Where audiovisual tech, business & foodie fascinations converge. 

George “Red” Fournier, CTS, serves as Vice President of Technical Services for Laia Technologies North America, leading the company’s technical strategy, partner enablement, and product‑integration initiatives across the U.S. and Canadian markets. With over 40 years in audiovisual engineering, systems design, and unified communications, Red works closely with Laia’s global product and development teams to ensure the company’s camera and software ecosystem delivers seamless, reliable, and customer‑centric experiences. His ability to blend deep engineering expertise with real‑world integrator insight makes him a trusted voice in translating emerging Laia technologies into practical, scalable solutions for corporate, education, and government environments. Red is also known for his leadership and advocacy across the AV industry. He founded AV Gives Back in 2015, uniting the AV community around service and support efforts under the #AVGivesBack banner. He has held several roles within AVIXA’s councils—including the Manufacturers, Diversity, and Women’s Councils—and served as Chairman of the Systems Integrators Council from 2020 to 2022. Throughout the pandemic, he helped guide integrators through unprecedented disruption by establishing collaborative forums, partnering with the ITS Council, and advancing initiatives on contractor best practices, workforce development, and new‑hire onboarding, reinforcing his long‑standing commitment to industry standards and community resilience. Beyond his professional impact, Red is a lifelong volunteer dedicated to service, mentorship, and community support. Since 1985, he has served North Jersey communities as a volunteer firefighter, fire police officer, trainer, and hazardous‑materials emergency responder. He remains deeply engaged in youth development with the Patriots Path Council of Scouting America in New Jersey as a District Commissioner at Large, Unit Commissioner, merit badge counselor, and advancement administrator for both Troop & Crew 144. Red and his wife Beth, celebrated as the first female firefighter and first female captain in the 190‑year history of the City of Paterson Fire Department, are especially proud of their son, Seán, who will enter NJIT’s Ying Wu College of Computing as a first‑year student academically classified as a junior, pursuing Computer Science, Cybersecurity, and AI after completing his A.S., 61 credits, Security+ and ISC2 CC certifications through the County College of Morris/Morris County Share Time Program in Pequannock HS.

Ben currently serves as the Head of Pro AV and the Sr. Director of Publishing for MarketScale, a B2B publisher and strategic marketing firm. He has over a decade of award winning experience in media publishing for large scale events, OTT & live streaming platforms, marketing, network television, and podcasting. Ben decided on his career path at the age of 7, and to date has led some of the most influential brands in the world including Intel, Nokia, Samsung and Segway, to billions of content interactions. A huge hockey fan (Go Stars!), and former contestant and current fan of Family Feud, Thomas resides in Dallas, Texas.

A University of Central Florida double-alum with a Master’s in Digital Media, I'm a content creator who loves bringing people together over shared interests. As AVIXA's Coordinator of Digital Content, I produce articles on a myriad of technology topics. I've also worked on virtual reality projects, transforming Romanian folk tales into VR narratives. 

Helping lead the charge of AVIXA's research efforts into the trends and opportunities in the pro AV industry. When not digging into data, speaking and writing about the trends, or discussing where to focus our research efforts next, I enjoy spending time outdoors on walks, hikes or fishing adventures. Though I also have a soft spot for consuming AV content in my DIY home theater, thanks to a love for good audio I get honest from my Dad! 

Get in touch for anything related to AVIXA in the UK & Ireland - we're here to help and waiting to hear from you!

I am delighted to be part of the HR Department at AVIXA and an Ambassador of the Jobs Room of the Xchange! I hope to bring my 25+ years of broad-based experience in Human Resources, both in consulting and in-house roles, to our Xchange members as a helpful resource and source of information and best practices. 

I manage an association comprised of digital kiosks manufacturers, digital signage software and hardware, digital credentialing and more. Members include LG, Intel, Panasonic, Samsung, Peerless-AV, Nanonation, Olea Kiosks, Kiosk Information Systems, 22 Miles and many more.  We cover multiple industry segments including kiosks, digital signage, menu boards, thin client, automated retail, EMV Point-Of-Sale, EV Charging and more. In my role as Executive Director for the Kiosk Association, I work with the U.S. Access Board (we meet once a year in DC), Canada ADA agencies and the PCI SSC regulatory organization. My customers over the years which I was primary dev support for include Verizon Wireless and their bill pay kiosks (around 5000), AT&T bill pay systems and Comcast self-pay stations. I helped develop the MPOG large screen multi-player simulation hubs for the Army Recreational program (ARMP). My top level site is https://industrygroup.org

Senior Solutions Consultant of HKT in Hong Kong, China. I used to be UC and Call Centre (Voice) consultant for 16 years but shifted the role to AV consultant for another 8 years. Fully experience on AV integrated solution with UC, Networking, Security, WIFI 6, 4G/5G Mobility, Cloud, and even Cabling for different projects from smart building, smart office, smart shopping mall, multipurpose hall, auditorium, lecture theater, centralized control room, even to large outdoor LED wall etc. Aiming for CTS-D now.

Dr. Josiah Way is the Executive Director, Digital Spaces at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), known as a revolutionary visionary and innovator in the audiovisual industry. As the leading educational technology thought leader, Joe was recognized as the 2019 AV Professional of the Year, 2023 AV Living Legend, 2008 Businessman of the Year, and is named to multiple top industry and influencers lists, including the 2024 global Top 100 Innovators and Entrepreneurs, 2024 Who’s Who in America, 2023 Top 50 UC Professionals, and 2019 and 2022 Top 30 Higher Ed IT Leaders lists. He is a highly sought keynote speaker and writer, most acclaimed for his innovative design of the technology standard for hybrid instruction and business development within the higher ed vertical. Joe is the cofounder of the Higher Education Technology Managers Alliance (HETMA) and serves as the Editor-in-Chief of Higher Ed AV Media, host of the Higher Ed AV Podcast, and writer of the Business of AV monthly column. Dr. Way authored the bestselling book, Producing Worship, and is a regular contributor to multiple leading AV-industry publications, while also serving on numerous corporate and higher education advisory boards. Joe has over 30 years’ experience in education, technical production and the arts, and organizational leadership and management. He has been featured in Forbes Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, ABC and PBS Television, Yahoo News, and consulted for high profile organizations like the United Nations, US Department of Education, and over forty Fortune 500’s. In his free time, Joe enjoys cruising the lake on his boat with family and friends, golfing PGA West, and perfecting his Traeger meat-smoking techniques. Oh, and he once won his fantasy football league. Joe is available for speaking engagements, media appearances, and business development consulting.