Connected Design Ramps Up its 2020 Annual Awards Program

Connected Design Magazine is pleased to announce that we are in the process of gathering nominations for our annual Awards program.

The Connected Design Awards, now in their second year, have been instituted to honor the best-designed technology and products that the smart home industry has to offer.

Products and software solutions submitted for consideration in the awards program will be judged by a distinguished panel of experts from the custom integration, design and architecture disciplines, prior to their selection as winners worthy of recognition.

In judging each product entry, the panel will be tasked with evaluating nominated products based on criteria that take into full account the submissions’ design aesthetics, technological innovation, and ease of application/implementation. The panel’s consideration of various elements within each category will include the scoring of each product on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest score. Scores will then be totaled, and winners selected based on those totals.

We are planning to host a live virtual cocktail hour on Nov. 12 to announce the winners; the specific time and where to find the virtual event will be announced at a later date.

Connected Design’s staff is also pleased to announce the stellar members of our 2020 judging panel – each of whom is eminently qualified to review all aspects of the submissions and to draw upon their accumulated experience in the connected-technology field to render well-considered judgments. Here they are:

Jamie Briesemeister – Co-founder and CEO, Integrations Controls

Jamie Briesemeister is a co-founder and the current CEO of Integration Controls, a company that combines Design + Technology + Life to simplify and enrich one’s experience with entertainment, ambiance, comfort and peace of mind. While she navigates ongoing business development and sales, her passion is in education and bringing teams together, especially those in design/build environments. She is an active Board member and volunteer for the Custom Electronics Design and Installation Association (CEDIA). As a CEDIA Outreach Instructor (COI), she offers CEUs and other educational sessions for architects, interior designers, and others in the design/build profession. Jamie is also a member of the National Kitchen & Bath Association and the American Society of Interior Designers, where she volunteers within the St. Louis chapter to promote collaboration, camaraderie, and inclusion of technology in the designed environment. She has spoken on numerous panels, taught classes, and has presented at KBIS/IBS, NARI’s Big 50, and more. While technology is her business, Jamie does not profess to be a ‘techie,’ and prefers spending time in her garden, on bike rides, hiking, or enjoying yoga.

Joaquin Rivera – Managing Partner, AvbyDesign

Joaquin Rivera is Managing Partner, AvbyDesign. He grew up in the industry, having spent 15 years as an integral part of the team at video projection screen company Stewart Filmscreen. In 2014, he decided to make a change, leaving Stewart Filmscreen to form ByDesign Vision & Sound Marketing, Inc. Joaquin’s dedication to the industry has been recognized over the course of his career, earning him several awards, including being named one of the 50 Most Influential People in the industry; a 40 Under 40 Award recipient; a Young Turks of CE Award recipient; a CEDIA “Volunteer of the Year;” and a CEDIA Fellow.

Giles Sutton –  Senior Vice President of Member Success and Sales, CEDIA

Giles Sutton is the Senior Vice President of Member Success and Sales at CEDIA, our industry’s international trade association and central touch point for over 3,700 member companies and approximately 30,000 individuals worldwide who design, manufacture, and install technology for the home. He spent 13 years as Managing Director of James and Giles Ltd, a home technology installation company based in London. Under his leadership, the company won numerous industry awards and had its work featured in industry press as well as national publications. Prior to founding James and Giles, he worked for a pro audio installation company designing recording studios and live sound systems. Giles graduated in 2001 with a B.A. Honours degree in Sound Technology from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA).