizes a holistic approach to regional leadership while maintaining the distinct business models, local leadership teams and operational independence that drive success in each market. Midwich US and SFM will be better positioned to strengthen partnerships, expand market reach, and deliver greater value to customers and vendors throughout North America.

Ghyslain Berger has been named chief executive officer for North America, assuming regional CEO responsibilities. Ghyslain has been part of SFM's executive team for over seven years, six of which as COO, and more recently as president. Chantal Baraniuk Morin assumes the dual role of chief operating officer and chief financial officer for North America. In this expanded capacity, all finance, HR, IT, and operations functions for both Midwich US and SFM will report to her leadership. She brings over six years of experience with the organization. Monique Rezaei joins as chief revenue officer for North America. A familiar face within the AV industry, Rezaei brings extensive channel experience from senior leadership positions at HP/Poly and, most recently, Microsoft. All sales, marketing, and services functions will report to Rezaei's leadership while continuing to be managed at the local level.

Tyler Brebberman has been appointed chief vendor officer for North America, taking on leadership responsibility for all business and brand Management functions across the region. He brings over 10 years of experience with Midwich to this role. Lastly, Randal Tucker transitions to the role of executive advisor to the CEO. In this strategic capacity, Tucker advises on matters of strategy and overall direction with particular interest in professional services and other strategic global business initiatives.

MultiDyne Strengthens Global Leadership Team with Key Executive Appointments

MultiDyne Video & Fiber Optic Systems announces two additions to its leadership team that underscore its commitment to innovation, expanding globally, and taking on a customer-centric strategy. Broadcast industry veteran Neil Maycock joins the company as chief marketing officer on a fractional basis, while Sebastian Mucha has been promoted to EVP of sales and strategy.

Maycock brings decades of marketing and operations experience to MultiDyne, including executive leadership roles at Grass Valley, Pebble and other familiar broadcast brands. Maycock works closely with sales and executive leadership teams within MultiDyne, while also liaising with channel partners and customers to better understand the needs of these various stakeholders and engages with various industry bodies to generate market research and insights that will prove valuable to company growth.

In his new role, Mucha oversees global sales and business strategy, focusing on growth, product alignment, and expanding MultiDyne’s international presence. Based in Europe, he continues to support EMEA operations while taking on broader global responsibilities. He’ll work closely with sales, marketing, and product teams to keep all divisions aligned under a shared vision.

Alex Dunfey Promoted to CTO at OpenDrives

OpenDrives has promoted Alex Dunfey to chief technology officer (CTO) from his former position as SVP of engineering. The promotion coincides with the soft launch of Astraeus, OpenDrives’ new cloud-native data services platform that represents a significant expansion of the company’s capabilities, which was announced in September 2025.

Before joining OpenDrives in 2023 as VP of engineering, Dunfey served as an engineer and technical lead at EMC, VMware, and Simplivity, later sharpening his skills at Amazon Web Services (AWS), where he built scalable, customer-focused solutions. At OpenDrives, Dunfey has guided the company’s transition from a traditional hardware-based storage model to a software-defined organization, aligning strategies to match an evolving landscape and consistently delivering projects on time and within budget.

Solutions360 Appoints Nate Gardner CEO After Strategic Growth Investment

Solutions360 has appointed Nate Gardner to chief executive officer, who brings extensive experience guiding software companies through stages of rapid growth and transformation. Gardner's background includes executive roles across operations, sales and finance in high-growth technology companies.

The move comes after a strategic growth investment from Northrim Horizon. With this investment, Solutions360 will accelerate the release of new artificial intelligence and automation capabilities, extend its platform into additional modules that address evolving customer needs, and broaden its network of technology and integration partners to accelerate innovation for customers.

Company News

Absen Celebrates Grand Opening of Los Angeles Showroom

Absen celebrated the grand opening of its Los Angeles Showroom, the latest addition to its network of Showrooms and Experience Centers worldwide. Absen hosted an exclusive grand opening celebration at the Los Angeles Showroom, welcoming partners, audiovisual professionals, and customer representatives. Attendees experienced first-hand the superior product quality and innovative capabilities of Absen’s cutting-edge LED technologies through live demonstrations and interactive activations.

Absen’s Los Angeles Showroom is designed to deliver hands-on demonstrations, technical training, and collaborative opportunities with key technology partners. The Los Angeles Showroom showcases Absen’s latest LED display technologies across a comprehensive range of applications, providing visitors with an immersive and hands-on experience of the company’s most innovative solutions.

The Los Angeles Showroom highlights Absen’s latest corporate and educational display solutions, including the Absen iCon Series. For high-end visualization, visitors can experience the Absen KLCOB V2 Series, which offers outstanding clarity, color accuracy and versatility for mission-critical environments. In addition, the showroom features the Absen Saturn Series, Jupiter Pro Series and Polaris Series, enabling dynamic and immersive installations that push creative boundaries. Together, these displays create a remarkable visual showcase of Absen’s products, allowing guests to discover solutions for virtual production, rental and staging, commercial displays, and more.

AVer TR335, PTZ231 and PTZ330UV2 Cameras are Certified for Microsoft Teams

AVer's TR335, PTZ231, and PTZ330UV2 cameras have obtained Microsoft Teams Certification. Delivering enhanced image quality, intelligent AI tracking, and seamless connectivity, AVer’s newly certified models enable a professional and engaging Microsoft Teams meeting experience, ensuring users stay connected and productive in any environment.

The TR335 features 4K resolution at 60 frames per second and a powerful 30X optical zoom lens, delivering cinematic image quality and precision for broadcasting, streaming and recording. The PTZ231 combines full-HD 1080p resolution with a 30X optical zoom in an enhanced design built for professional conferencing, streaming and live production. The PTZ330UV2 is designed to meet the evolving demands of professional AV applications.

Carousel, Moki Expand Strategic Partnership

Moki and Carousel have expanded their partnership to bring deeper synergies, broader market reach, and stronger value to customers deploying signage networks at scale.

The two companies first partnered in early 2021 to combine Carousel’s flexible, feature-rich CMS with Moki’s robust device management capabilities. In 2025, the partnership is being enhanced to include closer alignment between teams, cross-training on each other’s solutions, expanded co-marketing initiatives, and a joint go-to-market approach.

Together, Moki and Carousel empower organizations to deploy, operate, and scale digital signage fleets with confidence, delivering secure, compliant, and easily managed device networks while ensuring engaging, real-time content.

NSCA Releases 2025 Financial Analysis of the Industry Report

NSCA released its 2025 Financial Analysis of the Industry report. The report provides valuable, industry-specific information for systems integrators on key business fundamentals like markets served, systems and technologies offered, sales trends, labor breakdowns, and company financial health.

Drawing on insights from nearly 100 integration firms across 31 states, three Canadian provinces, and Puerto Rico, the 17th edition of NSCA’s Financial Analysis of the Industry report continues to deliver updated intelligence for integrators that want to refine their business models and stay competitive.

NSCA worked with ESG Professional Accountants, an independent research firm, to preserve confidentiality while developing this report. The firm helped collect data from the 99 integration firms that participated in the 2025 Financial Analysis of the Industry survey. Register for your copy here.

Owl Labs, Lenovo Partner to Launch AI-Powered 360-Degree Microsoft Teams Rooms Solutions

Owl Labs unveiled solutions with Lenovo to launch Lenovo-powered 360-degree Microsoft Teams Rooms (MTR-W) solutions. The collaboration combines Owl Labs' Meeting Owl 3 and 4+products with Lenovo’s ThinkSmart Core and Tiny Kit to create full-room solutions that are flexible, cost-effective, and meet the needs of both SMBs and enterprise customers.

The global room video devices market is projected to reach $7.8 Billion by 2029, according to Frost & Sullivan Video Conferencing Devices Market Report (March 2025), creating a significant opportunity for adoption of and innovation in hybrid collaboration. Owl Labs’ Meeting Owl 4+ recently completed Microsoft Teams certification, joining the Meeting Owl 3 and Owl Bar in meeting Microsoft’s rigorous standards for seamless operation and integration. This joint offering brings Microsoft Teams-certified, modular solutions to existing Owl Labs’ customers and customers of all types including SMBs looking to upgrade from basic setups, as well as to enterprises seeking easy-to-use, scalable room systems. With MTR-W devices built on a more secure, update-ready operating system, organizations gain a future-proof foundation for long-term collaboration.

The Pro AV news wire certainly kept bust last week. Bose Professional and AVPro Global made strategic appointments, Legrand | AV opened a new facility, and Dante and SoundTube have new trainings that can earn you credits.

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People News

AVPro Global Establishes Expert Advisory Board

AVPro Global appointed Wally Whinna as the inaugural member of its expert advisory board, an assemblage of industry leaders who provide strategic insights and recommend solutions for advancing AVPro’s growth and market impact. The advisory board will convene quarterly, offering guidance on emerging trends and supporting AVPro’s expansion in both residential and commercial audio/video connectivity and control sectors, ensuring the company remains at the forefront of innovation and customer needs.

Whinna’s extensive expertise in customer acquisition and retention, channel development, and industry partnerships will help guide AVPro’s efforts to deepen market reach, cement dealer relationships, and deliver greater value to customers across AVPro’s balanced portfolio of connectivity and control brands. This appointment marks a significant step in strengthening AVPro’s leadership team and advancing its vision to be recognized as the best AV signal distribution and control products and services company.

Bose Professional Announces Key Leadership Promotions

Bose Professional has promoted of Matt Calhoun to chief operating officer and Shawn Watts to VP of product.

Calhoun has been a driving force at Bose Professional for over two decades, helping shape the company’s identity and guiding its transformation into a fully independent business. As COO, Calhoun oversees global operations and continue to lead initiatives that enhance speed, efficiency, and customer impact.

Watts brings over seven years of experience at Bose Professional, along with a unique perspective shaped by his time as both a customer and a competitor. He will oversee product strategy, development, and lifecycle management across the company’s expanding portfolio.

THE rAVe Agency Appoints Morgan Lawrence as President

THE rAVe Agency promoted Morgan Lawrence, APR, to president. Lawrence, who previously served as director of communications, brings more than a decade of strategic communications and leadership experience to her new role. She is instrumental in driving the agency’s long-term strategy and positioning it for growth.

Lawrence joined THE rAVe Agency six years ago to help Gary Kayye launch rAVe [STORYTELLING], the agency’s strategic communications division. With over 12 years of experience spanning agency and in-house roles, Lawrence brings a strategic vision and customer-first approach to everything she does.

Company News

ASB GlassFloor Launches AES to Scale LED Sports Floors Globally

ASB GlassFloor has officially launched ASB Arena and Event Services AG (AES), a subsidiary established in Zug, Switzerland. With 30 million Euro in equity funding secured to accelerate its global growth, AES is set to scale the international expansion of ASB GlassFloor.

AES will introduce a flexible long-term rental solution, making the ASB LumiFlex LED Courts more accessible. Building on this, AES will specialize in commercializing, servicing, and operating the LED ASB LumiFlex courts for clients within the sports and events industry, establishing the floor as a powerful revenue-generating marketing platform. Additionally, AES will operate its own inventory of mobile LumiFlex floors, executing rental events and running designated event locations. To complement these operations, the company has developed an integrated software ecosystem, with a forthcoming app store, that will host value-add applications ranging from fan activations to educational content to coaching tools.

Legrand | AV Celebrates Grand Opening of New Headquarters in Minnetonka

Legrand | AV officially opened the doors of its new headquarters in Minnetonka, MN, on Oct. 1. The opening of the new location marks a major milestone in the company's growth and commitment to invention, collaboration, and community. The new headquarters, located at 10900 Red Circle Drive in Minnetonka, joins multiple functions into a single location, offering a flexible and sustainable workplace designed to foster innovation and growth.

The 98,000-square-foot facility features abundant natural light, open and flexible workspaces, and integrated Legrand | AV technologies throughout, including lighting, outlets, motion detectors, AV solutions, and infrastructure systems. Nearly all existing furniture was reused or sourced as high-quality pre-owned pieces, minimizing waste and underscoring the company's focus on responsible design. Highlights of the new facility include collaborative design, sustainable practices, and integration of Legrand technologies.

The headquarters will bring together key teams across marketing, sales, product management, engineering, finance, IT, customer care, technical support, and operations.

LynTec and SSRC Announce Strategic Partnership

LynTec announced a new partnership with SSRC, a custom manufacturer of theatrical, entertainment, and broadcast products. Under the terms of the agreement, LynTec will now offer select SSRC products, including the BAL, SL, and H/L V Connector Strips, as well as a variety of outlet boxes, company switches, transfer panels, and cable management hardware. This collaboration establishes LynTec as a comprehensive one-stop-shop for power and distribution systems, making it easier and more efficient for systems integrators to purchase the equipment needed to complete projects in the entertainment and arts industries.

The partnership is designed to meet the needs of systems integrators working on new construction projects for schools and churches, as well as on projects for performing arts centers and media outlets. This allows integrators to source a complete package of power control and distribution equipment from a single purchase order, reducing time spent on vendor management and streamlining the entire workflow. The collaboration leverages the strengths of both companies — LynTec's expertise in power control and SSRC's specialization in custom distribution — to provide a comprehensive solution that delivers power from the building's main supply all the way to the light fixtures.

Nureva Granted Another US Patent for Its Microphone Mist Technology

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued an additional patent for the Nureva's Microphone Mist technology. This patent acknowledges Nureva’s unique approach to amplifying the voice of a presenter while simultaneously providing full-room microphone pickup in both meeting and learning spaces. The result of this approach is greater in-room intelligibility of a presenter’s voice while everyone in the room is still heard clearly by remote participants. Full-room pickup also ensures that all aspects of a meeting or learning session are accurately captured for recording purposes or use with AI agents.

U.S. patent 12,342,137 discloses the ability to simultaneously use a discrete microphone for voice amplification and a microphone array for whole-room pickup within the same conferencing session. With this unique hybrid capability enabled by Microphone Mist technology, an instructor or a presenter using a wireless microphone can have their voice amplified through the Nureva audio system’s speakers for those in the room while, at the same time, their voice is sent to remote participants via common UC&C platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom. In-room voices continue to be captured by the array, so everyone is heard remotely. Key to this, echo cancellation remains active for both the remote participants’ speech and the presenter’s amplified speech from the in-room speakers, preserving the simplicity of full-room array pickup for conferencing, lecture capture and meeting recording, while boosting presenter clarity in the space.

PowerHouse Alliance Adds of AWALL

The PowerHouse Alliance has added AWALL to its product lineup. AWALL MicroLED displays and products are now available to dealers through all 70-plus PowerHouse Alliance distributor member locations across the United States.

