The lawsuit filed by Kevin Kelly, the former owner of Stampede Global Holdings, and DCC Technology Holdings in 2022 (Kelly v. DCC Technology Holdings, Inc., No. 22-CV-518, United States District Court, W.D. New York) has been amicably resolved, bringing an end to the litigation regarding post-closing payments related to the acquisition of Stampede by DCC Technology Holdings in 2018.

“I am pleased we could reach a resolution that allows all parties to move forward,” said Kelly. “This settlement reflects a fair and constructive outcome. I want to thank everyone who has supported us throughout this process. With this dispute now resolved, I can once again focus on developing future opportunities and continuing to contribute positively to the Pro AV and CE industries I have been a part of for almost 30 years.”

[More Pro AV Newsmakers in 2025]

According to Kelly, the terms of the settlement remain confidential.

For nearly 30 years, Kelly has been a catalyst of innovation and growth in the Pro AV and Consumer Electronics industries, starting in 1997 when he, together with partner Mark Wilkins, launched Stampede Presentation Products. From a single warehouse office in Buffalo, NY, Kelly and Wilkins grew Stampede into a high value-added distributor of commercial and consumer electronic products with offices located throughout North America, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

A past member of the AVIXA Board of Directors (2016-2018) and Leadership Search Committee (2014), Kelly is currently a private equity investor who partners with company leaders to establish high growth operational roadmaps, stimulate innovation, and infuse businesses with capital and the strategic advisory support necessary to sustain long-term growth.

Kevin Kelly is stepping down as president and CEO of Exertis North America, effective June 30, 2021. He will be replaced by John Dunne.

Dunne, who is currently Exertis North America chief commercial officer, will become managing director of the North American business on  July 1, 2021.

“Through his leadership, determination, and hard work, Kevin built Stampede, the company he joined in 2001 and purchased in 2004, into one of the largest and most successful specialist Pro AV business in the world, which he then sold to the DCC Technology Group in 2018,” said Clive Fitzharris, managing director of Exertis International.

“Since then, Kevin has worked with us to further expand the company’s leadership position with the launch of theMobile Living and Enterprise business units and the acquisition of JB&A, the largest specialist distributor of broadcast and post-production solutions in North America," he added. "He leaves a legacy that he can be truly proud of—fantastic people, long term partner relationships, and a winning mindset that is totally customer focused.”

“Stampeders are the strongest, smartest, most experienced, and most capable team in the business, and they are positioned to soar even higher to greater success going forward," said Kelly. "It has been the greatest privilege of my life to lead this team on a journey where we always rode ahead of the herd and met every challenge that life and business threw at us."

[An Inside Look at Stampede's Rebrand to Exertis Pro AV]

Fitzharris stressed that Dunne’s knowledge of the wider Exertis enterprise globally will serve North American vendor and reseller partners well going forward.  “John brings a truly global, multi-specialist market focus to the position that will result in even more success for our partners.  So, while we say a very fond farewell to Kevin, we go forward into the future confident of our future success.  Kevin and John will work closely together until June 30th to ensure a smooth transition,” Fitzharris concluded.

The 2021 Digital Signage Best Practices Guide by Digital Signage Magazine features an A-list of industry experts to guide you through the evolving landscape of hardware and integration approaches that are redefining the technology market, providing a roadmap to behind the scenes developments. 

The 2021 Guide has a stellar lineup of digital signage providers and analysts that take an in-depth look at topics such as: the evolution of digital signage content, immersive experience building, engaging media to create captivating experiences, taking digital signage from investment to ROI, experience destinations, and much more!

Download your free copy of the 2021 Digital Signage Best Practices Guide.

The 2021 Digital Signage Best Practices Guide is sponsored by

• Chief
• Christie
• Exertis
• Peerless-AV
• Squirrels

Building and expanding upon its virtual meeting platform, the Exertis Fall 2020 Virtual Big Book of AV Tour & Conference Series is racing toward the finish line with six upcoming stops in the United States and Canada.

Stops will take place on December 10 in Atlanta, GA and Salt Lake City, UT; December 15 in Reston, VA and Dallas, TX; November 24 in Montreal, QB and December 3 in Toronto, ON. 

“Six stops in four days is something that can only be achieved with a robust virtual meeting platform,” Kelly said.  “Forced to pivot our entire tour model because of the pandemic, we have shown that we can utilize the integrated AV technologies and platforms we sell every day and put them to work on our own behalf.  We look forward to returning to the physical road at some point in 2021, but when we do it will be with an agenda and a format that blends together the very best of our in-person and virtual capabilities."  

Utilizing video conferencing and a custom-built dashboard, every four-hour virtual event will feature one-on-one meetings with pro AV manufacturers that will provide resellers with information on the latest technology.

Participating resellers will receive a free $250 Stampede Credit for just for attending the event.* Resellers who attend at least five virtual sessions will also receive a free $10 Amazon Gift Card for each 15-minute manufacturer one-on-one event they attend.

Registration for the events is open at bigbookofavtour.com.  

