2010 Alive at Five Concert Series

For the 7th year in a row Audio-Video Group will be providing the sound systems and mixing for Frederick's Alive at Five concert series which now features nine shows. The Downtown Frederick Partnership has arranged to bring a variety of artists to perform in the Carrol Creek Amphitheatre on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the Month through September starting at 5pm. Audio-Video Group is proud join with other leading local businesses to sponsor of these events. Come out and enjoy!

2010 Schedule:
May 13- Positive Vibrations
May 27 - The English Channel
June 10 - Family Affair
June 24 - Jah Works
July 8 - Troutzilla
July 22 - Lucky You
August 12 - Hard Swimmin' Fish
August 26 - Andy Suzuki & The Method
September 9 - Larry Thomas Project

New Sales Associate Angela Barnes added to team

Angela Barnes began her career in proposal writing before joining the audiovisual industry in 2005. She was promoted to Account Manager for a well-respected conference and event management firm to develop relationships within the Eastern and Central US Division. She joins Audio-Video Group to continue to create solutions for a diverse group of clients. Her responsibilities include seeking new opportunities for the company and maintaining relationships with existing clients.

Angela holds a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business from University of Maryland and is a proud recipient of the InfoComm-Recognized AV Technologist Certificate.

Audio-Video Group Marks Ten Year Anniversary

Frederick’s own audiovisual systems integrator continues to expand its reach and technological offerings.
Frederick, MD, March 16, 2010: Since opening for business in 2000, Audio-Video Group has evolved from a small, home-based operation to a fully staffed entity that offers a comprehensive listing of products and services to its growing customer base.
"We started out 10 years ago with a tiny budget and have steadily grown into a business far exceeding anyone's expectations," said Eric Johnson, Audio-Video Group’s founder and president. "We are all very proud of this accomplishment and grateful to our customers and employees who helped get us here."
The initial projects involved the installation of sound and video systems for the House of Worship market, and, with the addition of dedicated engineering and project management assets, has expanded the company’s capabilities and customer list. Now, AVG serves the corporate, educational, hospitality and government industries – as well as their forte, Houses of Worship. Product solutions range from simple projector and screen installations for a conference or class room, to full complete integrated systems incorporating sound and video throughout an entire facility.
“The key to our success is our focus on the customer’s needs,” says Johnson, “we design and install systems that not only meet or exceed the technological goal, but are also relatively simple for the end user to operate and control.”
A satellite office was established in Northern Virginia in 2006 to better serve that market, but the company has no plans to relocate – they consider Frederick their home.

New Sales Engineer added to Staff

John comes to us with 20 years of experience in the AV industry. His experience ranges from service and operations at customer locations to the engineering and design of both simple and complex AV systems for a diverse client base. John currently holds his CTS certification and is working towards his specialization in design. Attention to detail and a “do it right the first time” attitude are just two of John’s great qualities which can be added to his desire for continuous improvement and the pursuit of perfection.
John enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters. He also enjoys traveling, music and “do it yourself” projects.

New Team Member - Mike Bartlett

Audio-Video Group (AVG) is very pleased to welcome a new member to our team. Mike Bartlett arrived at AVG armed with over three decades of electrical, diagnostic, mechanical, stage production, construction and administrative experience. Customer service and attention to detail are some of Mike’s outstanding qualities, along with the passion to interpret our customer’s vision and help turn their dreams into reality. His experience and enthusiasm make Mike a welcomel member of our installation and repair team.

With guidance from AVG, Mike’s goal is to obtain the specialized certification of Certified Technology Specialist - Installation (CTS-I). Throughout this process we are confident that our customers goals will be met along with his own due to his commitment and professionalism.

AVG Welcomes aboard Joe Stone

Audio-Video Group is very pleased to add a new member to our team. Joe stone will be filling the role of Project Manager, operating out of our Frederick, MD location. Joe comes to us with over 35 years experience in live sound reinforcement, including the last ten in operations and project management. He has a lifelong passion for electronics and audio and has been "the sound guy" for the very successful local band, "Nightlife," for the last 15 years. Prior to that, he had 15 years in commercial construction as a foreman in Ironworkers Local 5.

AVG is confident that Joe offers the right combination of experience and enthusiasm for this key position at this time of growth in 2010. Both the company and its customers will benefit from improved communications and more efficient project flow.

Article in The Frederick News-Post (April 2008)

SOUND INVESTMENT
High-tech upgrades for churches boosting audio-video business
Originally published April 22, 2008

By Ike Wilson
News-Post Staff

Jerry Ferson did not see a hymn book in the six and a half years he worked as media director at Maranatha Community Church of God in Christ.
And gone are the days when a church service included only an organ, a piano or both.

Many local churches have upgraded to the latest high-tech audio-visual productions, eliminating hymnals in the process and becoming renowned for their theatrical productions for Easter and Christmas.