The addition of AWALL builds on the PowerHouse Alliance’s mission to equip dealers with a broad, balanced mix of top-tier brands across every category. By continually expanding its vendor roster, PowerHouse gives integrators the flexibility to meet client needs with solutions that deliver proven performance and long-term reliability—whether in a single-family home, multi-dwelling unit, or large-scale commercial space.

AWALL is setting a new standard for cinematic immersion with its MicroLED High Grey technology, delivering 115% NTSC color accuracy, pitch-black contrast, and ultra-bright 1,200-nit visuals that look stunning in any light. With sizes from 75-162 inches and custom options up to 300 inches, AWALL fits a wide range of applications—from luxury home theaters and stylish media rooms to boutique hospitality spaces, corporate lobbies, and executive conference rooms. All models are TÜV-certified for eye comfort, IP65-rated for durability, and engineered for fast, two-person installation in under two hours. Combining elite-tier performance with accessible pricing, AWALL makes high-end MicroLED display technology more attainable than ever for dealers and their clients.

Ultimate Ears Pro Is Now a Reseller for dB Check Pro

Fellow manufacturers of in-ear monitors, Sensaphonics and Ultimate Ears Pro, have announced that Ultimate Ears Pro is now a reseller for dB Check Pro, the brand agnostic tool for calculating the sound pressure levels reaching the ears of end users of in-ear monitors (IEMs) and headphones.

dB Check Pro, developed by custom-fit in-ear monitors, earplugs and pro audio electronics manufacturer Sensaphonics, is the only device on the market that provides IEM and headphone end users with calculated at-ear real-time and average sound pressure level estimates (dBA SPL) of both monitoring level and measured stage/environmental noise. The unit also calculates safe listening durations based on NIOSH and OSHA guidelines, empowering users to make informed decisions about their listening habits.

Education

Audinate Launches Completely Revamped Dante Training Program

Audinate has released its all-new Third Edition Training for Dante Certification Levels 1, 2, and 3. Designed for today’s fast-evolving AV landscape, this essential update equips professionals with networking and AVoIP expertise, while offering up to 19.75 AVIXA Renewal Units (RUs). Hundreds of thousands of AV professionals have participated in Dante training, underscoring Dante Certification’s importance in showcasing technical expertise and driving the global shift to AVoIP.

Participants will gain deeper insights into foundational networking concepts, including IP addressing, VLANs, QoS, and multicast, as well as advanced Dante-specific topics such as system design, cloud-based production, the latest AES67/SMPTE ST2110 integration with Dante controller, enhancements to Dante AV, and expert-level troubleshooting.

Participants can earn AVIXA RUs for CTS, CTS-D, CTS-I, and ANP upon certification (Level 1: 5.5 RUs, Level 2: eight RUs, and Level 3: 6.25 RUs). Courses are offered free of charge for all three levels, and certifications remain valid for three years.

Bogen Communications Launches Bogen University

Welcome to Bogen University, a new online education initiative designed to empower end users, dealers and partners with free, on-demand training. Bogen University was established by Bogen Communications to help shape the industry’s future, delivering professional-grade education to all and removing barriers of experience or resources.

Bogen University’s eLearning platform provides industry professionals with 24/7 access to interactive training that can be completed at any time and from anywhere. Whether a new professional embarking on a journey with Bogen Communications products or an experienced industry veteran seeking to sharpen their expertise, the platform offers guided tutorials ranging from quick-start basics to in-depth product knowledge. The courses remain available for review whenever a refresher is needed, and the eLearning app offers convenient access to learning on the go via the App Store or Google Play. By combining flexibility, depth and zero cost, Bogen University highlights the company’s commitment to equipping the industry with the knowledge and confidence necessary to deliver high-quality audio and communications solutions.

Bogen University’s current courses include the Nyquist C4000 Quick Start Guide to Installation and Basic Configuration, the Nyquist C4000 IP-Based Paging and Audio Distribution System, the Nyquist E7000 IP-Based Communications System, and the Nyquist Appliance Standalone Configuration and Operation. Beyond the Nyquist platform, Bogen University offers courses covering the Platinum Series Amplifiers with an overview of new public address amplifiers and the Multicom 2000 analog intercom solution for schools. In addition to on-demand courses, Bogen University offers free monthly webinars led by Scott T. Hepler, Bogen Communications’ national training manager.

SoundTube Now Offers CTS, CTS-D & ANP Credits for Training

SoundTube Entertainment's training programs is now officially eligible for AVIXA Renewal Units (RUs), providing integrators and AV professionals with a new pathway to maintain their Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) and Certified Technology Specialist Designer (CTS-D^®) credentials.

At SoundTube’s Kansas City headquarters, participants in the SoundTube 101 (also known as “Tubey Training”) sessions can now earn three (3) CTS or three (3) CTS-D RUs (depending on which credential applies) and three (3) ANP (AVIXA’s Audiovisual Network Professional training) RUs.

This means attendees can walk away with up to six total Renewal Units in a single visit, supporting ongoing professional development across both technology and allied disciplines.

In addition, SoundTube will soon expand its training access online. A new course titled “Speaking Loudspeakers” will be hosted through the AVIXA portal, offering one CTS or one CTS-D RU upon completion. This portal-based credit is separate from SoundTube’s in-person or virtual warehouse sessions, making it easier for AV professionals worldwide to engage with SoundTube’s expertise.

October opened with a bang as more acquisitions stole the Pro AV spotlight.

First, Ross Video announced its acquisition of ioversal, creators of Vertex, an immersive experiences platform. The move marks Ross Video’s expansion into experiential technologies, strengthening its end-to-end live production ecosystem. You can get all the details in our coverage by clicking here.

Later that same day, Avidex announced the acquisition of CCS New England, one of the region’s premier systems integrators serving the greater New England region. The acquisition is part of Avidex’s strategic growth plan, aimed at expanding its reach in key U.S. markets to better serve enterprise, healthcare, education, and government clients. We had the exclusive inside scoop, so get all the information by clicking here.

Now, buckle up. There are a bevy of people movers and partnerships to in which we have to get get you caught up.

People News

Pedro Andres Sanchez Joins Fivestone Studios as Executive Creative Director

Fivestone Studios welcomed Pedro Andres Sanchez to its team as executive creative director.

A creative leader with nearly two decades of experience, Andres Sanchez is widely recognized for blending design, technology, and storytelling to create immersive and interactive experiences. He has directed major permanent experiential projects for brands including T-Mobile, Verizon, IBM, Harley-Davidson, and McDonald’s. Most recently as GVP, group creative director for Razorfish, he led the Physical x Digital team in crafting large-scale immersive retail experiences and interactive brand activations. Prior to that, as creative director at Leviathan (now Envoy Chicago), he oversaw multidisciplinary teams delivering immersive experiences for branded environments, executive briefing centers, and public spaces.

Kokusai Denki Amplifies Sales Team with Adam Daniul

KOKUSAI DENKI Electric America has appointed industry veteran Adam Daniul to its sales team. Daniul takes on the role of Southeast regional manager, initially covering the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

He joins KOKUSAI DENKI direct from FOR-A Corporation. His 12 years of experience at FOR-A, including nearly four years as VP sales and more than five years serving the Southeast, has also kept him well-versed in regional business trends, some of which share parallels across verticals.

Daniul is leveraging his strong industry relationships across the region and brand knowledge to develop new business, drive sales, and serve existing customers across KOKUSAI DENKI’s customer base. Those customers include both end users and the company’s regional channel partner network, including integrators, dealers and rental houses. Daniul’s depth of experience also includes several years with a distribution firm and a manufacturer’s representative which, along with his time at FOR-A, have prepared him with a broad industry of how the channel business operates and thrives.

Nemal Welcomes Adeline Ferro as Director of Business Development

Adeline Ferro, MBA, has joined Nemal Electronics as its new director of business development. She is leading Nemal’s expanding efforts in healthcare technology, focusing on OR connectivity solutions built with Neutrik’s Hybrid Med connectors. She also serves as a link between Nemal's sales representatives throughout the Americas and its engineering team, ensuring the delivery of custom solutions tailored to clients' needs.

With over 25 years of experience in broadcast and Pro AV—including leadership roles at Viacom—Ferro brings deep industry knowledge and a customer-first mindset to Nemal.

PPDS Welcomes ‘Edutech Expert’ Emily Pirtle

PPDS appointed "AV expert," Emily Pirtle, in a move further strengthening its sales team in North America. In her newly created role of regional sales manager for TOLA, encompassing Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas, Pirtle is focused on four key growth markets representing over 3.5 million small businesses and opportunities.

With an accomplished career spanning over 20 years, she brings a diverse set of skills and knowledge to the PPDS North America team, with specialist expertise and leadership experience in sales, account management, client relations, strategic planning, and business development. Her primary responsibilities include developing and managing relationships with integrators, resellers, and customers, identifying new sales opportunities and leads, and collaborating with partners.

She will also work with national and international teams to develop and implement new strategies to further increase and expand brand recognition and drive product awareness of PPDS' evolving portfolio of award winning Philips Professional Displays, and complementary hardware and software solutions, to a wider audience.

ProjX360 Appoints Kristina Marshall as Onboarding Director

ProjX360 hired Kristina Marshall as onboarding director. Marshall leads initiatives to help new clients learn ProjX360 and adopt proven workflows that streamline operations from sales through service.

Marshall brings over a decade of experience spanning both integration and SaaS solutions for the AV industry. She served at Portal.io from 2017 through 2025, where she worked closely with dealers and manufacturers to simplify quoting and procurement processes. Prior to that, she worked as a system designer and project manager at Kiwi Audio Visual (2013–2017), overseeing design, documentation, and job execution from pre-wire through project completion.

Company News

AC Americas Announces U.S Distribution Partnership with Innosonix

AC Americas announced its exclusive partnership with German audio innovator Innosonix for distribution across the United States. Innosonix is known for its advanced DSP-driven Class D amplifiers, offering up to 32 channels in a single rack unit. Its technology is designed for demanding applications in immersive audio, themed entertainment, and architectural installations—where precision, scalability, and reliability are paramount.

This strategic alliance marks a significant expansion of AC Americas’ audio portfolio, bringing Innosonix’s multi-channel amplifier technology to the U.S. market for the first time under an exclusive agreement.

Humly Partners With Avitor for Irish Distribution

Humly announced a new partnership with Irish AV distributor Avitor that will introduce the workplace solutions to businesses and campuses throughout Ireland. This collaboration marks Humly’s official entry into the Irish market.

Avitor, a value-added distributor in the AV and collaboration space, has selected Humly as a key addition to its brand portfolio for all-in-one professional space booking and management. The partnership reflects the increasing demand from organizations for smart, user-friendly workplace tools to book rooms, desks, and parking spaces, manage visitor journeys, and more — across one ecosystem featuring Humly’s hardware and/or software solutions.

Listen Technologies Partners with Akoio

Listen Technologies has partnered with Akoio, a company dedicated to hearing wellness through accessibility and lifelong sound health for both organizations and individuals, to expand education and access to inclusive audio experiences. The collaboration will highlight how innovative assistive listening technologies like Auracast broadcast audio are helping more people hear clearly in public and private spaces.

Akoio helps organizations adopt impactful solutions that meet the everyday needs of their employees. Together, they will ensure organizations are inspired to act and equipped with the strategies and tools to create environments where people can thrive. Listen Technologies and Akoio will focus on education, awareness, and strategic implementations to demonstrate the human and business impacts of access to clear audio.

Midwich Partners with Lightware Visual Engineering

Midwich announced a new U.S. distribution partnership with Lightware Visual Engineering. Through this partnership, Midwich will bring Lightware’s portfolio, including its Taurus UCX platform, advanced matrix switchers, AV over IP technologies, and USB-C connectivity solutions to integrators, resellers, and end users across the United States. Midwich customers will also benefit from dedicated sales support, training, and technical expertise to help them design and deploy Lightware solutions in a wide range of environments.

POPE Professional joins RAVENNA partner community

Lawo, developer of the RAVENNA audio-over-IP technology, welcomes Indian Pro AV company POPE Professional Acoustics Ltd as the latest partner to the thriving RAVENNA community.

POPE Professiona is known for its innovative range of audio solutions including loudspeakers, subwoofers, line arrays, amplifiers and digital signal processors. The company also offers comprehensive manufacturing, audio system design, installation and support, and has contributed to numerous high-profile projects across the country.

SMPTE 2025 Media Technology Summit Plans Unveiled

SMPTE, the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has announced plans for this year’s Media Technology Summit. SMPTE’s annual conference focusing on media innovations, solutions, and technologies is taking place Oct. 13-16 at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, CA.

This year’s Summit will feature multiple technical conference tracks. Highlights include a Live Broadcast Symposium with sessions from the EBU, Marvel Studios, and AWS, as well as a Global AI Standards Forum with presentations from Google, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and others. SMPTE is also expanding its Solutions Hub, where attendees can explore three Interactive Zones: Acquisition & Live Capture, Processing & Post Production, and Delivery & Consumer Display. Each zone will spotlight the latest workflows and technologies that are shaping the future of media.

This news comes on the heels of SMPTE being recognized with a Technology and Engineering Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) for its ST 2067 family of standards, which defines the Interoperable Master Format (IMF). SMPTE, along with Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA), Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI), and University of Southern California’s Entertainment Technology Center (USC-ETC), will be honored at the upcoming 76th Annual Technology and Engineering Emmy Awards. The ceremony is set to take place on December 4, 2025, at Prince George’s Ballroom in New York City.

It was a big week in Pro AV, with three acquisitions of note.

UK AV and unified communications specialist ClearVC acquired videoconferencing integrator, VideoCentric , in a strategic move that accelerates ClearVC’s national growth and deepens its ability to deliver high-quality, end-to-end collaboration solutions across the U.K. This includes VideoCentric’s newly opened showroom in Edinburgh, which will act as a Scottish hub for demonstrations, innovation and training, supporting ClearVC’s long-term strategy to offer true end-to-end UK coverage.

The acquisition brings VideoCentric’s directly employed engineers into the ClearVC fold, ensuring all service delivery remains in-house. This approach reinforces ClearVC’s core values of quality, consistency, and responsiveness, which are critical as demand for reliable AV solutions continues to grow. With a reduced need for long-distance deployments, the group is positioned to respond faster and more efficiently across all regions.

Elsewhere, HARMAN International has completed the acquisition of Sound United. Sound United’s portfolio of audio brands includes Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz, Definitive Technology, Polk Audio, HEOS, Classé, and Boston Acoustics. HARMAN is now empowered to bring consumers more choice, deeper innovation, and exceptional experiences across listening environments. You can get all the details by clicking here.

One day later, FORTÉ, formerly AVI Systems, officially acquired Informationsteknik Scandinavia AB, headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. With operations in both Sweden and Denmark, this acquisition further expands FORTÉ’s European presence and advances its strategy to support global organizations with modern audiovisual and unified collaboration solutions. Read our full coverage by clicking here.

