AV brings Washington State University s Nursing Program to life.

Advancing Healthcare AV brings Washington State University s Nursing Program to life. Washington State University s Intercollegiate College of Nursing (ICN), Spokane WA. By Jim Stokes Washington State University s Intercollegiate College of Nursing (ICN) has a new facility on the Riverpoint campus in Spokane. The teaching experience incorporates interactive AV classrooms, multimedia, distance learning, research, clinical and simulation laboratories. For our purposes, we ll cover AV use in classroom basics through practical hands-on instruction, which includes both simulator and human patients. According to Washington State University (WSU), the College of Nursing s new home has a total budget of nearly $34 million. Educating more than 1000 upper-division undergraduate and graduate students, it provides upper-division undergraduate nursing education in partnership with Eastern Washington University in Cheney and Whitworth University in Spokane as part of the nation s first, oldest and most comprehensive nursing education consortium. Correspondingly, a Master of Nursing degree (MN), with programs leading to specialization as a family nurse practitioner, psychiatric/mental health practitioner and/or community-based population-focused nurse, is offered. At press time, the nursing programs were in full swing. Looking back, the College of Nursing welcomed its inaugural class of PhD students during the Summer of 2007, providing doctoral education using a combination of face-toface and distance-education methods. Using the distributive nursing educa- Sound & Communications Contributing Editor Jim Stokes has been involved in the AV industry for more than 30 years as an AV technician and writer. 40 Sound & Communications www.soundandcommunications.com

There are two control rooms: The SAC control room (left), with four work stations controls all classrooms; the other is the backup, used in case of an overflow or emergency, as well as when staff has to be in the building in which it is located. tion models, students are served at five locations across the state, in Spokane, Tri-Cities, Vancouver, Walla Walla and Yakima. Credits Before we continue, here are the credits. The design and install for the College of Nursing s AV systems was by Avidex AV, Spokane WA, with Bill Watt as the designer. Our tour guides for the install are Charlie Niemi, CTS, Avidex Branch Manager, and Saleh Elgiadi, WSU Director of Information Technology. The AV systems reveal an abundance of flexibility as our voyage progresses from sit-down classroom/distance learning and their control rooms through a multimedia lab, seminar and conference rooms, and winding up in the hands-on clinics. Therefore, getting to be a nurse is like getting to Carnegie Hall, as the old joke and truism goes: Practice, Practice, Practice. Niemi observed that the WSU AV project was by far the most intense we ve ever done with them. We ve worked with Washington State University for eight or nine years doing a lot of different projects. And in my 20 years in the AV business, this is my largest project and certainly the most complex from a technology perspective and putting all the AV together to work in a variety of ways. Citing the complex example of working with distance-education classrooms, he noted, Going into one classroom is no problem. But incorporating four of them so they can be controlled from a control room was pushing our technological envelope. Distance Education Regarding serving the information needs of students in Spokane as well as the other locations, WSU s Elgiadi explained, It reaches those sites over videoconferencing technologies because students want to access information and feel as if they re in the same classroom. We didn t want to inhibit the spontaneity, collaboration and camaraderie that develops between students. They re able to ask questions, interact and get the material that the instructor is presenting, whether it s PowerPoint, images or a video. Whatever the material is, they have the same view as the local students. There are four distance-education classrooms in the nursing building. Via AMX control, each instructor can choose either in-room or far-site IPbased AV conferencing modes. Correspondingly, the rooms seating accommodates 40, 60, 100 and up to 140 students. Each classroom has its own equipment rack. Routing is via Extron in RGBHV DAs. Kramer is well represented with various video DAs, matrix switchers, component converters and scan converters. In fact, Extron and Kramer devices are in the AV framework throughout the install. Therefore, let s take a look at one of the two larger rooms as a prototype for most of the AV functions. We hasten to add that the smaller rooms are also well equipped, but