CE Pro March 2023 - 65

IN BRIEF
HTA Debuts Design
Partner Program
THE HOME TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION (HTA) has announced
its new HTA Design Partner program and professional
designation, which identifi es design-centric home technology
integrators as a service to architects, interior designers, builders,
and end users. The program was created to recognize the
integrators that not only off er tech consultation and design
but those who collaborate with design and build teams to
ensure that the technology is integrated into the home in the
best way possible.
Portal API Integrates
with iPoint Software
PORTAL.IO, a proposal software & product/pricing database
for integrators, announced it has expanded its public API to
allow for integration of its proposal tool with other industry
software solutions. The fi rst partner to launch a full proposal
integration is iPoint, a complete business process software
tool for integrators. The integration is available now for iPoint
dealers. iPoint dealers can now win a job in Portal, push all
the products from that job into iPoint, and then manage the
project to completion.
" We're excited to expand our API to give dealers more options
when it comes to software tools for their business " says
Kirk Chisholm, founder and CEO of Portal. " It's so important
today that software plays well with others, otherwise you're
holding back your customers. Dealers have been begging us
to connect our proposal tool to other industry software and
we fi nally decided to do it. "
In 2014, Portal released a limited public API, integrating
their product catalog with several partners, including
D-tools, iPoint, ProjX360, and Simply Reliable. Portal's API
expansion allows dealers to win a proposal in Portal, and
then easily push those proposals into projects in other
tools.
HTA says the designation is available to those companies
that meet stringent HTA Certifi cation guidelines.
The HTA Design Partner program serves as the basis for
eff ective collaboration between the trades and addresses
issues that have kept them from engaging integrators
early on projects in the past. This will lead to better trade
relationships and integrators being hired at the beginning
stages as technology design consultants, according to
the group.
The HTA Design Partner designation is only available
to those that meet stringent HTA Certifi cation guidelines
that serve as the basis for successful design collaboration
and coordination with architects, builders and interior designers.
The framework for collaboration was created with
the input of architects, interior designers, general contractors,
and design-centric home technology integration
fi rms and is the basis for successful design collaboration
and coordination between integrators and design-build
professionals.
Likewise, architects, interior designers, and general
contractors that handle their clients' technology needs
proactively can opt into the corresponding 'HTA Technology
Partner' program.
cepro.com
Consumer-Facing 'Home
Tech Expo' Announced
CLARITY AV INTERNATIONAL, the manufacturers' sales rep
company behind the Integrator Network and the creation of
the CEDIA Technology & Business Summits, announces a new
event designed for consumers, The Home Tech Expo, happening
Friday, October 20 and Saturday, October 21, 2023, in
Southern California.
The Home Tech Expo will showcase real-world home technology
in an in-person format that allows consumers to see,
touch, and experience technology like traditional, custom
integration " AV " as well as lighting, smart appliances, electric
vehicles, wellness, outdoor entertainment, fi tness tech, and
more fi rsthand. The event will be directly marketed to consumers
to attract and engage them, and PR, social media, and
robust partner marketing will drive consumers to physically
attend the event.
" We developed The Home Tech Expo concept to address
the growing complaint among home technology integration
fi rms, manufacturers, and service providers that it is increasingly
hard to connect with and eff ectively engage consumers, "
says Mark Cichowski, creator of the event.
March 2023 CE Pro | 65
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CE Pro March 2023

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