That's not all that went down last week. Get caught up on people on the move and new partnerships you may have missed.

People News

ASG Ramps up International Presence with Appointment of Three Key U.K. Personnel

Advanced Systems Group continues to expand its global reach with the appointment of a team in the company’s London office. Three executives from the U.K. storage and service provider, Root6, have joined ASG UK: Graham McGuinness, Petra Leibu, and Neal Kemsley. McGuinness took the helm as field CTO; Leibu as director of strategic accounts, U.K.; and Kemsley as senior solutions architect (media production).

As one of the founding owners of Root6, McGuinness has considerable expertise in systems design, cloud workflow automation, editing, film and video postproduction, and shared storage. His role at ASG UK is both strategic and technical, bridging products, engineering, and solutions. Leibu manages client relationships in the UK and identifies new business opportunities within new and existing accounts. She is eager to extend ASG’s global footprint and to continue the client-driven approach she, McGuinness, and Kemsley are known for. Lastly, Kemsley comes to ASG with an extensive background as a pre-sales and customer support engineer. In his role, Kemsley consults with ASG and client personnel to identify and plan the best solutions for media production system and workflow challenges.

AtlasIED Appoints Glenn Lin as Director of APAC Sales

AtlasIED appointed Glenn Lin as director of sales, APAC. With over 20 years of experience in business development and sales across the APAC region, his career has focused on expanding market presence, building distributor networks, and strengthening B2B relationships.

In his new role, Lin focuses on expanding AtlasIED’s reach across the APAC region by supporting integrators, consultants, and end users, while strengthening the company’s regional sales infrastructure. His appointment underscores AtlasIED’s continued investment in international markets and its dedication to delivering innovative audio and communication solutions worldwide.

Stephen Patterson joins Pufferfish Displays as CEO

Stephen Patterson, the former sales director of Europe and Africa for Biamp, has joined Pufferfish Displays as its new CEO.

“We are thrilled to have Stephen joining us at such an exciting time in our development," said Iain Mackay, chairman of Pufferfish Displays. "Pufferfish Displays have been steadily building a more global business, and we believe that Stephen’s experience and vision matches perfectly with those of our board and senior leadership team”

Renkus-Heinz hires new Middle East and Africa Regional Sales Manager

Renkus-Heinz welcomed Rahul Mankar to the team as regional sales manager for the Middle East and Africa (MEA). He brings 17 years of sales experience with him, having worked in various strategic, decision-making roles with a particular focus on audiovisual experiences within the luxury-tech space.

Mankar works closely with Karan Kathuria, director of sales and business development for APAC and MEA, and the wider sales team to help deliver Renkus-Heinz's global goals. With a proven track record in driving growth and establishing businesses across the GCC and India, Rahul is the perfect candidate to expand Renkus-Heinz’s global presence, bringing their innovative loudspeaker technology to new markets.

Cheryl Walton and Rachael Hinds Join WAVIT Board

Women in AV/IT (WAVIT) has expanded its board of directors with the appointment of two respected industry leaders, Cheryl Walton and Rachael Hinds. Both bring extensive experience and a shared passion for advancing opportunities, visibility, and representation for women in the AV/IT community.

Walton serves as the director of business development at Edge, bringing over 25 years of experience in the audio-video industry. She has a proven track record for driving strategic growth and building lasting partnerships across the AV landscape. With more than a decade of experience in the AV/IT industry, Hinds has built a career at the intersection of marketing, technology, and community. As a senior marketing leader at Peerless-AV, she is passionate about creating opportunities for representation, visibility, and mentorship for women across the industry.

Company News

CTI Launches U.S. Department of Labor Registered Audiovisual Apprenticeship

With a need for fresh blood in the AV industry, CTI started its summer internship program to show college students firsthand the career opportunities in commercial AV. Now, CTI has created a Department of Labor‑Registered Apprenticeship for Audiovisual Technicians.

Here’s what you get as a CTI Registered Apprentice:

• Hands-on competency-based training: Over 4,000 hours, apprentices master 11 key AV integration skills, including installation, calibration, and safety.
• Certifications: Over 288 hours of classroom or related instruction on industry standards, CTI’s processes, certifications from AVIXA, Crestron, Q‑SYS, Audinate, and more.
• Debt-free education: The training is free.
• Earn while you learn: Get paid throughout the program, even as you train.
• Federally recognized certification: Recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor, the certification never expires.

PPDS, MMD, TP Vision and AOC Team Up to Raise Funds for the Eye Care Foundation

PPDS, together with colleagues at MMD Monitors and Displays, TP Vision, and AOC, have teamed up to conquer the annual ‘Dam tot Damloop.' The event is in the Netherlands to raise funds for international charity, the Eye Care Foundation for the second consecutive year.

Running as part of TPV Cares, a foundation that harnesses the talents of its teams and its technologies to bring life-changing help and support to people and communities in more than 200 countries and territories, members from each business unit came together on Sept. 21, to take part in the 10 mile (16.1-kilometre) two city route, which started in Amsterdam and finished in Zaandam.

Visionary Partners with Mainline to Expand Presence in Florida

Visionary has partnered with Mainline, an independent manufacturers’ representation firm based in Winter Park, FL. The partnership appoints Mainline as Visionary’s manufacturer representative for Florida, strengthening sales and support for Visionary’s growing portfolio of AV over IP and IPTV solutions.

Founded in 1987, Mainline specializes in sales, marketing and distribution for professional audio, video and lighting equipment manufacturers. Mainline has earned a strong reputation for its industry expertise and commitment to supporting consultants, commercial audiovisual integrators, broadcast and pro audio suppliers, music retailers, and production and rental companies throughout Florida. Mainline works hand-in-hand with systems integrators and consultants to deliver innovative solutions and foster long-term relationships that help partners succeed.

A quiet week in Pro AV? As if! Let's get the week started with 10 moves you may have missed last week. Sony goes back to school, ADI has a new Support Center, Diversified gets Disney-fied, and more people on the move and partnerships to get caught up on below.

[WATCH: An Alien Invasion Engulfs Times Square... Thanks to This 3D Billboard]

People News

Diversified Expands Hospitality and Lifestyle Market with Former Disney Executive

Diversified is expanding its hospitality and lifestyle solutions within its advisory services practice, a strategic move aimed at transforming guest experiences in resorts, cruise ships, casinos, theme parks, and luxury destinations worldwide. To lead this practice, Diversified has appointed Zach Toback, a 30-year media veteran and former VP of production and studio operations at The Walt Disney Company, as vice president of business development, Hospitality and Lifestyle within advisory services.

[Flame On! Disney's Space Mountain Becomes Canvas for Fantastic Projection Mapping]

Toback brings deep operational expertise and a proven record of managing complex, large-scale technology ecosystems. At Diversified, he spearheads the company’s global hospitality strategy within the advisory services team and partner with clients to deliver scalable, reliable solutions that merge creative vision with technology execution.

FOR-A America Appoints Jo Aun to Lead U.S. Product Development

FOR-A America named Jo Aun as senior manager of product management and engineering. In this new position, Aun guides the planning, development, and rollout of FOR-A’s broadcast and video technology across the United States.

A key part of Aun’s new role is serving as a liaison between U.S. operations and FOR-A Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo. He is the key connection between U.S. customers and FOR-A’s engineering teams in Japan, ensuring that customer feedback directly informs product strategy. He also leads engineering activities, manage system integrations, and support training for U.S. staff on FOR-A’s proprietary IP technologies.

Aun rejoins FOR-A after serving as a system consultant, specializing in IP and cloud solutions, at Riedel Communications. Earlier in his career, he was deputy sales engineering manager at FOR-A Corporation in Tokyo, where he supervised international system integrations, including projects for the New World Symphony in Miami and large-scale U.S. houses of worship.

Mike Case Joins PK Sound

PK Sound has welcomed pro audio industry veteran Mike Case to its team in the role of director of global network and partnerships. Based in the U.K., Case brings a strong history of establishing disruptive new technologies and advancing brands to the Calgary-based manufacturer.

In his new role, Case leads the company’s growing international network in further expanding the brand’s profile and reach. Case played a pivotal role in the analog-to-digital transformation of the live sound industry, helping to redefine how modern touring and event audio systems are deployed and managed. He worked with Yamaha Commercial Audio to introduce the world’s first large format digital mixing console, the PM1D, and later joined Digidesign (now Avid), to launch the Venue console series before moving to d&b audiotechnik. There, he held a series of senior leadership roles—opening the company’s APAC hub in Singapore, growing the brand’s footprint in multiple regions and supporting the launch of key technologies including Soundscape.

tvONE Strengthens NCSA Sales Team 

tvONE has expanded its North, Central, and South America (NCSA) sales team with the appointment of two new regional sales managers. Steve Payne joins as Midwest regional sales manager, and Mike Dailey takes on the role of Northeast regional sales manager,

Based in Chicago, Payne brings 20 years of AV industry experience. His career spans sales with AV manufacturer Analog Way, along with extensive hands-on expertise in live events, rental and staging as a video engineer, and integration work as both a field engineer and onsite collaboration engineer.

Based in Northern New Jersey, Dailey offers three decades of AV sales experience across manufacturers, distribution, and representative firms. Earlier in his career, he also spent five years as a morning radio host in Las Vegas and Connecticut.

Company News

ADI Celebrates Grand Opening of New Support Center in Charlotte

ADI Global Distribution celebrated the grand opening of its new Support Center in Charlotte, located at the Panorama Tower in Ballantyne, NC. Spanning 41,000 square feet across two floors, the new facility is home to more than 180 team members representing marketing, accounting, product development, education, training, and other key departments.

The new Charlotte Support Center marks the relocation of the former Snap One headquarters. Following the acquisition of Snap One in 2024 and the integration into ADI, this site was selected to continue supporting the experienced team based in the area, while creating a modern, sustainable, and collaborative workspace that aligns with ADI’s brand and values.

The location was strategically selected to have minimal impact on employee commutes, with comparable travel times for the majority of the team. It also offers convenient access to major highways, public transportation, along with nearby restaurants, services, and green spaces to contribute to a positive day-to-day experience for employees and visitors alike.

Roland Announces Strategic Distribution Partnership with Techni+Contact

Roland Professional A/V has a new distribution partnership with Techni+Contact, a Canadian distributor of audiovisual and unified communications technologies. As an official distributor of Roland Professional A/V’s full suite of products, Techni+Contact now offers the Roland V-series video switchers and streaming solutions designed for live events, corporate presentations, education, and worship environments.

With this new alliance, Roland is expanding customer sales and support with a team spanning across the Canadian market and working in full step with Techi+Contact to offer complete AV solutions in Canada. The partnership commences in Toronto on September 15 during the first stop of the Techni+Contact’s Let’s Connect 2025 Roadshow.

Sharp Relaunches dvLED Portfolio with Expanded Options

Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America has relaunched its dvLED display solutions, designed to meet the evolving needs of commercial, educational and public environments under the Sharp name. The portfolio continues to offer a full spectrum of fine-pitch dvLED products, from premium to budget-conscious options, all backed by Sharp's trusted brand and service excellence.

The FA Series and FE Series deliver premium and mainstream imaging performance, respectively, with fine-pitch options ranging from 0.9mm to 3.8mm. These displays feature front-serviceable cabinets, hot-swappable pixel cards, and optional built-in redundancy for power and data - ideal for command and control centers, corporate environments, transportation hubs, and higher education institutions.

Sony Partners with Syracuse University to Bring Tech to Newhouse School

Sony Electronics is partnering with the Newhouse School at Syracuse University to provide innovative equipment, hands-on training, and industry expertise as part of a collaboration that will prepare students for careers in media, entertainment and visual communications.

Sony leaders will take part in workshops, seminars, and other events, providing mentorship, thought leadership, and experiential learning opportunities for students, both in Syracuse and beyond campus.

Sony and the University celebrated the collaboration Sept. 17 during Sony Signature Innovation Day at Newhouse, featuring demonstrations of Sony’s latest imaging and broadcast technology with students, faculty and staff. The day culminated with a conversation between Sony Imaging Products and Solutions Americas president Theresa Alesso, and Newhouse Dean Mark J. Lodato.

Pro AV Around the World

AVPro Edge appointed CHANNELRIVER GmbH as a new exclusive distribution partner in the DACH region (Germany, Switzerland, and Austria) for the AVPro Edge and Bullet Train brands, and will also (non-exclusively) represent the Murideo brand to commercial integrators across the territory. This partnership marks a significant step in the ongoing global expansion for AVPro brands, bringing award-winning AV signal distribution solutions to this critical market.

Follow-Me has agreed to a strategic sales partnership with P.S. TEATR, a provider of lighting and stage systems in Poland. The new partnership positions P.S. TEATR as the exclusive sales partner for Follow-Me in this important growing territory, expanding access to performer tracking systems for theatres, concert venues, music festivals, and corporate events across Poland, while influencing Central Europe.

It was another very busy week in Pro AV. Diversified opened a new headquarters, Nanolumens and FOR-A were among a slew of industry companies that made new appointments, and NDI named a new Board.

[SCN Top 50 2025: It's Time to Enter!]

Let's get right to it.

People News

Tom Baldassare Joins Advanced Systems Group

Industry veteran Tom Baldassare has joined Advanced Systems Group as a senior account executive. In his new role, he will maintain and develop relationships with Fortune 100 tech and financial firms on both coasts. Baldassare is one of the creators of the Silicon Valley Video Summit, a consistently sold-out event every January, co-sponsored by ASG.

Baldassare has built a following among the top Silicon Valley and west coast tech firms. In addition to servicing existing clientele, Baldassare will also lead ASG’s initiative to cultivate new technology and finance firms as clientele in New York City.

Cobalt Iron Appoints Joshua Pressnell as VP of Engineering

Cobalt Iron welcomed Joshua Pressnell as VP of engineering. Based in Ohio, Pressnell will draw on his diverse background in defense systems, mobile applications, and enterprise software to further strengthen Cobalt Iron’s engineering organization and drive innovation across its Compass enterprise data protection platform.

Pressnell will lead Cobalt Iron’s Software and Systems teams, applying proven engineering leadership to accelerate innovation and product delivery. He aims to build on Cobalt Iron’s strong engineering foundation by enhancing collaboration across departments and refining how technical execution supports strategic business goals. His focus is on evolving engineering practices to align with the company’s vision for 2025 and beyond, ensuring continued delivery of innovative, reliable solutions that meet the dynamic needs of enterprise customers.

