by Bob Archer | Jun 2, 2026 | KMB Communications, News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Nice Expands Western U.S. Representation with Thomasson Marketing Group
New partnership strengthens dealer support and drives growth for 2GIG solutions across key regional markets.
CARLSBAD, Calif., June 1, 2026 — Nice, a leading provider of Smart Home and Business Solutions, has announced a new partnership with Thomasson Marketing Group, Inc. (TMG), further strengthening Nice North America’s regional representation and support for 2GIG solutions across the Pacific Western United States. Working closely with Nice’s Regional Sales Managers (RSMs), TMG will provide local dealers and distribution partners with an additional layer of field support, resources, and expertise.
This strategic partnership reinforces Nice North America’s ongoing commitment to expanding localized sales expertise, dealer engagement, and market development within the security and smart home channel.
“Regional representation plays a critical role in how we support our partners and drive growth in key markets,” says Donnie McVicker, Chief Sales Officer, Nice North America. “Thomasson Marketing Group brings strong relationships, deep industry knowledge, and a proven ability to execute at the local level. Their focus on dealer engagement and sell-through initiatives will help expand the reach of our 2GIG portfolio and support our partners’ success across this important region.”
With this partnership, Thomasson Marketing Group will represent 2GIG solutions across Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Led by President Jordan R. Thomasson, TMG has built a strong reputation for delivering strategic sales representation and channel development within the security and low voltage electronics industries. Through this relationship, Nice North America continues to invest in its regional representation strategy, ensuring dealers and distributors have access to the resources, expertise, and support needed to succeed in an increasingly competitive market.
“We’re excited to partner with Nice North America and represent the 2GIG portfolio across such a dynamic region,” says Thomasson. “2GIG continues to be a trusted name in the security and smart home space, and we look forward to helping dealers grow their businesses through strong local support and market development.”
For more information about Nice North America products and dealer programs, visit www.niceforyou.com.
About Nice
Founded in the early 1990s, Nice is a global leader in Smart Living Solutions, offering a complete range of integrated solutions for gate automation, garage doors, solar shading systems, parking systems, wireless alarm systems and home security, for residential, commercial and industrial applications; smart and connected systems for residential and commercial applications, for the security, access control, AI (Artificial Intelligence), comfort & wellness, control and power/AV sectors. Nice has embarked on a strategic path of expansion and extension of its portfolio of connected solutions and platforms to offer a wide choice of customizable solutions and ease of use for the end user. This is complemented by strengthening and expanding in markets with high growth potential, as well as a renewed branding activity to compete in new market segments. Today Nice can rely on an organization of over 2,000 people on 5 continents, boasting a wealth of different skills and cultures, as well as 14 R&D centers and 13 production plants serving its partners and customers in over 100 countries worldwide.
About Nice North America
Nice North America, LLC, a subsidiary of Nice, is one of the largest manufacturers of smart residential, commercial, and industrial solutions in the world, providing integrated smart living experiences. They offer seamless and easy-to-install technology for smart home control, security & automation, perimeter access and protection, including hostile vehicle mitigation, sunshade solutions, power management, and entertainment. Based in Carlsbad, CA, at the heart of Southern California’s innovation corridor, the company drives innovation through a network of advanced R&D and manufacturing centers across the region, with major operations in Kent, Olive Branch, and Montreal, Canada. Supporting professional integrators, dealers, and distribution partners, the company offers award-winning programs, hands-on technical support, field training, and CEU-certified education initiatives designed to help accelerate business growth. Nice North America lives out their mission of creating environments where individuals truly feel unbounded, safe, and free through smart solutions – an impact exemplified by its support of the Gary Sinise Foundation R.I.S.E. program for wounded veterans – and strives toward building a brighter and more sustainable future.
About Thomasson Marketing Group, Inc.
Specializing in Sales & Marketing Services to the Electronic Security, Systems Integration & Low Voltage Electronics Industries, TMG is a sales & marketing firm providing manufacturers representation and consulting services to manufacturers while delivering innovative quality products in the Pacific Western States. www.TMGRepGroup.com
Nice North America Media Contacts
Nice North America Agency Contact: Katye McGregor Bennett of KMB Communications at (406) 446-1283 or katye@kmbcomm.com.
Nice North America Corporate Contact: Anggie O’Farrell, Marketing Communications Specialist, (619) 761-0623, anggie.ofarrell@niceforyou.com.
