AVIXA has announced the 2020 recipients of its annual awards. Honorees will be recognized via virtual ceremony during InfoComm 2020 Connected on Wednesday, June 17, at 5 p.m. EDT.

According to AVIXA, its awards recognize “outstanding AV professionals for their contributions to the industry.” Members of the industry nominate individuals for multiple categories. These are this year’s winners:

• Adele De Berri Pioneers of AV — Bruce Howze, fellow engineer, Biamp, and president and founder, Community Professional Loudspeakers
• CTS Holder of the Year — Mark Higgason, executive vice president and partner, Encompass Audio Visual LLC
• Educator of the Year — Jonathan Brawn, principal, Brawn Consulting
• Fred Dixon Service in Education — Steve Thorburn, principal, Thorburn Associates
• Mackey Barron Distinguished Achievement — Ben Adams, international representative, IATSE
• Women in AV —
  • Sarah Becher, project engineer, AV Calibrations LLC
  • Melissa Ross, senior engineer, special projects group, AVI-SPL
• Young AV Professionals —
  • Sean McChesney, experience technology consultant, Electrosonic
  • Gregory Rushton — vice president, Muley & Banani Audio Visual Inc.

There are also two categories new to 2020:

• Emerging Talent — Edinys Guzman, student, Lincoln Tech
• Event Design of the Year — Meredith Francsis, senior creative producer, BlackOak Technical Productions

There is also one award bestowed by AVIXA staff:

• Volunteer of the Year — Lisa Perrine, CEO, Cibola Systems

“Day in and day out, AV professionals leave impressions on the people they meet and the spaces they help create,” said David Labuskes, CEO of AVIXA. “Each year, AVIXA is honored to shine a spotlight on individuals who are helping the industry grow, whether it’s through teaching, breaking down barriers or pioneering new technology and ideas. Congratulations to the 2020 AVIXA Award winners, and thank you for all your contributions to the AV industry.”