Pressnell’s career began in the defense sector, where he lead the creation of mission-critical systems for the U.S. Department of Defense, developing a deep appreciation for cyber security and bulletproof software design. He later founded Varietas Software, producing over 30 niche mobile applications — including a pioneering personal book cataloging app and an email prioritization tool used by enterprise clients. Later, as CTO at Penthera Technologies, he led the development of advanced video streaming solutions for major media brands. His leadership roles at RTI, Ascendum Solutions, and various startups further showcase his expertise in cloud computing, cross-functional team management, and delivering scalable, customer-focused solutions.

FOR-A America Names Ernie Leon SVP, Head of Sales and Strategic Growth

FOR-A America named Ernie Leon as SVP, head of sales and strategic growth. In his new role, Leon will oversee sales strategy, business development, and market expansion.

With previous senior leadership roles at Sony and Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud solutions, Leon brings a unique blend of broadcast expertise, cloud workflow innovation, and customer-focused strategy to help FOR-A America accelerate growth and better serve core customers in the broadcast, corporate, and house-of-worship markets.

Nanolumens Appoints Patrick Britton as Chief Operating Officer

Nanolumens has appointed Patrick Britton as chief operating officer. Britton brings more than 25 years of experience in the audiovisual industry, with a versatile background spanning project management, product launches, operations and executive leadership. His career includes roles as VP of sales and marketing at IMS Technology Services, CEO of South Central AV, regional general manager at AVI-SPL, principal consultant at Polaris Management Advisors, and, most recently, senior consultant at Navigate Management Consulting.

In his new role, Britton will focus on strengthening Nanolumens’ operational workflows to manage increasing volumes and unify systems across the organization. His expertise in enterprise resource planning tools will be a key asset in optimizing efficiency, productivity, and alignment throughout the company.

PPDS Appoints Digital Signage Sales Specialist Hendrik Hack

PPDS welcomed digital signage sales specialist, Hendrik Hack. Accepting the role of sales manager digital signage for north and northeast Germany, Hack joins PPDS with a career spanning almost 10 years, specializing exclusively in digital signage and interactive display sales and project management.

Hack will play a key role in PPDS achieving its growth ambitions for Philips digital signage, as well as value added solutions such as Philips Wave, in Germany. His responsibilities will include working with and supporting PPDS’ partners and customers, as well as with PPDS’ global teams for multinational projects, helping to increase business opportunities, secure tenders, and ensure seamless project completions across all market verticals, including retail, corporate, education, hospitality, healthcare, transportation, public venues, and more.

StreamGuys Promotes Two to Executive Layer

StreamGuys has promoted Tim LaBelle to EVP of global sales and Jesse Orr to EVP of engineering, effective immediately. They will work closely together to fuel the company’s next generation of business growth.

In his new role, LaBelle will oversee all sales and business development. His innate understanding of the company’s technology brings valuable insights for customers and enterprises. Orr has long been a key contributor and leader behind the scenes at StreamGuys, where his core responsibilities include bringing more efficiency to both StreamGuys and customer organizations. That includes maintaining the networking and infrastructure, global data centers, and working to assure 100% uptime for customers' streams and StreamGuys’ suite of services.

Cam Eicher Named EVP of Audio Production for Telos Alliance

Telos Alliance has promoted Cam Eicher to EVP of audio production. In his newly created role, Eicher will leverage his 35-plus years of broadcast experience, deep understanding of customers’ needs, and the strong relationships he has built while at Telos Alliance to bring a more unified product portfolio to market more quickly and ensure a cohesive and consistent user experience across products and brand families.

Company News

22Miles Joins the BrightSign Bright Alliance Program

22Miles has been named an Elite Partner within BrightSign’s Bright Alliance program. The recognition underscores the companies’ long-standing collaboration and highlights their shared commitment to delivering seamless, innovative digital signage experiences across retail, healthcare, education, and hospitality environments.

Bright Alliance is BrightSign’s strategic partner program designed to unlock new possibilities for digital signage by fostering collaborative solutions, seamless technology integration, and joint go-to-market support. Within this program, Elite partners represent the highest level of collaboration. Elite status is reserved for CMS providers that work in close alignment with BrightSign’s technical roadmap, pioneer new markets, and drive customer success at scale.

Audio-Technica Introduces Technica Base Product Portal

Audio-Technica unveiled Technica Base, a new online technical resource center designed to give system integrators, consultants, and Pro AV specialists streamlined access to A-T commercial audio product information. Technica Base offers technical product information, relevant downloads, and other resources to support the specification and deployment of Audio-Technica solutions for commercial audio applications, perfect for accessing information in the integrator’s office or out in the field at their job site.

Technica Base is an easy-to-use search hub offering users up-to-date information on A-T solutions, including documents on each product, technical specifications, software and firmware downloads, high-res images, videos and more. Product information on Technica Base is organized by Wired Products, Wireless Products, and Products by Line (Engineered Sound, UniPoint, ProPoint). Additional System Solution Links include Software and Firmware (Download current software and firmware), Strategic Alliances and Partnerships (complete listing of third-party partners), Case Studies (examples of real-world applications of A-T solutions) and System Solution Territory Contacts.

NDI Appoints Global Advisory Board

Last month, NDI formed its inaugural Global Advisory Board, uniting top industry leaders from across the video technology ecosystem to support NDI’s continued growth, innovation, and worldwide adoption. The NDI Advisory Board will provide strategic counsel on interoperability, standards development, developer outreach, and broader ecosystem opportunities.

Steve Taylor, chief product and technology officer at Vizrt, will serve as chair of the Advisory Board, bringing deep product and industry expertise to lead this strategic group. The six additional members are Jeff Moore, EVP and chief marketing officer, Ross Video; Laurent Masia, senior director of product line management, NETGEAR; Fintan McKiernan, CEO, Ideal Systems; Mahmoud Al-Daccak, video technology expert, MulticoreWare; Andy Carluccio, head of client innovation, Zoom; and Miguel Coutinho, head of NDI.

NSCA Education Foundation Launches Legacy Program

The NSCA Education Foundation, the 501c3 charitable activity affiliate of NSCA focused on workforce development and industry advancement, recently announced a significant financial contribution from Ray Bailey, CEO of Lone Star Communications, to help support the foundation's new Legacy Program.

Bailey is stepping back from his longstanding roles with NSCA and the NSCA Education Foundation, where he’s served in various leadership and Board of Directors roles for more than two decades. He presented the donation in July during his final NSCA Board of Directors meeting, coinciding with his company’s transition to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).

The Legacy Program is designed to sustain long-term investments in career, talent, and professional-develop resources that strengthen the commercial integration industry. Bailey will play an instrumental role in determining how his contributions are applied. Potential initiatives include specialized training programs, such as AI-related skills for integrators, as well as events and programs focused on attracting young professionals to the industry.

Sennheiser Partners with Rise AV to Support Diversity in the AV Industry

The Sennheiser Group has joined forces with Rise AV, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing gender diversity and inclusion in the audiovisual sector. As a Gold Sponsor, Sennheiser supports Rise AV’s mission to create pathways for women and underrepresented talent. By supporting Rise AV, Sennheiser contributes to a shared vision: an AV industry where talent is recognized regardless of gender, and where inclusive structures enable long-term change.

Sennheiser has been advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion through initiatives such as its Diversity Network, launched in 2019 and rooted in a women’s network from 2016. Other milestones include the signing of the German Diversity Charter in 2022, the introduction of global DEI training for all employees by 2025, and the annual celebration of Diversity Day. Together, these measures reflect a culture where every voice counts, and different perspectives are valued as sources of innovation.

Utelogy Joins Forces with Natilik to Enhance Managed Meeting Spaces

Utelogy Corporation announced its strategic partnership with Natilik, an IT solutions provider with headquarters in London and offices in New York and Sydney. This collaboration brings Utelogy’s intelligent software platform into Natilik’s long-standing Managed Services portfolio, further strengthening its Managed Meeting Spaces offering.

Together, Utelogy and Natilik are enabling enterprises to achieve proactive support, real-time monitoring, historical analytics, and remote troubleshooting across their AV and UC environments. This combination empowers organizations to optimize uptime, streamline operations, and improve user experiences across global deployments.

WeQuote Expands to North America

For AV integrators, managing quotes, projects, and client communications often means juggling tools that weren’t built for their business. Designed by AV professionals, WeQuote is a software platform that makes quoting, project management, and client updates simple, fast, and reliable. Already used across Europe, WeQuote is now expanding to North America, giving integrators a tool that fits their workflow.

WeQuote’s U.S. launch marks a major milestone in the company’s global growth, helping AV professionals everywhere streamline their workflow and eliminate inefficiencies. “Integrators shouldn’t have to work around software,” said Lee Roche, WeQuote co-founder and CEO of. “WeQuote adapts to how teams actually work, so they can focus on delivering great AV experiences instead of fighting spreadsheets and emails."

Pro AV Around the World

Diversified opened a new office in Frankfurt, Germany. The strategic hub expands the company’s operational footprint in EMEA, serving as a center for client engagement, technology demonstrations, engineering, and project delivery. The office space spans ~5,400 square feet (500 square meters), with a 1300 square meter warehouse, supporting Diversified’s existing team with plans to grow headcount over the next two years. The facility provides ample space for prestaging, warehousing, and collaboration for Diversified and its technology partners, including Sennheiser and Crestron, to engage with clients and showcase solutions on-site.

SpinetiX appointed Green Sources as a distribution partner for India. Green Sources will offer the full SpinetiX portfolio and provide on-the-ground commercial and technical support to SpinetiX resellers and integrators nationwide.

Newly Certified

AVer Information's MD720UIS, a medical-grade, all-in-one PTZ camera, has obtained Zoom Pro AV Camera Certification. Purpose-built for telehealth and patient monitoring, the MD720UIS delivers a seamless Zoom experience, enabling healthcare professionals to provide consistent, high-quality care in virtual consultations, intensive care units, telesitting programs and remote patient monitoring environments.

The MD720UIS is engineered to meet the evolving demands of modern healthcare. Featuring 20X optical zoom, ultra-clear 4K imaging and IR night vision, the MD720UIS ensures sharp, detailed visuals in any lighting condition. With PoE++ connectivity, it transmits both power and data over a single Ethernet cable, simplifying setup across medical carts, patient rooms and virtual nurse stations. Designed with privacy and compliance in mind, the MD720UIS features a Local Privacy Mode that halts audio and video transmission, plus an intelligent Mosaic function that automatically masks bodies or faces in the frame to protect patient identity.

Elsewhere, Owl Labs announced its Meeting Owl 4+ has achieved Microsoft Teams certification. With this milestone, the Meeting Owl 4+ joins the Meeting Owl 3 and Owl Bar as peripherals that are certified for Microsoft Teams. With its full ecosystem now certified, Owl Labs provides IT professionals with a comprehensive suite of industry-leading hybrid collaboration solutions.

With this achievement, Owl Labs reinforces its role as a trusted IT partner, serving nearly 250,000 organizations and 92 of the Fortune 100. The Teams certification validates that Owl Labs products meet the rigorous requirements of IT buyers and ensures optimal functionality in enterprise ecosystems.

September opened with a flurry of Pro AV moves. There were a lot of new people in new places, partnerships, and road shows announced. As always, let's start with a couple of acquisitions.

Just weeks after announcing the completion of the 26North Partners acquisition of AVI-SPL, the company has now acquired CCS Presentation Systems Southwest (CCS Southwest), an audiovisual design and systems integration firm headquartered in Mesa, AZ. CCS has a 34-year history of serving customers in the Arizona market with a focus on continuously optimizing communications and collaboration solutions for the modern workplace and campus. While CCS has capabilities and locations across the United States, AVI-SPL has only acquired CCS Southwest, the operating entity serving Arizona. Read the full details in our coverage here.

Following the sale of CCS Southwest and the retirement of founder John Godbout, the CCS Presentation Systems headquarters is moving to Houston, TX, and will be led by the new owners of the CCS brand, Ben and Elizabeth Pickrel.

One day later, Ross Video made headlines, acquiring LAMA, a developer of audio production software known for its innovative live mixing solutions. You can find out what you need to know in our coverage here.

Now, on with the show.

People Movers

People News

AVIXA Welcomes José Aragón as Chief Financial Officer

AVIXA appointed José Aragón as the chief financial officer. In this role, he will lead the association’s financial growth strategy.

Aragón most recently held the position of VP of finance, networks, and studios at A+E Global Media, a multinational media company. During his tenure, he led several transformative initiatives, including serving as a key finance partner for the company's digital growth strategy. Prior to his role at A+E Global Media, Aragón was the VP of finance for Sony Pictures Entertainment, TV Production. He has also held executive finance positions at Univision and NBCUniversal.

Christie Appoints Jim Hallas as VP, Product Management

Christie has appointed Jim Hallas as VP, product management. Hallas will lead the company’s display product strategy and display product lines while aligning customers’ needs with the company’s innovation and capabilities to support the company’s long-term strategic vision to maintain its position as a trusted partner worldwide.

Most recently, Hallas served as business and engineering manager for the DLP Cinema, Pro AV, and Industrial Group at TI, where his team pioneered the HEP pixel technology and holds five patents for various technology innovations.

DMF Lighting Appoints Charlie Derk as Senior Director of Product Strategy 

DMF Lighting has appointed Charlie Derk as senior director of product strategy. In this new role, Derk will lead DMF’s product roadmap and innovation strategy, driving the continued development of lighting solutions designed to elevate performance, aesthetics.

With more than 25 years of experience in the luxury residential and architectural lighting industries, Derk brings a blend of engineering expertise, market insight, and customer-driven innovation. He has held leadership positions at Legrand (where he was most recently VP of strategy for Legrand’s Building Control Systems division), Crestron Electronics, Doherty Design Group, and Lutron Electronics, where he was instrumental in shaping product portfolios and introducing advanced lighting control and automated shading solutions.

Telos Alliance Welcomes Jeff Williams as Director of Western US Sales

Telos Alliance welcomed Jeff Williams to the position of director of Western U.S. sales. Williams brings four decades of radio and broadcast experience, plus a family legacy in broadcast and pro audio, to support customers across the Western United States.

Williams began his career in broadcasting at age 16, working with Shotgun Tom Kelly, and followed with roles at San Diego’s KFMB, Boston’s WRKO, and leadership positions with Gannett, Jacor, Clear Channel, and Knight Broadcasting. Since 2015, he has been general manager and owner of Yellowtec USA.

Dante Partners

Dante Is Everywhere

There were several partnerships made with Audinate's Dante platform last week. Here is a quick rundown of who is now Dante-enabled.

AVer's Pro AV cameras will come with Dante Ready licensing. Dante Ready is a licensing program that allows manufacturers to ship their Pro AV products with Dante installed but not activated, so that Dante functionality, such as a channel of Dante AV-H video, can be activated on site whenever it’s needed, offering flexibility and scalability for AV over IP systems. With this integration, AVer’s professional AV cameras offer customers the ability to access Dante AV-H, which is a powerful technology that delivers smooth, high-quality, low-latency video over standard networks. Users simply enter a license key to unlock the functionality, with no hardware change required.