*Limit one $250 credit per Exertis Account.  Credit can be applied to any order over $5,000 that is placed with Exertis within 30 days following the Big Book of AV Tour event. 

Nearly two weeks ago, Stampede's operations in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America officially rebranded as Exertis.

According to president and CEO Kevin Kelly, the newly renamed company is going to operate a series of specialist Exertis brands focused on the pro AV and mobile living channels.

We spoke with Kelly to learn more about the thought process behind the rebrand to Exertis and to find out what customers can expect from Exertis Pro AV.

AVN: What was the impetus for the rebrand from Stampede to Exertis Pro AV?

KEVIN KELLY: The global AV industry is increasingly being viewed by manufacturers as a single market of buyers. They want to have a single gateway to this global market of buyers and they want to be able to access the market with the support of a company that has the same sense of customer-focused values, long-range commitment to the industry and ability to provide the financial and logistical support that might be required to most efficiently and effectively impact the market.

Exertis Pro AV, with the full backing of DCC, is truly unique in its ability to provide all of these services. Going forward as one company, under one brand, with one point of contact for vendors provides us with an unmatched competitive advantage.

Watch the video below to learn more about the change from Stampede to Exertis Pro AV.

AVN: Besides the obvious marketing changes, what makes Exertis Pro AV different from Stampede?

KK: DCC acquired Stampede in 2018 because Stampede had succeeded in building a global footprint built on the same core philosophy of providing value-added distribution services that go way beyond drop shipping product. The acquisition was, in fact, a marriage of two like-minded companies. The difference really lies in the new-found level of scale and resources that we can now offer our customers as Exertis Pro AV.  When Stampede acquired Just Lamps in 2016, the company really became a one-stop access point to a global AV market. Now, as Exertis Pro AV, we offer the same opportunity, but on steroids!

AVN: The rebrand was announced in 2019—your team must have been working hard over the last year. Can you give us insight into what went into the rebrand internally?

KK: All of our vendor-facing business structures remained the same. We made a commitment to making this identity change as seamless as possible for customers.  The changes we made all had to do with our public image: website, advertising, email domains, and the like. 

We also invested a great deal of time and effort in educating our employees and informing our vendor partners of the many new benefits that will now be available to them to leverage.

AVN: What can integrators expect from Exertis Pro AV in the next six months?

KK: Integrators can expect more sales and marketing program opportunities across all categories of product with built-in financial incentives that make it easier than ever for our partners to grow with us.

AVN: Anything else you'd like to add?

KK: As Exertis Pro AV, we go forward as one company united under one great iconic brand to serve one growing global AV marketplace. As exciting as our past has been, our future holds even more promise for greater success. One mission is accomplished and the next is about to begin!

Stampede's operations in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America are rebranding as Exertis, aligning with other DCC Technology-owned companies around the world.

According to president and CEO Kevin Kelly, going forward the newly renamed company will, beginning with Exertis ProAV, operate a series of specialist Exertis brands focused on the pro AV and mobile living channels.

“This is the beginning of a well thought out and financed strategy to reshape the landscape of 21st century distribution and supply chain management in ways that create significant new value for our manufacturer and reseller partners,” Kelly said.

[The AV Integration Distributor Guide]

"Today marks the completion of a global strategy to align all of our businesses under the Exertis brand. Stampede is now aligned in name with the rest of our businesses around the world," added  Exertis international managing director Clive Fitzharris. "As such, Exertis is now the brand of the future when it comes to value-added specialty technology distribution and supply chain support wherever our customers do business anywhere in the world.”

“The pro AV industry has grown exponentially across all verticals for the last 10 years and, despite the challenges posed by the current COVID pandemic, the industry will continue growing again in 2021, driven by an insatiable human need to connect and collaborate through the technologies, products and solutions that our manufacturer partners create every day,” Kelly concluded.  “Now, Exertis’ vast financial resources and logistics capabilities will empower our partners to reach more customers, more efficiently, and more profitably than ever before.  Extraordinary things are going to come from this!”

Stampede is going virtual for its North American Vendor Summit with three days of virtual presentations, training, networking, and entertainment events to deliver a very real impact on partner sales for the rest of 2020 and 2021.

The three-day event will take place October 13-15 with the executive business session running from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. EST on October 14.

“The health and safety of our employees and partners remain our number one priority as we head toward the all-important fourth quarter sales season,” Kevin Kelly, Stampede CEO and president said.  “And while we will certainly miss the energy that naturally stems from live, in-person meetings, we’re very excited to present a full range of integrated program opportunities that are really going to help drive partner sales for the rest of the year and in 2021.”

More information on the 2020 Stampede Virtual Vendor Summit can be found here.

Get your free copy of the 2020 AV Integration Distributor Guide.

Beyond Selling Boxes: AV Integrators View Distributors as Partners 

While the AV products distribution company’s primary goal is to sell gear, that’s not all they do. Those who understand that helping their AV integrator partners succeed has a direct impact on their own success are offering a number of services designed to do everything from streamline cash flow management to providing education, training, and even on-site labor when necessary.

 Want to read more? Download the 2020 AV Integration Distributor Guide.

