Consumer electronics rep firm End Result, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has announced that its 16^th annual electronics expo for home A/V and 12-volt retailers was a huge success according to attendees. More than 170 local dealers attended the Survive—Revive—Thrive, event held on April 15 at the Fort Rapids Resort & Convention Center, in Columbus, Ohio. 

 At the one-day event, local dealers had an up close and personal preview of several new products from exhibiting manufacturers, and all had an opportunity to participate in a variety of educational seminars, manufacturers’ training sessions, and roundtable discussions. The full day of activities concluded with an entertaining Casino Night that gave everyone a chance to kick back.

Ed Dalesandro, principal of End Result and organizer of the event said, “The Show went great! Enthusiasm was high and everything was well received by the dealers attending. My biggest disappointment is that there were dealers in less than an hour away who couldn’t make. They missed some very exciting stuff. I am sure some had a legit reason why they couldn’t come, but we can’t make them better if they don’t try themselves. There was a wealth of knowledge and enthusiastic colleagues eager to share successes.”

Todd Hays, President of Columbus Car Audio & Accessories had this to say, “The End Result Show in Columbus, Ohio was a great event.  Ed Dalesandro and his team put together a great line up of seminars including a fantastic session on Selling Your Labor by Bryan Schmidt.   The seminar has our company working on implementing change immediately.  The day ended with an inspiring keynote speaker, Rick Crossland, that discussed having "A Players" in your organization. Thanks to Ed and his many manufacturers for putting this regional event together!

Mike Woods, President of Sound & Visions said, “We appreciated Ed Dalesandro’s effort to put together a regional show that included both a product showcase & educational seminars for our staff.  End Result goes above & beyond the efforts of most rep firms.” 

Highlights of the event included the introduction of Jaymar Theater Seating, a family business out of Montreal and the introduction of Electric Mirror, a cutting-edge lighted mirror and Mirror TV company that demonstrated an amazing image on a mirror and the TV was invisible.

Attending dealers:

•       Absolute Theater
•       Access One Alarms & Audio
•       Audio Sensations
•       Airwaves
•       American Entertainment
•       Audio Craft
•       Audio visual concepts
•       Audio Innovations
•       Audio Video Doctors
•       Audio Werks of Cincinnati
•       Auto Additions
•       Auto Sound
•       Beacon AVS
•       B’s Car Stereo
•       Butch’s Sound and Vision- oldest dealer there 1968)
•       Car Audio design
•       California Custom Sound
•       Carls Stereo Plus Pick ups
•       CD Innovations
•       Cincinnati Home theaters
•       Columbus Car Audio
•       Connections Unlimited
•       Custom Auto Restylers
•       Davis Distribution
•       Elite Audio Video
•       Enlightened Technology
•       Ergo Audio
•       Genesis Audio
•       Goosebumps
•       Ideal Sound and Vision
•       Innovative Auto works
•       Just in Time Audio Video
•       Ministry of Sound
•       Perfect Solutions
•       Pittsburgh Custom Home Theater
•       Roadquake
•       RSJ Mobile Electronics
•       Safe Systems
•       Simply automated
•       Scene Scape
•       Sound & vision
•       Alamo Electronics
•       AC Audio video 
•       Yankellos Audio video
•       VIP Autoworks
•       Team Nutz
•       The Wholesale House
•       Ramko Distributing
•       Sound Investment

Special thanks to Sound & Visions of Akron, OH who closed 3 stores for the day and sent 14 people to the event! VIP Autoworks and Elite Audio video for helping us during setup. Innovative Auto Works and Columbus Car Audio for loaning us their displays. 

Exhibiting home audio/video manufacturers included:

Anthem, BDI, Electric Mirror, Jamar, Paradigm Russound, Screen Innovations, and Wolf Cinema.

Autosound/Automotive manufacturers: Accele Electronics, Avidworx, Cadence, Hertz Audison, PAC / iSimple, RaceSport Lighting, Rosen, Rydeen, Soundquest/Stinger, Wet Sounds.

KICKER Audio is pulling out all the stops for Jeep Beach 2015 presented by Mid-Florida Jeep Club April 22-26, an annual event for Jeep fanatics with a passion for off-road vehicles. The five-day-long event is held each year at the Daytona International Speedway and Daytona Beach, Fla., where a plethora of Jeep enthusiasts and vendors gather to participate in scavenger hunts, obstacle courses and attempt to break the record for the world’s largest Jeep parade.

