The 2021 CE Pro Masters nominations are officially open and we are looking to recognize the unsung heroes of the industry. For the ninth year, CE Pro is looking for career CE folks, pretty much right around 50-years-old or so, who quietly moved up the ladder of success over the past three or four decades, made an honest living and made it well.
We are not looking for people who already get more than their share of ink. Some of these people have intentionally stayed out of the spotlight while others have concentrated on their jobs rather than endless self-promotion. You know who we mean.
Remember we now consider posthumous nominations and now-retired people.
We are asking you to scour the landscape broadly. On the vendor level, think about career customer service, tech support or credit managers who fit the profile. Also, in addition to rep principals and CI business owners, consider long time salespeople and other employees.
This year’s program will be especially poignant since long-time contributor Chuck Schneider has passed away. Chuck was instrumental in reaching out to industry veterans to get nominations. But inaugural CE Pro Master Deborah Smith of the Deborah Smith Group will be assisting CE Pro this year. Her decades of experience and the fact that she knows nearly everybody should make this one of the best slates of nominees ever.
But we don’t know everybody… If you know any notable individuals and think them worthy, then, by all means, please let us know.
But, like every year, we want your best candidates. Below is a ballot to fill out and get back to us by October 19, 2021.
Nominate a friend, a co-worker, a boss, an employee, manufacturer, distributor, rep, retailer, integrator, owner, management, sales, marketing, engineer, designer, installer, customer service or finance. Foreign or domestic. Nominate yourself if you want to!
Here’s the ballot:
CE Pro Masters Nomination Form:
- Person You Are Nominating
- His/Her Current Position
- His/Her Other Positions of Note
- His/Her Years in CE
- Why the Person Is Worthy of Recognition (50 words or less)
- Your Name
- City/State
- Occupation
You may nominate as many people as you’d like. One per ballot/email please. Send your completed ballots to Jason Knott at [email protected] or to Deborah Smith at [email protected].
Deadline for nominations is October 19, 2021.
Winners will be featured in the December 2021 print issue of CE Pro and on CEPro.com page in early December.
Here is a list of the past winners:
2013 | Fred Bargetzi | Crestron |
2013 | John Bishop | Bishop Audio Services |
2013 | Charlie Boornazian | Epson America |
2013 | Paul DiComo | CE Marketing Pros |
2013 | Leonard Bellezza | Lyric Hi-Fi & Video |
2013 | Dennis Erskine | The Erskine Group |
2013 | Steve Firszt | Fast Forward Business Consulting |
2013 | Mark Friedman | The New York Marketing Team |
2013 | Jeannette Howe | Specialty Electronics Nationwide |
2013 | Ric Johnson | Right @ Home Technologies Inc., Elite Systems Solutions, Ohio Home Theater, R.L. Johnson Construction Services |
2013 | Michael Kuhlmann | RCS Technology |
2013 | Tom Morgan | Leviton |
2013 | Larry Pexton | Triad Speakers |
2013 | Richard Schram | Parasound |
2013 | Deborah Smith | PARA, Deborah Smith Group |
2013 | Frank Sterns | Niles, Sony, Sound United |
2013 | Richard Stoerger | ADA |
2013 | Adam Stone | D-Tools |
2013 | Charles Thompson | Sell Through Solutions |
2013 | David Weinstein | Lutron |
2013 | Wally Whinna | Allnet |
2013 | Walt Zerbe | OnQ/ Legrand, CEDIA |
2013 | Keith Zoll | Ray Supply |
2014 | Greg Caves | Display Development |
2014 | Mark Cichowski | Clarity AV International |
2014 | Bruce Franklin | Triad |
2014 | Gene Jordan | Homeworks Group |
2014 | Bill Kieltyka | Near |