Learn more about these major pro AV distributors in the 2020 AV Integration Distributor Guide.

• Almo Professional AV
• Broadfield
• D&H
• Ingram Micro
• Shoreview
• Stampede
• Starin, A Midwich Group Company
• Synnex

Click here to download the 2020 AV Integration Distributor Guide.

Stampede has launched the pro AV industry-specific Stampede XtraCare Program to provide employees with extra protection and resellers with business relief and facilitation tools, as well as personal protective equipment (PPE) kits to enable them to complete projects in a safe and secure way.  

“Commercial AV is an essential infrastructure industry, as defined by the federal government, but the industry is being challenged on every front to remain viable in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Stampede president and CEO Kevin Kelly. “Supported by the strength of our corporate resources, Stampede is making available to employees, resellers, and manufacturer partners a comprehensive lifeline that includes SafeXSound Care Packages, a PROAVXchange online marketplace that can turn product into cash and FleXFinancing.

Related: Almo Professional A/V Launches Almo Financial Relief Alliance

“Taken as a whole, we believe that XtraCare is the most comprehensive health assurance, business relief, and facilitation program ever developed for the pro AV industry—and it can’t come at a more critical time.”

According to Kelly, free SafeXSound Care Packages are now being shipped directly to every Stampede employee. Designed to provide peace of mind when returning to work, each package contains three-ply surgical masks, hand sanitizer, powder-free gloves, and the gift of audio, which will include a Bluetooth speaker or headphones.

SafeXSound Care Packages are now also being made available to Stampede resellers and manufacturer partners, at cost, for the very same reason because everyone deserves to have restored to them the peace of mind that COVID-19 took from everyone.

For every kit purchased by a partner, Stampede will  ship an equal number of care packages to the healthcare community. For information on SafeXSound Care Packages, click here.  

“In addition, by leveraging our superior global supply chain we were able to source N95 masks that we are donating to New York State healthcare professionals,” Kelly said. “We are proud to be able to support these front-line professionals and will continue sourcing additional N95 masks for their use.”

Recognizing that many resellers' greatest immediate need is liquidity, Stampede has created the PROAVXchange online auction hub where resellers can turn slow-moving product into cash that is needed to operate their business. “For many resellers liquidity is the number one challenge they face after health and safety,” Kelly said. “The PROAVXchange provides resellers with an opportunity to sell product for a price that is most likely greater than what a bank would offer. What’s more, Stampede is prepared to repurchase product directly from resellers on a case by case basis.” For information about PROAVXchange, click here.

Stampede is also working with all credit-worthy customers to roll out FleXFinancing that extends existing and future invoices payment terms by 30 days. The company is also offering resellers a new AV as a Service (AVaaS) plan that provides end users with a monthly payment option that enables them to upgrade to the most up-to-date technology in the future. Resellers will get paid in full upfront, according to Kelly.

Finally, the company is undertaking a review of all open projects and working with resellers to identify any changes that are required to meet their evolving needs. For more information about FleXFinancing program options, click here. 

“We are also working very closely with our resellers to restage product orders in order take advantage of immediate sales opportunities being created by the COVID-19 virus in verticals such as K12 education, higher education, healthcare, and restaurant hospitality, where many end users are deploying customer facing digital signage systems to communicate updates to their take-out customers,” he said.

“We are all in this fight together, and together we will prevail against the challenges this pandemic poses to every part of our industry,” Kelly said. “Stampede has never been positioned better to serve the needs of the entire industry. The financial might of our parent, DCC plc, reinforces and strengthens our position as a partner you can count on to navigate through these challenging times.”

The 2020 Digital Signage Best Practices Guide by Digital Signage Magazine features an A-list of industry experts to guide you through the evolving landscape of hardware and integration approaches that are redefining the technology market, providing a roadmap to behind the scenes developments. 

To explore Digital Signage Best Practices Guide eBook, click here.

The 2020 Guide has a stellar lineup of digital signage providers and analysts that take an in-depth look at topics such as: analytics and metrics, evolving signage landscape in sporting venues and museum installations, bridging the gap between content creators and integrators, interesting use cases, and much more!

Download your free copy of the 2020 Digital Signage Best Practices Guide.

As the world bands together to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus, the critically important role played by professional and consumer AV technologies in keeping people connected and productive has never been more apparent, according to Stampede president and CEO Kevin Kelly, who today noted that the widely available AV and IoT technologies are making it possible for many of today’s business professionals, students, teachers, and ministers to be safe and productive.

[Stampede's Kelly Forecasts 2020 Commercial AV Trends]

“I believe we are seeing a glimpse of the future as millions of people around the world stay home and practice social distancing to fight the threat of this virus,” Kelly said. “And, as we all do so, we are marking a watershed moment for a range of conferencing and collaboration solutions that will no doubt become a permanent mainstream part of our lives once this crisis passes.”

Audio conferencing, videoconferencing, huddle solutions, streaming, and interactive distance learning are all examples of solutions that are becoming much more central to our daily lives during this crisis, Kelly said. “The virus is driving adoption rates that I don’t believe will lessen once this crisis passes.”

