This week on the Higher Ed AV Podcast, Joe Way tries something brand new: the first-ever No Context Flash Pitch.
The concept is simple, chaotic, and exactly what makes the higher ed AV community so special. Guests jump on live, get two minutes, and can pitch anything they want. A product. A booth. A project. A tip. A warning. A reason to get excited for InfoComm. No prep. No polish. No sponsor package. Just real people, real energy, and real reasons to show up.
What follows is a fast-paced, community-powered preview of InfoComm 2026, featuring manufacturers, HETMA partners, higher ed professionals, and longtime AV friends sharing what they are bringing to the show floor and why it matters for the higher education vertical.
Bert Feldman, INOGENI
Bert Feldman, U.S. Sales Director at INOGENI, kicks off the Flash Pitch format with a powerhouse overview of the company’s growing AV and UC portfolio.
He previews INOGENI’s latest work around USB, USB-C, IP, multi-camera switching, BYOM, room system flexibility, and automated classroom capture workflows. The headline is CamTrack, INOGENI’s multi-camera automated switching solution designed to support active learning spaces, lecture capture rooms, hybrid classrooms, and flexible teaching environments.
Bert also highlights INOGENI’s IP-to-USB converter, Dante-enabled workflows, the upcoming U-BRIDGE USB-C extender, and the award-winning TOGGLE series. For higher ed, the message is clear: INOGENI is helping campuses simplify the complicated spaces where cameras, microphones, computers, and collaboration platforms all need to work together without friction.
John Palazinski, GUDE Systems
John Palazinski from GUDE Systems brings the perfect mix of product preview, HETMA partnership, and show-floor energy.
He talks about GUDE’s strong involvement with HETMA, including participation in the HETMA Approved evaluation program, and previews new products coming to InfoComm, including an updated AC/DC box, a new UPS box, and GUDE’s cloud software for managing power and connected devices.
For higher ed institutions, John’s pitch is about more than power. It is about reliability, remote management, uptime, and giving AV teams better tools to support the rooms their campuses depend on every day. He also teases a special gift for HETMA members who stop by the booth, proving once again that swag and smart infrastructure can absolutely coexist.
Renee Benson, Sony
Renee Benson from Sony joins from the road and still manages to bring the heart of the episode into focus: relationships. Sony lists Renee Benson among its HETMA recognitions as “Best Vendor Rep,” and Sony’s InfoComm 2026 page lists booth C8301.
Renee previews Sony’s InfoComm presence, including new BRAVIA displays, P-Series and S-Series solutions, LED offerings, and the opportunity for attendees to connect directly with Sony’s regional teams.
Her segment is a reminder that technology is only part of the equation. In higher ed AV, trust matters. Relationships matter. Having vendor partners who understand the campus environment matters. Renee’s pitch captures exactly why the best vendor relationships feel less transactional and more like an extension of the community.
Michael Gunderson, Highland Community College
One of our most experienced HETMA members, Michael Gunderson, uses his two minutes to deliver a fantastic InfoComm survival guide for first-time attendees.
The advice is practical gold: download the app, mark the vendors you want to see, study the floor layout, learn the numbering system, find the restrooms, locate the free food and water, and give yourself time to understand the show before trying to sprint through it.
He also shouts out the HETMA booth, morning coffee, happy hours, peer networking, and the importance of making real connections. This segment turns into one of the most useful parts of the episode because it reminds everyone that InfoComm can be overwhelming, but it does not have to be. With the right plan and the right community, the biggest AV show in North America can feel a whole lot smaller.
Brandy Johnson, PTZOptics
Brandy Johnson from PTZOptics brings big energy and a bold preview of what the company is bringing to InfoComm.
She talks about PTZOptics stepping into a new era as an employee-owned company, complete with new branding, new booth energy, and a stronger focus on complete video workflows. Her pitch centers on interoperability, partner ecosystems, and helping attendees experience how PTZOptics products work inside real AV environments.
Brandy highlights the Link 4K, Dante AV-H workflows, hands-on test-drive stations, partner integrations with companies like NETGEAR and INOGENI, new 4K products, updated web GUI capabilities, and voice-tracking integrations.
For higher ed, this is where PTZOptics shines. Brandy positions their solutions not just as cameras, but as part of a larger teaching, learning, streaming, and content creation ecosystem. It is about giving campuses flexible, scalable video tools that actually fit the way classrooms, lecture halls, studios, and hybrid spaces operate.
Bill O’Donnell, Babson College
Bill O’Donnell from Babson College joins from the end-user side and offers one of the most important reminders of the episode: do not skip the small booths. A Crestron case study identifies Bill O’Donnell as an Instructional Technology Integration Specialist in Media Services at Babson College.
Bill talks about the value of walking the show floor with curiosity, especially in the smaller booths where emerging companies and early-stage ideas often appear before the larger manufacturers adopt them.
He points to the evolution of tracking camera technology as an example, noting how innovations that once looked niche can eventually become major parts of the AV ecosystem. His segment is a perfect higher ed perspective: innovation does not always announce itself with the biggest booth, the loudest demo, or the most expensive buildout. Sometimes the next big thing is tucked away in a corner, waiting for the right campus technologist to notice it.
Jason Jenkins, Studiomatic
Jason Jenkins from Studiomatic jumps in after seeing Joe’s LinkedIn post and delivers a compelling pitch for the continuing evolution of one-button studios. Studiomatic’s own site identifies Jason Jenkins as the developer behind its One Button Studio solutions.
Jason explains how he has spent years building simple, powerful presentation recording systems that allow faculty, staff, students, and creators to walk in with a PowerPoint, press one button, and leave with a finished video.
He previews the One Button Studio Pro, the mobile or desk-based One Button Studio Go, and the upcoming One Button Studio Solo. The magic is in the simplicity: no production crew, no complicated login process, no editing headache, and no steep learning curve. Just an intuitive kiosk-style system designed to make high-quality content creation accessible.
For higher ed, Jason’s segment is especially relevant. Campuses are still looking for better ways to support lecture capture, faculty media creation, student presentations, online learning content, and self-service production spaces. Studiomatic’s approach makes those workflows approachable, repeatable, and scalable.
HETMA at InfoComm 2026
Joe closes the episode by previewing the full HETMA experience at InfoComm 2026.
HETMA’s week includes the Higher Education Summit, the Higher Ed AV Awards, the HETMA booth, morning coffee, happy hours, show floor tours, live podcasting, booth activations, and the kind of hallway conversations that often become the most valuable part of the entire show. The HETMA InfoComm 2026 page lists the booth as C6023 and outlines a full week of higher ed-focused programming from June 15–19, 2026.
Joe also previews the new VIP Qualified-Buyers After-Hours Reception, designed to connect higher ed decision-makers with manufacturers, integrators, and partners around real projects, real budgets, and real needs. The goal is not just networking for networking’s sake. It is matchmaking with purpose.
Episode Takeaway
This episode proves that InfoComm is not just about products. It is about people, timing, trust, curiosity, and community.
From INOGENI’s automated camera workflows to GUDE’s power management, Sony’s display ecosystem, PTZOptics’ video innovation, Babson’s end-user perspective, Studiomatic’s one-button content creation, and HETMA’s community-first show strategy, this Flash Pitch episode captures the best of what makes higher ed AV different.
It is a little unpredictable. It is a little chaotic. And it is exactly the kind of energy that makes people want to be part of the room.
