Hosted by Crestron’s VP of hospitality, Michelle Guss, Thursday’s Women in Consumer Technology (WiCT) luncheon at CEDIA Expo honored eight women in the integration industry for their unique contributions to the field. Winners of the Legacy Awards emphasized the power of mentorship to ensure women can succeed in a male-dominated industry.
“Success isn’t just what you achieve; it’s who you bring with you,” said Wendy Griffiths, senior VP of membership, global development, and operations at CEDIA. Griffiths received the Carol Campbell Inspiration Award for her two decades of service at CEDIA.
Heather McMilleh, director of ecommerce at AudioQuest and winner of this year’s Woman to Watch award, echoed the sentiment. “We get to make it safe for other women to be ambitious,” she said.
Lori Runco, retired CEO of Runco International and an honoree this year, reflected on starting out in the business in the 1980s — when very few women were part of the industry. “Joining CEDIA not only taught me so much, but it brought me a new family,” she added.
Kat Wheeler, partner and strategic director at TIG Global PR, received the Volunteer of the Year Award. “If you want something to exist, you have to make it exist,” she said.
Other award members continue to cultivate the next generation of talent. For example, Wendy Feldstein, SVP of design at Creston Electronics and Technical Excellence Award winner, helps a local Girl Scout troop in North Carolina with science, technology, engineering, and math projects. Feldstein, a mechanical engineer, emphasized the importance of mentoring the younger generation to spark an interest in STEM. “I mentor anyone who happens into my peripheral view,” she joked.
Michelle Ferlauto, an Honoree and COO of SoundVision, underscored the importance of women helping each other. “Your true legacy is the number of people you help,” she noted.
Jamie Pasley, an honoree and general manager for JVC’s home theater projector and custom installation division, also said she enjoys helping others. “There is honestly no better feeling than motivating others to do their best,” Pasley said.
Sarah Dresher, an honoree and owner and CEO of Luxury Integrated Technologies, shared her journey from electrical engineering to owning her own company. She encouraged women to find their voice. “Know that your perspective has value,” Dresher said. “Your voice deserves to be heard.”