Kelly said the world is witnessing the arrival of a new, highly decentralized and dispersed personal and professional lifestyle that is very likely to become a permanent part of average life going forward. “There simply no longer is any great need for large groups of people to come together in central locations to work or learn,” he continued. “Technology is making it possible for everyone to be just as connected and productive working from remote, decentralized locations.”

As the world adjusts to this new work-from-home reality, if only for the time being, Kelly offered some advice:

• Have a discussion with your family to make sure they understand how important it is for you to work productively while you’re at home.  
• Set up your home office and go there every day as you would to the office.
• While in the home office, do all of the things you would ordinarily do if you were at work—because you are!
• Maintain focus. Don’t become distracted by hourly news updates. Turn off the news and focus on meeting the needs of your customers. They will appreciate your dedication and you will feel better at the end of the day.
• Set daily goals and reward yourself for achieving these goals.
• Take advantage of all the great available technology: video calls, audio conference calls, and customer check-in texts. Being out of the office no longer means being out of touch.
• Set up a regular schedule of update calls with your team and supervisors. This will help to maintain our spirits and build a sense of all-for-one camaraderie.
• Stay fit by maintaining your regular exercise schedule. It will strengthen you physically and mentally.

“Finally, be positive!” he said. “Remember that the entire world is bound together by this shared commitment to fight and defeat this virus. By practicing common sense hygiene, social distancing, and keeping to our business routine as much as possible, we will all come through this together. And when we do, we will find that many of the AV and IoT solutions our industry provides will be that much more important to all of our daily lives.”

Since its original introduction in 2016, Stampede has taken its Mobile Technology Showroom (MTS) to locales across the country—assisting hundreds of resellers in presenting integrated technology solutions to their customers.

Kevin Kelly, Stampede president and CEO, said that hosting targeted demonstrations alongside local integrators helps to increase sales and drives home the message that Stampede is 100-percent dedicated to helping its customers succeed.

“Whether Stampede sales reps are meeting with educators in Houston or a partnering manufacturer wants to show off new products in a Boston suburb, the Stampede Mobile Technology Showroom is the perfect venue to bring high-tech experiences right to dealers and end users in local markets nationwide,” Kelly said. “It’s no secret that hands-on demos can greatly increase sell through rates and help land contracts. By bringing the demo to the customer instead of requiring them to travel, we remove all obstacles and doubts, which benefits our suppliers through greater product awareness and more sales.”

[Stampede Announces 2020 Big Book of AV Tour Stops]

“Stampede is famous for its annual Big Book of AV Tour & Conference Series, but AV is only part of the product catalog we offer,” Kelly added. “In industries such as hospitality, the MTS is helping us show integrators that we are a true soup-to-nuts technology distributor, leading to month-to-month sales boosts of up to 200 percent after a visit. For integrators and our sponsor manufacturers, the benefits are clear.”

Manufacturer participants in the Stampede MTS include Bose, Christie, Kramer, Lumens, Oculus, OneLAN, Optoma, Peerless-AV, Samsung, Sharp, Yuneec, and others.

“The bottom line is that the Mobile Technology Showroom is a huge value-added tool for our sales team and the brands we carry,” Kelly concluded. “It’s an event space that’s also a mobile marketing machine, with logos on the outside, and it’s been a great success at every location so far. In one case, the personal experience provided by the MTS helped us sell a large-scale LED wall to an integrator who had been planning to purchase elsewhere from a different manufacturer.”

The Mobile Technology Showroom will be in Southern California from March 2-13, 2020, with additional dates being announced soon.

Stampede is ushering in a busy new year with the announcement of six Big Book of AV Tour & Conference Series stops in the United States and Canada. The stops will be held at strategic locations across North America, from February to late May.

The 2020 Stampede Big Book of AV Tour & Conference Series will make stops in San Jose, CA on February 13; Toronto, ON on February 20; Orlando, FL on March 5; New York City on March 12; Cleveland, OH on May 14t and Calgary, AB on May 20. 

“Our goal with the 2020 Big Book of AV Tour and Conference Series is to showcase examples of integrated systems that deliver better customer experiences and business outcomes for every product category in specific vertical markets,” said Stampede president and CEO Kevin Kelly. “With a number of upcoming stops in the U.S. and Canada, resellers in cities throughout North America will have access to specific bundled solutions for individual vertical markets and receive in-field education and training on how to best profit from improved customer experiences.” 

The 2020 Big Book of AV Tour & Conference Series will utilize an enhanced ProAV conference-style format comprised of new and returning leading industry executives, subject matter expert keynote speakers, and leading industry manufacturers from every product sphere. For more information, visit bigbookofavtour.com.

A new year (and a new decade!) is almost here—and that means new pro AV products and trends are on the horizon. With ISE 2020 coming up, a flurry of product announcements and releases will follow. Once we have a sense of what those innovations are, we’ll be able to get a clearer picture of what lies ahead for 2020. In the meantime, we’ve asked pro AV manufacturers and distributors what they think will be trending in the new year. 