2014 | Brent McCall | Ethereal Home Theater |
2014 | Lew Freedman | Professional Audio Associates |
2014 | Andrew Goldfinch | Leisure Tech Electronics |
2014 | John Henderson | D+M Group |
2014 | Dean Miller | Lenbrook America |
2014 | Howard Sinkoff | Vutec |
2014 | Leslie Shiner | The Shiner Group |
2014 | Bonnie Perella | Sanus/Milestone AV |
2014 | Tom Walker | AudioControl |
2014 | Jim Wohlford | Sanus Systems |
2014 | Keith Yates | Yates Design Group |
2015 | Ernie Coulter | Control4 |
2015 | Bill Bell | The Music Box |
2015 | Peter Brown | Stewart Filmscreen |
2015 | Bill Grover | Morris-Tait Associates |
2015 | Rich Black | Lutron |
2015 | Michael Heiss | M. Heiss Consulting |
2015 | John Miller | GoldenEar Technology |
2015 | Brad Paulsen | Totem Acoustic |
2015 | Marilyn Sanford | LincEdge |
2015 | Randy Massey | Lumiere Cinema Group |
2015 | Dave Tkachuk | Symbol Logic |
2015 | Marla Suttenberg | Sapphire Marketing |
2015 | Mitch Witten | DTS |
2015 | Randy Taylor | Artison |
2015 | Steve Working | Audio Concepts |
2016 | Debbie Antrim | CEDIA |
2016 | Susan Cashen | Control4 |
2016 | John Bevier | Audio Plus Services |
2016 | Lawrence Davis III | Portal |
2016 | Joe Finn | Near |
2016 | Richard Frank | OEM Systems |
2016 | Ira Friedman | Perfect Third |
2016 | Barbara Glaab | Dana Innovations |
2016 | Greg Margolis | Hometronics |
2016 | Jim Ristow | AVB/Brandsource |
2016 | Joaquin Rivera | ByDesign Vision & Sound Marketing |
2016 | Paul Starkey | Vital Management |
2016 | Greg Stidsen | The Lenbrook Group |
2016 | Ray Wright | IPRO |
2017 | Randy Blanchard | ADI Global Distribution |
2017 | Jeffrey Boccaccio | DPL Laboratories |
2017 | Stephen Defuria | A Tribute (NAD and VANA?) |
2017 | Fred Harding | Capitol |
2017 | Jon Herron | Trinnov Audio |
2017 | Colleen Sterns Leith | Marketing Matters |
2017 | David Mann | Ace Marketing Group |
2017 | Keith Marshall | Core Brands |
2017 | Helma Paulson | International AV Sales |
2017 | Dave Peet | Sound United |
2017 | John Pravel | JPS Group |
2017 | Petro Shimonishi | Xperi Corp. |
2017 | Mark Weisenberg | Stewart Filmscreen |
2017 | Kevin Zarow | Sound United |
2018 | Butch Abrams | Butch’s Sound & Vision |
2018 | Chuck Back | Trinnov Audio |
2018 | Stephen Baker | Lenbrook |
2018 | Irene Baran | Monster |
2018 | Tim Bigoness | D-Tools |
2018 | Dave Donald | Origin Acoustics |
2018 | Bjorn Dybdahl | Bjorn’s |
2018 | Helge Fischer | Catalyst AV |
2018 | Ronnie Meyerowitz | Audio Associates |
2018 | Mark Nimrod | Opus Audio/Video Control |
2018 | Chet Pelkowski | Sound United |
2018 | Walter Schofield | Krell Industries |
2018 | Scott Sylvester | LeisureTech Electronics |
2018 | Cat (Fowler) Toomey | CATylizing |
2019 | Chris Kane | AudioControl |
2019 | Melissa Andresko | Lutron |
2019 | Jeff Cowan | Sound United |
2019 | Paul Grove | Paradigm, Anthem, MartinLogan |
2019 | Keith Haas | Integra Division of Onkyo Corp. |
2019 | Rick Komendera | SurgeX |
2019 | Roy Hall | Music Hall |
2019 | Orion Hopper | Thea AV Reps |
2019 | Maureen Jenson | Journalist |
2019 | Mike Park | James Loudspeaker |
2019 | Bob Oliver | Oliver Marketing |
2019 | Todd Ryan | Sonance |
2019 | Mark Stone | Lenbrook International |
2020 | Cary Christie | Savant |
2020 | Buzz Delano | Delano Associates |
2020 | Daren Egan | Peak Audio & Video |
2020 | Eric Harper | SnapAV |
2020 | Robert Zohn | Value Electronics |
2020 | Colin Clark | Russound |
2020 | Roberta Lewis | Roberta Lewis & Associates |
2020 | Rob Mainiero | Andover Audio |
2020 | Andy Oxenhorn | JL Audio |
2020 | Mike Pecar | Mike Pecar Sales |
2020 | Jack Shafton | GoldenEar Technology |
2020 | John Strohbeen | Ohm Acoustics |
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