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CE Pro Podcast #172: CEDIA's Advocacy on Capitol Hill · CE Pro Podcast

• 0:09
  SPEAKER_02: Everyone, this is Zachary Combo, executive editor of CE Pro on another edition of the CE Pro podcast.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_02: And today we have Daryl Friedman, the uh global CEO of Cedia, and Greg Simmons of uh ADI.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_02: Uh what's going on, guys?
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: Hey Zach, thanks for having me.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_02: Of course.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_02: Hey, hey, thanks for thanks for have thanks for having me.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_02: Um so we are talking about something that that CDA has been doing now for uh three years.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_02: Is that right, Daryl?
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, exactly.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_02: And and that and that's going to Capitol Hill and and um just advocating for our industry, talking to lawmakers, um, getting some things in front of them, and just really raising awareness.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um Daryl, if we want to take just a couple minutes to talk about um, you know, that whole initiative, how it started, and you know, what the intended outcomes are.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, well, any any mature industry has to have a voice in Washington if you want to be involved in policy.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_01: We have a saying in Washington, which is where I'm coming from, which is if you're not at the table, you're on the menu.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_01: And so, you know, for years there have been a lot of issues that have been coming through DC that affect the CI channel.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_01: And we just have to make sure that our people are there to explain what we do, what the smart home industry is, what the customer installation industry is, and make sure there are some really important policy decisions that are being made and we want them to go in our favor.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_02: Right, right.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_02: Um, yeah, how's how has it been productive over the these three years?
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_01: Well, the first year was who are you?
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_01: I'm sorry, what is this?
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_01: So the first year, and Greg's been with us for the past two, so he can talk about it too.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_01: But the first year was really much about introducing ourselves as an industry, but also um, you know, trying to get, we've been working, CD is really interested in the industry being recognized uh alongside other trades like architecture and uh design and building.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_01: And so part of that was the um the focus on getting this category formally recognized, which is a process that happens once every 10 years.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_01: So the first year we were kind of introducing that process and talking about some key bills, but one of the bills we lobbied for in the first two years actually passed.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_01: And um we got some of these uh um these uh funding for apprenticeships and some non-traditional training.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you're if you're a parent, you have these 512 plans that that you can save for your kids' education.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_01: Now they can be used for things like CD certifications and technical tools school training.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_01: So it's been it's been pretty effective, and hopefully we'll see the same result this year.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_02: Excellent.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, Greg, you want to want to weigh in on any of that?
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, what um just through your lens of you know involvement in this initiative?
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think I mean as a as a longtime CEDIA member as an integrator, I know what CDIA did for me and and my company and education and all the things that it does, but it was real eye-opening to see that Daryl and Cedia is now lobbying on Capitol Hill.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's interesting.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: The first year it was an eye-opening experience.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: You know, the whole thing is kind of interesting and dramatic, and it's it's it's you're learning about it.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: What's funny?
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: The very first meeting I went into with a congressperson, I'm thinking, man, you know, we got to explain what it is we do.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: This congressman says, Oh yeah, I just installed, had a custom installer in in uh Indiana install all of your products in my house.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: I know exactly what you guys do.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: And then I'm like, this is gonna be easy.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: And the rest of the day did not get any easier than that.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_02: No, it's funny.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I have the same, I'm like as an industry journalist, I have the same um issues like talking to strangers about what I do, or and uh they're like, you know, um sometimes you run into someone who like has either done it or has or you know knows about it or or whatever.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_02: Um but most people are like, what is an integrator?
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_02: Why is it even called that?
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_02: Um yeah, so we got a lot to talk about because there's there's a lot going on, it seems like.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_02: Um so let's talk about what you guys were doing um there in March, I believe.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_02: It was March?
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_02: Is that correct?
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_01: So it was sorry, I was gonna say the model was a little bit different.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so Greg's now seen two versions.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_01: So the uh two year one year ago, we did the traditional walk around the halls of Congress and have meetings with members of Congress.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_01: This year we did a couple of new things, uh including a meeting at the Department of Labor because we really want this industry to have apprenticeships and um to have the industry recognized through an actual occupational code, which is some important.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so we actually got a meeting with the Department of Labor and we had some really interesting conversations with uh some of the um appointees uh who are now working in that building.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_01: So it was a fun, uh, fun conversation.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_01: We spent the first hour there.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: Um and Greg, anything you want to add to that, is you tell us that that was really I think an interesting that was a nice ad for me for sure.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_00: Um, one to kind of understand uh the basis of getting your industry acknowledged as a trait, right?
