CE Pro September 2022 - 44

CEDIA EXPO PREVIEW | Q&A
THE CUSTOM ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY has never
been in higher demand than it is right now, yet there
are a number of challenges that continue to persist that are
inhibiting that growth. CEDIA global president and CEO Daryl
Friedman recognizes the market is still in its relative " infancy "
and he is gradually making his mark on the direction of the
association following his 90-day " listening tour. " He came
away from that with some new important direction on how
the association can assist its members.
In advance of the upcoming CEDIA Expo 2022 in Dallas
(September 28-October 1), Friedman addressed with CE Pro
some of the key initiatives he is working on and why integrators
should be more engaged with CEDIA.
CE Pro: Now that you have been at the helm of CEDIA
since last December, what are your impressions of the
custom electronics industry?
I was fortunate to learn about the CI industry, and CEDIA
specifically, from an outside perspective during my time
at the Recording Academy. As the association behind the
GRAMMY Awards, the Recording Academy obviously placed
a heavy focus on the audio side of things and has great
respect for CEDIA.
During my international listening tour, I had the opportunity
CEDIA
CEO Daryl
Friedman
Looks
Ahead
CEDIA market is set to grow
despite ongoing challenges
from supply chain and labor.
Association poised to help.
By Jason Knott
to meet with integrators, manufacturers, manufacturer's reps,
and so many other amazing people who make up this industry.
Learning about their processes and seeing their work up
close gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation for
what they do. Their knowledge and passion are contagious,
and they've truly opened my eyes to the ways technology can
change lives. It's actually very awe-inspiring.
In addition to wanting to see the industry thrive, they also
want to see CEDIA be successful. And I am committed to that.
Did anything surprise you about the market that you did
not already know?
I was surprised at the number of other entities also providing
education in the CI channel, like buying groups, rep firms and
manufacturers. All of their trainings are incredibly important,
and we have great relationships with these groups - many
even provide education at the Tech Summits and CEDIA Expo.
But CEDIA training is unique in that is completely brand
agnostic and encompasses so many facets of the smart home
industry. With ISO/IEC 17024-accreditation, the CIT and IST
certifications represent a globally recognized career path for
residential technology integrators. They are the only one of
their kind in the entire industry.
As a nonprofit, our education exists for one reason and one
reason only: to elevate the industry and the people within it.
What are the key challenges facing the industry and how
is CEDIA helping to address those?
The need for skilled employees is an industry-wide challenge
44 | CE Pro September 2022
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CE Pro September 2022

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