CEDIA’s been around just long enough to witness a generational shift from its founders to the younger demographic it believes is the future of the trade association. In an effort to engage the two camps, CEDIA will present an Old School vs. New School debate and panel discussion at this fall’s CEDIA EXPO in Indianapolis.
The Old School vs. New School debate will feature a Twitter-based discussion between CEDIA members on the merits of both new and established business practices. The debate will wrap up with an in-person panel discussion at CEDIA EXPO 2011.
Attendees can follow the @CEDIA_OldSchool and @CEDIA_NewSchool teams on Twitter as they battle out why they do the things they do when it comes to technology, business, sales, and training. CEDIA has recruited volunteers to join each team and launched the debate on Twitter earlier this week.
Leading the @CEDIA_OldSchool team is industry veteran Frank White, while rookie Ian Bryant will lead the @CEDIA_NewSchool team. Attendees are encouraged to participate in the conversation and can also follow the event at #CEDIA11.
“The Old School vs. New School discussion will set the stage for a real-time debate between two strong perspectives in the industry,” said CEDIA CEO Utz Baldwin. “While there will be some points of disagreement, we’re sure each side has something to learn from the other, and we look forward to seeing the educational takeaways presented during the panel discussion at CEDIA EXPO.”
Each week a new topic will be introduced for discussion. Slated topics include control, financials, retrofit, and marketing.
The teams will gather at CEDIA EXPO on Friday, September 9 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. for the final Old School vs. New School debate and panel discussion. The panel discussion is free to attend.
Registration for CEDIA EXPO 2011 is open at www.cedia.org/expo. The CEDIA EXPO virtual registration brochure offers more information on the Old School vs. New School debate as well as other events planned for the show. Early-bird registration discounts are available until July 15.
