316: Holiday Party ’25 | The AV Life Podcast
Recorded on December 16, 2025:
In this annual holiday party episode of The AV Life Podcast, hosts Tim Van Woeart, Murphy Daley, Renee Benson (Sony Electronics), and Nancy Blanchard (ScreenBeam) are joined by a wide-ranging group of higher education and AV industry professionals for an informal but insightful year-in-review conversation. Guests reflect on professional milestones such as promotions, job changes, awards, staffing challenges, and major personal moments, including new parents and career recognitions.
The discussion highlights the evolving higher ed AV landscape, from workforce shortages and equipment lifecycle planning to the growing impact of organizations like HETMA and major industry events such as ISE, InfoComm, and regional roadshows. The group also touches on industry acquisitions, travel demands, work-life balance, and the importance of community within AV. The episode wraps with lighthearted holiday debates, traditions, and must-watch seasonal movies, closing out 2025 with humor, gratitude, and optimism for the year ahead.
Topics discussed:
- End-of-year reflections and career milestones
- Higher education AV staffing challenges
- Promotions, job transitions, and professional growth
- HETMA initiatives, roadshows, and community building
- Major AV industry events (ISE, InfoComm, MCUAV)
- Industry acquisitions and market shifts
- Work-life balance and travel demands in AV roles
- Equipment reliability and classroom technology planning
- Mentorship and onboarding new AV professionals
- Holiday traditions and pop-culture debates in the AV community
The AV Life is a Higher Ed AV Media production. More at higheredav.com.