KICKER will bring along its newest Jeep demo, equipped with a Wrangler Vehicle-Specific Solutions (VSS™) upgrade system. The VSS audio system is created specifically for a Wrangler’s interior body style with an ability to auto-convert equalization from a hard top to the open air and back again. The system consists of a 10-inch powered subwoofer and an 8-channel amplifier capable of linking to the vehicle’s CAN-Bus and powering the factory audio.

Also included in KICKER’s Jeep Beach lineup is the newly renovated XRV tractor-trailer, fully capable of demonstrating each level of audio product and providing a thrill to those who step inside its “Boom Room.” The “Boom Room” is a sealed-off cabin within the trailer that contains a wall of 12 Q-Class L7 15-inch subwoofers handling more than 16,000 watts.

The rest of KICKER’s entourage is rounded out with a tricked-out Polaris UTV featuring the company’s PowerSports audio equipment, and KICKER dealer Ultimate Auto’s custom Jeep with L7 Subwoofers and IQ-Series Amplifiers.

Jeep Beach bills itself as “the largest Jeep-only, five-day event in the Southeast USA.” Registration during the week of the event is $100 for those who would like to participate and be included in each day’s activities. The event is centered at Daytona International Speedway Friday and Saturday before moving to the beach Sunday for a shoreline cruise.

Virtual Strategy -- Fifty-five percent of North American automotive aftermarket companies admit their biggest fear is cheaper competition, while 51 percent reveal that when customers leave, the biggest reason is cost. This is according to research published in April 2015 from North America’s leading supplier of sales intelligence software, sales-i.

The 2015 Automotive Aftermarket Industry Trends Report, based on data from 421 executives across the industry, also reveals that face-to-face meetings are still the most successful sales setting, while cold calling brings in the most new business leads. However, the use of social media is on the rise with 72 percent of respondents admitting that it will play a central part in their marketing strategy this year.

Kevin McGirl, President of sales-i, comments: “The big four players across the automotive aftermarket industry dominate just 20 percent of a market that’s worth a whopping $138 billion. That means now is a great time for smaller businesses to stand up and take their share of the market. This survey provides some fascinating insight into what these businesses need to be doing to beat the competition this year!”

Read more at http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2015/04/18/research-sales-i-finds-fifty-five-percent-aftermarket-executives-admit-cheaper-competitio#axzz3Xt0G85vc#FX7EWpjhxj8ccmLw.99

Automotive News -- Bose Corp. and Harman International Industries turned up the volume at the top of the branded in-car audio segment in late March with back-to-back feats.

On March 26, Bose Corp., which originated branded in-car audio with the 1983 Cadillac Seville, said its 34-speaker Bose Panaray system will appear in the 2016 Cadillac CT6 sedan.

Five days later, rival Harman International Industries Inc. counterpunched, saying it would pay 145 million euros, or about $154 million, to acquire the Bang & Olufsen Automotive car audio business, including the Bang & Olufsen and B&O Play brands.

The acquisition added another glamorous name to Harman's already bulging trophy case of high-end audio brands offered in Audi, BMW, Lincoln and Volvo vehicles, to name a few.

The Bose and Harman announcements threw into sharp relief the different strategies of the two leading companies in branded automotive audio.

Bose has steadfastly stuck by its strategy that its brand is prestigious enough to cover a wide array of automotive applications, from the Chevrolet Malibu to the Cadillac CT6.

"Because we're a very authentic company, we sweat all the details and put consistently great sound systems in these cars no matter what the range is," says Marc Mansell, vice president of Bose Automotive Systems Division. "The consumers have a trust for the Bose brand at the end of the day because of the products we've put out."

Product categories pioneered by Bose include noise-canceling headphones, direct reflecting loudspeakers and its SoundDock tabletop speaker for iPods.

Read More HERE.

Petra Industries, a leading wholesale distributor of consumer electronics, custom installation products, wireless accessories, mobile audio/video accessories and appliance connection supplies,has announced the appointment of Robert Wikes as Regional E-Commerce Sales Manager.

As the e-commerce regional sales manager for the Florida and SE U.S., Wikes will be responsible for identifying and maximizing growth opportunities with e-commerce customers. Charged with building relationships and partnering with customers he will develop programs to achieve sales goals while addressing current and future customer needs.