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and and I think technology integrator, you know, apparently, Daryl, about a couple of years ago we've we've made the application.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: And then to hear the reasoning of what it takes to get in there, how many actual uh you know companies and actual integrators there need to be to get on the radar.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_00: Our industry qualifies, our industry is involved every day in construction now.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_00: And I think the the people on the the board, the panel there, um, from the Department of Labor one, I think had a better understanding of who it was, you know, we were.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: Um it was kind of funny that the building is it's it's government relatively old, the Wi-Fi wasn't great.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: And they made an acknowledgement that, you know, hey, you guys are probably kind of embarrassed to have you in this room as like the lights were dimming, as like power loads were, you know, it was really interesting.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: But they they understood.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: We were able as manufacturers and integrators, we were able to uh talk about you know who we were, what it is we do, what we make.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: And I think there was a a positive progress there for that for sure.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_02: So sorry, did you say that they were asking about like the like the number of like integrators in the country?
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_02: Did I hear you say that?
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, as part of yeah, that's part of the part of it.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_02: When what what is that answer, just out of curiosity?
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_01: Well, when we did the um when we did the application for the technology integrator, we actually reached out to a lot of other um industries that were related.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_01: So, for example, the commercial um integration industry, we talked to them, we talked to security folks.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_01: So we really we wanted to kind of you know punch above our weight here a little bit.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_01: So if you just talk about residentials, it's too small.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_01: I think if the number we came up with was close to a million integrators doing this type of work, I don't it was close to that number.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but again, this process takes place once every 10 years in the United States.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_01: So we have to, this is our moment because if we we miss it, and it takes several years to actually do the work, so we won't even know the answer until 2028.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_01: But if we if we miss this opportunity, it's gonna be another 10 years before we give another shot at it.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_02: So that's when it happens in 2028?
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_01: That's when they'll announce the uh the new occupational codes.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: Got it, got it, got it.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: One of the things I gathered was that you know, the other complexity is that when admin administrations change, um, you know, all over the place, right?
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: They have changes within the Department of Labor, just in general, um you almost feel like there's the potential to have to re-engage and restart because now there are new new people.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's just one of the dynamics, and I think Daryl understands it very well.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_00: Being in Washington for a long time, um, there's a lot of things you just have to adapt to uh in government.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: And so the CBIA team um has done a really good job of of adapting as those things change.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, there are you know they're career people and then they're appointees.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_01: So the appointees and a lot of the folks that Greg and I met with, um you know, they're part of the administration.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_01: So like we have three three plus more years, we got to get some stuff done, right?
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_01: And then their careers, they were there for you know 30, 40 years.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_01: Like they're a little more leisurely in their in their approach.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_01: So we wanted to see this uh this happen pretty quickly.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_02: So so aside from you know those you know, kind of administration changes, um, you know, what other obstacles are are preventing that from becoming a reality?
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_01: Well, it's just um in terms of this occupational code.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_01: No, I think it's just them considering this um uh big enough to be its own as opposed to being under another trade or under electricians or something like that.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_01: So um that's why we make the case.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_01: And if you read our filing from a couple of years ago, I think we made a really good case why this is so different than any other field, why it's growing, why in a post-COVID world people's homes are so central to their lives that you need a technology integrator to do this kind of work that nobody else can do.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_01: So um I think that was a good was a it was a good opportunity for us to get back in front of them and reinforce that argument.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I had a conversation as we were leaving um with one of the with one of the people on the panel, and and I just said, you know, 20 years ago, we were not important, uh, as important in the construction process, you know, the low voltage industry.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: But now we're one of the most important people that's part of the building process.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I mean, you think about electricians and plumbers and HVSC and all the people that have been important and been recognized trades for years.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: If you think about how important we've become just in the last, let's call it 10 years in that process.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, we should be recognized right along with them, with as important as we become to the entire process and touching all those other trades, uh, you know, to get these homes built and and to a certain place in technology, technological advancement, right?
