356: Pre-#InfoComm26 No Context Flash Pitches

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