All products, product names, trademarks, and registrations mentioned are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
by Bob Archer | Jun 2, 2026 | Nexus 21, SONOS
Sonos Brings Scalable, Design-Conscious Installed Audio Solutions to InfoComm
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Sonos is expanding its role in installed audio by making scalable, design-conscious sound systems easier to specify, deploy, manage, and integrate across a variety of light commercial environments.
At InfoComm, Sonos will bring that story to life through a featured stage presentation, new commercial-focused audio solutions, and a broader ecosystem of brand partnerships across the show floor. Together, these touchpoints offer several timely story angles around multi-zone system design, PoE audio, remote management, partner integration, and how the brand is focused on meeting the needs of professional AV.
Featured Session: Immersive Sound at Scale — Inside NYC’s Lightning Society
On Wednesday, June 17, at 2:30 p.m., Sonos and systems integrator OneButton will present a real-world conversation about Lightning Society, a multi-level cultural venue in SoHo, NYC, designed around immersive sound and curated experiences.
The session will look at how Sonos solutions were deployed across a complex, multi-zone environment that includes lounges, a dedicated listening room, and flexible event spaces. For integrators, consultants, and systems designers, the project offers a practical look at how audio can be designed as part of a larger experience strategy—not simply as background sound, but as a flexible system layer that supports different spaces, moods, programming needs, and day-to-day operations.
New Audio Solutions for More Flexible Commercial Installation
At Booth #N7757, Sonos will also showcase products and software designed to streamline professional installation and expand system capabilities across light commercial projects.
That includes the Era 100 Pro, a PoE-powered speaker designed for professional installation. As a wired-first solution, Era 100 Pro eliminates the need for local AC power, helping simplify deployment in spaces where clean installation, reliable network-based performance, and flexible placement matter. Sonos will also highlight flexible mounting options, including surface-mount and junction box solutions that support cleaner, code-conscious installations with concealed cabling.
For integrators, Era 100 Pro helps address a practical installation challenge: how to deliver consistent, high-quality sound in commercial spaces without making the infrastructure harder than it needs to be. Sonos will also demonstrate how automatic DSP optimization with Trueplay tuning helps support consistent performance across zones, giving integrators tools to simplify commissioning while still delivering an elevated listening experience.
A Scalable Audio Ecosystem for Light Commercial Projects
The larger InfoComm story is not just about one product. Sonos is showing how its installed solutions portfolio can support projects ranging from a single-zone environment to larger, multi-area deployments, including:
- NEW Amp Multi — A new multizone amplifier that can power up to 24 speakers with flexible zone configuration, making it especially relevant for larger-scale commercial installs where multiple areas need to be managed cleanly and efficiently.
- Amp + Port — Proven solutions for new builds, retrofits, and system upgrades, especially when integrators need to add or modernize multi-room audio without replacing existing infrastructure.
- Sonos Pro — A centralized platform for remote management, scheduling, and commercially licensed content across locations, giving businesses and integrators a more practical way to manage audio day to day.
Together, these solutions position Sonos as more than a speaker brand in commercial environments. The story is increasingly about seamless audio systems that grow stronger over time: flexible hardware, intuitive software, remote management, zone control, installation efficiency, and a user experience that business owners and staff can easily manage after the integrator leaves.
Audio as Part of the Broader AV Ecosystem
Sonos will also be featured across the InfoComm show floor through partner demonstrations, reinforcing how its solutions can be integrated into broader AV systems rather than treated as standalone products. Partner activations include:
- NETGEAR AV, showcasing PoE networking and Sonos integration for reliable audio distribution
- Leon, highlighting design-forward audio integrated into custom furnishings
- Sony, featuring Sonos within broader commercial AV demonstrations
These integrations speak to the value of a seamless system: in today’s light commercial environments, audio needs to fit into the larger AV, networking, design, and operations ecosystem. Sonos’ presence in these partner booths shows how the brand is becoming part of the professional installation toolkit for projects where performance, simplicity, aesthetics, and scalability are part of the scope.
For more information, please contact Katye McGregor Bennett of KMB Communications by emailing katye@kmbcomm.com or calling (406) 446-1283.
by Bob Archer | Jun 2, 2026 | Blog
Ever since the pandemic there has been a lot of volatility in the home technology market. Through the rise of buying group events and various road shows, the residential technology integration industry has invested substantial resources to reach the pre-pandemic attendance levels its benchmark CEDIA Expo show once produced.
Now, as lighting, home automation, and outdoor technologies continue to fuel growth in the home technology market, ostensibly, industry trade shows should grow as well.
Historically, the technology integration market has been divided along the lines of commercial and residential with the trade group AVIXA operating the InfoComm show in the commercial market, and first CEDIA, and now Emerald running the CEDIA Expo in the residential industry.
