If you have spent any time on Twitter lately, you have probably encountered the #CEDIATweeps hashtag. This is a new concept CEDIA is experimenting with to try and build buzz around the 2012 Expo being held this September in Indianapolis.
In the beginning of May, CEDIA put out a call for applicants. They were looking to fill out a team of 10 “social media fanatics” to help spread the word on why the CEDIA Expo is a must attend event for anyone in the industry.
According to Jamie Riley, CEDIA’s Senior Director of Marketing and Public Relations, “We decided to launch a social media competition to engage and encourage industry professionals to use social media as way to build excitement and conversation around #CEDIA12 as well as a way to bring a new voice to the event, an attendee’s voice. As show management, it is our responsibility to promote the benefits of attending to the industry, but thought it would be great to make influential individuals a part of the extended CEDIA marketing team so that we encourage peer to peer engagement. Social media is the new way to provide information easily and in a digestible format. Everyone is constantly checking their Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter accounts. Let’s face it; our industry is hardly sitting behind a desk all day so being able to capture their attention with a 140 message instead of a long email is much easier.”
To be considered for the CEDIATweeps team, prospective members had to fill out an application explaining why they attend the CEDIA Expo, what they felt was the biggest benefit for an industry professional to attend CEDIA EXPO, why they should be selected as a CEDIATweep Team Member, how they will engage the industry, and explain their role in the ESC industry.
“We hope that through the #CEDIATweeps team engagement more industry professionals will get involved in the conversation about #CEDIA12, stay informed and interact with their peers through social media,” Riley added. “We encourage all social media users to use the hashtag #CEDIA12 when referencing CEDIA EXPO. All of the conversations around EXPO on social media will be shown onsite on a huge video wall as well as on CEDIA EXPO’s home page.”
Want to get to know your CEDIATweeps? Here’s a list of the winners, their Twitter sign and a brief bio in their own words.
Nick Brown – @PRNick
Director of Account Services at Caster Communications
Working on his sixth year with Caster, Nick has over 10 years of PR experience with extensive contacts in travel, tech, home and consumer media, along with an innate ability to commandeer lifestyle PR and product reviews. Nick has managed such high profile accounts as Paradigm, Life|ware and Microsoft’s New American Home, including a wide range of product launches and press events. His humor, communication style and continuous pursuit of knowledge make him an ideal social media strategist. Nick received his BA in Public Relations from Boston University in 2002. Nick is also a devoted dad and Rhode Islander, an active volunteer in youth sports, local schools and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Newport, RI. He is an experienced public speaker who’s bantered about social media and PR at tradeshows, corporate offices, in college classrooms and on educational panels. He spends his free time looking for outdoor adventures, building Lego spaceships, playing with Nerf guns, making sandwiches, selling local organic honey and staying on top of current events. He also loves cheese, single malt scotches and snowboarding, but not always together.
Josh Christian – @DSI_Audio_Video
Marketing VP at DSI Entertainment Systems
Was unable to reach Josh for a comment in time for this story.
Jack Cotter – @JackJCotter
Online Editor at Consumer Technology Publishing Group
Jack Cotter is an online editor for the Consumer Technology Publishing Group, which means he spends most of his days writing, doing all things social media, and sending out e-newsletters for CustomRetailer, Dealerscope, Technology Tell, Home Furnishings Business and Photo Reporter. Before entering publishing Jack spent four years helping bands load in to WXPN for concerts and interviews on NPR’s “World Café with David Dye.” A lifelong Philadelphian, Jack is currently focused on the campaign to elect Carlos “Chooooch” Ruiz to start his first All Star game, but will soon lend his full-time support to promoting CEDIA EXPO and the #CEDIATweeps.
Olivia Dumanovsky – @Olivia_Lyn
Marketing Associate at Pakedge Device and Software
Olivia loves all things feminine, pink and sparkly. She’s also a huge San Francisco Giants fan and is captivated by the magic of Disney. She is hard working, passionate and driven. Olivia recently graduated from San Francisco State University with her Bachelors of Arts in Communication Studies. She is a dreamer and visionary and never settles for status quo. Olivia takes her responsibility seriously and uses her talents and skills to better the company she is working for. Olivia has an entrepreneurial spirit, and is always looking for new and creative ways to better her company, community, and culture! She has always had a love for technology and a passion for social media. She has been managing the marketing efforts for Pakedge Device & Software since February 2011, and has worked diligently to bring awareness of Pakedge and its solutions to the industry.
