For our June Xchange Community Spotlight, we're featuring @Vin Keane, VP of Marketing at Symetrix! His professional role at Symetrix began about two years ago, but he’s been marketing scientific and technology products for over twenty.

Vin’s interest in AV began during his high school days. Since then, he has been intrigued by how lights, sound, and imagery catalyze communities.

"In high school, I had a part-time job at a local radio station in Vermont," Vin said. "This experience gave me a very tangible appreciation of how important audiovisual technology is to keep people informed and entertained. It was also the first time I got a close look at the intersection of mass communication and commerce.”

While eventually completing his MBA-T at University of Washington Bothell, Vin was taught how to focus on the specific needs of customers, which has been imperative to his career. Now, that emphasis on customer’s needs has paid off, and he credits the leadership at Symetrix for allowing flexibility in that approach.

“Emphasizing the customer experience has always been a key to success,” said Vin. “When I started looking for a senior position in the manufacturing space, I decided to complete my MBA-T at University of Washington Bothell. The program helped me translate the skills I had acquired and taught me to focus on the specific needs of our customers – AV consultants and integrators. As far as my job at Symetrix goes, I feel very lucky. The leadership has built a culture where team members can thrive."

Throughout his career, Vin has had many “Plinko Moments,” as he calls them, or seemingly small events that have long-lasting impacts. He believes you should take advantage of the opportunities that come your way – even if at first you might doubt yourself.

"I was once offered a production job in New York City, but was hesitant, thinking maybe I wasn't up to the challenge," Vin said. "After listening to me vent my anxiety, my roommate said 'Vinny. You must do cool things.' I took the job and have never regretted it."

Addressing LED walls as one of the major topics in AV right now, Keane recognizes the conversations around moving away from proprietary systems.

"The amazing innovation that takes place in the audiovisual industry continues to demand a very thoughtful approach to interoperability and third-party control. It's possible to limit a system to a pre-packaged collection of components, but what I'm hearing is that customers want an optimized solution using combinations of best-in-class products,” said Vin.

Following this up, he notes that Symetrix is currently collaborating with other big names in AV, building a unifying framework for their technologies.

On Xchange, Vin often posts case studies, informative pieces, and company news which can be seen on his page. For Vin, Xchange has been a valuable place of discussion and learning.

"Xchange has been a very powerful community for me as I've grown my professional network. There are so many talented people with great insights and a willingness to share their expertise. There are other places where audiovisual people congregate on the internet, but Xchange has such a clear focus on my business and information needs,” said Vin.

Thank you @Vin Keane! Check out previous spotlights by clicking on the badge labeled Community Spotlight. And remember to follow the Xchange Community Spotlight page as we post monthly spotlights!