“Bob has a tremendous amount of sales and marketing experience and his merchandising background will make him a terrific asset to our customers,” said John Grothe, Vice-President of E-Commerce at Petra Industries. “His expertise in ecommerce, combined with his 30+ years in consumer electronic distribution, retail and merchandising will make him a great addition to the Petra team and we are very fortunate to have him on board.”

Great Opportunity with VOXX International Corporation for a 12 Volt Installer

Considered one of the premier 12 Volt global manufacturers in vehicle security, remote start,telematics, rear seat entertainment and advanced collision avoidance – VOXX Electronics Corporationis looking to add the best support possible to its dealer partners.

Position:

Long Island based

Working knowledge of 12 Volt needed with 2 years minimum experience in installing automotive electronics.

12-volt installs of security/rear seat entertainment and car audio required.

Strong communication skills required for interacting with retailer/expeditor installers.

Computer knowledge of Microsoft Office software neededas well as ability to download firmware.

Travel required.

Excellent benefits: health plan, vacation and sick/personal days/wellness programs

If you are interested in joining the VOXX team, please send resume and salary requirements to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Entrepreneur.com -- Being a successful entrepreneur means you have to wear a lot of hats, especially when your company is just starting out and you don’t have enough employees to cover all the areas you need.

Learning the new skills necessary to start a new business can be expensive, but fortunately the initiative for free, high-quality, educational resources online has only continued to grow in the past few years. Below are some of the resources available to learn more about marketing, entrepreneurship, business management and more.

1. CodeAcademy

This great resource offers free interactive programming sessions to help you learn programming languages such as HTML, CSS, Javascript and PHP. You can save your progress as you go with a free account. Learning to code can help entrepreneurs fix bugs if they don’t have a developer, or even go down the road of building their own website or products (such as apps).

2. HubSpot Academy 

The free certification program offers courses on inbound marketing, including website optimization, landing pages and lead nurturing. These skills are a must for business owners as they try to grow their business and online presence.

Related: 21 Resources to Make You a Better Entrepreneur

3. Moz

If you want to learn search-engine optimization to make sure your website is as visible as possible, check out this treasure trove of resources from SEO leader, Moz. Besides having the free Moz Academy, there are also webinars (live and recorded), and beginner’s guides to SEO, social media and link building.

4. LearnVest

The most successful entrepreneurs know how to manage their money both on a business and personal side. In addition to having extremely affordable finance classes, LearnVest also offers some of its classes for free, such as “Building Better Money Habits” and “How to Budget.”

5. Niche consultant courses

The Internet has made for a coaching boom, which is extremely helpful to entrepreneurs who want to learn how to start or better a business in a specific niche. Some great coaches and organizations that routinely have free courses and ebooks on building a business include Natalie MacNeil and MyOwnBusiness. Try searching “niche keyword” + “business course” to find one most applicable to you.

Read the rest of the story HERE.

Cerwin-Vega Mobile recently conducted its “Legion of Boom” training seminar at KnowledgeFest 2015 held in Indianapolis, Ind. Industry veteran Larry Frederick, head of New Product Development for Cerwin-Vega Mobile, held court as he provided a complete product overview of Cerwin-Vega Mobile’s latest product offerings and technologies. The “Legion of Boom” training also covered the basics of car audio physics and how to get the most out of any car audio equipment and system designs to achieve maximum SPL levels and superior sound quality output.

“Training is crucial in today’s highly competitive retail environment. From the experienced to new dealers just starting out in our industry, it is imperative that they take advantage of manufacturer’s trainings to fine-tune their product knowledge and be able to learn new things about the constantly changing technologies so they will be prepared. Consumers these days are doing a lot more research due to the abundance of resources that are conveniently made available to them so it is important that our dealers are well-prepared and trained to provide the proper information to close a deal,” adds Larry Frederick. Vega Nation’s Eric Balmart from B’s Car Stereo just outside of Cleveland, Ohio won himself a VEGA series 15” subwoofer (V152DV2) at the “Legion of Boom” training. B’s Car Stereo has been part of the Vega Nation for approximately 10 years and continues to deliver the BOOM in the surrounding Cleveland market.
John Harden from Auto Solutions in Concord, NC made the trek all the way to Indianapolis, IN and was chosen as the winner of the VEGA series V1000.1D amplifier. Auto Solutions recently joined the VEGA Nation last year and is servicing the Concord and greater Charlotte, N.C. market.

