InfoComm Names First Young AV Award Winners
By InfoComm International, April 3, 2009
FAIRFAX, Va. -- April 2, 2009 -- InfoComm International, the leading professional audiovisual trade association, presented its new Young AV Award to Steve Garber, President, BP Marketing Group LLC and James Maltese, CTS-D, CTS-I, President, Audio Visual Resources, Inc. (AVR). The awards were presented at the InfoComm 100, a new conference designed to bring together top AV industry thought leaders and volunteers.
The Young AV Award was created by InfoComm to recognize up-and-coming professionals in the audiovisual industry. These debut award winners are held in the highest esteem by their AV industry colleagues of all ages.
Steve Garber began his professional outsourced sales and marketing company, BP Marketing Group, Savage, MN, in 2001. Beginning by representing just one manufacturer, Garber has grown his business to include representation of more than 16 manufacturers in 18 states. His extreme work ethic and commitment to the AV resellers and consultants in the territory he represents is recognized on a national basis.
As a Manufacturer's Representative, Garber used his background in the office furniture industry to help Chief Manufacturing develop a division marketing to that segment. He was instrumental in bringing together two of his manufacturers, APC and Chief, to create several new products that utilize the power conditioning of APC in projector and flat panel mount accessories from Chief. Garber was also one of the first firms to begin working in the digital signage field. He has taken great lengths to service dealers by creating a centralized office location within his territory, which is used for regular training sessions and product showcases. Additionally, in 2008, Garber launched Global Business Services with several manufacturers and local service providers, creating the only telepresence suite in the greater Minneapolis area. Garber has served on InfoComm’s Independent Reps Council and its steering committee, participating in three consecutive InfoComm Leadership Forums.
As President of AVR, Jim Maltese is directly responsible for the growth and development of all on the operations staff, and has constantly helped improve the AVR Quality Management System, Williston Park, NY. With engineering degrees from MIT and Stanford University, his disciplined thinking skills directly contribute to the growth and development of the corporation. Maltese has been praised for the patience he displays at working with demanding clients, and is widely viewed as an example to those desiring customer-driven organizations.
Maltese has been an instructor for the Infocomm Academy, a CTS-D and CTS-I candidate evaluator, a retest evaluator, a reviewer for InfoComm Academy content, including the AV Installation Manual, Second Edition and various course content materials. He has served on several subcommittees for InfoComm’s Professional Education and Testing Committee. He was a volunteer judge at InfoComm’s two rack building contests. He also regularly visits local high schools and middle schools to discuss AV career opportunities on behalf of the industry and is a regular seminar/workshop presenter at Infocomm.
“In a relatively short time Steve Garber and Jim Maltese have left an indelible imprint on the audiovisual industry and InfoComm International,” said Randal A. Lemke, Ph.D., Executive Director, InfoComm International. “If the future of the AV industry hinges on their knowledge and record of success, I know the industry will be in good hands for generations to come."
About InfoComm International
InfoComm International® is the international trade association of the professional audiovisual and information communications industries. Established in 1939, InfoComm has 5,000 members, including manufacturers, systems integrators, dealers and distributors, independent consultants, programmers, rental and staging companies, end-users and multimedia professionals from more than 80 countries. InfoComm International is the leading resource for AV market research and news. Its training and education programs, along with its separately administered Certified Technology Specialist (CTS®) credential, set a standard of excellence for AV professionals. InfoComm International is the founder of InfoComm, the largest annual conference and exhibition for AV buyers and sellers worldwide. InfoComm also produces trade shows in Europe, Asia, and China. Additional information is available at www.infocomm.org.