with scaled-down versions of the same technology. Thus, in our example from a larger room, a Shure push-to-talk cardioid microphone is shared by every two students. There are 120 total student mic sources within the two larger rooms. When the mic is turned on, a Vaddio PTZ camera system, based on the Sony EVI camera, zooms in to show viewers on the far site who is talking, making the instruction quite personal and not a gaggle of disembodied voices from Spokane. Similarly, the camera system can track the instructor, who has a choice of a Shure gooseneck and a Shure wireless lavalier for himself and/or a guest lecturer. Classrooms have three strategically placed Vaddio PTZ cameras. Conferencing System Because we ve introduced the audio aspect, note that all microphones and other audio sources run through the ClearOne Converge Pro audio conferencing system with its eight-channel automatic mixer, which acts as the room voice lift and/or audio feed to the far site. Room audio is heard on JBL in-ceiling speakers, driven by Crown power amplifiers. IR hearing assistance is provided by Phonic Ear StarSound 600 large area systems. On the videoconferencing side, there s a Polycom codec. All the room s video sources go through the Analog Way seamless switcher and are sent to the two Panasonic projectors housed in Chief ceiling mounts. The January 2010 41

screen was provided by the construction company. And there s a WolfVision document camera handily mounted above the instructor s demonstration table. A pair of big-screen 46-inch NEC flatpanel monitors on Chief mounts offers side-by-side viewing. Those are what we call confidence monitors, said Niemi. The NEC displays are hanging from the ceiling about 15 to 20 feet back from the podium so the instructor can see what s being projected on the room screen. In the case of the College of Nursing, the instructor might write or show a heart or an arm. The Altinex modules in the podium allow for a guest presenter s laptop or some other AV composite video device to be plugged in. There s also the convenience of a dedicated JVC DVD recorder/vcr combo with tuner. In-room AV and distance conferencing are all well and good for students in attendance, but what about the student who can t make it to the lecture? According to WSU s Elgiadi, the univer- Before SimMan: Health Manikins I Have Known Lectrosonics Venue Wireless Mics by the Numbers. 6 channels in 1RU 100% made in the USA Ø compandors in the audio path 35-20kHz audio frequency response 230 MHz bandwidth for huge tuning range 50mW, 100mW and 250mW transmitters available 24 channels in 4 rack spaces with Ø outboard splitters Whether you or your clients need a wireless system for a church, school, boardroom, theater or government facility, Lectrosonics represents the state of the art in sound quality, reliability, rack space efficiency and value. Patented Digital Hybrid Wireless ensures that your audio stays crystal clear, enhancing intelligibility. Rugged, all-metal construction means that t you can count on it for decades - even in tough environments. And a wide range of frequency band choices with no blocks guarantees that no matter where your facility is located, there is a Lectrosonics system that will work in your area. Choose Lectrosonics and raise your wireless standards. Made in the USA by a Bunch of Fanatics Visit www.lectrosonics.com In the US, call 800-821-1121 In Canada, call 877-753-2876 SimMan, WSU College of Nursing s manikin, is another aspect of the school s hands-on AV educational programs, and is a far cry from what the author experienced back in the day. By way of a personal experience, this writer would like to go back in time before SimMan AV technology for a whimsical look into an adventure with two health manikins. The memorable event took place in the late 1960s, when I was working at a health agency in Minneapolis during the anti-smoking craze. Typically, in the American way, our agency and many others were trying to get people to stop smoking and stop all other forms of air pollution right now! So our parent agency came out with Sam and Millie: the Smoking Dummies, which made the rounds of the public schools. Each of these smiling manikins was equipped with small hidden chest loudspeakers under its clothing, to which a two-track tape player could be connected. It was my task to hire two young actors to pre-record the Sam and Millie lines. All went well, except the speech could only be heard a few feet away and with not much pizzazz. That didn t do any good for hearing the action on stage in an auditorium or even overcoming the ambience of a classroom! So, we brought out a power amplifier to drive more powerful separate speakers within the manikins. Fortunately, we got a lot of media coverage for our exploits. In comparison with the current WSU College of Nursing s SimMan and his companions, our pair of manikins had frozen smiles, only one anti-smoking spiel ( Take a tip from a dummy and don t smoke. ) and no rolling eyes. Jim Stokes 42 Sound & Communications www.soundandcommunications.com

