Name: Jesse Scarborough
Company: Diversified
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Overtime: Scarborough volunteers with AVIXA and co-chairs the organization’s Young AV Council.
Why You Need To Know Him: At 26, Jesse Scarborough is one of the youngest bearers of the industry’s “two-headed unicorn”: AVIXA’s CTS-D and CTS-I professional designations. For Scarborough, they give him credibility, and in his current role as design engineer at Diversified, he’s used much of what he learned in these two programs.
From the Beginning: Early on, Scarborough had a broad worldview, and it has shaped his career. Born in North Carolina, he spent the bulk of his childhood living abroad—five years in Russia, three in Romania, and finally graduating high school in Singapore—and dabbling in technology along the way. He returned to North Carolina to attend Elon University, majoring in music technology. Beyond classroom experiences, he worked in AV, event and theater production, and radio production.
After graduating, like many bright young people with a passion for technology, he headed for Silicon Valley. He was networking and doing hit-and-miss production work when an ad for an AV lead installer in Redwood City, CA, caught his attention. Though he wasn’t qualified for this role, he ended up joining the company, CoitCom, as a service engineer.
After six months, Scarborough moved into design engineering. He was initially wary of the increased responsibility, but quickly realized it was a perfect fit for him. His most memorable project was designing 10 high-profile custom boardrooms for a Silicon Valley client that led to additional work on a second campus in three separate buildings. These larger projects, coupled with everything he saw at InfoComm, captured Scarborough’s interest.
When he looked at Diversified, Scarborough saw an opportunity to pursue his dream: to work on large global projects and explore new skills. During his interviews, Scarborough’s manager, Pete O’Neil, Diversified’s West Coast director of AV engineering, cast an exciting vision of project scope and range. Scarborough was sold. Four months ago, he joined the team as a design engineer, and got everything he had hoped for.
Scarborough is currently transitioning to a role as lead engineer for an international client. With projects in London, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, and soon Brazil under his belt, his future at Diversified is bright. His global project includes designing a range of conference rooms, along with the opportunity to work on video walls and custom spaces, even one that includes a Meyer Constellation System.
Giving Back: Scarborough believes in giving back to his industry. He is currently serving as co-chair of AVIXA’s Young AV Council, which seeks to equip young professionals for growth in the industry.
“There is not a clear course for people joining our industry—many come in through family. We need to better understand what skills are essential for success and how to navigate the ins and outs of AV,” Scarborough said.
Meanwhile, at Diversified, Scarborough has a bright future. “I’m fortunate that Pete recognizes what I have to offer and is mentoring me in my professional growth. I’m passionate about cool projects, and want to continue to do that. Being at Diversified is giving me those opportunities.”
