KNOWLEDGEFEST
T
he 12-volt industry descended on the Gaylord Tex- an Hotel and Convention Center outside Dallas in unprecedented numbers in August, making MERA Knowl- edgeFest 2011 a resounding success. There was a lot to take in – and out, as hundreds of KF-goers took part in not only educational seminars and manufacturer trainings, but the endless opportunities to network and learn from each other. The 75,000-square-foot show floor and dozens of exhibi- tors provided installers an opportunity to get up close with new products – from smaller companies such as Got2bWireless to giants like Sony Electronics – and get their questions answered by manufacturers. This year’s KnowledgeFest also gave attendees plenty of
opportunities to unwind. Sony KnowledgeFest Live! at the glitzy Glass Cactus nightclub featured a performance by up-and-coming hip-hop artist Mickey Factz, who was at first received lukewarmly (in all fairness, the attendees were busy consuming complimentary finger foods and cocktails when he went on). Factz, a Sony Music signee, managed to win the crowd over as he showed off a singing repertoire in addi- tion to rap, then brought out Kanye West’s collaborator Tony Williams for an impromptu performance. At the end of the Factz’ set, he handed the mic to someone in the crowd – an installer, at that – who showcased his own rapping skills,
32 Mobile Electronics September | October 2011
wowing his peers and others in attendance. Camaraderie was at the core of KnowledgeFest. The show
gave installers from across the country an opportunity to chat with each other and exchange ideas and solve problems, or bring innovative ideas to the table. “This is the first time in a long time that I feel we are on the right track,” said Micah Williams, owner of Sonus Car Audio in Clarksville, Tenn. “To go out there and meet those guys was great. They were charged to be there.” Even with Hurricane Irene presenting travel challenges, reg- istration for KnowledgeFest exceeded 1,000, with “attendance not far behind,” according to MERA President Chris Cook. Re- tailer attendance rose 25 percent over 2010, with retailers – 60 percent of whom were owners, managers or decision- makers. “Retailers from 45 states including Alaska and Hawaii provided a national audience for exhibitors of KnowledgeFest 2011 cementing it as a must attend national event for the mo- bile electronics industry,” Cook said. Lunchtime was hardly downtime at KnowledgeFest, as each
day of the trade show, attendees were treated to a meal com- plete with exquisite dessert while distinguished guests took to the lectern. Speakers included marketing guru Jim Ackerman, OnStar’s Nick Pudar, Steve Koenig from the Consumer Electron- ics Association and Robert Acker of Aha Radio.
A record number of attendees take part in annual trade show By Slav Kandyba
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