Finalists to submit materials for judging to determine final winners
North Andover, Mass., – November 18, 2022 – The Mobile Electronics Association (MEA) announced the finalists for the 2023 Industry Awards earlier today, live on its Facebook page. MEA President, Chris Cook held the Finalists Presentation, in which The Top 12 Retailers, Top 12 Installers, Top 5 Technicians, and Top 5 Sales Pros and other awards were announced. Also noted were the “Top 3” and “Top 5” awards for finalists in the vendor, vendor tech support, expeditor, sales rep, rep firm and distributor categories, as well as the top 5 Technicians denoting the finalists for the coveted Trusted Tech award. Each “Top” award recipient will receive a signed wall certificate.
While the final stage of the Industry Awards will be held in Las Vegas during KnowledgeFest, Cook noted that the announcement produced its own set of winners.
“It’s important to recognize that making it to the Top 12, Top 5 and Top 3 categories signals a major achievement in this industry,” he explained. “It means that these individuals, stores, brands and companies are part of a unique group that represents the best of our industry. We’re overdue in recognizing the significance of their efforts, and I am proud to create a special event for that purpose.
Some of the award categories are decided solely on industry votes. For these, the top vote-getter will be announced at KnowledgeFest as the ultimate winner of the category. For the Top 12 retailers, Top 12 Installers, Top 5 Technicians, Top 5 Rookies, and Top 5 Sales Professionals, each recipient will need to submit additional materials for judging to determine the winner in each category.
The finalists lists can be viewed at meindustryawards.com by clicking on the Winners tab and selecting ‘2023’ winners. To view the 2023 Industry Awards Finalists Presentation, visit the Mobile Electronics magazine page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MobileElectronics. The final awards will be announced at the Mobile Electronics Industry Awards celebration during the KnowledgeFest trade show and conference at the Paris Hotel & Convention Center in Las Vegas, February 5, 2022.
Complete information on the Industry Awards, including rules, award descriptions, past winners, eligibility requirements, instructions and submissions can be found at www.MEIndustryAwards.com.
About the Mobile Electronics Association
Mobile Electronics Association (MEA) is a trade association comprised of installing dealers and product vendors dedicated to serving the needs of the mobile electronics specialist industry. MEA owns and produces KnowledgeFest, regional trade-only industry events that combine educational programming and vendor training with a trade show floor. MEA owns and publishes the monthly Mobile Electronics® magazine, which is the industry’s #1 resource, as well as other digital media, including websites and the industry’s e-newsletter Hotwire. MEA provides software and data-driven services to vendors and retailers. Learn more at mobile-electronics.com.
Media Contact:
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(978) 645-6434
In its 20th year, KnowledgeFest reaches new heights by offering retailers the tools to shift their businesses to coincide with current OEM technology trends. The event also saw a new batch of industry award winners crowned to help usher in the next era of 12-volt.
9-6-2016 -- Milestones happen every day. People make goals and achieve them. But those milestones are almost never achieved without sacrifice.
After 20 years, KnowledgeFest has reached a rare milestone in the 12-volt industry, having created a place for anyone who loves car audio to come and learn new skills to enhance their craft. This year's event took place at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas August 20 to 22 and included over 40 exhibitors, 23 classes, nearly 50 product trainings and the culmination of a new round of winners at the 2016 Mobile Electronics Industry Awards. The city has hosted the event since 2010.
To house the event, the Hilton Anatole provided 10 classrooms, a trade show hall, a ballroom for the town hall and industry awards, and access to several restaurants, bars, shops and a brand new water park for hotel guests. The city itself also played host to visiting attendees thanks to its wide selection of quality restaurants, including many BBQ joints close to the hotel.
Guests were able to pre-register for classes using the website Kfest.me, which also served as the digital schedule of events for guests to check during the three-day conference. The event marked the first time the website was used as a primary resource for the event schedule.
All of this was presented in cooperation with several manufacturers who operated as sponsors for the event, in addition to the registration fees paid by attendees. However, the largest contributor to the event could not be measured in money or time, but passion. To last 20 years, an event like this would not be possible without a continuous drive from its attendees and educators to help improve the industry and overcome all obstacles over the years. Thankfully, it has all of the above.
Day 1 - Bad Weather, New Faces
Being that Dallas is located in a central location to the rest of the country, one might think it's accessible enough to limit travel issues to a minimum. But mother nature doesn't always play by the rules. Due to inclement weather, many attendees coming from the east coast were delayed up to a day. Some of those attendees were also educators, like Matt Schaeffer, whose class, "The Perfect Pic: Better Photography to Promote Your Business," was postponed until the final day, while taking the place of a cancelled class, "Public Relations: Let the Media Market For You."