These pro AV technologists identified many technologies they expect to increase in significance this year including AV over IP, unified communications systems, gigabit Ethernet networks, and various forms of audio and video collaboration technologies. What do you need to know about AV over IP? How are corporate users streamlining productivity? How important will collaboration rooms be in the coming year? What's the status of the AV over IP transition? Read on for some ideas about what's on the horizon.

Kevin Kelly, President and CEO, Stampede

The industry has been talking about AVaaS for years, but now there are companies that can and are actually doing it. AVaaS enables end users to purchase products in an economical way, with an automatic upgrade path in place that will meet their future needs. This is definitely an idea whose time has come and we expect it to become mainstream by the end of 2020.

In addition, autonomous technologies are getting closer to the tipping point. Drones, robots, cars, and STEM/STEAM are red hot topics being discussed throughout the commercial AV industry. The conversation spans from Amazon using robots to pick, pack, and ship packages to unmanned products like drones providing surveillance or assistance on search and recovery operations. These technologies provide a new, safer, and more affordable way to complete tasks that formerly could be accomplished only by people putting themselves at risk.

Ryan Strayer, Senior Director, Distribution Consumer, ViewSonic

Productivity and unified communications are the keywords for 2020. What ViewSonic is seeing and hearing from our AV collaborators and integrators is that their customers—ranging from schools to businesses—are looking for tools to streamline and increase productivity. They are also looking for tools that enable a unified way of communicating with each other, from everyone in the same building to those in remote locations.

Cory Schaeffer, Director Strategic Industry Relations, QSC

In 2020, we will continue to see an acceleration of software-based AV&C solutions, with new features and functionally being added to existing ecosystems with a simple firmware upgrade. We saw this with software-based Dante for the Q-SYS Ecosystem from QSC, announced in 2019, which will allow integrators to enable Dante audio integration without additional hardware. This trend will continue as end users demand more flexible and scalable systems.

We will also see more cloud-based platforms being introduced. IT system administrators are looking for ways to fully monitor their enterprise infrastructure, and up until now, AV has been an outlier for them. In doing so, they can finally use AV data coming in from these monitoring services to help reduce support costs and increase system uptime, while empowering their internal teams with better, more active information to address looming issues.

Paul Harris, CEO/CTO, Aurora Multimedia

SDVoE will be the biggest trend in 2020 as its ASIC version of the semiconductor is released. This will mean very low-power and low-cost 10G AVoIP solutions. Combine that with the dropping costs of 10G Ethernet switches and we’ll see very high-quality signal distribution systems with plenty of scalability. The new lower-power IC will allow the technology to be adopted more easily into displays and wall plates—something the high end 1G cannot do as the power consumption and image quality cannot compete.

Marc Lopez, Vice President of Marketing Americas, d&b audiotechnik

We’ve seen technology trends over the years in the areas of digitalization, connectivity, and user-friendliness. While these trends continue to evolve as part of the norm, aiding workflow and efficiency of the integrator and system operator, we observe a need that brings us full circle to the fundamentals—and that is improving the quality of the experience and engagement for an audience at a venue, facility, or any gathering space.

There are so many distractions brought on by the immediacy of communications and connectivity of personal devices that we are seeing a return of focus to content and production value, which in turn creates demand for high-quality AV solutions to deliver that content and engagement precisely to an audience. A one-size-fits-all approach does not apply to these solutions, so manufacturers will need to focus their efforts on flexible products, along with strong education and applications support for system integrators looking to fulfill the venue requirements.

Brian McClimans, Vice President of Sales, Americas and APAC, Peerless-AV

Collaboration rooms and huddle spaces have been evolving at a rapid pace over the last year. In 2020, I anticipate this to remain a leading area for the pro AV market. We are seeing large advancements in products for this space and a continued need to implement them into corporate environments. I am consistently speaking with customers seeking solutions, like displays, cameras, and equipment for various rooms. At Peerless-AV, we are addressing this growing market by repurposing our video wall mount as a collaboration mounting solution to house the control systems behind displays.

Dennis Holzer, Executive Director, PowerHouse Alliance

4K continues to be popular for commercial AV installations; however, 8K and even 10K are making waves in pro AV—specifically for large screen or video wall applications. As organizations continue to invest in new AV systems, we expect demand for higher video resolutions to climb as pricing becomes more competitive.

Mark D’Addio, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, VITEC

In the last few years, we’ve seen almost all markets move away from RF toward IP-based video distribution because it’s more affordable and offers a high-quality, ultra-low latency stream. This is now trickling into the collegiate market, increasing opportunities for local integrators who have already built solid technology partnerships with higher education organizations. These customers are eager to learn not only how they can distribute video to screens around their football stadium, but also how they can scale the IPTV solution for their entire athletic department, a basketball or hockey arena, or a practice facility where they want a similar visual experience.

(Read about some other ways campus AV and IT departments are reaping the rewards of IP network convergence.)

