TAMPA, FL--AVI-SPL will recognize the one-year anniversary of a successful merger between its legacy companies, Audio Visual Innovations (AVI) and Signal Perfection Ltd. (SPL).
Tampa, FL-based firm AVI began operations in 1979 and was led by Martin Schaffel. SPL formed in Columbia, MD in 1992, under the leadership of Chad Gillenwater. The merger was supported by equity financing from Silver Lake Sumeru, the middle-market group of Silver Lake, the leading investment firm focused on technology-driven growth industries.
In reflecting on the one-year anniversary of the merger, AVI-SPL’s top executives had the following remarks:
Martin Schaffel, Executive Chairman: “Many said we could not successfully merge the two largest companies in the industry. We have done it and done it well. I am very proud and grateful for everyone's efforts to make this accomplishment a reality.”
Chad Gillenwater, Vice Chairman: “We believe there has been a demand from the industry itself for a company like AVI-SPL. We will continue to excel at providing clients worldwide with the dedicated systems and services needed for successful, collaborative communications.”
John Zettel, Chief Executive Officer: “The successful combination of our companies may have appeared seamless and therefore effortless to the outside world. In reality it was a very large undertaking that required a large amount of very hard work from all of our employees. Our successes in the past year were driven by the most experienced, hard-working employees in our industry in all facets of our company, including sales, technical operations and corporate services/administration.”