Since 2004 however, those lines have slowly begun to blur when the CEDIA and AVIXA trade groups first partnered to introduce the Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) show. This combined event, which will take place in Barcelona in 2027, brings the residential and commercial technology markets together under a single roof.
An Honest Look at Trade Show Attendance
Six years past the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the numbers indicate both the commercial and residential technology integration industries are working to regain pre-pandemic attendance levels.
Prior to COVID-19 in the years of 2017, 2018, and 2019, InfoComm drew 44,000, 43,000, and 44,000 attendees respective to each year. During the same period, CEDIA Expo respectively drew “nearly 20,000” attendees.
From 2022 to 2025 the InfoComm show drew almost 20,000 in 2022 with steady increases of attendance reaching about 31,000 in 2025. CEDIA Expo has maintained attendance figures from about 12,000 in 2022 to nearly 14,000 in 2025.
With those numbers providing perspective, the European-based ISE show figures indicate an event that has thrived, growing steadily over the years. Validating ISE’s overall health, the show surpassed its pre-pandemic attendance numbers in 2025:
- 2017 ISE attendance: 73,000
- 2018 ISE attendance: approximately 81,000
- 2019 ISE attendance: 81,000
- 2022 ISE attendance: approximately 43,600
- 2023 ISE attendance: 58,000
- 2024 ISE attendance: nearly 74,000
- 2025 ISE attendance: more than 85,000
- 2026 ISE attendance: 92,000
InfoComm 2027 Delivers All-in-One Residential and Commercial Event to U.S. Shores
For the record, it needs to be noted that since 2023, Emerald, the owner of CEDIA Expo and the CE Pro and Commercial Integrator media properties, introduced the technology integration market’s first domestic residential and commercial trade event: CEDIA Expo/Commercial Integrator Expo.
Once AVIXA announced the acquisition of the Lightapalooza lighting trade show, the newly acquired event quickly emerged as a possible competitor for the Emerald-owned combined event.
“HTSA saw a need for its community to connect in exploration of business growth opportunities. They created this space to bring the channel together to do that through product demonstrations, training, education, and professional networking,” stated David Labuskes, CTS, CAE, RCDD, chief executive officer of AVIXA, in the Lightapalooza press release.
“As the trade association for the AV industry, one of AVIXA’s roles is to help facilitate the marketplace. We do this in many ways, most notably through our trade shows around the world—the premier forum for connection.”
Following the late April Lightapalooza acquisition, AVIXA announced on May 20, that it has partnered with the buying groups Home Technology Specialists of America (HTSA) and ProSource to produce RESIDE, which will debut at infoComm 2027 in Orlando.
In the announcement the trade group stated that technology-driven experiences shape how people work, live and play. The addition of RESIDE to the InfoComm platform according to AVIXA, will accelerate the convergence of technology in the home and at work that is already happening.
“This partnership brings together powerful communities that need a true connection point, one place to engage with peers, manufacturers, and solution providers through product demonstrations, training, education, and networking, “commented Jenn Heinold, president of expositions for the Americas, InfoComm, in the RESIDE launch press release.
AVIXA Prepares for a New Era of Technology Integration Trade Events
During an exclusive call with KMB Communications’ clients and staff members, Heinold and Tom Doherty, director, new technology initiatives, Home Technology Association (HTSA), took part in a conference call to elaborate on AIVIXA’s future trade events.
Heinold explained to the more than 40 people on the call that at the InfoComm 2026 show in Las Vegas, the event will be organized in two halls organized by “work” and “play.” In the “work” portion the event will host collaboration, command and control, digital signage, retail solutions, and education technologies. The “play” area of the show, AVIXA will host audio, staging, lighting and broadcast.
“In Orlando, instead of having two separate spaces, we have one very long continuous space. How we are mapping out the exhibitors and solutions is really through a journey of work, play, and live,” said Heinold.
“Work and Play is what has traditionally been at InfoComm and Live will be broken up into two pieces. [One area] will be RESIDE and [another area] will be Lightapalooza. We felt very strongly that we wanted to maintain the community piece of Lightapalooza and give them their own home within the Orange County Convention Center. On the RESIDE show floor, you’ll see home automation, home theater, consumer electronics and other categories that are not covered within Lightapalooza.”
Adding more detail, Doherty emphasizes that attendees visiting the residential exhibits will have separate accessibility to home-related exhibits and technologies.
“There are two main entrances: The entrance to the residential and the main entrance. The main entrance is what has traditionally been the main InfoComm entrance and the Lightapalooza show floor is very close to the size; just slightly larger than what we had in Texas [2026]. It will remain curate,” he stated.