EQUIPMENT Distance Education Classrooms (x4) 4 Altinex ISC2000-I PC modules 4 Altinex ISV3000-I AV modules 4 AMX 12" Modero VG Series table top touch panels 4 AMX NI-4100 control processors 6 AMX NXC-COM2 dual com port cards 2 Analog Way OFD803 OCTO-FADE-II seamless switchers 4 Chief PCM-2241 flat-panel ceiling mounts 4 Chief RPA-6500 mounts for Panasonic PTL-D5500U 4 ClearOne Converge Pro 880 audio conferencing system w/converge Pro 8i 8-channel AEC mic mixer expansion units 6 Crown 280A amps 2 Extron DA6 RGBHV distribution amps 24 JBL Control 24CT MicroPlus compact in-ceiling speakers 4 JVC DRMV100B 1080p up converting DVD recorder/vcr combos w/tuner 4 Kramer 1X3 video DAs 4 Kramer 8X8 XGA matrix switchers 4 Kramer RGB to component converters 4 Kramer VP-123V inputs on XGA projectors 10 Kramer XGA & HDTV scan converters 4 Middle Atlantic ERK-4425 44-space-deep standalone racks 9 NEC Displays LCD4620-2-IT 46' LCD monitors 7 Panasonic PBTS PT-DW5100U 5500 lumen DLP projectors 4 Phonic Ear StarSound 600 large area IR assistive listening systems 4 Polycom HDX 9004 HD codecs 120 Shure MX392/C boundary cardioid mics (total, split between the two largest classrooms) 4 Shure MX418D/C 18" desktop gooseneck mics 4 Shure ULXP14/85 wireless lav mic kits 4 Sonic Foundry MSL-CSR-B05 RL education bundle (covers all four classrooms) 4 Sonic Foundry MSL-SFT-POD Mediasite PodCast automatic MP3 converters 4 Sonic Foundry MSL-SSS-S15 Mediasite PodCast automatic MP3 converters 12 Vaddio WallView Pro HD1 camera systems Seminar Rooms (x2) 2 Polycom HDX ceiling mic arrays 4 Altinex ISC2000-I PC modules 2 Altinex ISV3000-I AV modules 2 AMX NI-4100 control processors 2 AMX NXC-COM2 dual com port cards 2 AMX MVP-8400 8.4" Modero ViewPoint touchpanels w/wall mount 2 Analog Way OFD803 OCTO-FADE-II seamless switchers 2 Centrum Sound Systems CIR-3 StarSound 600 large area IR assistive listening systems 6 Chief PRO-2241 lockable tilt wall mounts 2 Cisco N60741 AIR-AP1252G-A-K9 wireless access points 2 ClearOne Converge Pro 880 audio conferencing system w/converge Pro 8i 8-channel AEC mic 2 Crown D75A amps 2 Extron DA6 RGBHV distribution amps 8 JBL CONTROL 24C speakers 2 JVC DRMV100B 1080p upconverting DVD recorder/vcrs w/tuner 2 Kramer VP-123V inputs on XGA projector 2 KramerVP-502XL XGA, HDTV scan converters 4 Middle Atlantic BRK14 racks 6 NEC LCD4620-2-IT 46" LCD monitors 2 Polycom HDX ceiling mic array extension kits 2 Polycom HDX 9004 codecs 2 Samsung SDP-900DXA XGA digital presenters 2 Shure ULXP14/85 wireless lav mic kits 4 Vaddio WallView Pro HD1 camera systems 1 WolfVision VZ-C12 Visualizer system, ceiling mounted Clinical Simulation (x3) 6 Altinex PNP-402 pop-up interfaces 5 AMX MVP-8400 8.4" Modero ViewPoint touchpanels w/wall mount 5 AMX NI-3100/ICS NetLinx controllers 5 Analog Way OFD803 OCTO-FADE-II seamless switchers 5 Centrum Sound Systems CIR-3 StarSound 600 large area IR assistive listening systems 5 Chief PRO-2241 lockable tilt wall mounts 5 Cisco N60741 AIR-AP1252G-A-K9 wireless access points 5 ClearOne Converge Pro 880 audio conferencing system w/converge Pro 8i 8-channel AEC mic 5 Crown D75A amps 5 JVC DRMV100B 1080p upconverting DVD recorder/vcrs w/tuner 5 Middle Atlantic BRK14 racks w/accessories 5 NEC LCD4620-2-IT 46" LCD monitors w/sp4020-4620 speakers 5 Polycom SoundStation VTX 1000 audio conferencing systems 5 Polycom VSX 7400e Presenters Clinical Practice (x3) 1 Altinex ISC2000-I PC module 1 Altinex ISV3000-I AV module 5 AMX MIO-CLASSIC-D-WH white button controllers 5 AMX NI-700 NetLinx small room controllers 4 Behringer DSP110 SHARK digital 24-bit multifunction signal processors 1 Chief RPA-191 projector ceiling mount 1 Extron MPA 122 audio power amp 4 Extron YC switchers 2 JBL Control 24C speakers 1 JVC HRXVC11B progressive scan DVD player/vcr combo 4 Marshall Electronics V-ASL8080 8" NTSC monitors w/stand 1 Panasonic PT-F200U LCD projector 4 Shure MX202W/C overhead mics 8 Sony EVID70 pan/tilt/zoom color NTSC video cameras 4 Sony RM-BR300 BRC-300 remote 1 VBrick 7500-0120 Ethernet portal software 5 VBrick 9190-4200-100 Windows media streaming encoders Conference Rooms (x5) 6 Altinex pop-up interfaces 5 AMX MVP-8400 8.4" Modero ViewPoint touchpanels w/wall mount 5 AMX NI-3100/ICS NetLinx controllers 5 Analog Way OFD803 OCTO-FADE-II seamless switchers 5 Centrum Sound Systems CIR-3 StarSound 600 large area IR assistive listening systems 5 Chief.PRO-2241 lockable tilt wall mounts 5 Cisco N60741 AIR-AP1252G-A-K9 wireless access points 5 Crown D75A amps 5 JVC DRMV100B 1080p upconverting DVD recorder/vcrs w/tuner 5 Middle Atlantic BRK14 racks 5 NEC LCD4620-2-IT 46" LCD monitors w/sp4020-4620 speakers 5 Polycom SoundStation VTX 1000 audio conferencing systems 5 Polycom VSX 7400e Presenter videoconferencing systems Multimedia Lab 16 JVC HRXVC11B DVD/VCR combos 8 Listen LA-102 telescoping top-mounted antennas 8 Listen LA-106 telescoping top-mounted antennas 32 Listen LR-400-072 receivers 32 Listen LR-400-216 216MHz display receivers 8 Listen LT-800-072 stationary FM transmitters 8 Listen LT-800-216 assistive listening transmitters 64 Listen LA-165 stereo headset 16 Samsung LN19A450 19" LCD HDTVs Control room rack. 44 Sound & Communications www.soundandcommunications.com

