AVNation EdTech podcast: Episode 35 (April 2015)

In the latest episode of the AV Nation EdTech podcast, Tim, Ernie, Greg and I discuss the InfoComm classes Ernie will be teaching, InfoComm's ability to market to higher ed tech folks, life safety standards for schools, audio reinforcement in classrooms (yes, we talk about ceiling mics), higher-ed classroom tech trends, and campus network speeds.  We'll be recording an episode of the podcast live from the InfoComm Show floor in June, so make sure to stop by the AV Nation booth on 6/18 at 10am if you want to say hello.

Commercial Integrator: Buzz-Worthy CIs - Launched: Tomei AV Consulting LLC

The launch of Tomei AV Consulting was mentioned in Commercial Integrator's March 2015 print issue, in the Buzz-Worthy CIs section:

Buzz-Worthy CIs

Launched - Tomei AV Consulting LLC recently launched as an independent audio visual consultant based in Central New York.  Owned by Mike Tomei, it aims to provide AV management consulting, system design and project management to the higher education, K-12, corporate and commercial markets.  Tomei has worked in audio visual design/support departments at Harvard University, Ithaca College, Walt Disney World and as a freelance technician. 

Systems Contractor News: Shifting Needs - Integrators and Consultants Weigh in on Adapting to Higher Ed Changes

The editor of Systems Contractor News (SCN) asked me for some comments about the needs analysis process for working with higher ed clients.  It's on page 57 of the SCN April 2015 issue:

"Audio visual system design is at the forefront of instructional technology, with concepts like flipped classrooms, lecture capture and active/collaborative learning environments all very popular right now.  Not only are instructors the driving force behind these new teaching methods; administrators at brick and mortar higher education institutions see many of these ideas as selling points that will set them apart from the online institutions.  This means that anyone involved with AV system design in higher ed institutions has to put a heavy emphasis on the needs-analysis phase of the project, assuring that they deliver the kind of classroom technology that instructors and administrators are seeking.

Involving the end-users in pre-design focus groups is a must.  Include instructors, students, as well as representatives from the provost's office, facilities (interior designer) and your campus' academic technology support group.  Bringing end-users on a benchmarking field trip to a peer institution that has implemented some of this newer AV technology in their classrooms goes a long way.  Not only will the end-users get some hands on experience trying this new technology, but you can learn from the successes/mistakes made by others.

Most importantly, a semester or two after instructors have been using these newer classroom styles, reassemble the focus groups for feedback on how the AV technology is helping or hindering teaching.  

-Mike Tomei, owner, Tomei AV Consulting"

Higher Ed Tech Decisions: 5 Career Questions with AV Consultant Mike Tomei of Tomei AV Consulting

The editor of Higher Ed Tech Decisions interviewed me in March about my background, my services, and how I started my own consulting business.  She also recorded the full conversation and posted it online.

Here's some excerpts from the interview:

March 12, 2015 

written by:  Jessica Kennedy 

1)  What is your background in the realm of AV?

MT:  My interest in the audio visual world started over 20 years ago. I was a high school student and I signed up to be on the sound crew for my high school’s musical and I figured it was a good way to add something to my resume for college applications. I really had an interest in it and it pretty much stuck from there.

Most of my professional AV career I’ve spent working in various support and design roles at Harvard University, Ithaca College, and Walt Disney World as a freelance AV technician. Most of my AV career has been in higher ed, which is why I put such a strong emphasis on my AV management consulting service that I have. For professional development I’ve earned both the InfoComm CTS-D and CTS-I Certifications, so I’ve done a lot of AV design work and also installation work in the field.

2)  What kinds of projects do you specialize in higher ed?

MT:  The services I provide I separate into two separate categories. I provide what can be considered typical AV consultant services, which would be system design and installation project management services….I also work with academic AV support departments to develop AV strategic plan for the organization and then also look at their peers and do some benchmarking as far as what other institutions are doing or installing with AV in the classroom or on campus.

From a structural standpoint, I analyze their existing AV support staff, the organizational structure that they have, I train existing staff to get them up to speed and embrace a more modern approach to academic AV design and support and I also participate in the hiring of new staff for those departments to beef up their staff.