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_00: Like we want these homes to be smart and we want these homes to be safe.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, and I think the people in government um heard that loud and clear from us.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_02: How how much of the pitch was was about like workforce development and and adding jobs?
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, yeah, I'm sure the Department of Labor, that's that's what they do.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_02: They add directly add jobs, you know.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean, we had in addition, so the the the uh the officials who were there speaking to us, one was specifically an economics, an economist who was talking about this issue of how you evaluate the size of uh of our market, things like that.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_01: Another one was the head of the apprenticeship program, at the Department of Labor.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_01: We would love to see a formalized government-recognized apprenticeship program so young people can get in this industry, great industry to get into.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_01: You don't need to go to a four-year college, you can be well paid, you can do the coolest work, you know, working with the greatest technologies.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_01: It's just who wouldn't want that?
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_01: But we it would be helpful to have a government-approved apprentice.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_01: So our our uh VP of education, Paul Dolans, was there and he was speaking to the apprenticeship person.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_01: And in fact, there's a follow-up conversation happening, I think in a week or two with that office to keep moving that forward.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_01: It would be great to have a CEDIA channel apprenticeship recognized by the federal government.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, what else did you learn from from those kind of conversations centered around, you know, specifically education and in workforce?
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_01: Well, they were supportive of our actual congressional agenda too.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_01: Now, keep in mind the part of labor is part of the executive branch and the legislation happens to the legislative branch, and those two sometimes work together.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but uh we were telling them we we were actually lobbying that day on some workforce development legislation.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_01: They were very pleased to see that and supportive of that as well.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_01: So the other thing I want to mention is it's really important that the industry is there with us.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_01: If this is just CEA, an association, you know, it doesn't mean as much as when you have leaders.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_01: So Greg and many other CEOs of of manufacturers join us.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_01: And that's so important to make this um this case to Congress that so widespread.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_01: It's not just an it's not a special interest.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_01: This is a true industry all over the country, and we have constituents of members of Congress as part of that leadership team.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_01: So I mean, Greg, when you were there, you know, I think because you have so many locations in ADI, we actually could fit you in with a lot of different congressional offices because you're a multi, you're a constituent of so many, uh, many members.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's true.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it was uh some of the meetings, we have offices in their locations.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_00: So it kind of gives credibility, right?
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I think between all of us in the breakout groups, I mean, listen, the dynamic of having uh Crestron, Savant, Control 4, and Josh AI, like working together on a common goal is powerful.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it's super powerful.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_00: I'm friends with all those people, and and we work well together.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_00: I think we message properly together.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: At the end of the day, if you think about the money we spend as manufacturers, because CDIA, the manufacturers, we've got to do the training, we've got to create the training, we've got to spend the money on it.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_00: And we've been doing it without real government assistance for a long time.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_00: And so if you think about just the benefits of what that could do for the industry, for getting people interested and involved early, um, we're all for that.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um, can you just give us a quick rundown of who was there in DC?
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we had executives from all the companies that um um that Greg mentioned.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_01: We also had Origin Acoustics.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I'm probably forgetting somebody, but uh Josh AI.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_01: We had a number of integrators.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_01: We had a lot of the board leadership from Cedia.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we had a integrator from a local integrator from um Maryland come down.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_01: And actually they produced, if I can, if I can digress for a second, um they helped us produce a demonstration of smart home technology, which we had in the Capitol, um, in the Rayburn building near the Capitol for members of Congress to kind of walk by and see it.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_01: It was like a take a think of a booth at CD Expo, and then like shrink it down to something that can fit inside one of these uh foyers.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_01: And um, so we had Bethesda systems integration from local here, local spent together.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_01: So you could come in and see, you know, a Josh control system, a Ketra lighting strip, a Lutron blind, an IC real time, doorbell, a sonos beam, and see how it all works together.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_01: And so members of Congress are coming by and talking to it, you know, and responding to it.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_01: So it was it was a lot of fun.
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, it it actually, you know, the AI is such a big thing, especially on Capitol Hill, right?
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_00: They're trying to wrap their heads around it, it's coming at them from all angles.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_00: This was a great way with the manufacturers that participated.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_00: It was a great way to give a simple demonstration of this is how AI is going to protect you and make your life better in the future, right?
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_00: The demo was very specific to coming up to the front door camera, a few of us in suits, right?
