CEDIA and Utz Baldwin have agreed on Utz Baldwin's departure from CEDIA as chief executive officer. The change occurs shortly after a strategic plan championed by Baldwin was ratified by the CEDIA board of directors at its November meeting.
- Utz Baldwin has departed from CEDIA as chief executive officer.
- According to the association's press release, CEDIA's board of directors will continue to provide strategic leadership for the organization as it continues to build strength as a global association in residential technologies.
- “CEDIA would like to thank Utz for his contributions as CEO, president, and volunteer in addition to his strategic vision of the Association’s future,” said Randy Stearns, CEDIA’s chairman. "CEDIA wishes Utz the greatest success in his future endeavors."
- Don Gilpin will assume a more active role as CEDIA's chief operating officer under the direction of the board of directors.
- “As we continue to grow we will be calling on more members to volunteer and help us be the best trade association in the world,” Stearns said.
In a follow-up e-mail, Gilpin confirmed that the strategic plan that was drafted by Baldwin and CEDIA professional staff then ratified by the CEDIA board of directors in November, will go forward as planned.
"The strategic plan that was drafted by the team here and lead by Utz has been ratified by the board of directors, and we have full intentions of implementing the strategy as it was presented at the board the directors meeting just a few weeks ago," Gilpin stated. "It’s a good strategy, we believe in it, and we’re putting pieces in place right now so that beginning in 2012, we’re going to be moving in that direction with a very clear operating plan moving in that direction."
Baldwin's departure comes on the heels of two other notable staff changes at CEDIA. Both senior director of professional development Margaret Sheehan and director of membership development, Cathy Lane left the association in November.