Utilizing a quality venue, good timing and a solid combination of educational seminars and manufacturer trainings, the first KnowledgeFest Spring Training event drew retailers from areas never before tapped for the industry-specific event.

Being the second of its kind, this event was created to focus primarily as a bridge for retailers who are unable to travel to Dallas in August and meet directly with manufacturers for training and to ask questions in an intimate setting. Located in downtown Indianapolis at the Indiana Convention Center, this second KnowledgeFest offered trainings from Kicker, Kenwood, Alpine, Voxx, Directed, Escort, Memphis Car Audio and K40, among others. Companies provided trainings on their latest products and gave sales tips on how to sell those products in the most effective ways. New technologies have been a source of confusion for many retailers in recent years due to the rapid rate of change, which manufacturers saught to help with at the event.

The educational tracks saw a variety of pairings from veteran retailers and industry gurus. One such pairing was between Del Ellis and Jason Kranitz, who were their to promote their new venture, Kingpin University, in an attempt to promote more education in the industry due to a shortage of installers. Also presenting were Marcel Newell and Ben Vollmer from Avidworx/Businessworx, alongside retailers Mike Bartells and John Schwartz.

The biggest strengths of the seminars came in their topics, focusing on some of the hottest issues causing headaches to retailers today, including how to find good help amidst an installer shortage, sale strategies for less popular categories like window tinting and techniques for integrating new technologies like iPad dash kits and OEM integration.

The event also showcased a Town Hall Meeting, featuring a panel of veteran retailers providing their thoughts in an open forum for both retailers and manufacturers to hear. Topics discussed included customer retention, finding and developing new talent and the importance of continuous training. Questions from the audience bore some controversy with some retailers airing grievances regarding topics like a lack of POP from some manufactures, specifically regarding literature for clients to read, as well as issues with defective products and no reimbursement for return shipping costs.

To close the meeting, Solomon Daniels, editor-in-chief of Mobile Electronics magazine, discussed this year's Industry Awards, which will take place in Dallas, Texas at KnowledgeFest 2015. The awards process officially begins on May 1st and will include many changes, including new awards for Rookie of the Year, Trusted Tech (separately voted), various retail performance awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award. A new website will be created specifically for the awards, which, in addition to current contest information and rules, will include previous winners and nominees.

With the KnowledgeFest Spring Training event coming up in less than a week, it seemed timely to provide you with some tips on how to be better at networking. Here are few from Entrepreneur.com that might help:

Entrepreneur -- One of the best ways for entrepreneurs to socialize with colleagues, customers and potential clients is at networking events. Corporate gatherings, conferences, happy hours and cocktail parties provide an opportunity for you to meet new people and reconnect with old acquaintances.

However, if you have difficulty mingling in a room full of strangers, connecting with other professionals can be a difficult and uncomfortable process. Regardless of how you feel, networking is undeniably an effective way to meet people who can provide new opportunities and help you grow your business.

Many entrepreneurs regularly attend networking events, but few study or practice effective networking. The more practiced you become at starting conversations with strangers, the less anxious you’ll be. Your confidence will attract others and help you become much more than just another business card.

To become a master mingler, employ these tips at the next networking event you attend.

Hone your public speaking skills.

Conversations require just as much speaking ability as a presentation. Practice your skills whenever you can. Take a public speaking class or join a Toastmasters club in your area. When you feel prepared, give presentations at industry meetings or offer to give a guest lecture at a local community college or university.

Start with a handshake.

The type of handshake you extend to a stranger speaks volumes about you and your intentions. When you approach someone new at a networking event, start your conversation with a firm handshake. As you greet the individual, make eye contact, smile, extend your hand and introduce yourself. This nonverbal communication will help you build rapport before you even say a word.

Win the name game.

Remembering names is an essential skill in conversations. When others hear you say their name, it makes them feel more connected to you. If you’ve just met someone for the first time, use his name frequently in conversation. When you forget a name, simply extend your hand and say your own name. The other person will most likely introduce himself in return.

Show interest.

Many entrepreneurs use a popular but ineffective approach while networking. Instead of building relationships, they collect and hand out as many business cards as they can. To form professional connections, approach new acquaintances with a genuine interest in their businesses, opinions and hobbies. When you initiate the conversation, ask open-ended questions to show your sincerity.

