Monthly Archives: June 2021

Episode 57: Jason McGraw and Samantha Ventura on the Return of In-Person CEDIA Expo

June 22, 2021Episoderesidentialtechtalks

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On this week’s podcast, we are joined by two very important members of the CEDIA Expo 2021 planning team. Jason McGraw, vice president of CEDIA Expo at the show’s management and ownership company, Emerald, gives us a more high-level view of the return of the in-person event September 1-3, 2021. Samantha Ventura, senior VP of education and training at CEDIA, provides some guidance about what we should know regarding classes and training that is planned for this fall at the Indiana Convention Center. Breaking news: No masks required for fully vaccinated attendees to the show!

Register for CEDIA Expo 2021 www.cediaexpo.com

Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by Leon Speakers | Picture Perfect Sound

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Episode 56: Tony Liebel and Buzr are Looking to Replace Outdated Apartment Access Systems

June 15, 2021Episoderesidentialtechtalks

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On this week’s podcast, Tony Liebel joins us from New York City where he is CEO of tech startup Buzr. The company’s product, called Buzr Pro, was designed to replace outdated apartment access systems by only requiring the user to install the Buzr Pro smart device hardware into the individual apartment or condo wall unit. Tony and his co-founder Jeremy Walker met at Cornell Tech, where they began their collaboration. In May 2020, Buzr was one of four student companies that won the highly competitive Cornell Tech Startup Awards and received $100,000 in pre-seed funding to pursue their startups after graduation. Along with the funds, the company was provided a co-working space at Cornell’s Roosevelt Island, NY campus and access to a support team of industry leaders and executives in computer science and engineering. Buzr Pro’s anticipated shipping date is Winter 2022. The company is currently running a preorder special for 20 percent off.

Learn more about Buzr by visiting www.getbuzr.com

Today’s episode of Residential Tech Talks is brought to you by Shelly WiFi Relays by Allterco | Smart home devices designed and developed to provide solutions tailored to your needs.

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Episode 55: Melissa Andresko is Lutron’s Brand Ambassador

June 1, 2021Episoderesidentialtechtalks

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In this episode, Melissa Andresko joins us from Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, at the headquarters of Lutron, where she is chief corporate brand ambassador. Lutron, as most people know, is one of the pioneers and leaders of the lighting control category. The company’s founder, Joel Spira, in 1959, invented the first solid state lighting dimmer that could replace a light switch in a standard residential wallbox. That invention now resides in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC, due in part to the efforts and enthusiasm that today’s guest has brought to her various communications roles at Lutron over the past 23 years. Mr. Spira is no longer with us, but today’s Lutron engineers and business leaders continue to evolve and innovate, and Melissa Andresko plays a key role in promoting the company’s accomplishments as they happen, often linking the company’s past with its present.

Learn more about Lutron at www.lutron.com. Find Melissa on Twitter @MelissaAndresko