AV Best Practices: About the Contributors
Audiovisual Best Practices: The Design and Integration Process for the AV and Construction Industries is the result of an extraordinary combined effort of three primary groups among the membership of InfoComm International®. They are the AV systems integrators, the independent consultants and the technology managers/end-users. Through their councils — the Systems Integration Leadership Council (SILC) (formerly SAVVI), the Independent Consultants in Audiovisual Technology (ICAT) and the Technology Managers Council — members volunteered their time and commitment in forming the AV Best Practices Subcommittee, chaired by Mark Valenti, CTS, of The Sextant Group.
The result was a committee of eleven that gathered and determined the scope and goals of the project, the intended audiences, and the elements that were necessary for the completion of a useful and valuable guide to the AV process.The collaboration of integrators and consultants was a significant accomplishment that merits a word of recognition. While often serving as team members on projects, independent consultants and systems integrators sometimes find themselves at odds philosophically.
They also often compete for business. Yet, when the two groups decided to work together on this project for the good of the AV industry, they rolled up their sleeves, put aside differences, agreed that sometimes it was OK to disagree, and got to work.
Special acknowledgement goes to Tim Cape, CTS-D, of Technitect, and Jim Smith, CTS, of HB Communications, co-authors who developed the significant body of work; and to Bradley P. Weber, PE, of muse, inc. and Scott Walker, CTS-D, of Waveguide Consulting, Inc., who were major contributors and peer reviewers.
Timothy W. Cape, CTS-D
Principal Consultant
Technitect, LLC
Timothy Cape has been an independent consultant in the fields of audiovisual systems, distance education, videoconferencing, acoustics, lighting and related disciplines since 1982. He regularly teaches on these subjects both nationally and internationally. He is also an active AV industry advocate and a prolific writer. He currently writes the monthly column "Consultant Connection" for Pro AV magazine. After being an owner of two successful AV consulting firms, Tim launched his third consulting firm, Technitect, LLC in 2004.
He is a faculty member of the InfoComm University Audiovisual Design School that supports the CTS-D certification program, and is an active member of the consultants' councils for both InfoComm and the NSCA. Mr. Cape holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from the University of Washington in Seattle and has held the CTS-D (Certified Technical Specialist – Design) certification from InfoComm since 2000. http://www.technitect.com/
Michael J. Smith, Jr., CTS
Director of Strategic Initiatives
HB Communications, Inc., North Haven, CT
Jim Smith began his audiovisual career in 1972. He has worked in all parts of the industry as a technician, system designer, business owner, instructor, consultant, and writer. In 1980 he became media director for a large high-tech company in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he was responsible for video production, facility design, and conference management.
HB Communications, a large AV integration company, recruited Jim in 1991 to manage sales and operations of the Boston region. In 2002, Jim became a member of HB’s corporate management team as Director of Strategic Initiatives. In this position, he develops processes for improved quality, efficiency, and standardization. Special projects include exploration of new vertical markets, development of user interfaces, and writing for various trade publications. Jim has served on the InfoComm Board of Governors as Chairman of the Sound, Audio Visual, and Video Integrator’s Council (SAVVI) -- now Systems Integration Leadership Council (SILC).
Brad Weber, PE
Senior Consultant
muse Audio Video, Inc.
Brad Weber, PE, is a Senior Consultant and heads the audiovisual practice at CDAI Integrated Technical Solutions, a multi-discipline specialty consulting firm. Brad has over 20 years experience in the audiovisual industry working at various times in his career as both a consultant and an integrator. He is a Registered Engineer in Acoustical Engineering and holds a BSE in Acoustical Engineering from Purdue University. Brad is an active member of the ICAT Council and is active in InfoComm’s AV Best Practices, Division 27 (CSI) and Dashboard For Controls workgroups.
Scott Walker, CTS-D
Principal
Waveguide Consulting, Inc.
Scott Walker is a principal with Waveguide Consulting, Inc., a Georgia-based independent technology consulting firm specializing in acoustics, AV, videoconferencing, and data/telecom system consulting and design. With 15 years of experience as an independent AV consultant, Mr. Walker’s experience includes AV design and project management on more than 100 projects including numerous multi-million dollar AV system projects. Additionally, he has authored many articles on the AV industry and given numerous presentations at AV industry events including a Keynote address for the 2001 InfoComm tradeshow.
He served as Chairman of the Independent Consultants in Audiovisual Technologies (ICAT) Council for InfoComm from 1998 through 2001, President of InfoComm for 2004, and the InfoComm Board of Governors Chairman for 2005.
The InfoComm International Best Practices Committee
Committee Chair
Mark Valenti, CTS, The Sextant Group
Co-Authors
Tim Cape, CTS-D, Technitect
Jim Smith, CTS, HB Communications, SAVVI Council Chair
SAVVI
George Bing, HB Communications
Spencer Bullins, CTS, AMX
Tom Peters, CTS, Integrated Media Systems, 2005 InfoComm President
Jim Smith, CTS (co-author), HB Communications, SAVVI Council Chair
Byron Tarry, CTS, AVW-TELAV Audio Visual Solutions
ICAT
Tim Cape, CTS-D (co-author), Technitect
Kris Kuipers, Newcomb & Boyd
Jeff Loether, Electro-Media Design
Mark Valenti, The Sextant Group, AVBP Committee Chair
Brad Weber, muse, inc.,
Technology Managers/End Users Council
John Pfleiderer, CTS-D, Cornell University, Technology Manager/End-Users Council Chair
Reviewers
Peter Gross, AIA, Kohn Pederson Fox Associates PC, Architects and Planning Consultants
Stephen Newbold, AIA, RIBA, Gensler
Dave Labuskes, RCDD/NTS/OSP, CSI, RTKL Associates, Inc.
John Pfleiderer, CTS-D, Cornell University
Scott Walker, Waveguide Consulting, Inc., 2005 InfoComm Chairman
Brad Weber, muse, inc.
Editors
Susan Higginbotham, Higginbotham Associates
Taly Walsh, InfoComm International
