For
Immediate Release
July 28,
2004
Media
Contacts:
Jamie Antcliff
CEDIA
317-328-4336
jantcliff@cedia.org
Corporate,
academic leaders to offer keynote addresses at CEDIA EXPO 2004
Noted academic innovator Negroponte, business
leader Putnam, slated for twin keynote presentations
Indianapolis, Ind. – In addition to serving
as the only show that meets the specialized needs of the residential
custom electronics industry, the Custom Electronic Design and Installation
Association (CEDIA) will offer two featured keynote presentations at
CEDIA EXPO 2004 to provide attendees with a wealth of perspective on
business leadership and innovation.
At 8 a.m. on Friday Sept. 10, CEDIA will present keynote
speaker Nicholas Negroponte, Ph.D., one of the foremost futurists on
the international scene, to deliver reflections on his knowledge of
digital trends to EXPO attendees.
Professor Negroponte is the co-founder and director of
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Laboratory. He
was the first to predict and describe how digitalization would affect
every industry throughout the world. Professor Negroponte’s calculations
that about half of all media—from publishing to telecoms—would
evolve in the digital age have been proven remarkably accurate.
Professor Negroponte’s lecture topics include:
- things that think
- news in the future
- television tomorrow
- perceptual computing
- learning and common sense
Most recently Professor Negroponte helped establish the
B21 Foundation, an organization focused on information technology and
global development issues and serves as chairman. He is also the author
of the 1995 best-seller, “Being Digital,” which has been
translated into more than 40 languages.
At 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11, CEDIA will welcome
its second keynote speaker—Howard Putnam, former CEO of Southwest
Airlines and Braniff International—to communicate his knowledge
of business to the custom electronics community. Putnam was the first
executive to successfully restructure a major airline into, through
and out of Chapter 11. As chief executive officer for Southwest Airlines,
he tripled the airline’s revenues to $246 million and boosted
its profitability to $25 million.
Putnam’s lecture topics include:
- bottom-line improvement
- leadership
- customer service
- managing change and turbulence
Putnam is the author of “The Winds of Turbulence” and
is recognized for his highly-rated talks on businesses, change, leadership
and ethics. He is also co-founder and chairman of Aircraft Interior
Resources (AIR) in Houston.
Both keynote addresses at CEDIA EXPO 2004 will be offered
at the Westin Hotel in Grand Ballrooms IV & V.
CEDIA is an international trade association of companies
that specialize in designing and installing electronic systems for
the home. The association was founded in September 1989 and has more
than 3,000 member companies worldwide. CEDIA members are established
and insured businesses with bona fide qualifications and experience
in this specialized field. CEDIA members include Residential Electronics
Systems Professionals who have emerged as the “fourth contractor” in
the building and remodeling industries alongside electrical, plumbing
and HVAC professionals. For more information on CEDIA, visit the association’s
Web site at www.cedia.org
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