Thankfully, those were the only courses impacted by the weather problem. Meanwhile, in Dallas, the rain poured on and off like a faucet throughout the event, while hotel guests, including some KnowledgeFest attendees, kept a close eye on the rain to give themselves enough time at JadeWaters, the new water park on the hotel grounds. The park features a lazy river, swim-up bar and water slides. Despite the lack of pool time available, attendees found plenty of ways to socialize outside of classes, including between classes in the hallways, at the bars, outside with a cigarette, or on the show floor, which started with a bang on day one, with every booth seeing some action from the get-go.
Several companies made their debuts at the show in 2016, all offering a different category of product. Omega Research & Technology came to showcase a wide array of products, but geared its presentation toward the most relevant technologically advanced products, including its new Linker smartphone control app. The platform allows GPS tracking and is designed to incorporate linking between home alarm and vehicle security monitoring. The company, which has been around since 1971, chose to make this year its first at KnowledgeFest due mainly to the evaporating presence of 12-volt companies at shows like SEMA and CES, where it primarily showcased in the past, according to Mike Thompson, product development manager at Omega.
"With technology shifts being so rapid these past few years, dealers are struggling to keep up. The industry needs a regrouping internally so we can figure out where to go," Thompson said. "We're really excited to come to a show with a 100 percent focus on the aftermarket. There's a solid state of unrest throughout the country, so dealers are struggling and are more reluctant to go to shows like SEMA and CES. Although we do a lot of International business, I really feel like KnowledgeFest helps us turn our attention more to our domestic guys."
On the 12-volt accessory front was F.A.S.T. Rings, the foam acoustic sealers that have become a popular commodity thanks partially to their being sold and promoted by Mobile Solutions. The rings represent an expanding market for 12-volt accessory products that saw several other vendors present on the floor as well, including Kingpin University, Mobile Solutions and SoundSkins.
As a trend, the majority of the companies featuring new products either were enhancing already popular products or adding to an emerging market, such as safety. One such product was the Bury Hands Free Car Kit, presented by John Haynes of Al & Ed's Autosound. The German manufacturer has decided to branch out into the North American market in preparation for a continuing trend of OEM add-on products in upcoming vehicles.
Read the rest of the story HERE.
September 15, 2022, North Andover, Mass — The Mobile Electronics Association (MEA), producer of Mobile Electronics magazine, announced that industry professionals can now submit their nominations for inclusion in the 2023 Industry Awards. Nominations will be accepted until October 16th.
The Mobile Electronics Industry Awards celebrate companies and individuals that best exemplify the highest standards of quality and service excellence. Winners represent the industry at-large to consumers and act as ideal examples to better peers within the industry. The process starts with nominations submitted online and via video. A panel of judges selects the Top 50 Retailers, Top 50 Installers, and Top 20 Sales Professionals, which are eligible to move on to the second phase of the awards process. In addition to the retailer nominations, the process for recognizing top vendors, sales reps and firms, and distributors is open for nominations as well. Final awards are given out at a special ceremony held on the last day of KnowledgeFest Las Vegas a the Paris Hotel & Convention Center held February 3-5, 2023.
“The Industry Awards process is one of the most anticipated events in the mobile electronics industry,” said Chris Cook, MEA president. “It’s the one time when professionals are called on to promote themselves in one phase, then reach out to their peers and customers for support in the next phase. The final phase is a grueling preparation of materials for judging that often reveals aspects—both positive and negative—of a person’s character or work ethic, or a business’ focus and direction. Most who have gone through the process say it is as fulfilling as it is challenging.”
Mobile Electronics is accepting nominations through its special website at www.MEIndustryAwards.com. Nominees submit a short video outlining their qualifications. Retailers, installation technicians, vendors, distributors, and sales representatives have until October 16th to submit nominations.
Complete information on the Industry Awards, including rules, award descriptions, past winners, eligibility requirements, instructions and submissions can be found at www.MEIndustryAwards.com.
About the Mobile Electronics Association
Mobile Electronics Association (MEA) is a trade association comprised of installing dealers and product vendors dedicated to serving the needs of the mobile electronics specialist industry. MEA owns and produces KnowledgeFest, regional trade-only industry events that combine educational programming and vendor training with a trade show floor. MEA owns and publishes the monthly Mobile Electronics® magazine, which is the industry’s #1 resource, as well as other digital media, including websites and the industry’s e-newsletter Hotwire. MEA provides software and data-driven services to vendors and retailers. Learn more at mobile-electronics.com.
Media Contact:
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(978) 645-6434
The time has come for the best of the best of the Mobile Electronics Industry to step up and be recognized.
August 18, 2023, North Andover, Mass — The Mobile Electronics Association (MEA), producer of Mobile Electronics magazine, announced that industry professionals can now submit their nominations for inclusion in the 2024 Industry Awards. Nominations will be accepted until September 13th.
The Mobile Electronics Industry Awards celebrate companies and individuals that best exemplify the highest standards of quality and service excellence. Winners represent the industry at-large to consumers and act as ideal examples to better peers within the industry. The process starts with nominations submitted online and via video. A panel of judges selects the Top 50 Retailers, Top 50 Installers, and Top 20 Sales Professionals, which are eligible to move on to the second phase of the awards process. In addition to the retailer nominations, the process for recognizing top vendors, sales reps and firms, and distributors is open for nominations as well. Final awards are given out at a special ceremony held on the last day of KnowledgeFest Las Vegas at the Paris Hotel & Convention Center held February 2-4, 2024.
“The Industry Awards process is one of the most anticipated events in the mobile electronics industry,” said Chris Cook, MEA president. “It’s the one time when professionals are called on to promote themselves in one phase, then reach out to their peers and customers for support in the next phase. The final phase is a grueling preparation of materials for judging that often reveals aspects—both positive and negative—of a person’s character or work ethic, or a business’ focus and direction. Most who have gone through the process say it is as fulfilling as it is challenging.”
Mobile Electronics is accepting nominations through its special website at www.MEIndustryAwards.com. Nominees submit a short video outlining their qualifications. Retailers, installation technicians, vendors, distributors, and sales representatives have until September 13th to submit nominations.
Complete information on the Industry Awards, including rules, award descriptions, past winners, eligibility requirements, instructions and submissions can be found at MEIndustryAwards.com.
About the Mobile Electronics Association
Mobile Electronics Association (MEA) is a trade association comprised of installing dealers and product vendors dedicated to serving the needs of the mobile electronics specialist industry. MEA owns and produces KnowledgeFest, trade-only industry events that combine educational programming and vendor training with a trade show floor. MEA owns and publishes the monthly Mobile Electronics® magazine, which is the industry’s #1 resource, as well as other digital media, including websites and the industry’s e-newsletter Hotwire. MEA provides software and data-driven services to vendors and retailers. Learn more at mobile-electronics.com.
Media Contact:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(978) 645-6434
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October 28, 2021, North Andover, Mass — The Mobile Electronics Association (MEA), producer of Mobile Electronics magazine, announced that industry professionals can now submit their nominations for inclusion in the 2022 Industry Awards. Nominations will be accepted until November 14th.
The Mobile Electronics Industry Awards celebrate companies and individuals that best exemplify the highest standards of quality and service excellence. Winners represent the industry at-large to consumers and act as ideal examples to better peers within the industry. The process starts with nominations submitted online and via video. A panel of judges selects the Top 50 Retailers, Top 50 Installers, and Top 20 Sales Professionals, which are eligible to move on to the second phase of the awards process. In addition to the retailer nominations, the process for recognizing top vendors, sales reps and firms, and distributors is open for nominations as well. Final awards are given out at a special ceremony held on the last day of KnowledgeFest Las Vegas held February 18-20.
“The Industry Awards process is one of the most anticipated events in the mobile electronics industry,” said Chris Cook, MEA president. “It’s the one time when professionals are called on to promote themselves in one phase, then reach out to their peers and customers for support in the next phase. The final phase is a grueling preparation of materials for judging that often reveals aspects—both positive and negative—of a person’s character or work ethic, or a business’ focus and direction. Most who have gone through the process say it is as fulfilling as it is challenging.”
Mobile Electronics is accepting nominations through its special website at www.meindustryawards.com. Nominees submit a short video outlining their qualifications. Retailers, installation technicians, vendors, distributors, and sales representatives have until November 14th to submit nominations.
Complete information on the Industry Awards, including rules, award descriptions, past winners, eligibility requirements, instructions and submissions can be found at www.meindustryawards.com.
About the Mobile Electronics Association
Mobile Electronics Association (MEA) is a trade association comprised of installing dealers and product vendors dedicated to serving the needs of the mobile electronics specialist industry. MEA owns and produces KnowledgeFest, regional trade-only industry events that combine educational programming and vendor training with a trade show floor. MEA owns and publishes the monthly Mobile Electronics® magazine, which is the industry’s #1 resource, as well as other digital media, including websites and the industry’s e-newsletter Hotwire. MEA provides software and data-driven services to vendors and retailers. Learn more at mobile-electronics.com.
