News

5/9/2003

CEDIA and CEA Announce Industry Coalition at CEDIA Expo 2003

New Industry Membership Will Offer Premier Benefits

The Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) and the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) today announced they have agreed to form a coalition and create a joint Industry Membership that will maximize member benefits at each association.

The new CEDIA-CEA Industry Coalition enhances the strategic relationship that already exists between the two associations. CEDIA and CEA recognize the critical role that each association plays in the custom installation sector of the consumer electronics industry and the importance of each of their shows. By presenting a unified front, CEA and CEDIA can move forward together to grow the custom installation sector.

"Clearly there is strength in numbers," said CEA president and CEO Gary Shapiro. "Both associations present a powerful voice on behalf of the industry, but by forming a unified front through this new coalition and industry membership option, we can move forward together to grow this industry sector and provide a defined career path for the custom installer or integrator focusing on training and certification. Additionally, our legislative efforts will be strengthened through cooperation and a unified voice in Washington and statehouses."

With the new joint membership category created under the coalition, installer members of CEDIA and CEA TechHome can now add value to their membership in either association by choosing Industry Membership for an additional $100 above their current membership dues. The new monies collected by each association will be reserved for special projects to be undertaken jointly by the CEDIA-CEA Industry Coalition to benefit the industry, such as market research studies to measure the size of the custom installation industry and training programs.

"CEDIA has undertaken an aggressive initiative to educate and train industry professionals and has been a preeminent voice for the professional development of this industry," said Jeff Hoover, CEDIA president. "This partnership allows us to share our expertise with additional professionals."

Working together, CEDIA and CEA will be able to add significant membership value at minimal cost. Industry Members from CEDIA will benefit from access to all CEA market research conducted for the home automation, home networking and distributed audio industries. In turn, Industry Members from CEA's TechHome Division would benefit from CEDIA member discounts on CEDIA training and certification and access to the CEDIA legislative web site. The Industry Membership program will officially begin fourth-quarter 2003 as part of each association's 2004 membership renewal process.

"CEA's TechHome Division members and CEDIA's members have many common goals and concerns," said Duane Paulson, GE Interlogix's Vice President of Strategic Marketing and CEA TechHome Division Chair. "Both organizations are leveraging each other's strengths for the betterment of the residential integration marketplace."

"The benefits of this joint industry membership program between CEDIA and CEA transcend association general membership," said Kathy Gornik, Chairman, CEA Executive Board. "This historic coalition formed by a CEDIA-CEA strategic partnership is especially important not only to each association as a whole, but also to the entire custom electronics industry."

www.cedia.org
www.CE.org