I started on the prewire crew and have done most jobs in the residential AV world. I settled on Crestron Programming and now have an amazing team to work with on some of the largest most complex jobs around. I firmly believe if you are not pushing the boundaries then you are falling behind so place a large emphasis on development.
I enjoy seeing systems designed with the end users' needs in mind and then functioning the way they are designed to. :)
Bill Larsen, CTS, serves as District AV Technology Coordinator for ISD 197 (West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan, Minnesota), managing AV services across nine buildings including two high schools, two middle schools, and five elementary schools. He holds the CTS credential from AVIXA and serves as a Subject Matter Expert for CTS exam development.
Bill is the founder of Backstage Essentials LLC, an independent consulting practice focused on K-12 performance space and AV systems. His forthcoming book, Backstage Essentials: Skills for Stagehand Technicians in Live Event Production, is being published by Routledge/Taylor and Francis in 2026.
He also serves as Education Coordinator for IATSE Local 490 and brings more than 30 years of experience in educational technology and live event production.