Media Contact:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(978) 645-6434
North Andover, Mass., September 17, 2020 -- The Mobile Electronics Associaiton announced the last day to make your selections to recognize our best. Voting Ends Sunday, September 20, 2020!
It's your last chance to vote for all categories of the annual Mobile Electronics Industry Awards! Select your choices for finalists from the Top 50 Retailers, Top 50 Installers and Top 20 Sales pros, plus five retail performance categories.
And don't forget the Supplier Categories, Trusted Tech and Rookie of the Year!
Vote Today!!!
Retailer Awards: https://meindustryawards.com/industry-voting-form/
Vendors Awards: https://meindustryawards.com/industry-voting-form-2/
MEA’s first virtual event hosted a record number of retailers
North Andover, MA – December 22, 2020 –The Mobile Electronics Association (MEA) hosted its largest KnowledgeFest to date as a virtual event. The trade show and conference led with an industry first technology that allowed attendees to connect live with exhibitors. Exhibitors received nearly 13,000 booth visits with nearly 20,000 views of exhibitor-related content. The event also launched a new sales rep networking feature called “Rep Connect.” Over 45 sales reps were engaged with hundreds of attendees. When it comes to KnowledgeFest education and training, no event can compare. The education and training had over 5,600 in attendance for the 60 hours of education workshops, manufacturer trainings and keynotes. And when it came to live interaction, over 1,200 attendees enjoyed the new live booth experience allowing them to connect and interact with exhibitors.
“Due in part to the event’s online platform, KnowledgeFest.Live saw a record number of attendees totaling over 2,500 from across the country and around the globe,” stated MEA president Chris Cook. “the event featured more than 30 brands, 24 show cars displayed in the online platform, five keynotes and events, and 57 manufacturer trainings and educational workshops.”
Finishing the event was the annual Mobile Electronics Industry Awards that that was live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube. The event has more than 4,000 views and 850 comments making it our largest audience to date. At the opening of the awards, Mr. Cook encouraged viewers and attendees to see the coming year as a “comeback,” and to take the time to develop new relationships with customers, new opportunities for businesses, and instead of a “new normal,” focus on utilizing newly acquired knowledge to spark future successes. “It’s been a difficult and challenging year,” Mr. Cook noted, adding, “One we will never forget and for many, we can’t wait until it’s over. Let’s make sure we reflect on this experience and think about how we adapted, learned and—in many cases—conquered.”
MEA will host the KnowledgeFest.Live education workshops, select manufacturer trainings, keynotes on-demand through the end of 2021. Stay tuned for future KnowledgeFest.Live event announcements for 2021 as MEA looks towards the future of online and hybrid events to meet the education needs of our industry.
About the Mobile Electronics Association
Mobile Electronics Association (MEA) is a trade association comprised of installing dealers and product vendors dedicated to serving the needs of the mobile electronics specialist industry. MEA owns and produces KnowledgeFest, regional trade-only industry events that combine educational programming and vendor training with a trade show floor. MEA owns and publishes the monthly Mobile Electronics® magazine, which is the industry’s #1 resource, as well as other digital media, including websites and the industry’s e-newsletter Hotwire. MEA provides software and data-driven services to vendors and retailers.
Learn more at mobile-electronics.com
Media Contact:
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978-645-6434
5/31/2016 -- Prestige Car Audio & Marine drops 2 spots to #7, while the other “Car Audio & Marine,” Kingpin, climbs into the top 5 retailers. On the installer side, the top 5 remain cemented while Jeremiah Mojica moves up 2 spots to #10.
