In my role with AVIXA standards and content teams I provide technical advisement and technical content leadership. This primarily includes standards publications and the Exam Guide books. My interests span the broad spectrum of AV/IT technologies and systems our industry provides.  Prior to taking a staff role with AVIXA I worked supporting AV/IT solutions for both public and private education as a "Technology Manager" (roles including repair, installation, design and project management) as well as a longtime volunteer for AVIXA education and standards programs.

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.

I’m a has-been geek turned manager, turned executive, turned (hopefully) into leader.  I love technology and even more I love people.  So what I find really interesting is the intersection of people and technology…and in so many ways, that’s my definition of AV.

Sixteen:Nine has been doing daily news and insights about the digital signage industry, globally, since Feb. 2006. Started as a blog, the online publication has since produced some 8,500 articles about the industry, technology and people. There is also a companion podcast with hundreds of long-form interviews. Sixteen:Nine is known as the industry's BS filter - a content resource driven by an effort to explain developments and advances in plain language and with context. The publication does not accept paid editorial, ignores roughly 9/10 press release sent its way, and never simply copies and pastes news from vendors and suppliers (something unfortunately common in pro AV and beyond). Sixteen:Nine was started and still edited by industry veteran Dave Haynes. In 2021, the publication was acquired by the Florida software firm Spectrio. Haynes remains its editor and primary content producer, however, operating out of a home office in Halifax, Nova Scotia.