Avid Kicks Off Inaugural Customer Association Event, Ushering in a New Era of Strategic Leadership for the Media Industry

LAS VEGAS, NV, 2014/04/05

Avid Connect conference surpasses attendance goals, with over 1,000 media industry leaders and creative professionals participating from 43 countries

Avid® (OTC: AVID) today announced that Avid Connect, the inaugural event of the Avid Customer Association, is now under way at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. With over 1,000 broadcast, pro video, and pro audio leaders, technology and creative professionals, and industry influencers in attendance from 43 countries, Avid Connect represents a new era of strategic leadership for the media industry.

The Avid Customer Association (ACA) was announced in September 2013 as a comprehensive initiative designed to provide essential strategic leadership to the media industry, collaborate with key industry leaders and visionaries, and deepen relationships between Avid and its customers. The multifaceted program engages the company’s network of broadcast, creative, and media customers to address the most important issues facing the media industry today.

“The level of participation and engagement at Avid Connect has exceeded all of our original expectations,” said Avid President and CEO Louis Hernandez, Jr. “With over 1,000 thought leaders, industry luminaries and influencers, and creative professionals here for the first gathering of the Avid Customer Association, we are proud to have assembled such a significant representation of our community collaborating together to start addressing their key strategic challenges as a group, and set a path forward for the entire industry.”

Avid Connect, the first-ever ACA event, is taking place today and tomorrow, just prior to NAB. Earlier today, Avid revealed the next phases of Avid Everywhere, its vision for the future of the media industry, and presented a technology vision demonstration. A full roster of educational breakout sessions to further elaborate on Avid Everywhere for the broadcast, video, and audio communities will take place this afternoon. Tomorrow morning George Bodenheimer, Executive Chairman of ESPN, and former Co-Chairman of Disney Media Networks, will deliver the keynote address following an industry panel discussion.

As previously announced, David Mash, Senior VP for Innovation, Strategy, and Technology at Berklee College of Music, has been named Chairman of the Executive Board of Directors. Richard Friedel, EVP and General Manager at Fox Networks, and Dr. Andreas Bereczky, EVP of Technology and Production at ZDF German Television, will serve as Vice Chairmen of this association run by and for Avid’s preeminent customer community of media industry professionals. Please visit the ACA Website to see a complete roster of the ACA Executive Board of Directors and the multi-focused Advisory Councils.

"It's fantastic to see this level of leadership and support coming from Avid, and I'm thrilled to be part of this effort," said David Alfonso, Owner and Chairman of Todd-Soundelux and ACA Executive Board member. "The entire audio industry is grappling with significant strategic challenges, not least of which is the need to increase monetization across the board. In creating this customer association, Avid is showing its commitment to help us come together to start working to solve these critical issues."

“Broadcasters face many technical challenges these days and it’s important that we play an active role in helping shape and direct the future of the industry,” said Frank Governale, Vice President of Technology and Operations at CBS News.  “The Avid ACA is a good avenue for the industry to help steer change.  I am pleased with Avid’s commitment and investment in the ACA and look forward to a successful platform for the industry to be heard, and stay ahead of the curve.”

Following Avid Connect, the ACA advisory councils will continue holding regular meetings to provide essential strategic leadership for specific industry issues including corporate strategy, products and solutions, industry standards and practices, customer success, customer communities, and more.

The list of Avid Connect and ACA sponsors includes channel partners and technology providers such as Aspera, Nugen Audio, G-Technology, AVI, BlueFish444, Front Porch Digital, HB Communications, Key Code Media, MelroseMAC, Oracle, root6, SGL, Tekserve, and Telestream.

For more information about the ACA, please visit https://www.avid.com/avidcustomerassociation.