I have had the pleasure of knowing quite a few influencers in the audio visual industry, young innovators to CEOs and other executives from manufacturers, solutions providers, integrators and more across the world. To many, the success of an industry can only be attained through the efforts of those that have the ability to make notable contributions, and growth at the level it expects can only be reached through the efforts of these business leaders and innovators, whether young or veteran. This past week, a conference was held in Tampa, Fla., the 17th annual NSCA Business and Leadership Conference in what is described as ‘the industry’s most notable platform for executive-level education and networking for integration firm leaders.’ Over 300 people attended, those considered industry leaders, to share stories, learn from other leaders, and hear about new ways to embrace technology and motivate employees.

One of the AV industry’s most notable entities The Drunk Unkles, who “Rock to Raise Money for the NSCA Education Foundation,” through recent fundraising efforts playing a pair of New York area concerts, helped to raise money for three women to attend the conference as it was announced in late January — Kelly Perkins of AVI Systems in Minneapolis, Minn., Maria Cody of AVDB Group in Tempe, Ariz., and Christa Bender of Applied Video Technology Inc. in Kimberton, Pa. this is conjunction with the NSCA and Women in Audio Visual.

For this blog interview, I sat down with Christa Bender to talk about her first time experience at the NSCA BLC, her favorite sessions, certain executives as well as influencers of her own and her overall impressions of the event.

Here is the interview with Christa.