Joé Lloyd, Vice President of Global Marketing and Business Development, NanoLumens

One of the trends we think will accelerate in the coming year is the introduction of traditionally commercial technologies into in-home environments. This trend has so far manifested itself in a few specific ways, most notably with the increased presence of micro- and mini-LED technologies shown off at trade shows. The smaller pixels in these technologies allow manufacturers to improve resolutions without necessarily increasing display size, but they aren’t quite viable financially for individual consumers yet. There’s a ton of buzz around these products, but for the most part it’s all hat and no cattle. A more realistic example of commercial AV in non-commercial settings has digital artists like Refik Anadol integrating large-format displays into their studios for personal use. I expect others will follow his lead.

Another trend we’ve noticed is an increase in the number of organizations searching for non-traditionality in the sizes, shapes, and locations of the display technology they buy. Just like Anadol eschewed a traditional wall-mounted display by purchasing one on wheels he could roll around his studio, nightclubs, universities, and corporate headquarters are bucking convention and installing weird displays in weird places. New creations come about when people wonder, “Hey, what if we did X?” and it seems this explorative ambition has arrived in the display world.

Matthew Pulsipher, Product Manager, DVIGear

We see two well-defined trends in the area of signal distribution. First, the proliferation of high-performance IP-based matrix switching solutions, and second, an increase in the use of Active Optical Cables as a replacement for traditional signal extension technologies.

There has been a growing demand from the market for SDVoE AVoIP products in 2019. We expect this trend to continue for the next several years as more customers become aware of the many benefits this platform offers—at price points that are often less than other competitive solutions.

Traditional copper cables have become increasingly inadequate in recent years as a result of the very high data rates associated with new signal formats and resolutions. With this newest round of standards, we are rapidly reaching a point where copper cables cannot deliver the performance required to meet many application requirements. The use of optical cables as a superior solution has been well known for nearly two decades; however, cost has always been a factor in widespread adoption.

Joe Andrulis, Executive Vice President, Corporate Development, Biamp

In 2020 and beyond, the consumer electronics industry and IT will continue to have greater influence on the pro AV industry. After years of growing reliance on easy-to-use and agile mobile devices, users now expect that same experience from AV. Manufacturers are already responding to that demand with technology that works almost right out of the box, is straightforward to install, and is incredibly simple to operate.

In addition, as AV technology has become an integrated part of sophisticated IT systems, security will become a greater priority. Ultimately the AV industry will share increasing responsibility with IT for safeguarding the network as part of the mission to deliver extraordinary AV experiences.

(Read more about the promise of AV over IP for the pro AV market.)

Chris Merrick, Global Marketing Director, Integrated Systems, Shure

Professional AV conferencing in corporate settings will be an ongoing focus and priority for the industry in 2020. Specifically, audio will take center stage. Companies often put resources behind lighting, seating, and displays—but for people on the other end of a video conference, nothing is more important than clear audio. Professionals are looking for natural and easy-to-use audio so they can focus on having productive meetings instead of working to overcome AV inefficiencies.

Lauren Simmen, Director of Marketing, AMETEK Electronic Systems Protection

Conference and collaboration systems are on the rise, as they significantly increase productivity and results, but these systems need to work reliably. They can’t fall victim to downtime from power anomalies, and we’re seeing the growing importance of a power foundation to help integrators keep their installations running at top performance.

Bjorn Krylander, Managing Director, Datapath

The AV-over-IP revolution in pro AV is well underway—plenty of suppliers offer solutions at both 10Gb and 1Gb. While the attempts to create “standards”—whether by SMPTE or SDVoE—have so far met with limited success, the growth rate will continue to accelerate. AV over IP will soon become the preferred way for new local area high-quality and low-latency installations, where video standards—whether HDMI, DVI, or SDI—have ruled in the past. The “standards” question will likely remain of limited significance as wide area networks will not support the required bandwidth for no-compromise quality AV communication for the foreseeable future.

In addition, we should expect to see increasingly powerful software packages on top of AV over IP video distribution solutions that can manage the connectivity offered, mixing different types of content from remote and local sources, providing the interactivity where required, and blocking it where security requirements demands it.

1Gb vs. 10Gb Ethernet—which is right for your AV network?

Richard Bugg, Digital Products Solutions Architect, Meyer Sound and Avnu Alliance/Milan Workgroup Chair

In 2020, advancements in AV networking will continue to be important for the larger industry. We’re moving to a point where everything will be connected on converged data and media networks. The consumer's expectations for rich live and commercial AV experiences continues to increase. While at the same time, the industry's expectations for audio and video technology continue to grow and evolve, demanding more from media networks—including far more connecting devices. Networking is the enabling technology that allows us to deliver those experiences with an interoperable backbone which supports expectations, with ease. Refining an audio and video networking solution that can scale and evolve to meet future needs is the central goal of what we are doing in the Avnu Alliance Milan workgroup.

Dana Corey, General Manager and Vice President of Sales, Avocor

Collaboration technology is a fast-growing segment of the pro AV space and we’ll continue to see that growth in 2020 as manufacturers continue to find ways to streamline and simplify both the integrator/IT manager and end user experience. Total solutions that combine UC hardware and software solve the customer’s needs and challenges, largely how to get their teams working together seamlessly regardless of where they are located, lead the growth for this segment. Interactive collaboration displays combined with video conferencing software is another big trend impacting pro AV—video conferencing can make a huge difference in the quality of business communications, so it’s important that collaboration technology continues to be solutions-based and offer end-to-end support for the evolving technology stack that companies are using today.

