A recent ICIA study put the North American audio/visual market at $18.9 billion. ICIA Executive Director Randal A. Lemke, Ph.D, says today's top markets remain corporate, higher education, and government, with highest growth sectors in health care, worship, and training as well as in retail digital signage.

But as the video marketplace grows larger it also grows more complex and competitive. Technology, business, sales techniques, relationships — all move and change more quickly now. Staying competitive means constantly learning and setting new standards. If there's a theme at InfoComm 2005, it's professionalizing the industry. Words like “framework,” “best practices,” “certification,” and “standards” come up frequently when people talk about the potential — and challenges — ahead.

Last year, InfoComm grew in important ways, adding new educational opportunities, such as the well-attended Super Tuesday sessions, and launching or expanding co-located events for worship, collaborative conferencing, education, projection, and others. More certification opportunities and support are available at the show, in keeping with the professionalizing theme. There are more intermediate and advanced courses; there is more audio. The show floor specialty pavilions have grown to seven, encompassing streaming, digital signage, presentation, lighting and staging, collaborative conferencing, residential, and audio.

For more information, visit www.infocomm.org.

Back to the top