Retailer Standings (Industry votes only; highest to lowest)
| Rank | Retailers | %Vote |
| 1 | Musicar Northwest – Portland, OR | 9.4% |
| 2 | NVS Audio – Linden, NJ | 5.0% |
| 3 | Soundscape Car Audio – Plano, TX | 4.8% |
| 4 | Sound Depot and Performance – Gainesville, FL | 3.9% |
| 5 | Kingpin Car & Marine Audio Inc – Wilsonville, OR | 3.8% |
| 6 | GNC Customs – Goshen, IN | 3.7% |
| 7 | Prestige Car Audio & Marine – Metairie, LA | 3.6% |
| 8 | Cartronix – Valparaiso, IN | 3.5% |
| 9 | Mobile Toys – College Station, TX | 3.2% |
| 10 | Cartunes – Atlanta, GA | 3.1% |
| 11 | Al & Ed’s Autosound – Los Angeles, CA | 2.9% |
| 12 | Absolute Electronix – Rockville, MD | 2.8% |
| 13 | Radios Knobs Speakers and Things – Pontiac, MI | 2.7% |
| 14 | Spokane Audio Video Experts – Greenacres, WA | 2.5% |
| 15 | Foss Audio & Tint – Tukwila, WA | 2.4% |
| 16 | Stereo King Oregon – Portland, OR | 2.4% |
| 17 | Driven Mobile Electronics – Chantilly, VA | 2.2% |
| 18 | Sound Wave Customs – Virginia Beach, VA | 2.0% |
| 19 | Explicit Customs – West Melbourne, FL | 2.0% |
| 20 | Westminster Speed & Sound – Westminster, MD | 2.0% |
| 21 | Dr Dashboard – Evansville, IN | 2.0% |
| 22 | JML Audio of St. Louis – Fenton, MO | 1.8% |
| 23 | Elite Audio – Spartanburg, SC | 1.8% |
| 24 | JC Audio – Jackson, TN | 1.7% |
| 25 | Ocala Car Audio – Ocala, FL | 1.6% |
| 26 | Driven Audio Ltd. – Abbotsford, BC | 1.6% |
| 27 | Stereo Solutions – Redding, CA | 1.5% |
| 28 | Audio Designs & Custom Graphics – Jacksonville, FL | 1.4% |
| 29 | Industry Auto Designs – Las Vegas, NV | 1.4% |
| 30 | SRQ Customs – Sarasota, FL | 1.4% |
| 31 | Audio Solutions StL – St. Louis, MO | 1.3% |
| 32 | Tip Top Customs – Morris, IL | 1.3% |
| 33 | Sound FX, Inc. – Lewes, DE | 1.1% |
| 34 | Blvd Customs of Lakeland – Lakeland, FL | 1.1% |
| 35 | The Car Audio Shop – High Ridge, MO | 1.0% |
| 36 | Extreme Audio – Mechanicsville, VA | 1.0% |
| 37 | Autosound Lab – Fresno, CA | 1.0% |
| 38 | Greg’s Custom Audio, Video & Car Stereo – Pikeville, KY | 1.0% |
| 39 | California Audio – WVC, UT | 0.9% |
| 40 | Tunes-N-Tint – Lakeland, FL | 0.8% |
| 41 | Sound Auto – Hamilton, NJ | 0.7% |
| 42 | Sound Solutions – Gulfport, MS | 0.7% |
| 43 | SoundsGood Auto – Coquitlam, BC | 0.7% |
| 44 | Dreamworks Motorsports – Roxboro, NC | 0.6% |
| 45 | Distinctive Car Toyz – Pleasantville, NJ | 0.6% |
| 46 | Adrenaline Autosound – Clayton, NC | 0.5% |
| 47 | Audio Expert Car Stereo – Clearwater, FL | 0.5% |
| 48 | The Sound Shop – Indian Trail, NC | 0.4% |
| 49 | Auto Trim Design – Amarillo, TX | 0.4% |
| 50 | Cypress Auto Sound & Tint – Cypress, CA | 0.1% |
Installer Standings (Industry votes only; highest to lowest)
| Rank | Installers | %Vote |
| 1 | Matt Schaeffer – Safe & Sound Mobile Electronics – Chantilly, VA | 11.5% |
| 2 | Carlos Ramirez – NVS Audio – Linden, NJ | 4.8% |
| 3 | Miguel Vega – Titan Motoring – Nashville, TN | 4.6% |
| 4 | Chris Ott – Amplified Autosports – Tampa, FL | 4.1% |
| 5 | TJ Carlson – Kingpin Car & Marine Audio – WIlsonville, OR | 3.3% |
| 6 | Brent Leavitt – Low Notes Garage – Boise, ID | 3.2% |
| 7 | Christerfer Pate – Mobile Toys Inc – College Station, TX | 3.1% |
| 8 | Bryan Piper – Resonance Auto Craft – Corpus Christi, TX | 2.9% |
| 9 | Barry Barth – Prestige Car Audio & Marine – Metairie, LA | 2.7% |
| 10 | Jeremiah Mojica – GNC Customs – Elkhart, IN | 2.7% |
| 11 | Mike Schwitz – Sound Connection – St. Joseph, MN | 2.7% |
| 12 | Charles Brazil – First Coast Auto Creations – Jacksonville, FL | 2.6% |
| 13 | David Cruz – Soundscape Car Audio – Plano, TX | 2.6% |
| 14 | Aaron Garcia – Perfectionist Auto Sound and Security – Anchorage, AK | 2.6% |
| 15 | Steve Coogle – Discount Audio – Louisville, KY | 2.5% |
| 16 | Andrew Emelander – GNC Customs – Goshen, IN | 2.4% |
| 17 | Tim Baillie – Audiolines Mobile Sound- Burnaby, BC | 2.4% |
