CEDIA’S EL FORUM MAPS A ROAD TO GREATER BUSINESS EFFICIENCY
Industry members took notice when CEDIA’s 2008 Electronic Lifestyles Forum sold out this past April. The response from within the electronic systems industry as well as across the design-build world showed that all sides are recognizing the importance of building stronger, more strategic bridges.
CEDIA’s Electronic Lifestyles Forum grew out of the need for more efficient working relationships between the design-build team of the architect and/or building designer, builder and interior designer and the electronic systems contractor charged with bringing the homeowner’s dream systems to life. The event offers several days for attendees to immerse themselves in educational sessions, expert presentations, and structured networking sessions about these other trades. These elements seek not only to inform the design- build industries about electronic systems contractors’ capabilities, but also to allow attendees to bend each other’s ears on a one-to-one level about what each can do to improve efficiency and thus, profitability.
HEADING TO THE BIG EASY
The 2009 Electronic Lifestyles Forum, to be held April 1-4 at the Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans, will draw on the momentum of the successful 2008 event. In an economy that has battered the housing industry for well over a year and
The 2009 Electronic Lifestyles Forum, to be held April 1-4 at the Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans. is placing growing pressure on the electronic systems industry, CEDIA has fine-tuned the event program to ensure maximum return on investment.
The event will begin with a full-day training seminar for CEDIA members seeking to become part of the association’s Registered Outreach Instructor (ROI) program. The ROI program trains electronic systems contractors to deliver selected courses to design-build associates at the local level, complete with continuing education credits for members of participating associations. ROIs have the opportunity to position themselves as a resource in their local market, opening the door to future collaboration with the professionals attending the ROI-administered courses.
KEYNOTES AND SPEAKERS
The Electronic Lifestyles Forum will continue with a keynote speech by Scott McKain, a sharp business mind whose presentation at CEDIA’s 2008 Management Conference received such a positive response that he was tapped to offer new insights to this new audience. Additional presenters will demonstrate the importance of cross-industry collaboration and provide attendees with the tools they need to improve their professional partnerships.
The event also will feature more than a dozen cross-industry educational sessions designed to benefit all industries represented at the event. Titles will range from longtime favorites such as “Top Ten Technology Trends” and “Hiding Technology,” to new sessions on topics such as green building. For the first time, electronic systems professionals will also have the opportunity to take several CEDIA University Core Curriculum courses. Designated courses will carry continuing education units (CEUs) for members of CEDIA and participating design-build industry associations.
The Electronic Lifestyles Forum will also feature structured networking events designed to open the lines of communication between professionals from all industries. Networking sessions will facilitate the development and sharing of real, actionable solutions to the common communication issues that arise during the execution of electronic systems projects.
The sessions at this event are targetted toward owners, senior managers, and top-level sales staff at electronic systems companies. As in previous years, CEDIA has coordinated with key designbuild industry associations to ensure that each industry is represented by some of the most prominent professionals from coast to coast. However, new for 2009, electronic systems professionals will have the opportunity to invite an industry partner of their choice to join them at the event.
Registration for the 2009 Electronic Lifestyles Forum will open January 6. To take advantage of early-bird registration discounts, register by March 9. Learn more at www.cedia.org/elforum.
