Professional Systems Network International (PSNI) had near record attendance at its annual Fall Meeting, held in Seattle September 13-15.
Duffy Wilbert, senior vice president of membership for InfoComm.
The 91 attendees included representatives from 28 PSNI affiliate system integration companies and four Preferred Vendor Partners.
One of the highlights of the event was a keynote delivered by Duffy Wilbert, InfoComm's senior vice president of membership. Wilbert discussed the findings and opportunities presented within the most recently published InfoComm 2012 Market Definition Strategic Study.
PSNI's Lifetime Achievement Award was presented by PSNI president Mark Gottwig to Steve Best, CFO of Snader and Associates. Best has long served in a variety of leadership positions for the PSNI network, including member-at-large, three consecutive terms as treasurer, six years on the Finance Committee and roles on the Membership and Long Range Planning Committees. Best will be retiring this fall from Snader & Associates.
The Fall Meeting was also the setting for the first Ainsley Mahikoa Memorial Awards, which will be held annually to recognize best-in-class project profiles among PSNI affiliates. The "Ainsleys" are named for Ainsley Mahikoa, CTS, who passed away this year. Mahikoa was a loyal and beloved employee of Hawaii-based The Audio Visual Company, a PSNI affiliate, for 15 years, and he was an enthusiastic supporter of PSNI and its programs.
The Ainsley Awards winners are:
* Sensory Technologies' winning project was designed and installed for The Greater Indianapolis Regional Operation Center (ROC) just in time for Super Bowl XVL. The system also provides situational awareness for large events such as the Indy 500, Brickyard 400, and NCAA tournaments. The project won in the category of corporate/medical/legal/government.
* ClarkPowell's winning project was designed and installed for First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte, NC. The project included upgrading to high-definition broadcast and adding audiovisual and control systems to a 100-seat chapel. The chapel is now used for overflow seating, community events and as a children's daycare center. The project won in the category of houses of worship.
* AVR's winning project was designed and installed for The University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ. AVR provided an in-house, high-definition feed to the newly installed LED End Zone display in its sports facilities. AVR provided 8 channels of instant replay for less than half the cost of some other broadcast systems. The project won in the category of broadcast/large venue.
* Terra Nova's winning project was designed and installed for a Palm Desert, CA luxury home. The project included security, lighting, home theater, and extensive motorization. The project won in the category of residential systems.
* Alpha Video & Audio won two awards. The first was audiovisual design and installation for five schools in the Minnesota St. Louis County District (ISD #2142) in Northern Minnesota, which won in the K-12 education category. The AV includes classroom technology, paging, digital signage, auditorium and emergency notification.
* The second award, in the category of hospitality, was for Alpha Video & Audio's work equipping eight Choctaw casinos. AV at the eight casinos includes central control, jackpots celebrated on digital signs, wayfinding, and advertising for casino restaurants, hotels, spas, and nightlife.
Other events during the PSNI Fall Meeting included dinner at Seattle's famous Space Needle, a visit to the Pike Market, and lunch at the Ruins Restaurant in Seattle for spouses and sponsors.