| 18 | Jeff Cantrell – JC Audio – Jackson, TN | 2.3% |
| 19 | Nicholas Frazier – Innovative Concepts – West Springfield, MA | 2.3% |
| 20 | Scott Miller – Explicit Customs – West Melbourne, FL | 2.3% |
| 21 | Dan Macilwain – Sound Advantage – Rochester, MI | 2.2% |
| 22 | Warren Williams – Hi-Tech Car Audio – El Cerrito, CA | 2.1% |
| 23 | Cj Silvey – Foss Audio and Tint – Puyallup, WA | 2.1% |
| 24 | Erick Markland – Markland Designs – Lithonia, GA | 1.8% |
| 25 | Daniel DiCampli – Windward Audio – Kaneohe, HI | 1.8% |
| 26 | Matt Cropper – Stereo King – Portland, OR | 1.6% |
| 27 | Mike Sandoval – Sound Warehouse – Salt Lake City, UT | 1.5% |
| 28 | Tyler Wilson – Spokane Audio Video Experts – Greenacres, WA | 1.5% |
| 29 | B.J. Curcio – After FX Customs – Stamford, CT | 1.5% |
| 30 | David Kosakowski – Total image – McKees Rocks, PA | 1.5% |
| 31 | Adam Perkins – Sound Wave Customs – Virginia Beach, VA | 1.3% |
| 32 | Andrew Evens – Industry Auto Designs – Las Vegas, NV | 1.2% |
| 33 | Brandon Green – The Car Audio Shop – High Ridge, MO | 1.1% |
| 34 | Jason Stone – Stereo Solutions – Redding, CA | 1.1% |
| 35 | John Schumacher – Audio Solutions StL – St. Louis, MO | 1.0% |
| 36 | John Cage – Spokane Audio Video Experts – Greenacres, WA | 0.9% |
| 37 | Rob Miller – JML Audio of St. Louis – Fenton, MO | 0.9% |
| 38 | Bryan Turvaville – Auto Trim Design – Amarillo, TX | 0.8% |
| 39 | Aaron Markwell – Godspeed Rides – Sarasota, FL | 0.7% |
| 40 | Jon Schmitz – Mach 1 Audio – Washington, MO | 0.7% |
| 41 | Vinny Tullo – VIP Customs – Earlysville, VA | 0.7% |
| 42 | Alan Hogan – Baileys Audio – Lake Charles, LA | 0.7% |
| 43 | Michael Oechsner – Mobile Edge – Lehighton, PA | 0.7% |
| 44 | Alain Sainvil – NVS Audio – Linden, NJ | 0.6% |
| 45 | Brandon Douglas – Adrenaline Autosound – Clayton, NC | 0.6% |
| 46 | Dan Castro – The Car Audio Shop – High Ridge, MO | 0.6% |
| 47 | John Phillips – Stereo One Carbondale – Carbondale, IL | 0.4% |
| 48 | Colton Wadley – Pro Audio – Provo, UT | 0.4% |
| 49 | Sam Lee – Audio Xcellence – City of Industry, CA | 0.2% |
| 50 | Jonathan Moore – Dreamworks Motorsports – Roxboro, NC | 0.1% |
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE TOP 50 RETAILERS AND TOP 100 INSTALLERS
Hello All,
It’s Time! This is the official notification that the 2014 Industry Awards are underway.
This blog is intended to outline the process and rules for the awards, starting from selecting the Top 100 Installers and Top 50 Retailers, all the way to selecting the final winners. Those winners will be announced and celebrated at the Mobile Electronics Retailers Association (MERA) KnowledgeFest event in Dallas, August 16-19.
For those of you who don’t know, The Industry Awards recognize the top performers in our industry. At the retail level, we identify the Top 100 Installers and Top 50 Retailers. Each of these groups narrows down to the Top 12, and finally we select winners from this group. This year, we’ve made changes to the Retailer of the Year awards. There will be one winner and one runner-up award given in two categories: single store and chain. The Installer of the Year award remains unchanged.
And there are other awards as well. The Trusted Tech award goes to the individual installation expert who is not only an excellent troubleshooter and detail-oriented worker, but has also earned the recognition and respect of their peers. The Rep of the Year and Rep Firm of the Year recognize sales representatives who go beyond the transaction to provide support and encouragement to retailers. Distributor of the Year (new for 2014) and Expediter of the Year award the top performers in these sales channels. And our Vendor of the Year awards celebrate the hard-working staffs of our suppliers and manufacturers in several different categories.