Multimedia Viewing 1 Altinex CM11332 Cat5 snap in 1 Altinex PNP-402 pop-up interface Altinex PNP inserts, connectors 1 AMX MIO-CLASSIC-D-WH white button controller 1 AMX NI-700 NetLinx small room controller 1 Phonic Ear CIR-3 StarSound 600 large area IR assistive listening system 1 Chief PRO-2241 lockable tilt wall mount 1 JVC HRXVC11B DVD/VCR combo 1 NEC LCD4620-2-AV 46" HDTV LCD monitor w/speaker Control Rooms 12 Alesis M1 ACTIVE 520 reference monitors (pair) 2 AMX NI-4100 control processors 1 AMX NXC-COM2 dual com port card 6 AMX NXP-PLV Modero PosiTrack pilot camera controllers 4 Avitech MCC-8004aL videowall processors w/4 passive loop outs 4 Avitech VCC-8004c videowall processors w/4 inputs 2 Cisco 8-port switches 4 Communications Specialties Fiberlink 7240 RGBHV receivers 4 Communications Specialties Fiberlink 7240 RGBHV transmitters 2 Extron MLP 101 mic to line preamps 2 Kramer VP-8X8 8x8 XGA matrix switchers 1 Kramer VP-8X8A 8x8 XGA matrix switcher 3 Kramer VS-88A 8x8 audio matrix switchers 2 Middle Atlantic ERK-4425 44-space deep standalone racks w/accessores 12 NEC LCD3210-BK-IT 32" LCD monitors 4 Polycom HDX 9004 HD codecs 6 Rolls HA-43PRO 4-channel headphone amps 6 Shure 522 desktop mics 8 TOA NX-100S network audio adapters 1 Whirlwind SPC82L 8-channel audio splitter List is edited from information supplied by AVIDEX. sity not only deployed the school s first high-definition AV conferencing, but also provided video on demand throughout the Spokane campus. Fortunately, each classroom has a Sonic Foundry Mediasite PodCast automatic MP3 converter, which records all distance learning education classes. So we can extend that material to students just as it was delivered in the classroom, in its entirety, he explained. The students can download the materials on their MP3 player, ipod or laptop, so they won t miss a thing. This comes in handy if a student is ill and could not otherwise attend class. Control Rooms Next, let s go through the control rooms in the College of Nursing building and the SAC/Spokane Academic Center, starting with the nursing building control room. Niemi pointed out that the control room has four work stations. Whereas, in the past, they had one operator per classroom, you can now have one operator controlling all four of those in the distance-education classrooms, he told us. Highlighting the control area functions, the NEC monitors can look at the classroom cameras full screen or break the images down into quad or smaller window views via the Avitech videowall processors. Similarly, they can take in and window all video signal sources, January 2010 45

Each of the four classrooms features extensive applications of AV. including computers and DVD/VCRs. That efficiency includes AMX PosiTrack camera control that allows cameras to be moved and switched. Computer presentations on the far site can also be monitored using the Polycom codecs. Then there s the God mic, quipped Niemi, referring to the control room Shure desktops that come into play when an instructor can t make equipment work. So the instructor calls the control room and says, I can t see the monitor. A disembodied control room voice then comes over the classroom ceiling speaker: Push the button! A Synergism Between Rooms There s a synergism between the nursing and the SAC control rooms. Although the nursing control room is dedicated to the four classrooms, the SAC control room is a master control center that can control the nursing classrooms and other distance-education rooms on campus. That s where the Cisco eight-port switches and the Communications Specialties Fiberlink receivers and transmitters come into place, explained Niemi. We re sending information back and forth between the two buildings over a fiber system. Audio monitoring is over Alesis speakers. All microphones come through the classrooms into the control room via a Whirlwind audio splitter. The multimedia lab provides a library setting for students to check out medical AV media to study in a carrel environment. The lab s AV complement is comprised of 16 JVC DVD/VCRs, 16 Samsung LCD HDTVs and 