Commercial Integrator January 2022 - 40

FINAL THOUGHTS
Hybrid Event Melds
Thought Leadership,
Holography
ALMO PROFESSIONAL AV's E4 Experience
hybrid event, which took place in Dallas on
November 30, combined essential industry
thought leadership with an exhibit fl oor populated
by about 45 vendors, including heavy
hitters like Kramer Electronics, Listen Technologies,
Absen, AtlasIED, NETGEAR and
others. Not having experienced an in-person
E4 Experience since before the pandemic, I
thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to learn
and network, but especially to get my hands
on new technology! My fellow attendees
clearly agreed, as the exhibit
fl oor was packed from open
to close. According to Melody
Craigmyle, vice president of
marketing and communications
with Almo Professional AV, " The
exhibitors are very pleased.
I've heard nothing but great
feedback. "
More than 425 attendees
discussion with panelists from Almo, Texadia
Systems and Sharp Business USA to discuss
the challenges that integrators face and the
available opportunities. Several education sessions
earned participants CTS renewal units.
Clearly, the Texas-based show had a lot of
The Texasbased
show
had a lot of
steak, but there
was plenty of
sizzle, too.
registered for the in-person
component, complemented by
a whopping 2,400-plus online registrants.
The event offered keynotes on the evolving
workplace, the importance of meeting equity,
and how to make physical offices hubs
of creativity and collaboration. Craigmyle
deftly sums up one of the key conclusions,
saying, " You've got to have your conference
rooms ready to be inclusive of those people
who are still working from home. You cannot
forget that they're there. You can't go back
to your old ways. "
Presenters like HOK's Kay Sargent also put
the lie to the idea that physical offi ces are
dead and gone. Along with her colleague,
Rachel Rouse, Sargent shared research data
to indicate that, when employees come to the
offi ce, their engagement grows appreciably.
The question, then, is how to optimize those
environments. And NSCA's executive director,
Tom LeBlanc, moderated an illuminating
steak, but there was plenty of sizzle, too. " It's
nice to have a 'wow factor' like a hologram
to get people to the event, " Craigmyle
quips. She was referring to the holographic
technology that ARHT Media deployed on
the main stage. The technology involves a
remote individual - in this
case, presenters from Los
Angeles and Washington,
D.C. - occupying a studio
space with a roughly six-footwide
green screen. Then,
the presenter's holographic
image appears on a display
surface on the far side (in this
case, at the Hyatt Regency
Dallas). The hologram blends
seamlessly into the background
environment, and the individual can
speak, move and interact with the audience
in real time. The technology is a potential
substitute for business travel and education
lecture environments. " The applications for
it are really endless, " Craigmyle enthuses.
Almo exclusively distributes this ARHT Media
technology in the U.S.
With the E4 Experience a resounding
success, Craigmyle expresses optimism about
2022 events. " We're going to be back out
on the road. We've got four locations - two
in the spring, two in the fall. " All will have
robust virtual off erings because, as Craigmyle
observes, that off ers an opportunity to reach
thousands of people eff ectively.
Dan Ferrisi, Editor-in-Chief
dan.ferrisi@emeraldx.com
@danferrisiedit
Commercial Integrator, (USPS 005-160) (ISSN 2165-9850), Vol.12 No. 1, is published monthly by Emerald X, LLC., 100 Broadway, 14th
CI Web Exclusive: What the Pro
AV Industry is Thankful for this
Holiday Season
Twenty-two-plus months of the
COVID-19 pandemic have given us
perspective we never knew that we
lacked. These days, we hug our family
and friends a little tighter, and we're
even more appreciative of in-person
experiences like Broadway shows and
concerts. Journalists like those from
Commercial Integrator are grateful to
be back at live events like InfoComm,
the Almo E4 Experience and Total Tech
Summit, where we can get our hands
on technology and do the face-to-face
networking that's essential to doing our
jobs well.
To mark this year's holiday season,
Commercial Integrator's web editor,
Alyssa Borelli, created a slideshow to
illustrate what those in the commercial
AV industry are thankful for. Participating
organizations include Southtown AV,
Listen Technologies, Screen Innovations,
Almo Corporation and more than a halfdozen
others.
This slideshow is available for viewing
on commercialintegrator.com.
CI 2021 Buyer's Guide: Our Annual
Who's Who in the Commercial
Integration World
Commercial
Integrator's annual
guide of who's
who in the world
of commercial
integration
solutions is
available for
download. The
2021 Buyer's Guide makes it easy to fi nd
what you're looking for. The Category
Index sorts providers by product and
service types, whereas the A-Z Vendor
List provides contact information for each
of the companies. Product and service
types include the following:
› Audio/Video
› Building Enhancements
› Control & Automation
› Networking and Communications
› Security
Download your copy of the 2021 Buyer's
Guide today to access this vital information
and get started on your next project.
The 2021 Buyer's Guide
is downloadable at
commercialintegrator.com/
download/2021-ci-buyers-guide.
Floor, New York, New York 10005, 800-440-2139. Commercial Integrator is
a registered trademark of Emerald X, LLC. All reproduction, including photocopying, is prohibited without written permission. Postage Paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offi ces. POSTMASTER: send
address changes to COMMERCIAL INTEGRATOR, PO BOX 297, Lincolnshire, IL 60069-0297.
40
Commercial Integrator JANUARY 2022
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Commercial Integrator January 2022

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