The trend is boosting business for audio-video companies.

There's been an explosion over the last few years of churches investing in their audio-video capabilities, said Eric Johnson, founder and president of Audio-Video Group in Frederick.

"People, especially young people, want something catchy," Johnson said. "Churches are driven to offer something that entertains. People want to get the same level of energy they get in other parts of their lives."

Two of the most vital ingredients in worship are sound and song, the Rev. Jack Hartman, a United Methodist Church superintendent, said in 2005 Frederick News-Post report.

"It doesn't make any difference how good the music, the prayers or the preaching if one cannot hear clearly because the sound does not have quality," the Rev. Hartman said. "Likewise it doesn't make any difference how good the sound, if the music is not quality. The combination of the two, if done well, can inspire and stimulate. The combination of the two if either is done poorly will be disheartening and boring."

The need for high-tech audio-video systems is due in part to people coming back to church, especially after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the country, Johnson said.

"Churches have been seeing a resurgence in their membership, and these are people who are coming from non-church backgrounds who want to be ministered to in a way that relates to them, not to mention the evolution of people and their need for something new," Johnson said.

Done properly, an audio-video system should add to the worship experience, not detract from it, Johnson said.

When the Frederick Church of The Brethren needed a comprehensive audio-video system, church officials weren't sure that a local firm could handle the scope of their demands, the Rev. Paul Mundey, senior pastor, wrote in a letter about the project.

Audio-Video Group installed the church's system, leaving some happy campers.

"Our project was rather comprehensive, involving sound reinforcement, video displays and a variety of specialty lighting arrangements," the Rev. Mundey said. "It was complex, utilizing the latest in both design and technology."

But in turning to Audio-Video Group, Church of The Brethren was not disappointed, the Rev. Mundey said.

"We could not be more pleased with our product," the Rev. Mundey said.

Johnson's company showed "top-flight professionalism and sensitive understanding of the unique culture of the church ... and lifted a major burden as we sought to implement this complex project," the Rev. Mundey said

Not all equipment created equal

Audio/video systems vary in size and capabilities, Ferson said.

"You have a choice in equipment between a Cadillac and a Dodge." He said there's a big difference between an overhead projector you can get from Staples or Home Depot for $800-$900 and the $35,000 Sony equipment at Maranatha. And similar equipment can run as high as $150,000, Ferson said.

"The difference is the distance it can throw an image and the amount of light it can take," he said.

Maranatha's state-of-the-art audio/video and lighting suite cost approximately $370,000. The church also has a digital marquee used to publicize events and offer encouraging words to live by. Maranatha may be the first church in Frederick to use a digital marquee, Ferson said.

"Anyone who comes into the audio/video section is overwhelmed" by what they see, Ferson said.

Ferson was a part of the team that decided on the audio/video suite for the church when the $4.7 million edifice was in its planning stages. The Crest Audio X-8 -- a 40 channel sound mixer board with volume controls -- was one of his favorite pieces of equipment, Ferson said.

The mixer allows 40 different inputs from microphones and four in-lines for compact disc or digital video disc. The matrix board itself sends audio through the equalizer and from the equalizer to the amplifiers and from the amps to the speakers.

Photo Caption and Credit:
Photo by courtesyPhoto
This integrated audio-video system installed by Audio-Video Group of Frederick, in the Frederick Church of the Brethren, helps the church bring “greater voice and vision to its communion,” the Rev. Paul Mundey said.

Read the article posted in the Frederick News Post by clicking here.

Eric Johnson Achieves CTS-D Credential (April 2008)

Eric Johnson, founder and president of Audio-Video Group in Frederick, is now a Certified Technology Specialist – Design (CTS-D). A CTS-D earns this specialized certification by demonstrating detailed knowledge of how to analyze, select, and plan seamless audiovisual communications equipment interoperation. The CTS-D demonstrates his or her experience in the form of complete specifications and drawings that deliver a desired outcome to meet a client's needs. To achieve the CTS-D credential, Johnson passed a rigorous two-day exam including written, oral, and intensive practical sections and agreed to a Code of Ethics pledging truth, accuracy, and a commitment to excellence in all aspects of his profession. There are just over three-hundred CTS-D accredited professionals in the world according to InfoComm International.

Johnson founded Audio-Video Group in 2000 to deliver top-quality integrated system design, installation, and service for sound and video equipment. The company maintains a strong client base among houses of worship and also serves educational, government, corporate, medical, and industrial facilities; retail and dining establishments; funeral homes; and sporting facilities in Frederick County and throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. For more information, call 301-668-4448. The company is located at Riverside Technology Park, 8415 Progress Drive, Suite G in Frederick, just one mile south of Route 26 off Monocacy Boulevard.

Article in the Frederick News-Post (June 2006)

The President and Owner of Audio-Video Group had some sound advice to say to any business owner. Read the article posted in the Frederick News Post by clicking here.