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_00: It it identified that it wasn't a threat.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_00: The lights go green inside the house, the shades come up, there's messaging through the uh the audio system that, hey, this is uh this is okay.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_00: You can answer the door and we feel good about it, right?
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_00: The other sense is they held up uh an image of a handgun, and the opposite occurs.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_00: AI identifies that it's a threat, turns the lights red, takes the shades down, set uh uh gives messaging inside the home to contact the authorities.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it it was a very great, simple way for these members from all over the country uh and their staff to understand how our industry can really improve and make people's lives safer in a simple display.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_02: How how did lawmakers respond to that?
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_02: Was there anything particular like um you know the AI control lighting or security that that resonated you know more strongly?
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_02: Or, you know, what did they think was cool?
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_02: You know, what were the what were their comments?
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so the members of Congress, I think they're just kind of surprised when they didn't necessarily know um this technology existed.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_01: But I think the congressional staff, and you know, this country, people don't realize this country is run by people in their 20s, and essentially these congressional staff are like the the real kind of power source.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_01: So they were coming up in groups, and um, Alex Kapaslatra from Josh, who was our meeting past chair, was doing the demonstration.
• 16:31
  SPEAKER_01: And sometimes he would just make it fun.
• 16:33
  SPEAKER_01: He'd say, like, okay, what are you doing this weekend?
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_01: And they'd say, Oh, I'm having a party, and so tell me about it, and they'd say, like, you know, yeah, it's kind of retro 70s themed, dah-da-da.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_01: And then he would he would tell the control system, create the scene, you know, and then it would start playing like disco music and the lights would be flat.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_01: And so they just they got a click out of that too.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_01: But it also drives the point home to them that you know, this this technology does exist and not only is it fun, but it's also very useful in our lives.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_01: And then we also, when we talked to the members of Congress, you know, we talked about the importance of professional integrators coming in and doing a secure network, because those people talk about the ultimate remote worker, right?
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, they live in a district somewhere in the United States and they come back and forth to Washington and communicate with their staffs from home.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_01: So they need they understand the need of a secure network, and we were trying to explain why the integrator is the right person to create that that secure network for you.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_02: Great segue into something we gotta hit on um about um routers.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_02: Um everyone's trying to ban routers, man.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_02: What's good, what's going on?
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um you know what so we have the router act and then um you know the FCC um banning routers that aren't made in the in the US.
• 17:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um yeah, what's what's the you know reprieve for for router manufacturers?
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_02: What's um I don't know.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um it's it seems like a like a big deal that we should talk about.
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's a it's it's a it's a kind of a funny story, not well, you tell me if it's funny, but we had literally planned like a month before we planned our congressional agenda, we were going to support something called the Routers Act.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_01: Now, this has already passed the House and it was in the Senate, and the Senate was considering it, and it could become law.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_01: And essentially it was a create a study to really investigate whether some of the foreign-made routers, particularly from China and other uh countries on the covered list and security threats, should be looked at, banned, whatever.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_01: That was congressional action.
• 18:35
  SPEAKER_01: Literally, while we're in Washington, we get word that the FCC with the executive branch issues this blanket ban.
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, literally is um anything not made in the US.
• 18:46
  SPEAKER_01: And every everything has some component made overseas.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, that's the world we live in today.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_01: So it was almost a universal ban, unless you get an exception.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_01: So um, this was a big topic for us.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I think in in some ways it's it's okay for the integrator because a lot of there are there are a lot of cheap routers on the marketplace that do come from China, and that's not what our people are installing.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_01: They're installing high quality, secure things.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_01: So in some ways, all of this attention is good for the integrated.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_01: But um, if I may, shameless plug, on on May 6th, we had a former FCC um official give a webinar to uh the CD community about um the the what this ban really means, what it means for our specific industry, how uh manufacturers and integrators can can work through it.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_01: Um and so that uh has been recorded, and we I encourage you to learn more about the ban from somebody who really comes from the FCC and can explain it uh as an insider.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_00: What I will what I will add as manufacturer of these products is, and I think it was communicated pretty well, but maybe some people don't know.
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_00: Anything that's existing in customers' homes, anything that um we have in stock on our shelves, all the things that have been approved, there is no issue there at all.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_00: What they're talking about doing is looking at how do we protect what's coming in the future.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_00: And companies like ours and and many others are navigating those waters.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_00: The the good news is is that everybody is everything the product is good.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_00: Uh customers who who have existing systems do not need to be concerned.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it makes everybody um you know interested in making sure uh that these products um are protected and that uh people are protected.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_02: So essentially anything in the country is is uh fair game to install.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_01: So it's anything yeah, anything in use is fine is not gonna be pulled out and anything on the shelves.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_01: It's the new products, things coming down the pipe.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_02: Right, right.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and we we've seen a handful of manufacturers saying, you know, it's really issuing statements that they have exemptions um or they secured one.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um so I imagine those will continue to roll in.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um yeah, it's it's I think cybersecurity is something that uh doesn't get talked much about um in our in our industry.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um I mean just you can literally look up um which products and and you know um hardware, software, you name it, has cybersecurity vulnerable vulnerabilities.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_02: Um and there's quite a quite a few products in our in our industry that have um and then you know those are those are published on a on a federal website for everyone to be kind of be made aware for users to patch.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_02: Um but then when that's published, if you don't patch it, then the bad guys have that information too.
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um so yeah, is there anything that's that Cedia you know is doing or has their eyes on around cybersecurity?
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, well, we have uh a certification called uh residential network specialist, the RNS certification, and that's currently being updated now that already has some piece of cybersecurity included in it.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_01: We're doing is an add-on module.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_01: For like really this kind of AI approach to cybersecurity.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_01: The vulnerabilities are so much greater now with AI, but the potential to keep the homeowner safe is also greater with AI.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_01: So we want to kind of train our integrators, anyone who takes CEDA certification education to really understand this.
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_01: And we want to be that source for the homeowner.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, we're CD will be putting out something for the end user to understand why it's important to use a CD member in your home, not just have the guy who's installing your cable TV also be putting in your network because everything is vulnerable today.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_01: And you need an expert.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_01: You need really you need a custom installer, you need a CD member to do that.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_01: So that's what we're working on with cybersecurity.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_01: And I think it's going to be rolling out uh this quarter.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_00: The CDA Expo this past year had a couple of companies that are dedicated to cybersecurity.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_00: And I think some people, a lot of us know in the industry are working on it.
• 22:54
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and that's a good thing because you know we we have to do the best we can to protect these customers.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_00: Again, on Capitol Hill, something about a technology integrator and experts that are installing these products.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, we we talked about what an advantage that is.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_00: And one of the things that came up in a couple of our uh meetings with individual uh uh members on on the Hill was that hey, this is a safer way to get this done for people, right?
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_00: This is going to provide a safer and more complete experience using a certified um technology integrator uh is really the way to go.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, uh so what else did we did we talk about on uh in in DC this year?
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_01: Well, one bill that we were lobbying on, um it's called the VET Act, which I was really excited about because we were already working, CDA was working on um some of our workforce development um activities to really try to approach um veterans re-entering the workforce.
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, it's a great potential pool of uh workers, right?
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_01: Because they're a lot of them have great technical knowledge, a lot of them have great project management skills, they all have great discipline, um, and they're coming in back to the marketplace.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_01: And we've got a great story to tell about becoming an integrator.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_01: But this vet act, it actually stands for Veterans Energy Transition Act.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_01: It was really to create these uh funding source to give$10,000 grants to companies who hire returning vets and their spouses actually, um, to work in the energy sector.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_01: And the way they define the energy sector, the CD integrator is downstream from that because it talks about um low voltage and control systems.
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_01: So uh I don't know if this bill, it has 19 co-sponsors, hopefully more now that we've been there to get some additional signatures, but it was kind of exciting to see the possibility of having the government really step in and say, let's get these veterans into our channel, let's get them into our um into our workforce.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_01: They'll be happy and we'll be happy.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_01: We need the people.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_02: Uh what did you hear, you know, directly from some some congressional offices?
• 25:02
  SPEAKER_02: Um you know, in in terms sorry, let me rephrase that question.
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, you know, what what feedback did we hear from congressional offices about you know the industry?
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_02: And maybe were there any surprises about how we were perceived?
• 25:17
  SPEAKER_01: Greg, did you hear anything?
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_00: I mean yeah, there are always some surprises.
• 25:23
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, Daryl mentioned it before, but one of the things I've learned over the the last couple couple of years being there is Washington is literally run by 22-year-old interns, right?
