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Contributors
What
Makes Us Different?
- More expert
columnists than any other magazine in the industry
- More news,
more marketing insight, more new product information, more business
news than any other magazine
covering the systems business.
No other professional systems magazine features as many expert
contributing editors as Systems
Contractor News.
We
draw on an
exclusive group of columnists whose vast experience in
systems contracting gives the magazine a unique ability to define
this booming market.
These writers have decades of combined experience
in all aspects of systems design and installation: sound systems,
A/V, video, and systems
integration. They offer our readers a world
of insight into the most exciting and dynamic market going, the
low-voltage electronic systems
market.
 Kirsten
Nelson, editor-at-large of Systems Contractor News, has been writing
about the commercial A/V installation and residential
systems markets
for five years. As a reporter, she has written for SCN, Residential
Systems, CEDIA Daily, NSCA Daily, InfoComm Daily and AES
Daily.
Her growing insights into the professional audiovisual marketplace,
and the relationships Nelson developed with both manufacturers and
readers, were rewarded with increased editorial responsibility within
the United Entertainment Media family of publications, where she
now
serves as editor of the NSCA Expo and InfoComm Show Dailies
as well as SCN. Nelson was influential in the development and launch
of SCN's
sister publication, Residential Systems, in January 2000,
which covers the home theater and automation markets.
 David Keene, Executive Editor of SCN and Rental & Staging Systems, has been active in the audiovisual and entertainment technology industries for more
than 20 years. Prior to joining SCN in 1996 Keene handled public relations for a variety of industry players including Bauer Audio Visual in Dallas;
Caribiner International, New York; and High End Systems in Austin. In 1980 Keene developed the first industry-wide projection alignment standard for the
Association of Multi-Image while working with AMI president John Stokes. He subsequently worked as a multi-image producer and special effects supervisor
for Stokes Imaging Services in Austin, and PTV Associates in Mexico City, Mexico. After serving as Editor of SCN from 1996 to 2000, Keene was appointed
Executive Editor in January of 2001. Keene is currently the Awards Chairman for the ICIA Rental & Staging Awards, and Chairman of the DIGI Awards
(Digital Signage Innovator Awards).
E-mail: scneditor@aol.com
 Mike
Bradley is
president of Safeguard Security and Communications
in Scottsdale, AZ. Bradley has participated in sales and management
in
the low-voltage contracting industry for more than 20 years.
Bradley also currently serves as Immediate Past President of the
board of directors for the NSCA (National System Contractors Association)
and is a frequent speaker on marketing and management topics at
various industry events. Bradley was Educator of the Year in 2001
for the NSCA. Safeguard Security and Communications has several
divisions including residential and commercial contracting, guard
and patrol services and a privately operated, UL Listed monitoring
facility. Safeguard was selected as SDM (Security Distributing and
Marketing) Magazine’s 2002 Dealer of the Year.
E-mail: mcbradley@safeguard.us
 Randy
Vaughan is the president of Ambassador Enterprises, Inc., a
systems integration firm with offices in Virginia and North Caorlina.
He is Ambassador's lead engineer and specializes in professional
audio, video, and lighting systems. As an NSCA board member, Vaughan
is frequetly invited to speak at technical conferences and trade
shows.
E-mail: randy.vaughan@ae-systems.com
Chris Foreman is general manager of Electronic Contracting, a systems contractor in Lincoln, NE, with offices in Kansas City, MO,
Wichita, KS, and Council Bluffs, IA. Among his career mileposts, he has worked
for four pro audio manufacturers, three systems contractors
and
a tour sound company. Foreman is widely published, having written
numerous technical papers and magazine articles. He
authored the
"Sound System Design" chapter of the Handbook for Sound Engineers,
published by H.W. Sams.
E-mail: chris@proaudioweb.com
 Kurt
Graffy heads up the San Francisco office of Arup Acoustics,
a global acoustical consultancy based in the U.K.