Before we delve more into the details, I want to first thank the members of the Mobile Electronics Advisory Group for their time and valued input. My goal for the group was to streamline the rules and policies of the awards so that we can present a fair and transparent process to the industry. The guidelines you see below are the result of their dedication.
Good Luck to All!
Solomon Daniels, Editor-in-Chief
2014 Mobile Electronics Industry Awards – Rules and Guidelines
Retailer Qualifications:
A publicly accessible, licensed brick-and-mortar or mobile business that has a dedicated mobile electronics department with full sales, retail and installation support. The business must have been open for a minimum of two years, regardless of location. (Home-based business must meet the same criteria and be licensed by local municipality to operate a mobile electronics retail business in its location.)
Installer Qualifications:
Installation specialists with a minimum 5 years of experience under a licensed business (company or sole proprietor) who are gainfully employed as a professional installer. Installation must be their primary duty within the business.
Vendors, Expediters, Distributors, Reps and Rep Firm Awards
Qualifications:
A vendor, manufacturer's representative, distributor or expediter that produces, sells or supports products in the mobile electroncis industry.
Vendor Awards:
Expediter of the Year
Rep of the Year
Rep Firm of the Year
Distributor of the Year
Top Vendor - Vendor – Autosound / Video
Top Vendor – Security / Convenience / Safety
Top Vendor – Power / Installation Components
Top Vendor – Processing and Integration
June 3: Voting to Select the Top 12 Begins
Individuals who vote are divided into two categories:
Consumers / Enthusiasts – people who are customers, family members, friends or competitors and are NOT employees in the mobile electronics industry in a professional capacity.
Industry professionals – people who work for an industry manufacturer, supplier, distributor, affiliate company or a retail location.
Because this is primarily an industry award, the value of an industry vote will be higher than that of a consumer vote:
Each person may select one retailer and one installer. Voters must supply contact information for verification purposes, and IP addresses are monitored to reduce the possibility of fraudulent voting. (Multiple store employees may vote from the same computer / IP address.)
June 20: LAST DAY to VOTE!
August 18: All winners announced at KnowledgeFest
Errors and omissions:
If, throughout this process, we determine that there is an error or more detail / clarification is required, we will publicly announce the adjustment via Hotwire, our email newsletter.
[Click Here] to Read the Latest Mobile Electronics magazine Editor Forum in the Digital Magazine
What’s New for 2022?
If you’re considering getting involved in the Industry Awards, there’s no better time than the present
If you’re considering getting involved in the Industry Awards, there’s no better time than the present
The Mobile Electronics Industry Awards comprises a months-long process to recognize and honor those in the industry who best exemplify the professionalism, business ethics, service and expertise we want consumers to notice when they do business with us.
Candidate companies and individuals submit video nominations and are narrowed to a list of finalists after a selection or voting process. In certain award categories, finalists submit material that’s judged by a select panel to determine a winner. In other categories, final voting tallies determine the winner. In past years, the awards ceremony has been held on the last day of KnowledgeFest in Dallas, hosted by the Mobile Electronics Association (MEA). But as you probably know by now, this coming year will see the industry’s return to Las Vegas.
Refreshing the awards process
Many in the industry have expressed a wish that the Industry Awards undergo a refresh. You let us know, and we listened. We’ve gathered a committee of past award winners in various categories to discuss the best way to evolve and to honor our industry participants. This fresh presentation of the Industry Awards allows for clear progression from one award to the next, further encouraging winners to continue pursuing excellence as they advance in their careers.
Many in the industry have expressed a wish that the Industry Awards undergo a refresh. You let us know, and we listened. We’ve gathered a committee of past award winners in various categories to discuss the best way to evolve and to honor our industry participants. This fresh presentation of the Industry Awards allows for clear progression from one award to the next, further encouraging winners to continue pursuing excellence as they advance in their careers.
As part of this refresh, we’ve engaged some of the new committee members to help explain what’s new for 2022 via online video presentation. Kicking it off are Jeff Smith and Dean Beyett—both of whom have won Industry Awards in the past—to preview the changes. The entire video presentation can be found on the Mobile Electronics magazine Facebook page [Click Here]. To help us all stay on track and aware of our deadlines, we’ve created a clear timeline that’s now listed on the homepage at www.meindustryawards.com. In addition, the submission process has been refined to make it easier to create your submission and video. Most of the changes are related to the retailer and installer awards, with a couple of new awards for the vendor community.
