New Product Pavilion, Gripping Keynote, Annual Business Meeting Open 2015 BICSI Winter Conference

NEW PRODUCT PAVILION, GRIPPING KEYNOTE, ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING OPEN 2015 BICSI WINTER CONFERENCE

Orlando, Florida, February 25, 2015 —BICSI, the association advancing the information and communications technology (ICT) community, welcomed thousands of attendees to the Orlando World Center Marriott for the 2015 BICSI Winter Conference & Exhibition. ICT professionals from all over the world began gathering at the venue on Sunday and Monday for Pre-conference seminars and exhibits.

The Exhibit Hall opened on Monday with a performance by the University of Central Florida (UCF) Glee Club and a ribbon-cutting ceremony with BICSI President Michael Collins, RCDD, RTPM, CCDA, NCE; BICSI Executive Director & CEO John D. Clark, Jr., CAE; and BICSI Exhibitor Liaison Committee Chair Kurt Templeman, RCDD. The show floor was full of activity, hosting nearly 200 exhibitors and droves of evening visitors. The Exhibit Hall floor was abuzz with activity from the vendors, as well as the eighth annual Cabling Skills Challenge, several Speed Challenges, presentations at the BICSI Booth and the New Product Pavilion.

Making its debut at the Winter Conference, BICSI’s New Product Pavilion gives attendees a sneak peek of conference exhibitors’ latest products and services in a single area just inside the entrance of the Exhibit Hall. Exhibitors who participate in the New Product Pavilion are given an additional opportunity to engage with industry stakeholders and professionals.

“What BICSI once referred to as the ‘Exhibit Hall of the Future’ is truly now the ‘Exhibit Hall of the Present’,” said President Collins. “The New Product Pavilion is just one more way BICSI is delivering education on the Exhibit Floor and making that education more accessible to our attendees. We will continue to grow and expand the way our attendees and exhibitors benefit from the activities in the Exhibit Hall and the conference as a whole.”

On Tuesday morning, President Collins officially opened the conference and highlighted some of BICSI’s newest publications, including ANSI/BICSI 002/2014, Data Center Design and Implementation Best Practices. Also newly available are the digital publications BICSI’s ICT Terminology Handbook and BICSI’s Special ICT Design Considerations.

Following President Collins’ opening remarks, Opening Keynote Speaker Ryan Estis delivered an attention-grabbing presentation. Estis has been hailed as one of “the best keynote speakers ever heard” by Meetings & Convention Magazine. His keynote on the brand experience kept attendees engaged as he expounded on his philosophy of making sure both your work and your company are “remarkable consistently” instead of simply being “average”.

After the Keynote was the Annual Business Meeting, where the 2015 BICSI Board of Directors was presented to the membership. Board members are: BICSI President Michael A. Collins, RCDD, RTPM, CCDA, NCE; President-Elect Brian Ensign, RCDD, RTPM, NTS, OSP, CSI; re-elected Secretary Robert S. Erickson, RCDD, RTPM, NTS, OSP, WD; Treasurer Mel E. Lesperance, RCDD; newly elected Canadian Region Director José Mozota; U.S. North-Central Region Director Christy Miller, RCDD, RTPM, DCDC; U.S. Northeast Region Director Carol Everett Oliver, RCDD, ESS; re-elected U.S. South-Central Region Director Jeffrey Beavers, RCDD, OSP; re-elected U.S. Southeast Region Director Charles L. Wilson, RCDD, NTS, OSP; and re-elected U.S. Western Region Director Larry Gillen, RCDD, ESS, OSP, CTS.

President Collins concluded the Annual Business Meeting with his Presidential Address, in which he reinforced his commitment to the organization and its members and highlighted BICSI’s major accomplishments throughout 2014, including globally, locally, within education and more.

The General Session technical presentations covered topics ranging from intelligent buildings to health care, as well as the emergence of lighting as a low-voltage network application.

Attendees have been impressed with the content so far. “I came all the way from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to this conference, because the networking here in Orlando far exceeds all other venues I’ve been in,” said Brian Bell, RCDD, NTS, OSP, of Consolidated Datacom in Vancouver. “I’ve been a BICSI member for over 20 years, and I always will be.”

The Exhibit Hall continues through Wednesday afternoon, and the conference concludes Thursday morning.

About BICSI
BICSI is a professional association advancing the information and communications technology (ICT) community. ICT covers the spectrum of voice, data, electronic safety & security, project management and audio & video technologies. It encompasses the design, integration and installation of pathways, spaces, optical fiber- and copper-based distribution systems, wireless-based systems and infrastructure that supports the transportation of information and associated signaling between and among communications and information gathering devices.

BICSI provides information, education and knowledge assessment for individuals and companies in the ICT industry. We serve more than 23,000 ICT professionals, including designers, installers and technicians. These individuals provide the fundamental infrastructure for telecommunications, audio/video, life safety and automation systems. Through courses, conferences, publications and professional registration programs, BICSI staff and volunteers assist ICT professionals in delivering critical products and services, and offer opportunities for continual improvement and enhanced professional stature.

Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, USA, BICSI membership spans nearly 100 countries.

Contact: Amy Morrison, amorrison@bicsi.org, or John Bechtold, jbechtold@bicsi.org, +1 813.979.1991