Azione Unlimited Appoints New Board Members to Help Envision the Future of the Buying Group
Chester Springs, PA – (July 2017) – Azione Unlimited (AU), the education and buying group for custom installers and home technology professionals, has elected two new custom electronics industry professionals to join the Azione Advisory Board. Chris Smith, Vice President, Business Development for Cloud9 Smart, and Frank Sterns, Vice President of AV specialty and custom integration channels at Sony, join the board, effective immediately. They will replace Don Dixon of Definitive Electronics and Eric Bodley of Future Ready Solutions, whose two-year terms recently ended.
Azione Unlimited is the only buying group where dealers and vendors are both equal members of the organization and, likewise, five dealer members and five vendor members make up the Advisory Board. The Advisory Board members collaborate on ideas and initiatives, supporting Azione President Richard Glikes as he leads the buying group into the future with Azione 2.0.
“I thank Eric Bodley of Future Ready Solutions and Don Dixon of Definitive Electronics for their five years of service as Advisory Board members, and the hard work, insight, and inspiration they offered to our membership during that time,” says Azione President Richard Glikes.
Chris Smith joins fellow dealer members: Travis Leo, of Residential Systems; Jason Voorhees, of Cantara Designs; Kim Michaels, of Electronic Environments; and Eric Thies of DSI Luxury, while Sterns joins fellow vendor members: Keith Haas, of Integra; Jason Sloan, of Sonance; George Walter, of RAYVA; Ryan Donaher of Meridian.
Sony joined Azione Unlimited in 2015 and, since then, the company, including Frank Sterns, has helped support Azione dealers, provided educational opportunities, and played a large role networking events and opportunities for the organization. Sterns, who describes himself as a “strategic thinker focused on accountability and results,” helped lead the charge to bring Sony’s 4K Ultra HD TVs, projectors, and ES AVR’s to the custom integration channel. He has won multiple industry awards and is a highly regarded industry veteran.
In his role on the Azione Advisory Board, Sterns plans to use his strategic communications background to bring members even closer together and help members take advantage of the many innovations in the display technologies field. “I am thrilled and excited to join the Azione Unlimited Advisory Board. Azione member dealers are among the best CI integrators in the country and I look forward to contributing to their continued growth in these exciting times,” says Sterns.
Chris Smith, one of Azione’s 175+ dealer members, is an industry veteran with experience working with both manufacturers and integrators. Currently, the Vice President, Business Development, for New York, NY-based technology integrator Cloud9 Smart, Smith was recognized as one of Dealerscope’s Top 40 under 40 industry professionals this year. He has previously worked for McIntosh Labs and B&W Group.
“I am honored and proud to be included as a member of the Board of Directors of Azione Unlimited. I look forward to working with my fellow board members (comprised of both dealers and vendors!), along with the finest integrators, retailers, manufacturers, and leadership within our industry. I look forward to contributing to a group that creates and executes opportunities for continued growth, education, and professionalism,” says Smith.
“Azione 2.0 is about growth, collaboration, and communication,” says Glikes. “I can’t think of any better individuals to help promote that spirit than Sterns and Smith. They are bright, enthusiastic, and well-prepared to work with the board as, together, we lead Azione membership toward an even more prosperous future.”
For interviews or media tours, please contact Katye (McGregor) Bennett of KMB Communications, Inc. by phoning (425) 328-8640 or emailing katye@kmbcomm.com.
