Title: Director of Product and Training
Company: Kramer
Location: Charlotte, NC
Overtime: He loves smoking meats and takes great pride in preparing brisket, ribs, or pulled pork for family and friends. “They say once you hit your thirties, most guys have to decide whether they’re going to get into smoking meat or World War history," he explained. "I chose to smoke meat.”
Why You Need to Know Him: Travis Cawthorne is deeply passionate about education, training, and product development, which are his primary focuses in his current role. As he advances in his career, he hopes to continue bridging the gap between technology and real-world user needs, ensuring that AV solutions remain intuitive, powerful, and effective.
AV has been a part of Cawthorne's life for as long as he can remember, which is understandable since both of his parents were in the industry. His dad worked with manufacturers, including Sony, Panasonic, and Kramer, while his mom worked in broadcast AV at Sony. “Most people stumble into Pro AV,” said Cawthorne. “My path was very intentional.”
His dad instilled in him a focus on relationships, and his reputation in the field helped pave the way for him when he started out. “I would meet customers and integrators, and they’d often ask, 'Are you related to Kent?' It was nice to have that recognition, especially early in my career,” said Cawthorne. “My dad has always been a great role model, and his experience and guidance have been invaluable to me.”
After this unofficial start in the industry, he officially began his AV career with Kramer. He spent nearly five years as a field sales engineer, collaborating with sales teams, dealers, and end users to design AV systems. Following that, he worked as a regional brand sales manager for Vaddio and Luxul within Legrand AV before transitioning into a solutions engineering role.
These experiences guided him to his return to Kramer and current role as the director of products and training, where he collaborates closely with customers, incorporating their feedback to help shape future product offerings. “Training and education aren’t just about teaching people how to use products—they’re about empowering them to design better systems, solve problems more efficiently, and drive better outcomes,” Cawthorne added.
His close work with customers provides valuable insights to the product development teams, positioning him as a bridge between the two. “Travis is helping to shape the future of our products and training. His enthusiasm for education, and how deeply he understands the needs of our customers, is inspiring," said Amit Acikovsky, president, Americas Kramer Electronics. "He's a real asset, not just to Kramer, but to the entire AV community."
Cawthorne's early start in the industry provided him with a unique combination of technical expertise and customer-focused thinking. “Because I started in AV so early and have worked across sales, engineering, and product development, I not only understand the technology but also how integrators, consultants, and end users interact with it,” he said. He also emphasizes continuous learning, enabling him to stay ahead of the curve while experimenting with and experiencing new technologies.
Just as his father and mother passed on great insights, he emphasized that, in addition to ongoing education and relationship management, mastering time management can be one of the most critical skills, particularly early in your career. “It’s about being able to give the right attention where it's needed and being flexible enough to pivot when necessary,” he said.