Read more HERE: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/244553

- See more at: http://www.businessworld.in/news/economy/connected-car-trends-to-watch-out-for/1801729/page-1.html#sthash.HHKSVJ8z.dpuf

weBoost, formerly Wilson Electronics, announces the hiring of Jamie Elgie, who joins the company as Chief Marketing Officer, reporting to Robert Van Buskirk, President and CEO.

Mr. Elgie most recently served as the Senior Director, Digital Marketing and Customer Service at Belkin International, where he led the team responsible for driving customer engagement across the Belkin, Linksys and WeMo brands. His prior roles at Belkin included Senior Director, Platforms Division, Director, Mobile Accessories and Senior Product Manager, Laptop Accessories. Prior to his more than 10 years at Belkin, Mr. Elgie held positions in product management at Kensington Technology Group and brand management at Procter and Gamble.

“We are extremely pleased to have Jamie on board, driving our global marketing efforts at weBoost,” Mr. Van Buskirk said. “Jamie brings with him a proven track record in consumer electronics marketing, digital marketing, corporate marketing, PR, brand management, product management and customer service, all of which are attributes that we believe will help drive weBoost to the next phase of profitable, global growth.”

Mr. Elgie said he was delighted to join the senior management team at weBoost to help increase the category awareness of signal boosters, expand the reach of its product solutions and drive growth across the company’s consumer signal booster brands, weBoost and zBoost, and its commercial brand, Wilson Electronics.

“It is an exciting time for the company, as demand is accelerating rapidly for mobile and indoor cellular boosters for use in consumer and commercial applications around the globe,” Mr. Elgie said. “In today’s world, cellular connectivity has never been more important. At weBoost we play an integral role for both consumers and businesses seeking reliable and robust mobile and indoor cellular connections and access to cellular-based broadband services. I look forward to working with our global marketing partners in my new role.”

Mr. Elgie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

PCC -- AT&T in partnership with Autonet Mobile, is making connected cars smarter by offering its integrated telematics solution for customers whose vehicles are powered by AT&T's 4G LTE network. By using the Autonet Mobile App on their smartphones, customers can control their connected cars remotely, allowing them to execute functions such as lock and unlock a vehicle remotely, manage teenage driving through parental controls, check car health reports to keep it in top shape, use in-car Wi-Fi and more. The other benefits that Autonet Mobile offers to car makers are over-the-air updates and vehicle diagnostics. Autonet Mobile currently provides connected car services to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, General Motors, Maserati, Subaru and other major auto brands.partners.

In addition to Autonet, AT&T also announced an upgraded plug-in solution, the Car Connection 2.0, which offers enhanced functions designed to increase safety, control and convenience in the car. The app features control functions such as driver scores delivered based on driving habits, allowing parents to monitor teenager's driving behaviour and set up special zones where the vehicle is allowed to go. This is an upgrade from the current Audiovox Car Connection Elite product, and according to AT&T, existing customers can upgrade to the new Car Connection 2.0 solution by downloading the upgraded app to their smartphone while new customers can purchase the plug-in device for $99 plus $10 a month for a data plan from AT&T.

The Mobile Electronics Group announced it has added Alpine Electronics as a Diamond Vendor Partner. Alpine Electronics of America, based in Torrance, California, becomes the seventh brand to become a Diamond Partner for 2015. It joins other Diamond Vendors: Focal, HD Radio, Kicker, Metra Electronics, SiriusXM and Sony Mobile. DD Audio, Scosche Industries and Memphis Car Audio round-out this select group of vendors as Platinum Partners.

Partnership is by invitation only and Mobile Electronics expects its vendor partners to support its Mission, which is to “support the specialist channel to deliver exceptional customer experiences”; and, to support its efforts to educate retailers, improve their businesses, and support their marketing campaigns; thus, increasing the professionalization of the retail sector and increasing industry sales at higher profit margins.

“Mobile Electronics group is dedicated to the success of the 12-volt independent retailers, and we are glad to be a Diamond Partner to help support their work in the important specialist channel,” said Mike Anderson, assistant vice president of sales, Alpine Electronics of America, Inc.