Here’s a summary of the changes
The Installer of the Year will consist of one award with no runner-up. All of the questions for the initial video submission have also been streamlined and presented in order. We also reduced the number of years of experience required from five to two years.
The Installer of the Year will consist of one award with no runner-up. All of the questions for the initial video submission have also been streamlined and presented in order. We also reduced the number of years of experience required from five to two years.
The Trusted Tech will now be selected by the judges from the Top 50 Installers and no longer requires a separate nomination.
The Rookie of the Year Award will allow submissions for both installers and salespeople with up to two years of experience.
The Retailer of the Year will have two categories: Single Store and Multi-Store, with no runners-up.
Finally, Retailer Performance Awards will now be selected by the judges from the Top 12 Retailers. Alternates will be included in the selection. In the past, awards such as Best Online Presence and Best Customer Retention required their own nomination. This time, if you’re a retailer and you get picked into the Top 12—including alternates—when you make your second video, those questions will be included to allow the judges to recognize retailers who excel in specific areas.
For the Top Vendor Awards there are two new categories:
Lighting – products or technology related to lighting and appearance for automotive, marine, and power sports, lighting solutions.
OEM Integration – products or technology that integrates into an automobile’s electrical/data systems for audio, video, steering wheel control, remote start, and or any product or technology that allows for integration for an installed product.
Also, we will recognize the Top Vendor Support Technician who best exemplifies the characteristics of professionalism, service, and expertise, as voted by peers, staff and judges throughout the Industry Awards process.
All retailer awards will allow for self-nominations with a second, as well as blind nominations. Once you’ve been selected for Top 12 and Top 5, there will be a new outline and set of questions. Turn in your nominations by midnight on November 14 for consideration. On the deadline, all nominations must be received along with the videos. Be on the lookout for on the Top 50 and Top 20 announcements on December 3. We’ll make these announcements via video, and we’ll list them on the Industry Awards website.
Spread the Word at KnowledgeFest
KnowledgeFest Dallas will be held December 10-12. If you attend, you’ll get an additional ribbon to display on your badge that recognizes your place on the Top 50 or Top 20. This is a great way to encourage peers to vote for you during the event. Voting for that round ends on December 19 at midnight.
KnowledgeFest Dallas will be held December 10-12. If you attend, you’ll get an additional ribbon to display on your badge that recognizes your place on the Top 50 or Top 20. This is a great way to encourage peers to vote for you during the event. Voting for that round ends on December 19 at midnight.
Recognition for the Committee
The Mobile Electronics Association would like to extend a special thank you to all the Industry Awards committee members for their time and contributions.
The Mobile Electronics Association would like to extend a special thank you to all the Industry Awards committee members for their time and contributions.
Dean Beyett: IOTY Runner Up 2020, Five Star Car Stereo, Clearwater, Fla. Top 12 Installer 2019. Top 5 Trusted Tech 2019.
Bryan Piper: Trusted Tech winner 2015. He was also a Top 50 Installer in 2015. He worked at Bay Area Audio Visions, Corpus Christi, Texas. Top 12 Installer in 2016 while at Resonance Auto Craft, Corpus Christi, Texas. He now works for Cerwin Vega and Diamond Audio.
Kris Bulla: Rep of the Year winner 2016, while working for DOW Electronics. He now works for Sony (Actionlink) and is the president of MECP.
Ata Ehdaivand: Top 50 Retailer 2016, Absolute Electronix, Rockville, Md. Trusted Tech winner 2017. Most Improved Store winner 2017. Top 12 Installer 2017, 2018. Top 12 Retailer 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Best Online Presence winner 2019. Top 50 Installer 2019.
Elias Ventura: Sales Pro winner 2017 while working for Sound FX, Lewes, Del. He now works for HKI, SounDigital and Ground Zero.
Jayson Cook: Sales Pro winner 2019 Columbus Car Audio and Accessories, Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Car Audio and accessories, Best Customer Experience winner 2018.
Jason Kranitz: Two-time Retailer of the Year winner 2011 and 2017, Kingpin Car and Marine Audio. Retailer of the Year runner-up winner 2016. Top 12 Retailer 2015. Installer of the Year winner. Top 12 Installer 2015. Top 100 Installer 2014. Best Customer Experience winner 2017. Sales Pro winner 2020. Top 5 Sales Pro 2018.
Jeff Smith: Installer of the Year winner 2009.
We’ll explain the rest of the process as the Industry Awards roll out.
The Mobile Electronics Industry Awards will be presented on the last day of KnowledgeFest Las Vegas, February 18-20, 2022. See you there!
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