64 Listen system wireless stereo headsets. In some cases, there will be two to three students around the LCD, said Niemi. You can have a maximum of four students viewing. That s why there are 64 headsets. They re for listening without disturbing your neighbor. The two seminar rooms are similar to the nursing classrooms, but smaller. Equipment-wise, there are some differences noted as we highlight the spaces. Thus, the presenter uses a desktop Samsung digital presenter in place of a ceiling-mounted document camera. Each seminar room has a Vaddio camera and a Polycom 9004 conferencing codec with a Polycom ceiling mic array. Instead of projectors, three wall-mounted NEC flat panels display in-room or far-site images. There are Altinex modules for laptop connection at the podium, and there s a Shure wireless lavalier mic for the presenter. In comparison, the five conference rooms are smaller than the seminar rooms and are scaled down, accordingly. A glance at the equipment list shows basic AV tools are in order. The differences are the popup Altinex interfaces and the companionable Polycom VTX 1000 audio conferencing system along with the VSX 7400e Presenter videoconferencing systems. Clinical Simulation Thanks to our AV tour guide Charlie Niemi, we started with the head-to-toe classroom basics before we finally encountered actual hands-on patient diagnosis rooms. For those phases, we have two related, but separate, paths with one major difference. There are three rooms each for both clinical simulation and clinical practice. However, the essential difference is that simulation, as the name implies, deals with a non-human patient and practice deals with we flesh and blood humans. Because we now, we hope, have your full attention, we ll first detail what goes on in clinical simulation with SimMan, a portable, advanced patient simulator for medical team training from manufacturer Laerdal (www.laerdal.com/simman). The medical manikin has realistic anatomy and clinical functionality. It s designed to provide simulation-based education to challenge and test students clinical and decision-making skills during realistic patient-care scenarios. In addition to SimMan, the nursing program has a SimWoman and SimBaby, as well. And students can safely hone their skills in a non-threatening environment. According to Elgiadi, the simulation suite is used in different ways. Students can come in and start the simulation session to practice their skills, individually or in groups. We also have 46 Sound & Communications www.soundandcommunications.com

classes where the students are brought through and the instructor will have a simulation in mind. Three Rooms Specifically, three rooms comprise the simulation suite as pointed out in the following scenario featuring Sim- Man. A student nurse enters (1) the examining room to check out Sim- Man s symptoms. In turn, the student is watched through a separate one-way glass (2) obser vation room by classmates. In the examining room, the student places a stethoscope on the manikin in a hands-on experience. Although SimMan isn t real, he isn t a dummy, either, in the pejorative sense of the word. Therefore, to aid the diagnosis, SimMan s innards bespeak bowel and breath sounds. And he has a pulse and a heartbeat. Furthermore, he speaks out about how he feels. Nursing instructors observe and manage the scenario from (3) a separate room. It s up to the teaching staff to program the simulator via computer with typical clinical vital signs, sounds and symptoms. After the diagnosis, there would be a treatment plan in which the patient/simulator might develop a drug reaction. Then a new scenario would be set forth. Highlighting the AV aspects, Niemi explained that there s Phonic Ear assistive listening. The Analog Way device allows for signal routing with video going to the displays, codec or computer as desired. As in the other instruction spaces throughout the install, there are AMX control panels. The ClearOne Converge Pro audio conferencing system, with its mixer, plays a major role in the simulation suite. It allows for seamless audio among the three rooms because the ClearOne is integrated into the intercom system. JVC DVDs are used for recording events. Audio and videoconferencing are via Polycom. There are Cisco wireless access points, as needed. Clinical Practice Clinical practice is like going to a doctor s exam room, complete with a patient exam table and accompanying medical instruments. For this instruction, there are nursing students roleplaying as flesh and blood patients. There are two doctor s offices and a space for viewing the procedures. AVwise, the exam rooms have ceilingmounted Sony PTZ cameras with remotes for student and instructor usage. They can zoom into a particular area on the patient for diagnosis. Procedure viewing is via an eight-inch Marshall Electronics monitor. Role-playing between the patient and nurse entails such standard procedures as taking temperature and blood pressure. As the scenario unfolds before the camera, there are two Shure overhead mics to pick up conversations at either end of the room. Other AV equipment coming into play includes AMX pushbutton control, Altinex PC and AV (continued on page 69) January 2010 47

