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♦ InfoComm 08 Largest Pro AV Tradeshow in History
A record 988 exhibitors participated at InfoComm this year, representing a more than 15 percent increase over the previous record of 855 in 2007. Exhibitors occupied more than 500,000 net square feet of exhibit and special events space, compared to 465,000 net square feet in 2007. There were 231 new exhibitors at this year's Show. (more) Browse the sights and sounds of InfoComm 08 — visit our photo gallery! ♦ Advanced AV Wins AV Systems Rack Integration Challenge
The AV Systems Rack Integration Challenge, which showcases InfoComm pro-AV system integrator members’ rack building design, installation, and programming, was platinum- sponsored by Middle Atlantic Products, Inc., and the gold sponsor was AMX. ♦ Association Awards Three Highest Individual Honors InfoComm International was honored to bestow its three highest individual honors, the Distinguished Achievement Award, the Educator of the Year Award and the Harald Thiel Volunteer of the Year Award during InfoComm's annual AV Awards Ceremony, which took place at InfoComm 08 in Las Vegas. The 2008 recipients include:
 ♦ InfoComm, TIA Partner on LEED Initiative At InfoComm 08, InfoComm International and TIA sent a letter to the U.S. Green Buildings Council requesting LEED points for videoconferencing.
Want to learn more? Check out Wavelengths Episode 8. ♦ InfoComm’s New Social Networking Platform
In case you missed it at the InfoComm booth in Las Vegas, InfoComm has launched a new social networking site within the InfoComm website. Every member can create a profile, join special interest groups, share resources and more. Did you take photos at InfoComm 08? Those pictures could win you some fabulous prizes. We set up a resource library within the new social media site, InfoComm Community, specifically to capture photos from InfoComm 08. Post your best InfoComm 08 photo in InfoComm Community by July 25 to participate in an InfoComm 08 photo contest. We ask that each member post only one photo. InfoComm Community members will then have until August 1 to rate all the photos. If your photo has the highest rating, you will win an InfoComm 08 Grab Bag. Add your photo.
You can view all InfoComm 08 photos in the InfoComm 08 Resource Library in the Resources section. For more information about InfoComm Community, please contact Shana Rieger, Social Media Program Manager, srieger@infocomm.org.
InfoComm is beginning a significant outreach and advertising campaign promoting the CTS credential to architects and the building community. Don’t be left behind — access the CTS Online Resource Page to find out how you and your colleagues can earn the CTS credential.
The InfoComm International Professional Education and Training Committee (PETC) announces its annual call for presenters for InfoComm 09 in Orlando, FL. You are invited to participate in a conference that attracted thousands of registrations in 2008 in Las Vegas. Submit your proposal today.
♦ Compensation and Benefits Study The 2008 Dealer Compensation and Benefits Study is now available. This 79-page report contains compensation data and trends for 27 positions in the North American AV industry, and detailed benefits information for North American Dealers by business area, markets served, size of company and geographical region. Please call InfoComm Customer Service at 800.659.7469 or visit the InfoComm store to purchase.
♦ InfoComm International's 5,000th Member At the ribbon-cutting ceremony to open InfoComm 08 in Las Vegas, InfoComm International marked a momentous association milestone when it awarded 5,000 EduBucks to its 5,000th member. EduBucks are scholarship dollars that can be used for education courses and for buying publications.
♦ AV Awards e-Lunch & Learn Webinar Series 2008
Each of these award-winning projects is also brought to life when it is featured in an e-Lunch & Learn webinar, presented by ARCHI-TECH magazine in partnership with InfoComm International. In each one-hour webinar, attendees
learn how the AV design and technology challenges were met by the professionals involved in these
"best-practice" case studies. The 2008 Webinar Series is sponsored by Cambridge Sound Management, FSR, Entertainment Lighting Systems (ELS), Lowell, Winsted, and Middle Atlantic Products. Architects can earn one AIA learning unit and CTS holders can earn one Renewal unit (RU) for each webinar attended. Register today! 2008 Webinar Schedule
♦ Update Your Member Directory If you already have the directory on your desktop, open the directory and click Yes when it automatically asks you about searching for updates.
♦ Integrated Systems Middle East Africa Show to Debut in 2009
♦ InfoComm, Politecnico Internacional Partner for AV Educational Program
Politecnico Internacional will begin delivering the Spanish version of InfoComm’s Essentials of the AV Industry for Technical and Sales Professionals to students, making it the first school in the region to offer this respected curriculum.
View the entire course and event calendar. |
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Reflecting strong demand for AV communications technologies in business, education and government as
well as the retail, healthcare, entertainment, and worship markets, attendance at the exhibition
topped 34,600. AV professionals from 93 countries attended to see the latest technologies in display,
projection, audio, collaborative conferencing, control and networking applications. This reflects a
9.5 percent increase over last year’s record attendance. 
The AV Systems Rack Integration Challenge, an exciting 12-hour competition where system integrator teams face off to design and build a fully operational AV system was once again a crowd pleaser. This year’s winner, Advanced AV, faced challenger teams from AVS Inc., Spinitar and The Whitlock Group in this competition to build the best rack conforming with InfoComm best practices.
Got photos? Share them on InfoComm’s new social networking platform!
The lucky recipient was Paul Stanulis, a sales engineer with KLA Laboratories in Dearborn, MI. Stanulis has been
attending InfoComm for 10 years and, ironically, registered late this year. “I was worried I wouldn’t
get the classes I wanted because I registered late. I guess the early bird gets the worm, but it’s the
second mouse that gets the cheese,” he quips. He adds his company is likely to spend the winnings on
education and training opportunities. Stanulis was presented with a 5,000 EduBucks check made out to KLA
Laboratories by InfoComm President Mark Valenti.
Each year, the ARCHI-TECH AV Awards Program honors outstanding examples of the creative and effective
integration of audiovisual technology into otherwise traditional construction and design projects. The 2008 awards
were presented to winners at InfoComm 08 and are featured in the July/August issue of ARCHI-TECH.
Next spring, the Middle East is getting its own Integrated Systems event. The inaugural Integrated Systems Middle
East Africa (ISMEA) will take place on March 23-24, 2009 at the Abu Dhabi Exhibition Centre. Integrated Systems
Events will partner with CMP Information (CMPi) UAE for the two-day trade show, aimed at commercial and
residential systems integration industries. The two companies signed their agreement at InfoComm 08 in Las Vegas. 
Juan Manuel Osorio, Dean of The School of Hotels, Services and Entertainment at 