Global value-added pro AV distributor Stampede has announced that its 2019 Big Book of AV Tour & Conference Series will be making stops in Nashville, TN on Thursday, February 21 and Pearl River, NY on Thursday, March 14. Attendee registration is now open here for Nashville and here for Pearl River.

“Both New York and Nashville are equipped with flourishing technology communities and highly educated workforces to back them up, making them the ideal locations for our upcoming tour dates,” said Stampede president and CEO, Kevin Kelly. “Resellers and end-user customers in Texas and New York will have the opportunity to see the latest in new technologies and products at each of these conferences. We encourage anyone who’s interested in taking their AV business to the next level to register to attend an upcoming event in a city near you.”

Each event will begin at 10:00 a.m. with a Tech Showcase Exhibit where attendees and manufacturers have the chance to meet one-on-one to discuss the latest products, systems, and services. A complimentary breakfast will also be served during the showcase.

The day will also feature a series of on-site presentations like Drone Video Systems & Overview of the Drone/ UAS Industry for a Full AV Solution, led by the dean of the School of Flight Training at Unmanned Vehicle University, Paul Dragos; Christie Access Series: A Full-Featured Line of 4K UHD, Business-Grade Displays; The Samsung Flip: A Solution for Today’s Digital Meeting Room; and Understanding the Benefits of 4K Projection - Optoma.

Each event includes an information-rich schedule of exhibits, training sessions, product introductions, and networking opportunities. Participating exhibitors on the Stampede Big Book of AV Tour & Conference Series include 3M, AmpliVox, Atlona, Bose, Chief, Christie, Da-Lite, Draper, Hitachi, Jelco, Just Lamps, Key Digital, LG Business Solutions, Lighthouse, Lumens,Mustang, NEC, Onelan, Optoma, Peerless-AV, Philips, Planar, Premier Mounts, Samsung, StarBoard, Sharp, Stampede University, TAP-it, Unmanned Vehicle University, Vaddio, VDO 360, Visionect, Yamaha Commercial Audio, NanoLumens, and Epson. Exhibitors may vary based on location.

Every attendee of the 2018 Global Big Book of AV Tour & Conference Series will receive a $500 Stampede credit and $50 Amazon gift card. Attendees will also be entered into a drawing for the chance to win a free Drone.

Catch up on highlights from Day 4 at ISE 2019.

Stampede invited several hundred manufacturer partners Tuesday to its 2018 U.S. Vendor Summit in Buffalo, NY, where the company assured attendees of new parent DCC Technology Group's commitment and resources.

“Our collective ability to imagine, design and manufacture complex products and systems solutions that deliver amazing customer experiences across all of the vertical markets we serve is our single biggest advantage as an industry,” said Kevin Kelly, Stampede president and CEO. “And now, supported by the capital, resources, and commitment of DCC, Stampede is ready to become your one-stop, one-call global gateway to all of the unfolding opportunities being created by this new era of commercial experiential AV.”

Gerry O’Keefe, managing director of the distribution arm of DCC’s Technology Group, emphasized that DCC acquired Stampede because it had established the initial framework for a global distribution solution. “On its own and through its acquisition of Just Lamps, Stampede went further than any other company in Pro AV distribution,” he said. “With our investment of capital and additional resources, Stampede can now scale globally. The combination of Stampede and Exertis distribution is going to create unprecedented new business opportunities for our vendors, resellers and end-user customers.”

O’Keefe said that DCC is a £14.3 billion revenue, London Stock Exchange listed (LSE) international sales, marketing, and support services group that employs 11,000 people in four divisions operating in 17 countries.

O’Keefe told attendees that DCC does not approach acquisitions “as an opportunity to acquire and strip out assets. Rather, we view acquisitions as building blocks to a global solution that is bigger and better than the one we had in place before the acquisition. We really do believe in the power of our people and their ambitions. Our goal is to create a better global pro AV business through Stampede, one that adds value to our vendors and resellers. We are not interested in chasing profitless commodity business opportunities.”

According to O’Keefe, the world is changing in terms of what people want from distribution. Historically, distributors operate country by country. “Today, however, the companies we represent want a faster way to reach more of the world more cost effectively," he said. "We are focused on creating these global solutions for our customers.”

Building upon the current market success of Stampede is going to be a lot easier now that the traditional capital constraints Stampede faced are eliminated. “As an independent company, Stampede had record-setting sales years in 18 of its 20 years,” Kelly said. “In 2017, our overall sales grew by 22%. Constrained by capital, we literally could not leverage all of the opportunities presented to us and we still grew by 22%. Now this will no longer be the case.”