The Freedman Group, parent company of renowned professional audio brands RØDE, Mackie, and newly acquired Lectrosonics, has announced a new partnership with fellow Sydney-based technology leader Audinate. The agreement will see the integration of Audinate’s powerful Dante platform integrated into a suite of next-generation products across The Freedman Group’s portfolio, unlocking advanced networking capabilities for creators and professionals worldwide.

Grass Valley announced a new partnership with Audinate that brings native Dante audio integration into AMPP. With this update, production teams can manage Dante audio streams directly within AMPP without additional hardware. The integration supports up to 128x128 bidirectional channels with latency as low as 1ms, making it easier to scale professional IP audio across cloud, on-prem, or hybrid workflows. The move also introduces a flexible licensing model for Dante I/O, available hourly or monthly, giving broadcasters and event producers a cost-effective way to deploy professional audio networking for anything from short-term projects to enterprise-scale operations.

New Partnerships

Partnerships

Gotham Audio Custom Cables and Cable Stock Now Available in North and South America

Gotham Audio is now available throughout North and South America distributed by Audio Collective Group. Built for professional recording studios, live performance venues, broadcast facilities, post-production houses, and high-end home audio, Gotham Audio offers one of the most comprehensive ranges of premium cabling in the industry—spanning microphone, instrument, studio, digital audio, speaker, video, hybrid, and custom solutions.

Known for Swiss engineering and built upon Reussen Shielding Technology, Gotham cables are built for noise rejection, clarity, and signal transmission in every commercial and residential install.

PlayBox Neo U.S. Partners with AI-Media

PlayBox Neo has partnered with AI-Media to integrate advanced automated captioning, translation, and voice translation solutions directly into the PlayBox Neo broadcast playout ecosystem. Broadcasters, government organizations, universities, and corporate AV facilities now have access to cost-effective, broadcast-quality captioning and multi-lingual voice services, which expands their audience reach while staying compliant with accessibility regulations. They can easily deploy professional-grade captions and multilingual translation at broadcast quality without incurring additional staffing or infrastructure costs.

Through the U.S.-based partnership, PlayBox Neo customers gain access to AI-Media’s ALTA 2110 IP broadcast encoder and LEXI Text, an automated captioning solution that delivers same-language and translated captions with broadcast-grade accuracy and ultra-low latency. The solution also includes LEXI Recorded for pre-recorded content, enabling captions to be produced in less than half the program’s runtime. To ensure high accuracy, AI-Media applies its customized Topic Models, which recognize speakers’ names, industry terminology, and brand-specific language.

In addition to captioning, AI-Media’s new LEXI Voice adds real-time translated voice output. With LEXI Voice, PlayBox Neo customers can provide multilingual viewing experiences across both live and on-demand content. These solutions integrate seamlessly with all PlayBox Neo products, making them accessible to every organization using PlayBox Neo technology.

Pro AV Around the Globe

Pro AV Around the Globe

HARMAN Professional Solutions announced the appointment of Freevox as the distributor of its AMX video and control solutions in France. This new agreement builds on Freevox’s existing role distributing HARMAN Professional’s audio brands, including JBL Professional, BSS, Crown, Soundcraft, Lexicon, and dbx.

PPDS announced a new strategic distribution partnership with FVC, expanding its reach and strengthening its presence across the Middle East and parts of North Africa. Under this new agreement, FVC will represent and distribute the full PPDS portfolio of Philips Professional Displays, including the latest digital signage, direct view LED displays, and professional TVs, delivering world class AV solutions to customers across a wide range of verticals.

New Locations

New Digs

AV Stumpfl celebrated the opening of its new production hall at its headquarters in Wallern an der Trattnach, Austria, together with its entire team during this year’s summer family festival. The new facility adds 23,680 square feet (2,200 square meters) of production space, effectively doubling the company’s production capacity. Last year, AV Stumpfl invested in new equipment for a second production line and welcomed 20 new team members. Until now, this team was spread across various parts of the company building, which proved inefficient. With the new production hall, workflows can now be organized much more effectively.

USSI Global opened a new repair and logistics complex in Suntree, FL. The new facility is allowing the company to expand beyond its warranty business and add broadcast headend and production equipment to its catalog of repair services. Located about 15 miles north of the company’s Melbourne headquarters, the new repair complex is allowing USSI Global to consolidate three logistics centers into one. Anthony Morelli, president and CEO, USSI Global, said the company is already seeing improved operational efficiencies.

Road Shows

Hit the Road, Pro AV Style

JBL Professional launched its 2025 Installed Audio Roadshow, a coast-to-coast tour showcasing the brand’s most trusted commercial audio solutions in real-world environments. From September through November 2025, the roadshow will make 30 stops nationwide, offering AV integrators, consultants, system designers, and facility managers an opportunity to experience JBL sound in the region where they work with their customers. The JBL Installed Audio Roadshow will kick off in Los Angeles and visit major markets including San Francisco, Denver, Dallas, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Miami, among many others.

The JBL Installed Audio Roadshow delivers application-specific demonstrations that highlight clarity, coverage, and control across hospitality venues, retail spaces, schools, houses of worship, and entertainment environments. Each stop will feature the latest solutions, along with insights into system design best practices, guided walkthroughs, hands-on product exploration, and networking with industry professionals.

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Sennheiser announced the remaining dates for its 2025 Connect & Collaborate Roadshow, including events this fall and early winter. Following a spring and summer of successful stops, Sennheiser will continue its North American tour with visits to Washington, D.C. on September 9, Toronto, Ontario on September 16, and New York City on October 21.

The roadshow is designed for end users, distributors, consultants, integrators, and resellers, providing hands-on training for designing and deploying business communications solutions in meeting spaces and lecture halls. The events will feature live demonstrations of Sennheiser’s TeamConnect (TC) family of products, such as the TC Bars and the TC Ceiling Medium microphone with beamforming technology and TruVoiceLift. Sennheiser technical experts will be on hand to offer practical advice, while partners including Q-SYS, NETGEAR, Lightware, Planar, and Audinate will participate in select locations to highlight seamless integration. Attendees may also earn up to 5.5 AVIXA CTS RU credits by engaging in qualifying sessions.

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Sony Electronics’ Professional Display Solutions group is once again embarking on an interactive technology road show across North America from September 2025 through March 2026. Attendees to the AV Tech Expo will be immersed in the company’s range of Pro AV offerings, including professional BRAVIA displays, the direct view Crystal LED display, AI-enabled PTZ cameras, and device provisioning and management solutions. They will also get a first-hand glimpse at upcoming technology, before it comes to market. Additionally, the company’s knowledgeable product experts will be available to answer questions and demonstrate the latest innovations for a number of professional verticals and applications.

You can catch the show here:

• New York, NY | Sept. 24-25, 2025
• Boston, MA | Oct. 21, 2025
• Los Angeles, CA | Oct. 28 & 29, 2025 
• Fort Lauderdale, FL| Nov. 12, 2025
• Chicagoland Area, IL | Jan. 14, 2026
• Plano, TX | Jan. 21, 2026 
• Toronto, ON | Feb. 2026
• San Diego, CA | Mar. 2026

Welcome to the Alliance

Join the Club

Stage Precision has joined the OpenAV Cloud. The OpenAV Cloud fosters interoperability through open APIs and shared protocols, ensuring that AV systems, tools and platforms can communicate seamlessly across brands, disciplines and geographies. By becoming part of the OpenAV Cloud community, Stage Precision is reinforcing its long-standing mission of delivering customers true freedom of choice, flexibility and system integration without lock-in.

Telos Alliance, Jünger Audio, and TVU Networks unveiled a new collaboration to integrate Telos Alliance’s portfolio of cloud‑enabled audio solutions directly into TVU Networks’ MediaMesh platform, delivering next‑generation audio capabilities for broadcasters and content creators worldwide. In today’s ever-evolving broadcast landscape, audience expectations are rising, and cloud production is quickly becoming the new standard. With the integration of the Telos Alliance and Jünger Audio audio-handling tools with MediaMesh, TVU Network’s clients will gain the direct ability to automate complex audio workflows, ensure consistent, high‑quality audio, and leverage AI to ease manual workloads.

Hitomi Broadcast joined the Grass Valley Alliance, delivering native MatchBox Software solutions for the AMPP ecosystem. This strategic partnership addresses one of broadcasters' primary concerns about migrating to software-based production: maintaining precise timing and synchronization throughout complex virtualized workflows.

The integration brings Hitomi's trusted timing measurement capabilities directly into AMPP environments through MatchBox Software Analyser, MatchBox Probe, and MatchBox Renderer applications. MatchBox Software solutions operate entirely within AMPP's virtualized infrastructure, enabling engineers to position timing measurement probes throughout their broadcast chain without signal conversion or external routing. This provides true end-to-end visibility, allowing broadcasters to monitor timing at multiple points from a centralized web interface whilst maintaining the same millisecond-accurate measurements that broadcast professionals rely on worldwide.

It was another busy week in Pro AV. Audinate has a new chief platform officer, dBTechnologies and TAG Video Solutions welcomed new positions, and Shure microphones took the stage to Stand Up to Cancer.

That and more await in this week's newsmakers rundown.

[AVIXA Forecast: Will Pro AV Revenue Grow Through 2030?]

People News

TJ Adams Joins Audinate as Chief Platform Officer

Audinate appointed TJ Adams to the newly created position of chief platform officer. Adams joins Audinate from QSC, where he was SVP, Q-SYS product strategy and was instrumental in the development of the Q-SYS platform. He previously held engineering, sales, and product management roles at Biamp and SITA (formerly Com-Net Software).

In his new role, Adams will lead Audinate’s platform strategy to deliver an interoperable audio, video, control, and management platform. Building on an established and strong foundation across the millions of Dante-enabled devices in the field, Adams will lead Audinate’s initiatives to deliver cohesive platform software, products and service offerings for designers, integrators and users of AV systems across a wide spectrum of vertical markets & applications.

Bogen Communications Celebrates the Retirement of John Minnick

Bogen Communications celebrated the career of VP John Minnick on July 8, 2025, recognizing his lasting contributions to both the company and the broader audiovisual industry. As part of the celebration and in honor of his legacy of leadership and innovation the company announced the dedication of the John Minnick Engineering Center. The newly christened engineering center is based in the company’s Orlando office.

Minnick joined Bogen 12 years ago as VP of engineering. In his time with the company he initiated the development of new products that transformed Bogen’s technology portfolio and significantly enhanced its competitive position in the market. Under his leadership, Bogen’s Nyquist IP-based paging and intercom systems were developed and introduced. As a result of his efforts Nyquist grew rapidly, eventually outpacing legacy system sales and helping to establish Bogen Communications as a leader in IP-based audio solutions.

dBTechnologies Welcomes Scott Thompson

dBTechnologies USA has appointed Scott Thompson as Western U.S. regional sales manager, bringing more than two decades of experience in the pro audio and music industry to the role.

Thompson most recently served as VP of sales at The Music Link, where he managed more than $20M in worldwide sales across multiple channels, supported a global distributor network, and oversaw the successful launch of a European 3PL warehouse that expanded the company’s international footprint. He also held leadership roles at Córdoba Music Group, driving both domestic and international sales efforts for the Córdoba and Guild brands during a pivotal period of growth.

Before transitioning fully into sales leadership, Thompson worked as an independent audio engineer for nearly a decade, giving him hands-on insight into the technical demands of sound reinforcement. A lifelong musician, he has remained deeply connected to the creative side of the industry, a perspective that continues to shape his collaborative and solutions-focused approach to sales and client support.

TAG Strengthens Regional Presence with Appointment of Oliver Gappa

TAG Video Systems has named Oliver Gappa as sales director for DACH, MENA, and Eastern Europe. With more than 20 years of experience in the industry, Gappa will focus on supporting TAG’s customers and partners with solutions that deliver agility, reliability, and long-term value in their operations.

Gappa’s career spans both established enterprises and fast-growing startups, giving him a unique perspective on the evolving needs of the media landscape. Most recently, he served as sales director EMEA at Ateliere, leading SaaS-driven growth initiatives for live production and content delivery solutions. Under his previous leadership roles at LucidLink, Telestream, and Rohde & Schwarz, he expanded regional presence, built reseller networks, and managed multimillion-dollar revenues while cultivating long-term customer relationships.

Company News

AVIXA and IATSE Training Trust Fund Celebrate 15-year Partnership

AVIXA and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Training Trust Fund (IATSE TTF) are thrilled to celebrate 15 years of a remarkable partnership. This collaboration has been instrumental in driving the professionalism of the AV industry through consistent efforts and a shared belief in the power of education.

The IATSE Training Trust Fund facilitates training opportunities for IATSE workers to achieve and maintain the skills, ability, and knowledge necessary to meet the ever-changing technologies in the entertainment and exhibition industries.

Looking ahead, AVIXA and IATSE are committed to further enhancing their training programs. AVIXA will be introducing new courses that focus on emerging technologies and innovative practices, further supporting IATSE members by equipping them with innovative skills. Additionally, AVIXA plans to expand its reach by offering more accessible and flexible learning options, ensuring that all IATSE members have the opportunity to benefit from AVIXA’s comprehensive educational resources.

Shure Takes the Stage at Stand Up to Cancer Telecast

Stand Up to Cancer hosted its ninth annual telecast at The Pinnacle in Nashville on August 15. The event featured inspirational performances that helped secure millions of dollars in donations for cancer research. Audio engineers used Shure technology to deliver pristine audio and inspiring messages to more than four million viewers on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX.

For this year's event, audio producer Tom Davis, known for his work on the CMA Awards and CMA Festival, sought product support from Shure. He specifically requested headset mics for the Nashville Community Gospel Choir, who were outfitted with Shure’s new SM39 Cardioid Singing Headset Microphone. Both Davis and Jason Spence, front of house engineer for the telecast, praised the microphones.

Shure microphones captured most of the evening's talent. CeCe Winans, Gavin DeGraw, Joe Jonas, Dan Smyers, Jon Pardi, Brothers Osborne, and Marcus King all used the reliable Shure SM58. Notably, Noah Cyrus performed an emotional duet with Gavin DeGraw on his song “Hero In Our House,” about his mother. Noah used a Nexadyne 8 Supercardioid Capsule while Gavin used an SM58. Marcus King used a Shure Nexadyne 5 for his guitar amplifier cabinet. Shay Mooney and the host microphone, used by Sheryl Crow and others, featured the Shure KSM9 Condenser Vocal Microphone Capsule. Drums were captured using Nexadyne 6 on toms, side snare, and under snare; Nexadyne 2 and Beta 91A on kick drum; and Beta 181/C on hi-hat.