“We really don’t have the ability to accept new exhibitors on the lighting side based on the initial demand from previous exhibitors on the Lightapalooza side.”
To help ensure the residential exhibits experience the same level of attendee participation as the commercial side of the event, Heinold said AVIXA may run features such as show tours and networking sessions to make sure attendees can take part in everything the total event offers.
Further helping to incentivize the event Heinold responded to a question from Joe Piccirilli, founder and CEO of RoseWater Energy, by noting that currently InfoComm exhibit space prices at $50 per-square-foot, except for non-organization members. The rate for Lightapalooza will be $32-per-square foot after September 1 to reflect the differences between the commercial and residential markets.
InfoComm Combined Event Includes Educational Opportunities
Later in the KMB Communications call, Donnie McVicker, chief sales officer (CSO) for Nice North America, inquired about the education programs the newly announced event will provide.
Heinold told the call participants that AVIXA is building an education committee. The organization will also conduct separate calls for presenters for RESIDE, Lightapalooza and InfoComm.
Doherty pointed out the educational opportunities at InfoComm, RESIDE and Lightapalooza will also broaden because of the scope of learning AVIXA offers.
“If you are a professional in the commercial channel, AVIXA certification is critical for facility managers, institutions and more. Their [show] Saturday and Sunday are pre-exam periods for CTS [ certified technology specialist] certification,” Doherty told the call participants.
“AVIXA also has education that starts on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and the show floor is Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, so depending on your role within a company we could see some people taking advantage of the CTS exam and sticking around for some other forms of education.”
Jason Knott, former CE Pro editor, and current data solutions architect & evangelist for D-Tools, asked Doherty how HTSA and ProSource planned to engage their memberships around the new combined event.
“ProSource and HTSA each intend to host their own independent member gatherings early in the week, prior to the show floor opening. These are separate events run by each group for their own members, giving each membership the opportunity to convene before experiencing Lightapalooza, RESIDE, and InfoComm in Orlando,” responded Doherty.
“HTSA is very committed to this event and we look forward to sharing more about our 2027 programming plans as they develop.”
Editorial note: Robert Archer is a former employee of Emerald and in 2026, he is a volunteer, helping the CEDIA Expo staff with show activities.
If KMB Comm client news and blogs aren’t enough, check out the new KMB Comm AV Trade Talk Podcast with Paul Bochner of AHT New York Metro and Joseph Cali of Gryphon Audio LA discussing the revival of stereo and the emergence of “analog rooms” here.
by Bob Archer | May 29, 2026 | Blog, KMB Communications
With the first major U.S. holiday weekend in the review mirror, the tech news cycle may be on an extended holiday. However, the KMB Comm Technology Week in Review marches on with some interesting tech-related items to recap the week of May 25-29.
This week’s news includes posts from traditional tech websites such as eCoustics and Future Audiophile; mainstream websites like Yahoo Finance and LinkedIn, and the musical instrument industry website, Guitar World.
KMB Comm Tech Week in Review Audiophile Nuggets
Audiophiles never sleep or possibly take vacations, and here’s some proof.
The website eCoustics is reporting the LIVEBOX single-box audio system will debut at the High End Vienna 2026 show. The $39,000 product is a collaborative effort between Weiss Engineering, PSI Audio and Illusonic, and the all-in-one system combines loudspeakers, digital-to-analog conversion (DAC), amplification, streaming and digital signal processing (DSP).
eCoustics points out, the LIVEBOX also offers room calibration options, and for those wondering how large the product is, the single enclosure measures 62.6 inches x 20 inches.
Staying in the audiophile world, Future Audiophile posted a review on the $999 Audio-Technica AT-LP7X turntable. The review notes the AT-LP7X is the newest LP Series product from the consumer audio and pro audio company.
Some of the turntable’s features include a J-shaped tonearm, and a built-in phono preamp that offers compatibility with moving magnet (MM) and moving coil (MC) phono cartridges. Future Audiophile says the turntable ships with an Audio-Technica AT-VM95E MM phono cartridge for those that simply want to drop the needle to hear their favorite music.
KMB’s Look at Some Broader News Topics
These following stories may not necessarily be technology news, but they are tech-related and they will still be of interest for many people.
The first tech-related item in the KMB Comm Tech Week in Review comes from Deadline.
It’s been well documented that Disney has not fared well in its stewardship of huge franchises such as Star Wars and the Marvel Comic Universe (MCU). Based on the opening of the latest Star Wars movie, “Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu,” the huge company is not close to turning that trend around.