Kelly told manufacturers to expect a lot more from Stampede going forward. More financial strength. More opportunities to expand business globally. More local and regional marketing programs that cover more of the marketplace. More robust product portfolios and inventories in the field in more warehouse locations. More sales offices. “And, yes, more acquisitions,” he said. “We are actively looking to acquire trade distributors who share our values. Consolidation will continue to be a dominant trend in our industry. Let your other trade distributors know that Stampede is open to additional acquisitions that will further enable us to better serve our customers.”

The two-day 2018 Stampede U.S. Vendor summit combined a round the clock schedule of presentations, work sessions, manufacturer exhibits, 1:1 sales meetings and social, team-building events into one powerful and unforgettable experience. A highlight of this year’s event was a “Meet the DCC Exertis Team” panel discussion that featured senior DCC management who fielded questions from the audience on a range of topics that directly impact their business.

Kelly told attendees that, at the end of the day, Stampede was still very much Stampede. “We built this company together, one customer at a time, one relationship at a time, one deal at a time," said Kelly. "Its been a very personal journey every step of the way. At times like this, there may be a concern that some of these values will change.”

“Clearly things have changed, and in ways that will directly benefit your business. We are part of a much bigger enterprise,” Kelly said. “My commitment to you, however, is to continue to work with you the same way we always have. You are always one phone call away from a solution! At the end of the day, we are still Stampeders!”

Global value-added pro AV distributor Stampede has been acquired by the technology division of DCC plc, a £14.3 billion revenue, London Stock Exchange listed (LSE) international sales, marketing, and support services group that employs 11,000 people in four divisions operating in 17 countries.

“The acquisition of Stampede adds an exciting new brand to our portfolio that complements our Exertis brand in Europe," said Tim Griffin, managing director, DCC Technology. "The combination of Stampede’s expertise in value added distribution and our resources is going to unleash a new wave of opportunity for our partners in pro AV around the world. By establishing a presence in North America, we will be strategically positioned to leverage all of the new opportunities we expect to develop as a result of this acquisition.”

Stampede president and CEO Kevin Kelly called the acquisition a paradigm shift that ushers in an exciting new era for a global pro AV industry. “Overnight, Stampede has become one of the world’s largest pro AV distributors, able to operate at a level certain to create exciting new business opportunities for our partners," he said. "Supported by the resources and long-term commitment of DCC, we are now able to scale across all pro AV product categories in all vertical markets globally in a way that we simply could not do on our own. For our manufacturer partners this means greater reach and scale. For our resellers, this means more products and new product categories than ever before.”

Kelly called the acquisition the right move at the right time. “Everything we have accomplished as a company over the last 20 years is due to the amazing talent and ingenuity of our employees who created a world class company that has been limited in its growth potential only by its balance sheet," he said. "With this acquisition, we no longer have the same financial constraints limiting what we can do as a value added distributor.”

Kelly said that the acquisition does not change the way Stampede conducts business around the world. In fact, it will accelerate the company’s global business development efforts. “Our employees, resellers and vendor partners will see an exciting evolution in how we go to market and the level of investment we can now make to grow our business.”

With the completion of the acquisition, Stampede founder and CEO Mark Wilkins has decided to retire, after nearly 40 years of service to the pro AV industry. “I am incredibly proud of everything we have accomplished as Stampeders over these last 20 years,” Wilkins said. “Now, with the backing and support of DCC, I can retire knowing that the company’s future is in very good hands.”

With a nod to its past and a vision for the future, Stampede kicked off its 20th anniversary year at ISE 2018 with the launch of new sales initiatives designed to separate it from commodity-driven distributors. The company is hosting an array of solutions from its vendor partners, along with its Drone Pavilion, at ISE 2018 at stand 14-A100 in the RAI Exhibition Center.

“Since 1998, Stampede has invested tens of millions of dollars to build the AV industry’s best, most robust and diverse customer base,” said Stampede president and COO Kevin Kelly. “More importantly, we have invested countless hours in learning about our customers, their business strategies, core competencies and their staff, resulting in the strongest working partnerships in the industry today. All of this has been done to provide our vendor partners with real growth opportunities that combine the best traditional and new products into the next generation system solutions our resellers need to meet their customer needs.

Looking to the future, Stampede unveiled six new initiatives that are being rolled out this year: Business Intelligence Teams, Reseller Zone, Direct View LED Technology Solutions Centers, Mobile Technology Showrooms, 1:1 Power Networking Events, and a special 20th Anniversary Gold Rush Promotion. These initiatives are in addition to the company’s current mix of sales and marketing programs that include the global Stampede Big Book of AV Tour & Conference Series, participation in industry trade shows in the United States, Europe, and Asia, and strategic partnerships with Unmanned Vehicle University and Unmanned Vehicle Insurance to provide the necessary training and insurance required of today’s growing base of drone and drone video system operators.

Kelly is optimistic that the industry will continue to see sustained growth this year as more and more retail, hospitality, corporate, higher education, and sports brands strive to creative more immersive customer experiences that increase engagement that translates into greater dwell time, return visits, and as a result, higher sales volumes. “The market is ready, willing, and able to invest in our technologies,” Kelly said. “The animal spirits of capitalism have been unleashed, and corporations around the world are using the integrated AV experience to differentiate themselves from their competition.”