Richard Fregosa – @rfregosa
Principal at Fregosa Design
Rich Fregosa is a 20 year CI veteran whose career has spanned operating as an integrator, controls systems programmer, and consultant. His work has taken him from silicon valley estates to high tech boardrooms to even the White House. He is the Principal and Founder of Fregosa Design Group, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He also is a devout coffee, cigar, and wine zealot and appears to work endlessly in order to support his vices.
Johnny Mota – @JMOTA3
Designer/Programmer/Social Media Community Manager at Vsys Automation
Johnny is well known in the CE/CI industry. He has been in industry publications such as CE PRO, Custom Retailer, Electronic House, Market News, rAVe [Publications], and USA Today to name a few. He currently writes for rAVe [Publications], Geek Beat TV, SF New Tech and Lust Gadget. He hails from Northern California where he is a Designer/Programmer/Social Media Community Manager for vSys Automation, a home automation firm. So, there’s that. He loves art, technology, and lamp. Don’t make it weird.
John Sciacca – @SciaccaTweets
Partner at Custom Theater and Audio; reviewer/columnist/blogger for Sound + Vision and Residential Systems
After seeing Speed on Laser Disc, John left the exciting world of being a golf professional behind in order to pursue a dream of designing and installing home theater systems. He moved from California to South Carolina and joined Custom Theater and Audio in 1998, where he continues to work. In his free time, John drinks craft IPAs and single malt scotch, watches movies with his family, blogs prolifically on many topics at johnsciacca.webs.com and is a regular contributor to Residential Systems. (And wrote this entire article.)
Matt D. Scott – @MattDScott
President at OMEGA Audio Video
Matt Scott had his first encounter with Pro-Audio at age 6 when a PA loudspeaker fell, cracking his head, and leaving a scar to this day. After mopping up the blood, Matt started his A/V career gaffing down XLR cables and ensuring all speaker stand bolts were tight. By age 12, he was running full PA systems. Matt started OMEGA Audio working as a consultant to the Pro Audio/Video industry, specializing in the House of Worship market, and has traveled all across North America working with churches big and small. Matt dove into the residential market in 2004 as OMEGA Audio Video and his company now works primarily in this market. Matt enjoys nothing more than sitting back and watching a classic TCM film or the latest big-budget blockbuster! Since evolving into OMEGA Audio Video, Matt’s company now provides Custom Home Theatre, Whole Home Automation, Shading Systems, Commercial Audio/Visual, and Pro Audio/Visual Consulting. Matt loves the industry and all things tech! A self-professed TechHead, Matt shares his opinions on social media, local radio, and his blog at MattDScott.com.
Heather Sidorowicz – @tech_chi
Project Manager/ Designer at Southtown Audio Video
Heather’s Father opened Southtown Audio Video in 1984. At that time Heather was just a kid and the only interest she had in AV was laying on floor letting the subwoofer (which was as big as a coffee table) rattle her bones. Later in life AV found her and she began working for the company. She found CEDIA and went to her first expo ten years ago. She has taken countless classes on Design, Project Management, and anything else she could fit in her schedule. CEDIA is where she got my feet wet, and where she continues to learn and meet new industry professionals. (It also doesn’t hurt that there is never a line for the lady’s room.) Heather, now a Project Manager/Designer believes in a balance between aesthetics and acoustics. She feels that a system has to be easy to use, or it isn’t worth the money and it is Heather’s desire to improve quality of life with technology.
Jeff Terzo – @jterzo1
Regional Sales Manager at RS Pro Sales
Jeff Terzo is the regional sales manager with RS Pro Sales where he is responsible for business development and client service in five Midwest states. His work history includes big box retail, boutique style dealer, custom dealer, installer, programmer, and system design. Jeff is married with three kids, Madison (4), Dominic (2), and Matteo (9 months). When not working, Jeff likes to snow ski as well as golf, likes pina coladas and getting caught in the rain.
Additionally, these ten #CEDIATweeps will be “competing against one another for the title of #TopTweep,” which – along with the title and bragging rights – includes round trip airfare to EXPO, and a gift certificate for one of Indianapolis’ top restaurants. How can you get involved and help your favorite Tweep take the top prize?
CEDIA has developed the following point system to determine the most influential Tweep:
* Re-tweets – 1 point
* Mention – 1 point
* Traffic to site – 1 point per unique visitor
* Guest Pass code used at registration – 5 points
* More than three #CEDIA12 tweets in a day – 2 points/day
* Blog posts on industry websites – 2