Pro AV Around the Globe

XTEN-AV is set to launch for the Indian markets, at InfoComm India 2025. Known for transforming AV workflows worldwide, XTEN-AV is bringing its innovative platform and its AI agent, XAVIA, to one of the fastest-growing AV markets in the world. For its India debut, XTEN-AV is joining hands with Bisht Price. The distributor has a long track record of introducing new technologies to the market, and its presence across India makes it the right partner to speed up XTEN-AV’s adoption.

Last week saw yet another flurry of Pro AV headliners. Renkus-Heinz beefed up its engineering team, ASG opened a new Burbank facility, and several new solutions are officially Zoom Certified.

[Now Available: The Integration Guide to Distribution]

Get caught up on the Pro AV week that was below.

People News

Adamson's Sylvain Thevenard Announced as Software Manager

Adamson appointed Sylvain Thévenard as software manager. Thévenard brings extensive experience in the audio industry, having roots in both recording studio and live sound engineering, and is dedicated to enhancing the enjoyment and coherence of music. His expertise in spatial audio, which he began exploring in 2010, allowed him to create elevated sound imaging experiences. As a Spatial Audio Architect at Adamson, he played a key role in developing the FletcherMachine with the European software team.

Renkus-Heinz Amplifies Innovation

Renkus-Heinz continues to strengthen its engineering department with the addition of three new team members. Hai Le joins the team as embedded software engineer, Robert Newman takes on the role of loudspeaker engineering technician, and Peng Yin joins as senior software engineer.

Le brings a wealth of knowledge, with over 20 years of experience working on embedded software development. In his new role, Le is looking forward to applying his skills to the world of loudspeaker audio.

Transferring from a technical head role at an audio engineering company is Newman. He boasts 15 years’ experience in professional audio, with a strong focus on transducer design, manufacturing and testing.

Yin will be sharing his great passion for engineering and sound as he joins the Renkus-Heinz team. Yin brings a host of valuable skills. He has held various software engineering roles since 2016, leading teams to success with his broad knowledge of programming languages and experience in testing software. Yin looks forward to bringing his enthusiasm for audio to his new position.

Le, Newman, and Yin will be working closely with engineering manager Chad DeFranco and the wider engineering team to support Renkus-Heinz's goals.

TecNec Welcomes Industry Veteran Mark Chernoff

TecNec Distributing has added Mark Chernoff to its team as a regional sales manager. With over 25 years of industry experience, Chernoff brings a wealth of knowledge and strategic insight to the organization. In this role, Chernoff will support TecNec’s internal sales team with a boots-on-the-ground approach, meeting clients where they are and helping to shape TecNec’s future while strengthening its market position.

Prior to joining TecNec, Chernoff spent more than two decades at BTX Technologies, where he held a variety of key positions, including Northeast regional sales director, director of marketing and strategic sales, field sales manager, and technical sales representative.

Company News

ASG Opens Expansive New Facility in Burbank

As part of its continued commitment to the Los Angeles market, Advanced Systems Group opened a 5,000 square-foot-facility in Burbank. The new space features a Dolby Atmos demo theater, a video production space with a hard cyc wall, a large video conferencing room, a staging space, equipment inventory, and offices.

Designed as ASG’s anchor space in LA for testing, demonstrating systems, and an industry gathering space, the company recently held a highly successful open house to introduce the new facility to clients and vendors. ASG partners and vendors are invited to demo systems in the new space. Located a few blocks from the Hollywood Burbank airport, the office is well suited for new technology training and large meetings. ASG is grateful to our partners V2 Marketing, IMN Creative, Insomniac Games, JBL, Genelec, Harman Pro, Create LED, Stewart Filmscreen, Sony, Storm Audio, and Forecast Consoles for their generous support.

AVPro Global Appoints Commercial Reps, Midwest Region

AVPro Global has appointed Excellence Marketing, based in Eden Prairie, MN, as its commercial sales reps covering the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Western Wisconsin. Excellence Marketing will focus on bringing solutions from AVPro Edge, Bullet Train, and RTI to exceptional integrators across the region.

Founded in 1988 and based in Eden Prairie, Excellence Marketing has established longstanding relationships with top integration partners across their region. Known for product expertise and a strategic approach to sales, the Excellence team offers extensive training, events assistance, and technical support to ensure that manufacturers and integrators in the territory flourish together.

Neptune Partners with Convergence as Midwest Representative

Neptune Outdoor AV Solutions has appointed Convergence as a new independent sales representative firm for the Midwest region, encompassing Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas. This strategic partnership highlights Neptune’s ongoing commitment to regional expansion and underscores its dedication to providing expert sales support for its outdoor AV product portfolio throughout the United States.

Convergence brings decades of experience as a key resource for AV products, lighting, controls, acoustical ceiling systems, and window systems to architectural and construction communities, while upholding their mission of being an advocate for manufacturer interests. With a long-standing commitment to merging technological solutions to form a unified solution for clients, Convergence is fully equipped to promote Neptune’s complete line of outdoor TVs and mounting solutions to dealers, system integrators, and retail partners across the region.

Certifications, Collaborations, and More

AVer’s PTZ231 and PTZ211 Cameras Zoom Certified

AVer Information's PTZ231 and PTZ211 have obtained Zoom Pro AV Camera Certification. Delivering 1080p visuals and AI-enhanced tracking, AVer's PTZ231 and PTZ211 create a seamless Zoom meeting environment that keeps participants engaged and connected whether remote or in-person.

The PTZ231 combines full-HD resolution with an impressive 30X optical zoom to capture both intricate details and wide-angle views, making it ideal for conferences, streaming and broadcast venues. Additionally, the PTZ211 features 12X optical zoom in a compact form factor designed for classrooms, huddle spaces and houses of worship. Now Zoom-certified, the PTZ231 and PTZ211 promote meeting equity by delivering consistent, high-quality video experiences across any hybrid environment.

New Epson Plug-in for Q-SYS Platform

Epson has a new Q-SYS plug-in integration across its lineup of 3-chip 3LCD projectors for education, corporate and large venues.

As a contributor to the Q-SYS Ecosystem, Epson collaborated with Q-SYS to create a market-ready control solution that integrates into Q-SYS. Epson worked closely with Q-SYS, who has fully vetted and endorsed the integration as “Q-SYS Certified." The Epson Projector Plug-in enables effortless connectivity into Q-SYS, a Full Stack AV Platform, and allows users to control and display information from Epson projectors, including integrating functions such as selecting the device input, controlling audio volume and mute functions, adjusting brightness, as well as navigating device menus and monitoring connection status with the device and input signals. This enhances Epson projector use in Q-SYS environments and delivers a seamless professional experience.

Insta360 Connect is Now Zoom-Certified

Insta360's dual-camera AI video bar, and USB speakerphone and camera, Insta360 Connect, is now certified for Zoom Rooms. This certification confirms that Connect meets Zoom’s performance and compatibility standards, so it works seamlessly with Zoom Rooms.

As a dedicated hardware for Zoom Meetings, Insta360 Connect enables users to enhance their Zoom meeting experience with professional audio and video, reliable performance and simplicity. Now with the bundle of Zoom Rooms certified mini-PC and Insta360 Connect setup in conference rooms, users no longer need to bring their own devices into the room or plug in cables to join Zoom meetings. With a simple tap on Insta360 touch panel installed with Zoom Controller, users are able to instantly start a Zoom meeting and even switch the camera modes or audio settings on Zoom Controller. Such simplified experience along with pro audio, video, and AI-powered features are sure to elevate your daily workflow. The certification underscores Connect’s seamless integration into Zoom meetings and its ability to deliver high-quality collaboration experiences.

Another week in Pro AV brings yet another big acquisition. Yorktel, along with One Equity Partners, announced an agreement to combine with Kinly last Tuesday, Aug. 12. The two firms will merge into a workplace experience and collaboration provider with expanded reach. Be sure to check out our full coverage here.

Also, on August 13, 2025, 26North Partners LP announced the completion of the acquisition of a controlling stake in AVI-SPL from Marlin Equity Partners and other selling shareholders. Marlin and select shareholders will retain a minority interest in the company. Financial terms were not disclosed. The agreement was announced in June. We covered that news here and Cindy Davis of AV Technology interviewed CEO John Zettel in June when news of the coming acquisition broke.

Of course, that wasn't all. Get caught up on this past week's people movers and partnerships across the industry.

People News

D-Tools Appoints Utz Baldwin to Lead Data Solutions Initiative

 D-Tools has added industry veteran Utz Baldwin as its new head of data solutions. Baldwin brings a deep legacy of leadership and innovation in the connected home and smart building sectors. A former system integrator and long-time D-Tools user, Baldwin brings firsthand experience and deep industry insight, having previously served as Chairman and CEO of CEDIA, where he launched the organization’s first formal research department. Most recently, Baldwin was VP of innovation at Builder Homesite, where he developed data-driven solutions, connected top consumer brands with new home buyers, and led digital transformation initiatives that applied data and AI to enhance marketing, design, and sales strategies.

In his new role, Baldwin will lead market research and guide the evolution of the D-Tools Industry Information & Insights (I3) initiative. I3 provides actionable market intelligence, benchmarking, and analytics for the entire systems integration ecosystem, from integrators and buying groups to manufacturers and distributors. His experience at BDX directly aligns with D-Tools’ vision for delivering data solutions that power smarter business decisions.

Lectrosonics Appoints Nick Haring as Eastern U.S. Regional Sales and Technical Manager

Lectrosonics welcomed Nick Haring as Eastern U.S. regional sales and technical manager. Haring will play a vital role in Lectrosonics’ business across 20 states in the eastern region, representing Lectrosonics products to dealers, rep firms, systems integrators, as well as existing and future customers.

Haring comes to Lectrosonics with an extensive background in the pro audio, lighting, and MI industries. He held a variety of managerial roles at Guitar Center before joining Jetwave Wireless as director of sales, a boutique firm specializing in high-end deployment of production wireless technologies, including wireless microphones. Most recently, Haring has been a managing member at Red Label Productions, overseeing and participating in all activities of a sound, lighting, and event production company.

Planar Welcomes Additions to New York, Florida and Caribbean Sales Teams

Planar has welcomed Mark Aultman back to the company as regional account manager for Florida and the Caribbean and added Maura Fitzgerald as regional account manager for Metro New York. Aultman brings nearly a decade of experience with Planar, during which he successfully expanded the company’s LED and LCD footprint in the Southeast United States. His strong relationships with channel partners, end users and industry partners is instrumental in driving regional growth. With a proven track record and customer-first mindset, his return reinforces Planar’s commitment to delivering display solutions and local support.

Fitzgerald joins Planar with more than a decade of experience in account management, customer engagement, and channel sales. She most recently supported integrators across the New Jersey and New York City markets at ADI Global Distribution.

Her background in the Pro AV industry, leadership in AVIXA’s Women’s Council in New York City, and proven ability to develop strategic relationships will be a strong asset to Planar’s partners and customers in the Metro New York region.

Ron Cottaar and Jae O Choi Park Step into Mew Leadership Positions at PPDS

PPDS has updated its EMEA sales and global marketing management teams with the promotions of Jae O Choi Park and Ron Cottaar to lead the company’s amplified growth ambitions.

Park, who joined PPDS as European sales director in 2022, has been officially promoted to the newly created position of EMEA commercial head. Park, who has held the role on an interim basis since 2024, will now officially oversee all European sales and support activities. Since joining the company three years ago, he has consistently demonstrated strong leadership and resilience. Amid frequent changes, he has been a steady and reliable force, serving as a key pillar in PPDS’ commercial success and playing a vital role in driving growth in key markets and regions.

Supporting the bigger picture, Cottaar will now serve as head of global marketing, leading his teams around the world and devising new strategies to expand PPDS’ global presence and sharpen the PPDS brand and values on a local, regional, and international scale. Now in his seventh year at PPDS, his dedication and open-mindedness, as well as his vision to augment success with the strategic introduction of a global marketing platform, as well as AI and marketing automation, have played an instrumental role in the continued development of the organization, making him a key driver in its future achievement and an invaluable member of the senior leadership team.

Shure's Chris Schyvinck to Keynote 2025 Sustainability in AV (sAVe) Global Conference

Shure president and CEO Chris Schyvinck will be a keynote speaker at the 2025 SAVe Global Conference held in Los Angeles on September 24-25.

The global conference will feature a number of different speakers from around the world, providing diverse insights about how various organizations can approach sustainability.

Held at UCLA’s Luskin Conference Center, the conference will offer networking, workshops, and industry leaders to inspire the industry to do its part to meet growing sustainability responsibilities.

Schyvinck will provide a deeper look at Shure’s initiatives, including how the Company achieved its goal of using 90 percent recyclable and/or renewable packaging for new products by the end of 2025 – one year ahead of its timeline.

Company News

Dillinger Labs Appoints Tempesta Trading B.V. Benelux Region Distributor

Dillinger Labs has named Oisterwijk, Netherlands-based Tempesta Trading B.V. distributor for Europe’s Benelux Region (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg).

Since its founding in 2009, Tempesta Trading B.V. has built strong relationships with customers throughout the Benelux region. Tempesta has consistently strengthened its position in the protective case market, without compromising its core values: integrity, product expertise, and a personal approach. What began as a small initiative quickly grew into a dynamic trading company with a passion for quality, sustainability, and customer focus.

Globo and Grass Valley Partner 

Grass Valley expanded its strategic partnership with Globo to transform Latin America’s media entity’s Prime-Time production infrastructure through adopting a software-defined approach.

Globo is deepening its collaboration with Grass Valley as part of a major initiative to modernize and future-proof its live production capabilities. The agreement marks a new phase in Globo’s long-term technology transformation program, centered on the deployment of Grass Valley AMPP (Agile Media Processing Platform) as the backbone of its future production operations.

Since 2022, Globo and Grass Valley have worked closely to deploy AMPP across Tier 3 content production environments, embracing a flexible, software-defined architecture. The success of this initiative laid the groundwork for this next chapter: a multi-phase migration of Globo’s primary production control rooms, including those used for marquee Prime-Time events, to a platform powered by the AMPP ecosystem.

INFiLED Opens Chicago Showroom

INFiLED has opened its newest showroom in Chicago, further expanding the company’s U.S. presence. Joining its existing LA Experience Center, the new Chicago Experience Center features LED displays for both fixed installation and rental/staging applications. The facility also features INFiLED's repair service center, and it will serve as a hub for hands-on, certified INFiLED technical training.

With the Chicago Experience Center, INFiLED’s goal is to give customers the opportunity to experience a real-time demonstration of corporate and live event possibilities. Strategically located in the Midwest, the Chicago showroom offers easy access from anywhere in the country and will provide local AV industry experts for project consulting and technical guidance support.