E-mail: kurt.graffy@arup.com
 Prior
to joining Emmaco Prentiss in 1993, John Mayberry worked
in direct and consulting roles for Walt Disney Imagineering, NBC,
Belcan Engineering, Electrosonic, and Maryland Sound Industries.
John's projects typically involve the integration of large installed
audio, acoustic, control, intercom, networking, and security, telephony
and video systems. He is a member of the AES, ASA, SMPTE, and NSCA.
Mayberry is married with three children and resides in San Marino,
California.
Email: emmaco@emmaco.com
 Barry
McKinnon is a principal with MC Squared System Design Group,
Inc., an independent sound and A/V system consulting firm in North
Vancouver, Canada. He has worked in the sound system design, manufacturing,
sales, installation and rental industry for 17 years before making
the transition to consulting in 1991 with Barron Kennedy Lyzun &
Associates, naively believing he had left the difficult and dirty
part of the systems contracting industry behind. Now several years
later, he has found that he has had as many all-nighter sessions;
crawled through nearly as many attics and basements; and climbed
upon wobbly scaffolding as often as he did as a contractor.
Email: mckinnon@mcsquared.com
Web: www.mcsquared.com
 Los
Angeles-based Michael Heiss is one of the industry's most
respected technology and marketing consultants. With more than 20
years of experience in the professional and consumer electronics
industries, he has worked with video hardware and software in an
extensive range of applications. His current client list includes
a wide variety of established and startup companies centering on
the home theater industry.
Email: CAPTNVID@aol.com
 Steve
Thorburn is the co-founder of Thorburn Associates, an acoustical
consulting and audio/visual system design firm located in Castro
Valley, California. He has worked on numerous high-profile projects
including those for Disney, Six Flags, MCA/Universal, iWERKS Entertainment,
and Coca Cola's Olympic City. He rounds out this project experience
by working on studios, churches, corporate boardrooms, theaters,
universities, offices, and hospitals. Thorburn is chairman of the
ICIA's Design Consultants Council, and a member of the ICIA Academy
Faculty.
Email: SJT@TA-Inc.com
 Steve
Olszewski is vice president and general manager of Dimensional
Communications, a systems integration firm in the Seattle area.
Olszewski, a self-proclaimed systems evangelist/faith healer, and
his firm specialize in school communication systems, information
networking, and large computer-controlled sound systems. He has
also been selected by the NSCA Board of Directors to serve on the
NSCA Regional Council for the Northwest Region.
Email: Steveo@sos.net
 Craig
Park, FSMPS is vice president, professional systems for the
Harman Pro Group. He has been active in the audiovisual industry
for more than 30 years, and has held positions in design, project
management, marketing and operations. Park is an associate member
of the American Institute of Architects and is national president
of the Society for Marketing Professional Services.
E-mail: craig@craigpark.com
 Combining
over 20 years' experience in professional audio, video, computer
control and telecommunications product segments, R. Randal Riebe
is currently the President & CEO of Aviscel, an import and distribution
company specializing in technology products for the professional
and consumer audio-video integration markets in North America. His
technical expertise extends to many aspects of electronic systems
integration and includes manufacturing and international marketing
experience with AMX Corporation, Fairview-AFX, Sound Advance Systems
and Ford Audio-Video Systems. Riebe is also active with ICIA, currently
serving on the Board of Directors for the ICIA Educational Communications
Foundation (ECF).
Email: rriebe@aviscel.com
Alan C. Brawn earned a "college degree" running a regional pro AV integration firm
for seven years in the Midwest and then a decade helping to launch the high-brightness
and digital cinema revolution at Hughes-JVC, finally signing up for "graduate studies"
in a 3-year stint at the Samsung boot camp bringing them into the pro AV market.
These experiences have been enhanced by close relationships over the years with
icons of the industry on both the dealer and manufacturer side of things. Add to
this mix a decades-long passion for teaching seminars in display technologies,
digital signage, and selling design/build at InfoComm and other industry showcases,
and you have the foundation for a strong industry advocate impatiently waiting to be heard.
Email: Alan@BrawnConsulting.com
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