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_00: They they're they're taking the notes, they're asking the questions, um, and then all of the research and everything they do is guiding uh their congressperson or their senator um to be able to make educated decisions uh as they're voting for things, right?
• 25:53
  SPEAKER_00: And so I think to be honest, it's an advantage that sometimes we're talking to those people in the room because I think they do have a better understanding of technology and and some of the things we're saying.
• 26:07
  SPEAKER_00: But I think maybe in the first year, where maybe a congressperson really isn't gathering, you only have so many minutes.
• 26:15
  SPEAKER_00: Some cases you're literally standing up.
• 26:18
  SPEAKER_00: It's like a if if the office is packed and they have things going on and there's votes going on on the floor.
• 26:26
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes you'll literally have your meeting standing in the hallway uh for 20 minutes, 15 minutes, 10 minutes.
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_00: So getting those things across, um, I felt like having some of those young people there.
• 26:39
  SPEAKER_00: They were asking a lot of the right questions is actually very beneficial, especially coming from what we're doing.
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_00: Um I think I saw um what I believe just from last year to this past year, previous year to this year, um, I felt like that Daryl and the team has has done a decent job because the questions weren't as off, right?
• 27:09
  SPEAKER_00: Questions were a little bit more um intelligently focused, and I think understanding more of why our industry in these bills, I mean, listen, the getting veterans' jobs and and helping young people uh understand that four-year universities isn't the only path, that our industry has a great path for um you know for a career um and to to build a good life for your family.
• 27:36
  SPEAKER_00: I think everybody supports that.
• 27:38
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's a really nice message to be bringing to the government.
• 27:44
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 27:46
  SPEAKER_02: Uh so how do you build on on this momentum um you know for uh 2027?
• 27:52
  SPEAKER_02: Um or I guess you know, what can we expect to hear about in terms of advocacy?
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I think um the big news, which I I I don't know if we've announced yet, but I'll I'll go ahead and give Zachary the scoop is is we're going to uh invite the entire membership to join us in 27.
• 28:10
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, great.
• 28:11
  SPEAKER_01: So anyone who wants to make the trip to Washington, we will arrange their meetings and we'll make this a movement because we would love to see a couple hundred people there.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_01: And uh, you know, we've been building up to that.
• 28:21
  SPEAKER_01: This year was bigger than any previous year.
• 28:23
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but actually at CDA Expo, we're gonna have a um a session on the smart uh stage on the floor to tell anyone who's interested about this join the movement.
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_01: This is the time to really come and be part of this.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_01: And I will tell you, and and Greg knows this as the others who who've come, like when you do this, it's almost mind-blowing.
• 28:42
  SPEAKER_01: Like it really is like you some people can't believe they're sitting down, they're talking to their member of Congress, like just talking about this is my business, this is what I do back home where I live and where you live, and and the impact that it makes that we can get this bill passed and the five twelve plans actually get passed and signed into law.
• 28:58
  SPEAKER_01: Like it is kind of kind of crazy that we can do this.
• 29:01
  SPEAKER_01: And so I just want everyone to experience that.
• 29:04
  SPEAKER_01: So anybody who's um who's gonna be at CD Expo can learn more about that, and then we'll be signing up people uh for March of 2027.
• 29:11
  SPEAKER_02: Excellent.
• 29:12
  SPEAKER_02: Great.
• 29:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um yeah, just for integrators who weren't there and maybe get the chance to go next year, you know, what's the what's their what's the most important takeaway um from this effort?
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_02: And um, you know, aside from you know, signing up to come with you guys, you know, how else can they get involved in you know, advocacy, maybe on the local or state level?
• 29:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, well, anybody who um who wasn't there, which is the majority of our membership, of course, gets an email the next week just uh recounting what was discussed, and it gives them an opportunity to contact the member of Congress via email.
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_01: We have a system where you can actually just plug in your address and we will tell you this is your member of Congress, here's a pre-populated letter, feel free to edit it.
• 29:54
  SPEAKER_01: And then you push this button and it actually goes to a member of Congress.
• 29:57
  SPEAKER_01: So there are ways to get involved.
• 29:58
  SPEAKER_01: Um, Darren Ruhrman, who works uh for CDIA for more than 20 years, has been tirelessly working at the state level to make sure that um people don't confuse electrical licenses with low voltage uh work.
