CEDIA has announced the appointment of Paul Dolenc as vice president of education and Mitchell Klein as vice president of business development effective April 29, 2024. Dolenc and Klein join the now eight-person Executive Leadership Team, reporting directly to global president and CEO, Daryl Friedman.
“Individually, Paul and Mitch bring valuable experience from their accomplished careers, and both have the track records of success to propel CEDIA forward,” says Friedman. “But even more powerfully, together they bring a combined fresh view to CEDIA. Paul’s experience in trade education will bring a new vision to CEDIA training, and his electrical background will provide an insider’s view of the opportunities for CEDIA members where our industries intersect. Mitch will balance that knowledge with his deep understanding of the integration industry’s past and present — and the foresight to envision its full potential. I am excited to welcome them to CEDIA’s leadership team.”
Mitchell Klein — VP of Business Development
Klein most recently served as the director of alliances strategy at Silicon Labs, leading a multitude of initiatives aimed at expanding and accelerating the global adoption of smart technologies. With over 30 years of experience in the Internet of Things (IoT) landscape, Klein has dedicated his career to designing and implementing strategic programs that simplify and popularize IoT technology deployments. The former CEDIA Board Chair is responsible for championing the association’s most groundbreaking initiatives, including the launch of certification programs, the establishment of the government affairs program, and the creation of the management conference series. His distinguished contributions earned him a CEDIA Lifetime Achievement Award in September 2019.
“My longstanding history with CEDIA has deeply shaped my career, and I am grateful for the opportunity to bring my experience and passion for advancing the industry to CEDIA once again,” says Klein. “CEDIA has always been at the forefront of innovation in the professional smart home industry, and I look forward to collaborating with the team to drive new initiatives and further enhance the growth and success of the association and its members.”
Though Klein is eager to start his new role, in an exclusive interview with Residential Systems, he confesses that it is still being shaped. “I’ve never even thought about accepting a position without a detailed job description, but that’s what’s so energizing to me. I’m excited to work with leadership, staff, and our members to identify how I may best deliver the growth and profitability of the association and thus our members; integrators and manufacturers alike,” he says. “For me, it’s like coming back home, and I’m very excited about that. I’m going to take a look at the organization in terms of how the structure might be most efficient. And it is a great time to do that since there is basically a new leadership team in place.
“What I can tell you is there will be a focus on growing membership and revenue so that the association can increase the quality and benefits for our members. I’m confident it’s going to be more than that though. CEDIA must keep its eye on the business side of things, and revenue doesn’t mean squeezing more money out of our manufacturer and integrator members. We will be looking at other avenues and other ways to grow the organization.”
Paul Dolenc — VP of Education
Dolenc is a dedicated and passionate leader in training and workforce development. With over 15 years of experience, his extensive background in curriculum development, education, and apprenticeship management led to record-breaking success during his previous tenure as vice president, education & training with the Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC). Dolenc led the organization’s national education and training strategy for over a decade, which resulted in expanded instructor training programs, significant yearly growth in apprenticeship graduates, enhanced program accreditation with increased credit hours for graduates to earn advanced degrees, a more diverse range of professional development offerings, and the establishment of articulation agreements nationwide with community colleges, technical schools, and high schools.
“My passion for workforce development has been a driving force throughout my career, and I am excited to help shape and reimagine CEDIA’s education and training programs to further its mission,” says Dolenc. “Together with the CEDIA team, I am committed to ensuring that CEDIA’s education and certification initiatives continue to be the leading source of knowledge for the professional smart home industry.”
CEDIA has just concluded a record year for new member acquisitions, its first-ever CEDIA Smart Home Day on Capitol Hill to lobby for integrator recognition, and a return to financial and organizational stability with a balanced budget and extension of Friedman’s contract through 2027. The addition of Dolenc and Klein to the leadership team will ensure continued growth and expansion for the professional smart home industry’s global trade association.
For more information, visit cedia.org.
