After writing this piece on how CEDIA needed women on their Board, I received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the industry. Some of you wrote to me via my LinkedIn post, some commented on Facebook and Twitter and some of you emailed me privately. I even got four phone calls from current and former CEDIA Board members — and one really cool one thanking me from a member of the CEDIA staff! To her, I want to say a special thank you for filling me in on the inner-workings of CEDIA and where she thought a woman on CEDIA’s Board could help.

In any case, all the brouhaha worked! The woman who I campaigned for, Heather Sidorowicz, is on! She will start serving Jan. 1, 2018. And although overdue, she will no doubt help transform CEDIA into a better organization and show. The high-end residential AV market is in a transition and CEDIA has the opportunity to become massively relevant as they can help marry the app-based and the professional-AV elements of the HomeAV market. Congrats to Heather and the other two newly elected members of the CEDIA Board, Matt Scott and Ken Erdmann — the 2012 CEDIA lifetime Achievement Award winner!

Here’s the official announcement from CEDIA themselves:

CEDIA Elects 2018 Board

CEDIA has announced the result from the recent election for the three open positions for the CEDIA Board of Directors. The membership has two new elected directors: Matt Scott and Heather Sidorowicz and one re-elected director: Ken Erdmann.  

“We are so pleased to welcome our new directors and welcome back Ken,” said Tabatha O’Connor, CEDIA Acting President and CEO. “Each of these individuals brings unique perspectives to the table that will be incredibly valuable to the organization.” 

Ken Erdmann is co-founder and part owner of Erdmann Electric, Inc. based out of Springville Utah. Ken joined CEDIA in 1993 and has been actively involved as a volunteer since 1994. He has served as an instructor, committee chair, subject matter expert, and volunteer leader. Ken was also an adjunct faculty member at Utah Valley State College instructing Electrical Automation and Robotic Technology. In 2003, he was honored as the CEDIA Volunteer of the Year. In 2005, Ken was first elected to the CEDIA Board of Directors and served two years as Chair from 2008 to 2010. In 2012, he was made a CEDIA Fellow and was honored with the CEDIA Lifetime Achievement Award. Ken is currently active on the Professional Development Committee serving as the Certification team leader and served on the CEDIA Board for the 2016-2017 term.  

Matt D. Scott started in the pro AV industry at a very early age, running his first live front of house event at the age of 12. Matt started Ontario-based OMEGA Audio Video in 2001, specializing in house of worship and professional audio video design and installation. He expanded OMEGA’s services to include residential AV in 2004, and continues to work heavily in both markets. Matt specializes in house of worship, live sound, lighting control, home theater design, control systems, and connected home technologies. Matt became involved with CEDIA as a member of the volunteer #CEDIATweeps social media team. In addition to running OMEGA Audio Video, Matt also hosts a weekly podcast on AVNation.TV that focuses on the residential market.

Heather Sidorowicz is president and owner of Southtown Audio Video, a custom installation and integration firm in Hamburg, New York. Heather’s roots are on the front lines; working directly with the client, selling and designing both personalized audio video solutions and corporate/higher education conference and training spaces. Her CEDIA experience began as a CEDIATweep, before joining the CEDIA Awards judging panel. She became Chair of this group, moved to the Membership committee, and is currently active on the Industry Relations Advisory Council. Southtown Audio Video has been one of Commercial Integrator’s Top Higher Ed Integration Firms for the past two years, and in 2015, Heather was selected at as one of their 40 Influencers Under 40. Locally, she has mentored for the University at Buffalo’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership program and the Allstate’s Minority and Women’s Emerging Entrepreneurs Program.

The three elected Directors’ terms will begin January 1, 2018. 

The CEDIA Governance Committee is reviewing applications and conducting interviews with the 28 potential appointed candidates. Appointed directors are chosen from among all member types (manufacturers, service providers, home technology professionals, etc.) There are two open appointed positions for the 2018-2019 term — one to be filled from the EMEA region, and the other from the entire global membership. These two positions will be voted on by the newly seated board at the first board meeting in January 2018.

CEDIA is here.