Products on show include INFiLED’s fixed mounted WV, WP, and WT series and a variety of hanging rental solutions powered by Green Hippo, along with its all-in-one corporate solution, OrionLED series, showcased in its meeting spaces.

RGB Spectrum and Wildfire Technology Integration Forge Strategic Partnership

RGB Spectrum and Wildfire Technology Integration, a nationwide AV integrator, have joined forces to deliver next-generation visualization and command solutions to public safety agencies around the globe. Together, the two companies are focused on enhancing real-time decision-making environments, combining RGB Spectrum’s high-reliability video display and KVM solutions with Wildfire Technology’s expert design, integration, and support services. The result is a seamless and scalable approach that equips operators, dispatchers, and field personnel with the visual intelligence they need—when and where they need it.

An immediate example of this partnership in action is the recent deployment at the Clovis Police Department (PD) in California. To meet the evolving demands of situational awareness, Clovis PD launched a new Real Time Information Center (RTIC), purpose-built to unify surveillance, dispatch, and field operations data into a single, flexible visualization environment.

Working in close collaboration with Wildfire Technology and RGB Spectrum, the Clovis team deployed a 14x 5.6-foot dvLED video wall with an ultra-fine 0.9mm pixel pitch, powered by the advanced Zio 4000 Series AV over IP processor. This robust system supports 16 HDMI inputs, 12 outputs, and up to 60 simultaneous IP video decodes, seamlessly aggregating real-time feeds from drones, license plate readers, traffic cameras, sensors, and the XtendPoint KVM matrix—all into a powerful, intuitive visual command interface.

Screen Innovations Launches Shade Innovation

Screen Innovations has expanded and rebranded its U.S. shade manufacturing operations in Austin, TX. Now operating under the name Shade Innovations, this strategic move marks a major milestone in SI’s growth and commitment to innovation.

The rebrand includes the launch of SI’s proprietary motor and control technologies, enhanced automation and production capabilities, and the introduction of The SI Way—a comprehensive initiative designed to make Shade Innovations the easiest, most reliable, and most trusted partner for dealers and customers alike.

Renaming SI’s shade and window coverings division to Shade Innovations sharpens the brand’s focus on window covering solutions. While Screen Innovations remains dedicated to projection screens, Shade Innovations represents the company’s shading and window covering services. Existing Screen Innovations dealers can continue purchasing shades under the Screen Innovations brand just as they always have.

SoundTube Names PSA as New Rep Firm for TOLA Region

SoundTube Entertainment appointed Professional Sales Agents (PSA) as its new manufacturer representative for Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas.

PSA will represent SoundTube’s complete portfolio of commercial audio products, including Dante-enabled PoE speakers, in-ceiling and surface-mount models, outdoor and landscape systems, line arrays, and SolidDrive invisible sound transducers. Backed by patented technologies such as BroadBeam for consistent off-axis performance and installation tools like SpeedWing and BroadBeam Ring, SoundTube solutions are designed to streamline installations without compromising audio quality.

tvONE Launches Pixel Academy

tvONE has launched its Pixel Academy, a new center for AV training that blends professional AV technology with expert-led, hands-on instruction. From advanced signal processing to seamless video distribution and multi-window solutions, Pixel Academy is built to empower the next generation of AV innovators.

Strategically located at tvONE’s R&D Innovation Centre in Maidenhead, just 20 minutes from London Heathrow, Pixel Academy offers easy access for AV professionals across the UK and Europe. The training facility features the company’s latest high-performance solutions, including the award-winning CALICO PRO and CORIOmaster2 video processors, as well as a full array of LED displays in both traditional and creative formats.

It was a big week in Pro AV, and yes that means more acquisitions. Here is your weekly rundown on what you have may missed in personnel moves, partnerships, and much more.

First, D-Tools secured a $12 million Series C investment through StellarIQ, with continued support from Greybull Stewardship, D-Tools’ majority investor. The new funding supports D-Tools' mission to become the de facto end-to-end software solution for electronic systems contractors and reinforces Greybull’s long-term commitment to the company. We covered the news here last Tuesday and you can find out the details here.

Elsewhere, Navori Labs acquired Signagelive. By the end of 2025, the joint organization will boast more than 45 dedicated developers focused exclusively on delivering scalable, flexible, and data-centric signage technology. You can get the details here.

Now, on with the show.

People News

Jessica Tropea Joins Neutrik Americas

Neutrik Americas has added Jessica Tropea to its team as customer solutions engineer–fiber optics. With more than a decade of experience in technical sales, fiber optic solutions, and customer-focused engineering, Tropea brings a wealth of industry knowledge and a proven track record of delivering innovative solutions for complex applications.

Prior to joining Neutrik Americas, Tropea held key roles at companies such as Fiber Instrument Sales (FIS) and BTX Technologies, specializing in fiber optic technologies and customer engineering support. Her expertise spans solution design, technical sales support, and project management for OEMs, system integrators, and end users across multiple industries.

Telos Alliance Welcomes Egor Tyagunov to Global Sales Team

Telos Alliance welcomed Egor Tyagunov back to the company in his new position of sales manager, media solutions, EMEA. Tyagunov’s previous tenure with Telos Alliance was as sales manager for the CEE and CIS regions.

In his new role, Tyagunov will primarily focus on the Jünger Audio and Linear Acoustic product lines, which are uniquely positioned to provide television, streaming, and on-demand broadcasters with the tools needed to deliver compelling, immersive TV audio to today’s sophisticated viewers.

Company News

Audiologic Appointed as Official Distributor of QSC Audio in the UK and Ireland

Audiologic has been appointed official distributor for the QSC Audio product portfolio in the U.K. and Ireland. Audiologic has a long-standing and successful relationship as distributor of Q-SYS in the U.K. This new appointment to be official distributor of QSC Audio solidifies that wider relationship between both companies and significantly broadens the product portfolio and expertise at Audiologic for all QSC products within the AV market, specifically catering to the systems integration market. The expanded portfolio includes the recently introduced KC12 loudspeaker system, L Class system, and the K.2 and CP loudspeakers, complementing Audiologic's existing Q-SYS offering.

The partnership encompasses comprehensive sales support, as well as technical and logistical services. Customers in the U.K. and Ireland will benefit from faster delivery times, localized support, and improved access to training and support resources for all QSC Audio products.

B-Tech, SYSTEAM GmbH Have New Distribution Partnership

B-Tech AV Mounts announced a new distribution agreement with SYSTEAM GmbH, an IT distributor based in Ebensfeld, Germany. This strategic partnership supports B-Tech’s continued growth in the DACH region and marks SYSTEAM’s expansion into the professional AV sector.

Founded in 1985, SYSTEAM has built a strong reputation within the German IT channel and recently launched a dedicated Pro AV Business Unit, securing display partnerships with brands such as Samsung and Avocor. The collaboration will give SYSTEAM access to B-Tech’s full portfolio of AV mounting solutions, covering everything from dvLED and digital signage to video conferencing and multi-screen video walls.

SYSTEAM will promote the B-Tech brand through targeted marketing campaigns, training, and project support, with joint webinars and events already in the pipeline. The partnership builds on shared values and complements SYSTEAM’s existing success with Neomounts, one of B-Tech’s partner companies in the Global Mounts Group

Clearwing Joins Clair Global

Clearwing, which offers production services and systems integration from its Milwaukee and Phoenix-based offices, has joined Clair Global. The alignment enables both companies to expand their capabilities while maintaining the personal, relationship-focused approach that has earned client loyalty over the past five decades.

Founded in 1976, Clearwing has earned its reputation by delivering audio, lighting, video, and rigging solutions for live events and permanent installations. Within its systems integration business, Clearwing has delivered solutions for a vast portfolio of museums, performing arts centers, educational facilities, houses of worship, arena and stadium venues, and themed entertainment applications.

Clearwing will maintain its brand, leadership, and team. Joining Clair Global provides Clearwing with access to greater resources, infrastructure, and support, enabling the company to serve clients more effectively and take on larger, more complex projects.

For Clair Global, Clearwing’s addition strengthens its presence in key regional markets and brings in another team of top-tier professionals who uphold strong values and a focus on delivering outstanding results.

Renkus-Heinz Appoints Quest Marketing as New Sales Representatives

Quest Marketing is now Renkus-Heinz's new sales representatives in Florida. This new collaboration aims to enhance Renkus-Heinz’s presence in Florida and Puerto Rico, bringing its range of loudspeakers to even more customers.

Quest Marketing is a Florida-based technology rep company. Formed in 1996, the organization works with audio, video, lighting and music companies that offer innovative solutions. Early on, Quest Marketing’s product focus was on studio recording and post, but as technology evolved, they branched out to loudspeakers, amps, processors and consoles, making them an ideal partner for Renkus-Heinz.

There were some big moves in a few C-suites and among board members, as well as some expanded and new distribution partnerships. Buckle up, here is your weekly Pro AV rundown.

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People News

Mark Towler Joins 22Miles as Product Marketing Director

22Miles has appointed Mark Towler as product marketing director. In this role, he will spearhead the company’s go-to-market strategy, channel enablement efforts, and accelerate growth across key Pro AV and digital signage markets. He is responsible for launching new initiatives that support partner growth, refining product narratives across categories, and driving adoption across transportation, hospitality, healthcare, retail, higher-education, and enterprise markets.

Towler brings a proven ability to translate complex technologies into compelling, actionable messaging for both partners and end users. With extensive experience in product marketing, channel development, and B2B storytelling, he will play a key role in strengthening the company’s presence in the AV industry.

PPDS Strengthen European Leadership Team

PPDS has appointed experienced indoor and outdoor dvLED integration specialist, Jeroen Feldman, to its European technical sales team. Assuming the role of solution manager dvLED, Feldman brings more than more than 19 years of knowledge and experience, specializing in indoor and outdoor installations for a broad range of settings including music festivals, football stadiums, shopping malls, boardrooms, large conference centers, and more.

Based at PPDS’ Amsterdam head office, and reporting to Jan Van Tieghem, director of technical sales support EMEA, Feldman will play an integral role in supporting and ensuring seamless installations of PPDS’ growing range of Philips LED solutions across Northern Europe.

Sonos Appoints Tom Conrad as Chief Executive Officer

The Sonos Board of Directors has appointed Tom Conrad as chief executive officer. Conrad, who has served as Interim CEO since January of this year, will remain on the Board of Directors.

Sonos has achieved notable progress under Conrad’s leadership as interim CEO. This includes setting a new standard for the quality of Sonos’ software and product experience, clearing the path for a robust new product pipeline, and launching innovative new software enhancements to flagship products Sonos Ace and Arc Ultra.

Wisycom Embarks on a New Chapter of Leadership

Wisycom SRL transitioned in its corporate management, appointing Davide Morsiani as chief executive officer (CEO) and Gerrit Buhe as chief technology officer (CTO), while Andrea Bulfon will continue as chief operating officer (COO) and Marika Stangherlin has been promoted to chief sales officer (CSO). These changes mark a natural step in a business development plan that began in 2022 to streamline operations and prepare Wisycom for future growth in an evolving global market.

Morsiani now leads as CEO, having worked with Wisycom since June 2023. With extensive experience across multiple operational roles in a variety of sectors, including manufacturing and supply-chain operations, Morsiani has the visionary leadership and organizational insight necessary to bring Wisycom to the next level.

As CTO, Buhe’s RF and wireless technology knowledge spans over three decades, including 20 years of professional audio research and product development. This background aligns perfectly with Wisycom’s identity as a highly professional partner in the pro audio industry and his capabilities will directly benefit the expansion of the brand’s product portfolio. Confirmed as COO in February 2021, Bulfon’s 35 years of expertise extends across printed circuit board production, electronic engineering and medical devices. Lastly, a dedicated sales professional, Wisycom’s new CSO, Stangherlin first joined the company in January 2017 and most recently served as the company’s global sales manager.

IABM Confirms New Members’ Board for 2025

IABM, the International Trade Association for Broadcast and Media Technology, has confirmed the appointment of its Members’ Board for 2025, following the conclusion of this year’s election.

The Members’ Board for 2025 is as follows:

Continuing IABM Board Members:
Josh Arensberg–Verizon (Chair)
Andreas Hilmer–Lawo (Immediate Past Chair)
Jade Kurian–latakoo
David Phillips–Multicast
Peter Sykes–Sony
Saleha Williams–CEO, IABM
Lucinda Meek–CFOO, IABM
Newly Elected IABM Board Directors:
Steph Lone–AWS
Alison Pavitt–Blue Lucy
Oscar Teran–EVS
Adam Marshall–Grass Valley
Glodina Lostanlen–Imagine Communications
Hasan R. Sayed Hasan–MasterMedia
Ajey Anand–Norigin
Tom Wootton–Red Bee Media
Chris Lennon–Ross Video
Anna Lockwood–Telstra

Chairs of IABM Member Councils:
Paul Stechley–Applied Electronics
Thomas Gunkel–Skyline Communications
Sumit Suri–U-TO

SMPTE Announces 2025 Honorees

SMPTE will honor some of the industry’s top minds and organizations at its annual Awards Gala, Thursday, Oct. 16, at the conclusion of the 2025 SMPTE Media Technology Summit. The Gala will take place in the Pasadena Convention Center.

This year, 14 honors will be bestowed upon 31 individuals and organizations. The David Sarnoff Medal is being awarded to Darryl Jefferson of NBC Olympics and Sports in recognition of his visionary engineering leadership and transformative innovations in large-scale broadcast systems.

The Progress Medal award is bestowed upon founder of Animation Research, Sir Ian Taylor, in recognition of his decades-long leadership and technological innovation in animation and sports production. The Excellence in Education Medal recognizes Polly Hickling for her outstanding contributions to developing inclusive and accessible learning pathways in the dynamic field of media engineering.

SMPTE will honor Michelle Munson, co-founder and CEO of Aspera, with the Workflow Systems Medal. The Camera Origination and Imaging Medal will honor Dr. Peter Centen for pioneering innovations in image sensor technology that transformed electronic cinematography and broadcast imaging. The James A. Lindner Archival Technology Medal is awarded to Reto Kromer in recognition of his pioneering contributions to audiovisual preservation through practical, accessible, and forward-looking technologies.

The Natalie M. and Herbert T. Kalmus Award honors Scott Miller for his pivotal contributions to the invention, development, advocacy, and standardization of the Perceptual Quantizer (PQ) transfer function. The Samuel L. Warner Memorial Medal Award recipient is Ben Burtt in recognition of his transformative contributions to the art and science of motion picture sound. The Excellence in Standards Award recognizes Steve LLamb in recognition of his exemplary leadership and enduring contributions to the SMPTE Standards Community.