After the department’s strategy and structure are in place, I look at their management and operations.  That would typically include developing comprehensive system design standards documents for the campus. I would refine the project management process for equipment installations. I can assist with space planning on campus from an audio-visual standpoint. A lot of people don’t have technology life cycle replacement programs set up, so I work with them to develop those for the AV equipment installed in classrooms. A lot of AV departments just don’t have strong end user training documentation, so I work with them to write and develop that.

3)  What is the background of your new business, Tomei AV Consulting? Why did you start it?

MT:  I’ve always had an interest in doing my own business. I guess I just have that entrepreneurial spirit and finally decided that it was time to give it a try. I really enjoyed my job at Ithaca College and decided it was time to try my own thing. I saw a need in the market. A lot of [consultants] will come from New York City or Boston or pretty far away, and that’s tough with clients when [schools] need their consultant onsite to take a look at something that the contractor or electrician is installing and their consultant is many hours away, or a different a state. So there’s that need, and the need for AV management consulting.

4)  What is the most challenging part of your job?

MT: The most challenging part of starting the business so far has been the marketing. I’m a one-man shop – I do everything. Working on the end user side, I never really had to think about marketing working in higher ed, but now I have to do everything. I’ve been spending a lot of time networking and sending out marketing material.

5)  What is the most rewarding part of being an AV consultant?

MT:  So far, the response I’ve been getting from people. When I started the business I had done a good deal of research talking to other consultants, and other people in higher ed institutions that I developed relationships with. I had a pretty good idea there was a need for this sort of thing in Central New York. But you never really know until you do it, and my biggest fear was I was going to send out all this marketing material and just not hear a peep from anybody but that hasn’t been the case at all. Everyone has been really responsive and supportive of the idea. It was a really great feeling when I started getting those phone calls and emails coming back. I got over the hurdle of getting my first client and it’s been snowballing from there. It is a really good feeling when business starts picking up like that.

6)  What advice do you have for other AV specialists looking to start their own business?

MT:  I think it’s extremely rewarding, but you have to have the guts to do it. When I talked to my wife, she said she could never, ever do something like this. She needs that structure of working for somebody else, where I have that entrepreneurial spirit. So you need to make sure you have that entrepreneurial spirit where you have the guts to do it, and the patience of sending out the marketing materials and network and work these relationships knowing that business will come your direction. It’s just going to take a lot of work. People aren’t going to call you up and hand you money. You really need to prove why you’re going to be beneficial to them. That’s been the biggest part.

AVNation EdTech podcast: Episode 34 (March 2015)

After taking the month of February off because of some timing conflicts with ISE, the AVNation EdTech podcast is back this month.  Even though I no longer am working in higher ed as a tech manager, Tim was kind enough to let me stay on the podcast since I'm still very involved with higher ed AV support in my new consulting role.  In this episode we discuss an Extron amplifier with a Dante input, Panasonic's new 4K Blu-ray player, the need (or lack of need) for physical media playback in the classroom, the legality of instructors transferring their VHS tapes to DVD, flipped and active learning classrooms, and a chance for me to introduce my new consulting business, Tomei AV Consulting.

Tim Albright's AV Nation blog: Transitioning from Tech Manager

Tim Albright wrote a blog post and made a nice mention of Tomei AV Consulting:

"As I write this the AVNation team is about 24 hours from landing in Amsterdam for ISE 2015. We have talked extensively about it. For all the coverage we will be doing over the next week you can go to our ISE 2015 page.

Today, however, I have some of my fellow technology managers on my mind. As opportunities like ISE come up I am struck by where my beginnings in AV were; a technology manager. This is the sometimes thankless job of supporting faculty, managing budgets, staying up on the latest changes in technology, and staying current on certifications. Technology managers design, install, program, and maintain vast swaths of rooms; everything from a simple 20 person classroom to auditoriums. There are some great ones out there. Ernie Bailey from UAMS, Greg Brown of UCLA, Scott Tiner of Bates College and more. These people do what they do at their institutions plus volunteer to give InfoComm International the insight they need to help the tech managers.

