Ahead of CEDIA Expo 2026, CE Pro spoke with Cody Crossland, VP of Sales at Blackwire Designs, about how the company’s roots in the field influence its approach to distribution, technical support and value-added services for integrators.
CE Pro: Blackwire was founded by former technicians. How does that firsthand jobsite experience shape the way you support integrators today?
Cody Crossland: Our history on the jobsite gives us a deep understanding of the daily challenges integrators encounter. Because we’ve lived it, we only carry gear we’ve personally tested and truly trust. But more than that, we act as your advocate. We constantly push manufacturers to fix the real-world headaches you face every day, from mounting designs to firmware tweaks. When you call us, you’re talking to people who see the industry through your eyes.
CE Pro: You position Blackwire as more than a traditional distributor. What does being an “independent partner” mean in practice for an integration firm?
Cody Crossland: To us, being an independent partner means putting your efficiency, profitability, and sanity above our sales targets. We don’t push products just to clear shelf space. Instead, we do the legwork upfront by curating a focused lineup of highly reliable gear with low warranty rates; saving you from unpaid truck rolls. While we carry and support full brand catalogs across our partners, we actively highlight the solutions we know perform best. You’re never just an account number on a spreadsheet; you’re a teammate. We’re here to give you straightforward, honest advice backed by deep field experience to help you win on every job.
CE Pro: What are some of the biggest networking and system-configuration challenges integrators face today, and how is Blackwire helping eliminate that friction?
Cody Crossland: Between constant firmware updates and the nightmare of unprofitable service calls, modern networking can eat away at your bottom line fast. We’re here to take that stress off your shoulders. We filter out the finicky gear, offer pre-install Wi-Fi heat mapping, and provide rock-solid configuration guides. Most importantly, when you run into a wall, our team, people who have actually built these networks under tight deadlines, is right here to help you get off the jobsite on time.
CE Pro: Blackwire offers complimentary network provisioning on every job. What does that process involve, and what work does it take off an integrator’s plate?
Cody Crossland: You start by filling out a simple, smart form on our site that actually catches configuration errors before they happen. From there, our team unboxes every piece of gear, flashes stable firmware, programs the network layout, and bench-tests the whole system. We ship it to your door pre-labeled and completely ready to go. You get to skip the tedious bench work and head straight to a seamless installation.
CE Pro: As AV-over-IP becomes more common, how does Blackwire’s setup and configuration service help integrators deploy these systems more efficiently?
Cody Crossland: AV-over-IP can get complex fast, so we handle the heavy lifting before it ever hits your truck. You input the project details into our smart portal, and we pre-program the switches and endpoints, update the firmware, and bench-test the full signal path. It arrives at your site pre-labeled and plug-and-play, turning what used to be a stressful video setup into a smooth, easy install.
CE Pro: With labor and technician time at a premium, how can these value-added services help integrators protect margins and take on more business?
Cody Crossland: Every hour your team spends staging gear or troubleshooting in a rack room is money out of your pocket. By delivering fully configured, pre-labeled systems, your junior techs can handle the physical installs with confidence. That frees up your lead techs to focus on complex designs or higher-value jobs. We handle the staging so you can protect your margins, keep your team happy, and take on more business without burning out.
CE Pro: As systems become more complex, how do you see the role of distribution evolving, and what should integrators expect from a true distribution partner?
Cody Crossland: Distribution shouldn’t just be about moving boxes, it has to be about genuine advocacy. Because we’re independent, we don’t answer to corporate boards or arbitrary sales quotas. We answer to you. You deserve a partner who absorbs technical complexity, streamlines your deployments, and stands right beside you in the trenches. We don’t see you as a line item on a spreadsheet; we see you as a partner, and our team wakes up every day driven by one simple truth: we only succeed when you succeed.
Learn more at www.blackwiredesigns.com.