The Louis F. Wolf Jr. Memorial Scholarship recipient is Anthony Guarino from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Four individuals will be honored with the Citation for Outstanding Service to the Society: Zandra Clarke, Bill Hogan, Jim DeFilippis, and Ujwal Nirgudkar.

The Journal Award for the best paper originally published in the SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal during 2024 will be presented to Alejandro Arango, Simon Therriault, and Andriy Yamashev for their paper, “Enhancements to Media Transport in ICVFX Using SMPTE 2110,” by A. Arango, S. Therriault and A. Yamashev, published in the October 2024 issue of the Motion Imaging Journal–Volume 133, Issue 6.”

Thirteen new SMPTE Fellows will be recognized at this year’s Gala: John Abt, Francois Bourdua, Carolyn Giardina, Eric Gsell, Carys Hughes, Russell Trafford-Jones, Phillip Graham Layton, François Legrand, Nick Mitchell, Paritosh Saha, Florian Schleich, James Toten, and Ron Williams.

Company News

AtlasIED Announces Integration Partnership with Sittig Technologies’ PAXGuide Platform

AtlasIED announced a strategic integration partnership with Sittig Technologies, the developers of PAXGuide—a modular, intelligent software platform for managing automated airport announcements. Already in use at major airports worldwide, PAXGuide is designed to meet the evolving demands of modern aviation environments. It delivers multilingual, real-time, and fully automated passenger announcements, triggered by live operational data and tailored to meet the dynamic needs of airports.

Through this collaboration, PAXGuide now integrates seamlessly with AtlasIED’s GLOBALCOM systems. For airports currently operating GLOBALCOM or planning an installation, the integration allows for enhanced automation and intelligent public address functionality, without requiring changes to the existing infrastructure.

FOR-A America Partners with TecNec for U.S. Distribution

FOR-A America and TecNec Distributing have entered into a distribution partnership, making TecNec FOR-A America’s first-U.S.-based distributor. TecNec will carry FOR-A America’s systems for broadcast, professional video and the house of worship market, with a focus on the HVS-190 1 M/E video switcher series. TecNec, a subsidiary of Tower Products, is also well established as a premier reseller and distributor. The company has been a trusted reseller of FOR-A America for over 25 years.

HARMAN Expands U.K. Partnership with Live Technology

HARMAN Professional Solutions expanded its partnership with Live Technology, a Midwich Company. In addition to its current distribution responsibilities for HARMAN Professional’s audio brands (JBL Professional, BSS, Crown, Soundcraft, Lexicon, and dbx) Live Technology will now also oversee sales and support for the AMX video and control brand in the United Kingdom.

Based in Letchworth Garden City, Live Technology is well-positioned to deliver service and technical expertise to U.K. customers and integrators across the expanded HARMAN Professional Solutions portfolio. This strategic move reinforces HARMAN’s commitment to providing audio, video, and control solutions throughout Europe.

Boulevard Carroll Entertainment Group Opens Manhattan’s First L-Acoustics L-ISA Demo Space

L-Acoustics Certified Provider integrator and distributor Boulevard Carroll Entertainment Group has opened Manhattan’s first-ever L-Acoustics L-ISA demo space. Located at the company’s sixth-floor rehearsal suite at 625 West 55th Street, just blocks from Times Square and the city’s theater district, Boulevard Carroll’s new L-ISA-equipped Studio One is one of seven professional workspaces available, allowing engineers to experience L-ISA while they’re rehearsing in one of the other spaces or build an L-ISA show file during their rehearsal.

Featuring a design based on input from L-Acoustics technicians and utilizing Soundvision design software, Studio One has a complete 7.1.10 immersive sound system in place. The space, built out and equipped by Boulevard Carroll’s own AJ Nittoli, Daryl Moore, Jake Hertzog, and Joe Smith, is ideal for sound designers, audio mixers, and other technicians who are rapidly making L-ISA the premier immersive sound platform for the theater market.

PureLink Ends Partnership with EU Distributor PureLink GMBH

PureLink today announced it has ended its longtime partnership with its EU distributor, PureLink GMBH, and has begun carving out new distribution channels, via new sales and logistics partners, products, and services. PureLink had represented the ultra-high-end, professional series of products in PureLink GMBH’s lineup. PureLink now intends to fully leverage that pedigree to reach a greater audience throughout Europe.

Quince Imaging Joins the Stage Precision Service Partner Program

Quince Imaging has joined the Stage Precision Service Partner Program as an Authorized Service Partner (ASP). This partnership is a testament to Quince Imaging’s expertise and proven use of Stage Precision’s SP software for delivering large‑scale projection mapping and immersive visual experiences.

The Stage Precision Service Partner Program was created in 2023 to elevate standards across live‑event, virtual‑production, and AV sectors, while expanding SP’s reach into new creative markets. To qualify as an ASP, partners must operate a publicly accessible studio, volume or R&D facility, with Stage Precision integrated into their workflows, have team members who have completed an in‑person SP training, and they must have delivered at least one project where SP tools played a core role in the project workflow.

Learning and Shared Insights

Amadeus Acoustics announces consultant seminar

Amadeus Acoustics invites consultants, acousticians, system designers, and AV professionals to join the company in Vienna for a two-day seminar exploring the future of active acoustics and immersive audio.

Taking place on December 1-2, 2025, the seminar offers an opportunity to engage directly with the Amadeus team, experience our technologies in action, and connect with peers from across the industry. With live demonstrations, expert talks, hands-on workshops, and exclusive venue visits, the program is designed to inspire, inform, and foster collaboration.

Aurora, NETGEAR Partner for Two-Day Live Class for Designing

Join Aurora and NETGEAR for a two-day live class that dives into the intricacies of designing AV over IP systems using multiple switches and Dante audio technology. This comprehensive workshop is ideal for AV professionals, system integrators, and IT specialists who are eager to elevate their expertise and stay ahead in the rapidly evolving world of audiovisual technology.

The dates are August 19th and 20th, 2025, 8:30 a.m. ET-5:30 p.m. ET. Attendees will learn from industry leaders, including Chuck Espinoza, global director of education at Aurora Multimedia, and Alex Pendelton, senior system engineer from the PRO AV Design Team at NETGEAR. With extensive credentials and experience, they will guide you through the complexities of AV over IP design.

It was another big week in Pro AV news. People were appointed, partnerships were announced, and anniversaries were celebrated. Here's your Monday roundup of the week that was.

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People News

Planar Appoints Filip Cogghe as VP of Europe

Planar welcomed Filip Cogghe as VP of sales, marketing and service for Europe. Cogghe joins the company with more than 25 years of experience in the AV and display technology industries, most recently serving as sales director for global and strategic corporate sales at Sharp NEC Display Solutions Europe GmbH. There he played a pivotal role in forming and executing global sales strategies.

“It is an absolute privilege to spearhead efforts for a company that continues to push the boundaries of innovation in visual display technology,” said Cogghe. “I join the organization at a time of exciting momentum with industry-leading product developments on the horizon. I look forward to leveraging my deep market knowledge and client-centric approach to help drive the company’s efforts in Europe to an even brighter future.”

USSI Global Promotes Eric Webb

USSI Global promoted Eric Webb to VP of information technology and logistics. He has been with the company for 16 years and spent the last five years as director of IT and logistics.

In his new role, Webb leads operations for IT and logistics, encompassing depot repair services and field-based electronic repairs. The company’s repair efforts support digital signage and more in a number of vertical markets, including retail, hospitality, restaurant, and education.

Company News

Extron and CENTEGIX: Empowering Safer Campuses

Extron announced a partnership with CENTEGIX, known for its rapid incident response technology. This collaboration integrates the CENTEGIX Safety Platform with the Extron GlobalViewer Campus Communication Suite to further enhance the powerful combination of bells, public address announcements, intercom, visual messaging, and network monitoring and control of classroom AV with wearable school safety technology.

The integration offers several key benefits including equipping teachers and staff to discreetly request assistance when needed, enabling immediate focused or campus-wide audio and visual notifications, and cultivating a safe place where learning can thrive.

Jetbuilt Announces 6th Annual Global User Summit in Nashville

Jetbuilt is holding its 6th Annual Global User Summit, which is set to take place October 16–17, 2025, at the Kimpton Aertson Hotel in Nashville, TN. This two-day event brings together Jetbuilt users from around the world for learning, connection and collaboration. The Global User Summit is designed to provide valuable insights into the Jetbuilt platform, offering in-depth discussions, open dialogue and powerful networking opportunities that help shape the future of Jetbuilt.

The Global User Summit has evolved into a cornerstone event for the Jetbuilt community, providing an opportunity to connect in person with peers and industry leaders. Attendees will spend two days exploring the depth of Jetbuilt’s capabilities with members of the Jetbuilt team, including founder Paul Dexter, Tom Peters, Matthew Mickels and others. Their presentations will serve as a launchpad for discussion, as attendees are encouraged to bring their questions, share their challenges and offer insight into how they use Jetbuilt in their everyday work. The conversations at the Global User Summit often spark new ideas and workflows, many of which have directly influenced the evolution of the Jetbuilt platform over the years.

Alongside in-depth sessions, participants can expect a fun and informal environment filled with genuine connections throughout the event, including the signature evening cocktail gathering. The Global User Summit brings together professionals to refine their processes, gain fresh perspectives and build lasting relationships. Hearing how others have solved challenges or implemented creative workflows often provides the missing link to unlock new levels of efficiency and success in future projects.

J. Ross Publishing Releases Acoustic Essentials for Architects

J. Ross Publishing released Acoustic Essentials for Architects, now available in paperback and e-book formats through all major online retailers.

Authored by Michael Fay, a 45-year veteran AV and acoustical design engineer and former editor of Recording Engineer/Producer magazine, the book introduces many fundamentals as well as practical insights into the acoustic principles that shape our built environments. Presented in a low-tech, conversational tone, it offers clear explanations, examples, and real-world relevance—bridging the gap between architectural design and acoustical performance.

K-array Launches Elearning Platform

K-array launched its new online elearning platform, enabling on demand access to high-quality training on K-array products and technologies. The courses are AVIXA certified, meaning learners can collect Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) Renewal Units, required for maintaining their continuing professional development.

A full portfolio of courses will be available on the elearning platform, covering topics from system design and installation to expert-level insights into different product types and ranges. The first courses available, K-array Certified Designer and K-array Certified Installer, provide valuable tools for equipping AV integrators and consultants with the knowledge required to design and build high-quality integrated K-array audio systems and maintain them via K-array’s suite of software solutions for monitoring and control. A KSCAPE certified integrator course is currently in development. Each course provides two AVIXA CTS Renewal Units upon completion, as well as an official K-array certificate.

Importantly, all K-array Certified courses are available free of charge via the online elearning portal and are curated by K-array’s Daniele Mochi, who has a strong legacy of leading the brand’s popular K-Experience in-person workshops and trainings

L-Acoustics Invests in French-Based MagREEsource

L-Acoustics announced its strategic investment in French-based MagREEsource. It has also established exclusive partner rights in the professional audio industry for sustainable and sovereign, European-based rare earth magnets critical to loudspeaker manufacturing.

This partnership introduces a breakthrough circular economy model for the professional audio industry through innovative magnet recycling and manufacturing technology. By investing in MagREEsource, L-Acoustics is supporting a startup partner that will allow the loudspeaker manufacturer to significantly reduce its environmental footprint while diversifying its supply sources for neodymium magnets essential to loudspeaker manufacturing.

For L-Acoustics, this collaboration represents a transformative approach to sustainable manufacturing in the audio industry. The proprietary recycling technology of MagREEsource enables 100% recovery of neodymium magnets from various sources, including loudspeakers, electric vehicle engines, and wind turbines generators, transforming them into high-performance magnets made with 100% recycled material. This circular process drastically reduces the environmental impact compared to traditional magnet production methods.

Laia North America Opens New Demo Lab

Laia Technologies North America has opened its new Demo Lab in Fairfield, NJ. The company will be demonstrating, by appointment, their full breadth of cameras that work seamlessly with audio solutions from top manufacturing partners. And they will demonstrate their breakthrough camera set-up and control software that’s revolutionizing how camera ecosystems are being deployed.

Laia’s new lab features various top audio manufacturers, and will allow customers through in-person demos—or remotely via Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, WebEx, and other platforms—to demo Laia hardware and software solutions.

Nanolumens, Tampa Airport Elevate Partnership

For nearly a decade, TPA has relied on Nanolumens as its trusted LED provider, continuously investing in new technologies to enhance the passenger experience. From the airport’s first major LED installation to its most recent upgrades, Nanolumens has played a crucial role in bringing TPA’s digital vision to life. As the airport expands and modernizes, its partnership with Nanolumens ensures that travelers are met with vibrant, high-quality displays that provide essential information and engaging content.

Recently, TPA announced a significant investment in its future by constructing Airside D, a 16-gate terminal designed to accommodate the region’s growing tourism, population and business needs. Set to open in 2028, the $1.5 billion facility will serve as TPA’s primary international arrivals and departures hub, helping the airport expand its capacity to welcome 35 million passengers annually by 2037. There are plans to incorporate LED across the entire back wall and developing the Airside D terminal, which will feature significant LED installations. Nanolumens and our other partners will play a crucial role in these expansions over the next decade.

NEUTRIK Races Into 50 Years of Innovation and Connection

Neutrik Group celebrated the 50th anniversary of NEUTRIK with a dynamic and heartfelt event at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC, just minutes from the company’s Americas headquarters.

Held on July 10, the milestone gathering brought together numerous attendees, including employees, customers, partners, dealers and distributors from across the region. With a theme inspired by speed, performance and innovation—all qualities shared by both NEUTRIK and NASCAR—the evening blended nostalgia, gratitude and forward momentum.

A centerpiece video and photo montage honored NEUTRIK’s 50-year legacy, highlighting breakthrough innovations, key partnerships and the dedicated people who shaped the company into a global connectivity leader. Among the evening’s highlights were the unique NASCAR Hall of Fame venue and bringing all of the company’s top partners together for one dynamic event. The program included remarks from Neutrik Group's new CEO Lukas von Arx. In his speech, he acknowledged the company’s roots and emphasized its continued dedication to engineering excellence and customer partnerships.

Xilica Joins PAVSC as Partner

Xilica announced its partnership with the Professional Audio Visual Society of Canada (PAVSC), a new national organization dedicated to supporting the Canadian AV channel and advancing the success of Canadian integrators, consultants, and manufacturers.

As the first official partner, Xilica brings over two decades of experience in audio-visual innovation and market leadership to PAVSC. The move reinforces the company’s interest in building a stronger Canadian AV industry, providing a collaborative platform for professionals to grow, share knowledge, and shape the future of AV.

Through its partnership with PAVSC, Xilica aims to share best practices, nurture emerging talent, and support local integrators with tools to succeed in today’s hybrid working and learning environments.