Mobile Electronics’ Vendor Partners gain direct marketing access to the group’s top-level Diamond and Platinum Dealer members along with numerous branding opportunities in front of Mobile Electronics’ audience using the group’s resources. Vendor Partners receive added value through recognition as sponsors at KnowledgeFest. And, Partners get “Enterprise Savings” off their total annual buy with Mobile Electronics, including additional savings on KnowledgeFest show space; advertising in Mobile Electronics magazine, Hotwire newsletter and on ME-Mag.com; and participation in the Mobile Electronics Point-of-Sale (POS) Reports Program.  

More vendors are expected to come onboard as partners at Mobile Electronics’ upcoming KnowledgeFest Spring Training event April 11-13 in Indianapolis. For more information about this educational event and tradeshow, please visit knowledgefest.org.

Kenwood USA announced it has hired Seth Halstead to fulfill the duties of regional training manager for the company's car electronics division. The assignment provides Kenwood retailers, installers and other industry professionals in the eastern United States with a proven industry professional who will conduct in-store trainings and serve as a technical and sales resource. 

Halstead's 12-year industry career includes sales, management and installation duties at the specialist retail level, working for Sound Advice in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Ovation Audio/Video Solutions in Indianapolis, Ind.; and Audio Electronics, also in Indianapolis, as an MECP-certified professional. He most recently served as sales associate for Florida-based distributor Dow Electronics before joining Kenwood.

"Seth possesses a wide array of industry experience, which makes him perfect for this position," said Tony Mercado, marketing manager for Kenwood USA. "Sales and installation expertise coupled with retail and distribution backgrounds gives him the ability to relate to retailers and installers and provide not only in-depth product knowledge, but sales strategy as well."

In his new position, Halstead will work closely with eastern U.S. retailers to develop sell-through strategy and installation expertise for the company's 2015 product line. He will also attend local distributor events to teach emerging technologies such as Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay™ included in the company's soon-to-ship DDX-9902S multimedia receiver.

"Since my days of competing in dB drag racing events, car audio and 12-volt overall have been my passion," said Halstead. "I look forward to continuing my career with such a forward-looking company and supporting retailers, reps and distributors in maximizing their sales opportunities with the Kenwood brand."

Halstead can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For more information on Kenwood products and events, please visit www.kenwood.com/usa.

Brian Mitchell of Liquid Trends in Modesto, California emerged victorious as the winner of the first INSTALLER 5K contest, at the inaugural in.car.EXPO Trade show on March 21^st and 22^nd, 2015.

Brian’s “Zombie Killer” themed 2012 Chevrolet Cruze and system installation, equipped with ARC Audio amplifiers and speakers and an Alpine source unit, showed the quality of work being  performed by many of the nation’s top installers. While the contest focused mainly on installation and fabrication skills, it also highlighted the product being used and how it integrates with today’s automotive technology.

More than 10 vehicles and systems were showcased at the event from some of the top retail shops in the country. Entries from California to Florida were evaluated by three of the top IASCA Installation judges in the industry; the team consisted of Dave MacKinnon (15 year industry member and PASmag review writer), Gord Stansell (20 year IASCA install judge known as “Mr. White Glove”) and Larry Chijner 20 year competitor and judge.

“Brian has been a top installer for years and we are proud that he’s the inaugural winner of the INSTALLER 5K” said Moe Sabourin, INSTALLER 5K producer and IASCA Worldwide Director “It’s about time our industry started focusing on our retailers as the installation professionals and the skill involved in building quality sound systems in vehicles. It  represents that our independent retailers are the future of our industry and the people who will move our industry ahead. The INSTALLER 5K is IASCA’s first step towards making that a reality and we look forward to rewarding more shops and installers in the future.”

“Liquid Trends in Modesto, California has been in Business for 16 years.” said Brian Mitchell, owner of Liquid Trends and INSTALLER 5K winner “The 2012 Chevy Cruze (BLK CRUZ) was built to be a statement piece for the shop. I’m really excited about winning the INSTALLER 5K; it shows the quality of work we do and being rewarded for it shows our customers that we do go over and above when installing a system in their vehicles.”

Here’s what the judges had to say:

Larry Chijner: “I would have to say that Brian’s vehicle was done with extensive creativity. Everything he did was done to the point of perfection.”

Dave MacKinnon: “It was both and honor and privilege to have been chosen to judge the inaugural Installer 5K challenge. Every single entry showed amazing dedication and commitment to both the car audio industry and to their craft as an installer.”

