306: From the Vault: Tariffs, Climate, and COVID: An AV Reality Check | The AV Life Podcast
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Recorded March 4, 2025
In this one-on-one episode, Tim Van Woeart and Nancy Blanchard dive into a wide-ranging conversation that blends climate realities, tariffs, and the AV industry’s global supply chain. They reflect on erratic weather, climate change misconceptions, and how new U.S. tariffs could reshape manufacturing, pricing, and planning for AV projects in higher education. Nancy shares insights from her dual Canadian–U.S. perspective and previews the HETMA Roadshow in Toronto. The hosts discuss COVID’s lingering narratives, work ethic in younger generations, and how manufacturing and labor shortages affect AV production. Tim closes with plans for a future episode to “roast COVID once and for all” which is now posted as episode 301.
Topics Discussed:
- Climate change vs. “global warming” – correcting misconceptions and regional effects
- Extreme weather across North America: blizzards, fires, and tornadoes
- U.S. tariffs on imports from China, Mexico, and Canada – economic and AV implications
- Manufacturer impact: how supply chain and OEM components may drive up prices
- Higher ed AV budgets and pre-purchasing strategies before tariff increases
- Dual citizenship perspective – Nancy’s take as a Canadian-American AV professional
- Manufacturing migration from China to the U.S. and Mexico post-COVID
- Labor shortages and work ethic among younger generations
- Automation, AI, and manufacturing capacity in the U.S.
- Preview of future “Roast of COVID” episode marking five years since the pandemic
The AV Life is a Higher Ed AV Media production. More at higheredav.com.
Connect with Tim:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-van-woeart-45416826/
Twitter (X) – https://twitter.com/TVanWoeart
Connect with The AV Life:
Twitter (X) – https://twitter.com/TheAVLifePod
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@theavlife3337
