Jack H. Culp, CTS, Wins Distinguished Achievement Award at InfoComm 2003

The International Communications Industries Association, Inc.® (ICIA®) is pleased to announce that Jack H. Culp, CTS, was awarded this year’s Distinguished Achievement Award at the InfoComm 2003 Manufacturers Forum held June 2.

"Jack Culp has been a mentor for many in the AV communications industry," noted ICIA President Randal A. Lemke, Ph.D. "Through his involvement with ICIA as a trainer, PETC committee chair and ultimately, president of the association, Jack has touched the lives of countless professionals in the industry."

"When you think of Jack Culp, you think of integrity and sincerity," said Terry Friesenborg, CTS, past president of ICIA. "His leadership in his business, community and the association makes him the ideal recipient of this year's distinguished achievement award."

For many years Culp was active with ICIA and he participated in many professional development and training activities. Culp served as an instructor or course chairperson at the Institute for Professional Development from 1976 to 1995. He was chairperson of the Professional Education and Training Committee (PETC), Secretary of the Educational Communication Foundation (now the International Communications Industries Foundation or ICIF) and held all elected offices in the association, becoming president in 1990.

As the current president of ICIA, Harald Thiel adds, "Jack is one of those unique individuals who never sought recognition for all he did for the association and the industry. It is wonderful that his peers have not only recognized his many contributions but have now taken the opportunity to recognize him. I personally took my first ICIA class from Jack and AVW-TELAV has benefited over its long history from Jack’s contribution."

Jack Culp has been active in the audiovisual communications industry since 1962. Following the study of marketing and business management at the University of Cincinnati, he joined Twyman Films, Inc., a national distributor of 16mm non-theatrical motion pictures located in Dayton, Ohio. In 1972, Culp organized a new business, Audio Visual Systems, Inc. and purchased the assets of the equipment sales division from Twyman Films, Inc. Audio Visual Systems, Inc. marketed audiovisual equipment in a 17-county area surrounding Dayton, Ohio. The market focus of the company was business, industry, government, health care and higher education.

AVSI moved rapidly to develop a value-added systems approach to the sale of equipment. A rental and staging division was started and grew to be a major part of the business. Installations and staging events were done from coast to coast and border to border. On May 15, 1999 AVSI merged with MCSi, Inc., a public company in the systems integration business.

The International Communications Industries Association, Inc.® (ICIA®) is the premier trade association for the professional audiovisual communications industry. ICIA is the founder of InfoComm, the conference and trade exposition for audiovisual communications professionals who come to learn about the latest technologies and available services as well as new and alternative applications. ICIA serves its worldwide membership as the pre-eminent provider of education, training and certification.

InfoComm is the foremost gathering of AV communications professionals who come to learn about the latest technologies and available products and services as well as new and alternative applications for systems integration.

As a key industry event, InfoComm is the educational and interactive marketplace for manufacturers, distributors, dealers, systems integrators, rental and staging companies, independent representatives, independent design consultants, architects, facilities managers, engineers, presentations designers and end users, including AV and IT professionals, sales and marketing staff, meeting planners and purchasers. InfoComm attracts a broad spectrum of market sectors, including business, government, military, education, religion, health care, entertainment and conventions.