Chris Ott from Soundwaves of Tampa, FL was the runner up with his 2002 Honda Civic Si.

Plans are already under way for the 2^nd INSTALLER 5K contest at the 2016 in.car.EXPO, showcasing retail shops from all over the country.

For more information on the INSTALLER 5K and in.car.EXPO, visit the website at www.incarexpo.com or contact Moe Sabourin at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Harman, seller of Infinity and JBL audio products, has purchased Bang & Olufsen's Automotive car audio business. The acquisition was made for $156 million.

Bang & Olufsen products are known for being part of high-end vehicles such as Audi, BMW, Astin Martin and Mercedez-Benz. At this time, Harman has no plans to bring the brand to the aftermarket. The purchase does not include the company's consumer electronics business. 

Auto Connected Car News -- Openbay for the New York Auto Show, announced a new product called OpenbayConnect to supplement its web and mobile apps that send offers to customers who request car service. The service will work with either  OBDII connected devices or through on-board telematics services.

Opebay claims it is the first-of-its-kind system that hooks into vehicle diagnostics to determine what’s wrong with a car, who can fix it, and at what price. The OpenbayConnect receives information from OBDII port devices on cars. The service providers diagnosis the problems and then send bids via email. Openbay contends that the service eliminates the need to go to a mechanic to diagnose a check-engine light.

Openbay will also recommended solutions for owners to do such things as tighten the gas cap.

When a vehicle experiences a problem, if the issue warrants immediate service, the information will be sent local auto repair shop through Openbay. The shops receive the data and may respond with an offer with a binding price. Openbay also sends warnings to members of its service.

Read the rest of the story here: http://www.autoconnectedcar.com/2015/03/obdii-connected-car-telematics-service-from-openbay/

Forty four of the industry’s leading manufacturers along with regional distributors of Mobile Electronics and accessories exhibited in support of the 29^th annual Spring Break Nationals this past weekend. The 200,000 square foot Ocean Center in Daytona Beach was filled with spectators and trade attendees.

The SPL zone saw SPL brands the likes of Orion, McLaren Sound Systems, DS 18 and PRV Brazil presenting their various sounds. The much quieter SQ Zone was packed with manufacturer’s exhibits, IASCA and MECA Sound Quality competition vehicles and premier installations by those entered into the inaugural Installer 5K. The IASCA I-5K contest awarded Top Installer, Brian Mitchell of Liquid Trends, Modesto California with a $5,000 cash prize for the best installation according to IASCA rules.

Brands committed to the growth of their Dealers served them with training and seminars in product, sales and technical knowledge. Memphis Audio, Soundstream, JL Audio, elettromedia, Cerwin Vega, Diamond Audio, PRV, DS18 all secured breakout rooms to perform these sessions off of the show floor. On the show floor, Encore Security Systems performed an onsite, hands on installation demonstration seminar of their top of the line E9 system. Event founder and producer Paul Papadeas said “as a mobile electronics retailer for 41 years, I’m pleased to see that there are still companies that take stock in their Dealers assisting in their development as we move forward into this extreme technically oriented era”.

The team at Tampa based DOW Electronics, along with their latest acquisition of Eagle Distributors, hosted two full days of sessions courting Dealers near and far. Dow’s anchor brands: Sony, Rockford Fosgate, Kenwood, Arc Audio were the headliners along with eleven other brands that Dow represents in booth spaces and in breakout rooms.

“DOW Electronics is proud to support in.car.EXPO at SBN” said Dave Elkin, VP of Sales for DOW, “we’ve continued to ramp up our participation in this event and we’re very excited to play a part in the transformation of this show into a trade based event. in.car.EXPO is an important evolution for the industry and we are dedicated to its success”.

For the second year in a row, DOW Electronics Distributors were the recipients of the Bruce Terrell Award that recognizes the most proactive company that work tirelessly to promote the Mobile Electronics Industry and Dealer education. Elkin went on to say, “We at DOW work very hard to grow the 12V business and continues to find creative and meaningful ways to support 12V Dealers. Receiving this award validates our strategic decisions”.

Plans for in.car.EXPO 2016 are already underway. Slated for March 18^th - 21^st the in.car.EXPO will be held as a trade only show and will involve all Manufacturers, Distributors and Dealers in and beyond the Southeastern region. For more information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 386 767 3030.