Deadline states that back in 2018 when the Disney-owned “Solo: A Star Wars Story” opened with an $84 million 3-day box office and 4-day $103 million figure, the publication criticized the result. Fast forward to 2026, and Deadline says, “Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu,” opened with a 3-day figure of $81 million and a 4-day number of $98 million to signal further cause for concern.
The story does state that Disney is trying to make the best of the situation and it may end up making plenty of money through toy sales despite the sluggish box-office numbers.
Showing how things have changed in terms of how the public views electric vehicles (EVs), LinkedIn posted a story on Ferrari shares falling after the famed Italian car company showed its first EV.
The story says with prices starting at $640,000, the Ferrari Luce was designed in part with former Apple design chief Jony Ive. The new electric car enters the market at a time in which demand for EVs is on the decline in the U.S.
According to LinkedIn, Ferrari’s main competition that includes McLaren and Lamborghini have stayed away from EV category.
For perspective, another Ferrari competitor, Porsche entered the market aggressively a few years ago with EVs, but it is now scaling back its EV efforts after taking hits in markets that include China.
Circling back to a story that KMB Comm first covered in the Tech Week in Review for May 18-22, Fender is making news again with its litigious actions against companies that make “S-style” guitars.
In the story from the prior technology weekly news roundup, Guitar World reported the company LsL was in Fender’s legal crosshairs. Now, Guitar World is reporting the popular guitar manufacturer Paul Reed Smith (PRS) is the latest company to have received cease-and-desist legal documents from Fender.
PRS’s collaboration with John Mayer on his top-selling Silver Sky guitar is Mayer’s take on a classic Stratocaster with several unique design elements from PRS. This guitar is likely the reason for the legal actions.
Veering back into consumer electronics to close the KMB Comm Tech Week in Review out, Yahoo Finance has an item on Best Buy’s strong stock earnings. The story says the large retailer’s stock surged 18% after Best Buy announced that its first-quarter earnings exceeded Wall Street expectations.
Yahoo Finance states revenues came in at $8.9 billion to eclipse the $8.8 billion Wall Street expectations.
The story goes on to point out that consumers spent money on items such as gaming consoles, AI glasses, 3D printers, smart rings, and Pokemon cards to help drive those revenue numbers.
If KMB Comm client news and blogs aren’t enough, check out the new KMB Comm AV Trade Talk Podcast with Paul Bochner of AHT New York Metro and Joseph Cali of Gryphon Audio LA discussing the revival of stereo and the emergence of “analog rooms” here.
by Bob Archer | May 28, 2026 | Blog
With topics like AI dominating the news, it is no wonder that a growing number of homeowners are looking to escape the tenacles of technology after sitting in front of a computer all week.
A recently developing trend in the home technology market is now finding a growing number of consumers taking action to put their iPhones down and walking away from their big-screen TVs to step back into a world that more closely resembles 1976 instead of 2026.
Sitting down to discuss the reemergence of stereo or two channel and the growing trend of analog rooms are Paul Bochner from AHT New York Metro, and Joesph Cali from Gryphon Audio LA.
How the Top Integrators See the Development of Analog Rooms
Cali says his business, Gryphon LA and his showroom in Los Angeles are seeing increasing interest from professionals visiting the Pacific Design Center, and homeowners coming into stereo from his integration firm, Joseph Cali Systems.
“My showroom is located at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, which is nothing but architects and designers. I’m surrounded by furniture stores, lighting stores, fabric stores, and the people who are in the Pacific Design Center are not traditionally audiophile, two-channel listeners, but they have shown an incredible amount of interest when they come in and listen to music the way we are able to present it now,” explains Cali.
Bochner points out that as a member of the AHT team, the company has a national footprint, and Hi-Fi or dedicated audio rooms were not always a part of that dealer infrastructure.
He says that dealers are now asking the right questions and those questions are often directed at clients that are seeking more than architectural speakers hidden somewhere in a wall or ceiling.
Both Bochner and Cali cite several factors that are driving consumers back into stereo, including simply wanting to hear better audio.
“I just think that it’s the experience getting out there again. iPods and ear buds ruined the world for a while; [they] made it super convenient, but they also made people comfortable listening to music in a crappy form,” suggests Bochner.
“I think that’s what people are starting to get tired of … they are saying this could be better. I want it to be better, they’re getting an experience where they’ve had a better than average music listening experience, and they want to bring that to their homes now.”
To hear the entire conversation check out the latest episode of KMB Communications’ AV Trade Talk Podcast.
To hear past episodes of the AV Talk Podcast, click this link.
