Commercial Integrator May 2022 - 31

we did more nationally. And then, when
you get good at doing things nationally, the
customer wants you to do things internationally. "
With a chuckle, he jokes, " We've
always said doing international work makes
the domestic work look easy! "
A simple AV bill of materials is vastly
This '50s-era image depicts the company now known as
Verrex's fi rst full-service facility, located in Kenilworth, N.J.
day, " Tom Berry, Jr., the third-generation
president and CEO of Verrex, says.
Company's Founding Years
In the company's founding years, Berry's
grandfather purchased analog telephone
lines and ran extra ones to his home so that
hotel lobbies could dial in and distribute
background music.
" My grandfather was quite the entrepreneur...quite
the savvy businessman, " Berry
recalls. " When he saw an opportunity to
make money or where there was a competitor
that he felt didn't really rise to the
level, he went out and fi gured out a way to
acquire their business. " He continues, " And
that's how he grew the company. He was
an aggressive businessman. "
Verrex's clientele grew from local government
clients, entertainment venues and
theaters to large auditoriums and then to
even larger, stadium-sized venues. In fact,
in 1976, the company installed what, at the
time, was the world's largest stadium sound
system for the original Giants Stadium in
East Rutherford, N.J. The company also
had a large presence in Atlantic City, N.J.,
providing audio distribution, background
music, paging and lighting for many of the
casinos in the '70s.
As its customers grew in size and number,
so did Verrex. " When you're good at doing
something locally, your customers want you
to do it further afar, " Berry observes. " So,
diff erent in other parts of the world, Berry
observes. During Verrex's earliest days
tackling international work, however, it
hadn't yet gained all that wisdom. " We
just [thought,] 'If it's done like this in the
U.S., it must be done like this everywhere, "
Berry recalls of his fi rst international project.
Now, however, Verrex projects truly dot
the globe, stretching from the U.S. to Hong
Kong and beyond.
Building Lasting
Relationships & Trust
Verrex recognizes and lives by the most
fundamental truth of AV integration: When
working on any project, it's about creating
lasting relationships with clients. " We're not
just a vendor off the street who you hire to
put a TV on the wall, " Ben Dandola-Grubb,
vice president of engineering services at
Verrex, declares. " We have no interest
in that. We're here for the relationship, "
Dandola-Grubb stresses. " Whether that's
today, two years from now, fi ve years, 10
and beyond, that's why we exist. "
But, equally, it's about trust. " We don't
want to sell [clients] garbage, " DandolaGrubb
says plainly. " We need to sell some2003:
2008:
Verrex
completes
its largest, most
complex build-out
project to date, for a
global fi nancial fi rm
in Boston.
2002
2003:
Verrex opens its
full-service New England
regional offi ce in Boston.
Verrex launches its
AV Onsite Staffi ng
services.
2009:
Verrex expands its
Global Managed
Services to include
remote support and
monitoring.
2012:
Verrex named to
Commercial Integrator's
inaugural " Industry
Leaders " list; this
recognition continues
2012-2016.
commercialintegrator.com
MAY 2022 Commercial Integrator
31
Verrex opens its U.K.
fi eld offi ce in London.
2010:
Verrex opens its Asia
Pacifi c fi eld offi ce in
Hong Kong.
2015:
Verrex opens its
China fi eld offi ce
in Shanghai.
2016:
Verrex acquired
by private equity
investors, providing
additional growth
expertise for
Verrex's continued
expansion.
2015
Verrex completes the
build-out of Duke
Kunshan University
campus in Kunshan,
China.
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