There are some tech managers who have moved on to other endeavors. Matt Silverman who worked for George Mason University now works for Crestron. I went from Lewis & Clark Community College to Innovad, and independent programming and design consulting firm. Now my friend, Mike Tomei, has made the switch as well. Mike has ventured out on his own to start a consulting business of his own. Here’s why you should hire a tech manager, or former tech manager.

Design Breadth

Tech managers have seen nearly every use of AV in their schools. Educational institutions have board rooms, VTC, audio conferencing, classrooms, gyms, stadiums, and broadcast facilities. These tech managers need to be able to assess what the end user is trying to accomplish in their space and create a design that meets budget and performance requirements. They are some of the most creative designers I have run into.

Technical Education

This group is in an environment that values education, certifications, and degrees probably more than most. That being the case, most are encouraged to further their knowledge which means they are on top of the latest education AV companies and organizations have to offer.

Value Engineering

Most of us hate this word. However, tech managers have learned to use it to their advantage. This is why I say they are the most creative designers out there. They know the tricks to get what they need out of a room while balancing the budget arm of their institution.

Work Ethic

You want someone who knows the meaning of a deadline? How about a group of people who will work all weekend before a semester starts because “all these classrooms have to be ready by Monday”? Yeah, these are the folks. More than once the story has been told of starting on a Friday night and walking out at 12:01 Monday before a semester. These people know how to get stuff done.

Now, are there some tech managers who aren’t so great, sure. For the most part every tech manager I have encountered is a hard working, talented AV professional. If you get the chance to bring one on your staff you should at least have a conversation with them.

I am off to Amsterdam to get to know ISE better. Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. Have a great week."

Commercial Integrator: Tomei AV Consulting to Shine in Education Market

Commercial Integrator published an article about the formation of my company on their website in February 2015:

The AV integration industry is definitely growing, and the proof is in the number of new businesses blooming in this time of economic recovery.  The industry earned a new colleague this past January when Mike Tomei started Tomei AV Consulting LLC, an independent audio visual consulting firm based in Central New York.

Tomei spent over a decade working in AV design and support departments at Harvard University, Ithaca College and even Disney World. He has also worked as a freelance technician in the field, holding both of the InfoComm CTS-D and CTS-I certifications.  Mike Tomei is also a recurring guest on AVNation’s EdTech podcast.

Tomei AV Consulting provides AV management consulting, system design and project management to the higher education, K-12, corporate and other commercial markets. As the owner, Tomei will bring his unique experience of AV design and support in the education market to his firms’ projects.

“The unique aspect that sets me apart from most AV consultants is that in addition to providing clients with traditional AV consulting services like system design and installation project management, I also focus on providing management consulting to higher education and K-12 AV design and support departments,” says Tomei.

The consulting firm will supply services such as AV strategic plan development, organizational structure analysis, staff development, AV standards development, spacial planning and operations analysis.

Visit Tomei AV Consulting to learn more.

AVNation EdTech podcast: Episode 33 (Jan 2015)

I kicked off the new year by appearing on my third episode of the AVNation EdTech podcast.  In this month's episode, Tim, Ernie, Greg and I discussed a new Epson sub-$400 projector, mobile apps that are useful for AV professionals, who should own the campus mass notification system, our approaches to handling the BYOD trend in our classrooms, and does virtual reality have a place in the AV world.

AVNation EdTech podcast: Episode 32 (Dec 2014)

Tim, Greg and Ernie were nice enough to invite me to be on my second episode of the AVNation EdTech podcast.  We discussed Harvard photographing students to study attendance, Sony's newest 4K projector, mass notification systems, the internet of things increasing, and InfoComm's APEx program.  Make sure to tune into the January episode, since I'll be joining the guys again for more nerdy AV talk.

AVNation EdTech podcast: Episode 31 (Nov 2014)

I made my podcasting debut in this episode of AVNation's EdTech podcast.  We discussed Crestron's DMPS processor upgrades, Panasonic's new ultra short throw projector lens, Crestron's RoomView Connected (aka Crestron Connected) feature and SIMPL module, AMX's JITC certification, and other exciting topics in the world of higher ed AV.  I must have said something right, because the EdTech guys said they'll have me back for the December episode.