Emerald, owner of CE Pro, the industry-leading trade publication covering the residential electronics market, is pleased to announce the promotion of Arlen Schweiger to CE Pro Editor-in-Chief. Schweiger will take over for longtime Editor and Emerald tech brands Chief Content Officer Jason Knott, effective June 9, 2023.

A native of Western Massachusetts who now lives in Cary, North Carolina, Schweiger has served in numerous editorial capacities for Emerald and EH Media prior to that, most recently as Executive Editor of CE Pro, where he started as Associate Editor in 2006.

In between, he has reported, written and edited for nearly a dozen sister publications owned by EH Media (formerly EH Publishing) and Emerald, which acquired CE Pro and select other brands and assets from EH in August 2018. Soon after the acquisition, Schweiger moved into his Executive Editor position after almost five years as Managing Editor of CE Pro, Commercial Integrator, Security Sales & Integration (SSI) and Campus Safety.

“I am overjoyed to be taking on this major new responsibility at Emerald, and I’m excited to lead CE Pro to even greater heights as the leading authority in the custom electronics channel,” says Schweiger, a graduate of the University of Richmond and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

“When Jason Knott and then-managing editor Tom LeBlanc hired me 17 years ago, I had no idea I’d love the industry as much as I do or expected the incredible places it’s taken me. There’s a good reason people in this industry tend to stay in this industry for life. I’m looking forward to my next chapter and working with all of the great integrators, manufacturers, distributors, reps and colleagues even more closely.”

2024 Lighting Controls and Fixtures Report

Lightapalooza took place in late February, and the growth of the event has mirrored the rapid ascension lighting fixtures and controls.

Download your copy now!

New Editor-in-Chief Surrounded by Decades of Industry Experience

Schweiger, who came to the custom electronics sector after almost a decade in newspaper sports departments, has been on the editorial staff or contributed to: CE Pro, Commercial Integrator, Security Sales & Integration, Campus Safety, Kitchen & Bath Business Magazine, Electronic House, Home Electronic Ideas, ChannelPro SMB, TecHome Builder, CE Pro Showroom, EHX Daily and CEDIA Scoop.

He’s attended dozens of industry tradeshows and events over the years, including CEDIA Expo in 15 of his 17 years in the industry, CES, InfoComm, ISC West, Integrated Systems Europe, IBS/KBIS, Total Tech Summit and many other conferences and vendor visits.

“I am so excited for Arlen as the new Editor-in-Chief for CE Pro. The publication and website are going to be taken to new heights under his stewardship,” says Knott, who recently announced he was departing CE Pro to join industry-leading software company D-Tools as its Data Solutions Architect & Evangelist.

“Arlen has been a guiding force behind our success for the past 17 years, connecting with integrators, manufacturers, distributors, reps, buying groups and associations. He is already a valuable resource for the market due to his deep knowledge of the custom integration space. Congratulations to Arlen and CE Pro.”

Schweiger will be stepping into the new role supported by an editorial, graphic design and art staff that has an equally long tenure at CE Pro, which is now in its 31st year. Senior Editor Robert Archer, the magazine’s AV guru and primary electronics reviewer, joined in 2000; Web Editor Nick Boever started at Emerald as Editor of newly launched DesignWell in 2021 before joining CE Pro as Web Editor last October; Emerald VP & Group Publisher, Connected Brands, Ray Lyons joined EH in 2004; Sales Director Shawn Tobin joined in 2012; Account Executive Chelsea Cafiero began as a Production Specialist intern in 2012 before moving to the sales team five years later; Connected Brands Design Lead Katie Stockham has created the print pages of CE Pro (plus many more) since 2006; and Connected Brands Creative Services Director Manuela Rosengard started out of college at EH back in 1997.

“It’s always important for a head coach to surround themselves with a strong group of assistants – it blows my mind how long the core CE Pro group has been here,” Schweiger enthuses. “Admittedly, I did not anticipate transitioning into this role for another 5-7 years, but I can’t help but be confident with such an impressive support staff.

“There are lots of people I’ve interacted with who have influenced my career at EH and Emerald, but I especially have to thank EH founder Ken Moyes, CE Pro founding editor Julie Jacobson, Electronic House Editor Cindy Davis, Tom LeBlanc [who is now at NSCA], Emerald Editor-in-Chief Bill Gannon and Jason,” he adds. “As a sports fanatic, I have to add an analogy and so as a nod to San Francisco native Tim Bigoness, who managed to hire away a great boss and industry icon, I can only hope to make this a Bill Walsh-to-George Siefert type of successful transition at CE Pro.”

• Page 1