advancing healthcare (Continued from 47) input modules, Behringer signal processing, JVC DVD/VCR combo player, Extron switching and power amplifier, and JBL speakers. Events in the two practice rooms are recorded on VBrick. The third space/ obser vation room has a Panasonic LCD projector for viewing the recorded procedures on a building contractor-furnished screen. Healthcare Providers Need Finally, taking a wide view, the College of Nursing s new building with its extensive The classroom touchpanel offers simple-to-use controls of AV functions. AV support is indicative of a nationwide trend toward expanding medical care and the subsequent need for more healthcare providers. Many of our nation s workforce right now are baby boomers, noted Elgiadi. And they re getting ready to retire. They ll need to be taken care of. His own IT department at the WSU Spokane campus reflects the needs for AV support, which is comprised of 22 professionals, as well as temporary student help. For more information sight lines (Continued from 12) We ve done it before, and we can do it again! The Control Room: An innovation born from the minds-eye of an integration firm in Southern California in the late 1980s. A manufacturer didn t invent this. Digital Signage: Although NEC Display first coined the term in the mid-1990s, the concept was born via a moderately successful, until that moment in time, AV integration firm based in Florida. about Washington State University Intercollegiate College of Nursing, go to http://nursing.wsu.edu. To learn more about Avidex, go to www.avidexav.com. n Telepresence: Way before that term was ever used, an upstart AV integration firm from Chicago was taking existing VTC gear and making telepresence rooms that connected two sites together in lifesized proportions. I could go on and on, but you should get the picture by now: Integrators actually served as the catalysts to innovation in these new markets and channels. Who s next? n Industry pov: avad s push into commercial (Continued from 29) but not sourcing their commercial needs. Additionally, with the turnaround in the economy and the housing market, this obviously has been a transition period for our dealers. S&C: What makes the commercial space attractive? Menna: Obviously, we had dealers that were completely focused on the custom space and, to move forward and maintain their business and position, they had to look at alternatives in terms of new opportunities. Commercial is the natural transition for them. It s a matter of casting a wider net, if possible, when each segment itself might be more constricted. S&C: Does AVAD have a relationship with Info- Comm International or the National Systems Contractors Association? Menna: We recognize the importance of both. We will be exhibiting at InfoComm this year, increasing our presence at the event fourfold. We look to forge a relationship with NSCA moving forward. Several of our vendor partners in the commercial space enjoy established relationships with both organizations. S&C: What can we expect from AVAD in the future? Menna: One of our big strengths is training; so, for the last few months, we ve done a lot of that, and we continue to expand it. We re offering both Intro to Commercial and more advanced classes. We re also focused on tying together our solutions. Finally, we re working more closely with our sales managers to ensure they re engaging in commercial opportunities, as well. AVAD prides itself on its integration and providing conduit between vendors. Thus, we hope to leverage our relationships with both our commercial and our traditional vendors to push forth further solutions for our dealers. We re interested in having technologies talk to each other, taking some of the commercial projects that, traditionally, have been basic solutions and adding control, offering more digital signage and so forth. S&C: Describe dealer feedback to these changes. Menna: All the feedback we ve received has been extremely positive. Dealers are thrilled that they have these solutions. Dealers that are new to the space are excited about the opportunity and are looking into their business to see how they can enhance what they re doing. The vendors have been supportive, as well, and our vendor partnerships are critical for our success. We re very grateful for their support, from training on down. n 69