• 30:11
  SPEAKER_01: And he's done an incredible job of really helping people stay in business to make sure that uh integrators haven't been forced out by saying, oh, you can't do this kind of work with low voltage unless you have an electrical license.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_01: So all that goes on.
• 30:23
  SPEAKER_01: There's an advocacy page on our website.
• 30:25
  SPEAKER_01: Um I encourage people to learn more about it and become more involved.
• 30:29
  SPEAKER_02: Excellent.
• 30:30
  SPEAKER_02: Great.
• 30:31
  SPEAKER_02: Uh yeah, Greg, anything to add um just about this whole initiative and and how folks can get involved?
• 30:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I couldn't recommend it more.
• 30:38
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I'm glad I've I've done it.
• 30:40
  SPEAKER_00: I will continue to do it.
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it's kind of neat to see the progress.
• 30:45
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, I think as a as a CBM member, which which I was an integrator member for many, many years, um, this is an opportunity that I wish it would have had back then.
• 30:56
  SPEAKER_00: Um there there's something about about seeing that you have the ability to make an impact in our industry because some of these things that we've been working on, that if we had more of the masses, you know, helping us with their voice, these things that could be changed or added, uh, could really help all of us, right?
• 31:18
  SPEAKER_00: It could help our businesses, it could help us with with internships and education and and funds.
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, think if if you were to hire a veteran and and and have a$10,000 grant, right?
• 31:30
  SPEAKER_00: Like that that's kind of um it's game changing for everybody.
• 31:34
  SPEAKER_00: So I would highly recommend to to come see it, um, experience it.
• 31:39
  SPEAKER_00: It's all the other things too, right?
• 31:41
  SPEAKER_00: There's a lot going on around you when you're there.
• 31:44
  SPEAKER_00: Um, there's all kinds of other people that are lobbying for different things, and it to experience all of those different people coming together is uh quite amazing.
• 31:55
  SPEAKER_00: And don't forget, we have to ride the train.
• 31:58
  SPEAKER_00: Oh yeah.
• 31:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, train is my favorite thing.
• 32:01
  SPEAKER_00: It's like going back to being a kid again.
• 32:03
  SPEAKER_00: You go in, like they're almost like um almost looks like carts that would go into some sort of mine or something like that.
• 32:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 32:09
  SPEAKER_00: And you jump on it and go right from the congressional offices right into the Capitol building.
• 32:14
  SPEAKER_00: And I was spectacular every time I do it.
• 32:19
  SPEAKER_02: Cool.
• 32:20
  SPEAKER_02: I actually didn't know that was a thing, but that's that's cool.
• 32:22
  SPEAKER_02: Um we should invite some of these folks to CDIA expo.
• 32:29
  SPEAKER_01: Legislators.
• 32:30
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, or or just you know, labor officials, whoever.
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_02: Um I feel like because I don't know, coming at coming as a person who uh you know, I've only been covering this industry for about five years.
• 32:44
  SPEAKER_02: My first time going to CDI, I was like, oh it something clicked.
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_02: You know, actually seeing this stuff, playing with it, getting your hands dirty, um you know, reading about it, watching videos, you know, it doesn't do it.
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um you gotta see this stuff, you gotta experience it, you know, for yourself.
• 33:04
  SPEAKER_02: Um so I think yeah, if uh you know, that's in the cards.
• 33:08
  SPEAKER_02: I think it would be a great idea to invite some of these folks to CD.
• 33:11
  SPEAKER_01: That's a great idea.
• 33:12
  SPEAKER_01: We'll we'll do that on one condition, Zachary.
• 33:15
  SPEAKER_01: Um they always like ink.
• 33:16
  SPEAKER_01: So if I can dangle in front of them, you'll be able to go to CD Expo and I I can get you it, you'll be interviewed by uh CE pro and I got a winner.
• 33:25
  SPEAKER_01: So we'll absolutely.
• 33:26
  SPEAKER_02: I would love to I would love to uh talk to some folks from Congress.
• 33:29
  SPEAKER_01: All right, all right, okay, working on it.
• 33:32
  SPEAKER_02: Cool, let's do it.
• 33:33
  SPEAKER_02: Awesome.
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_02: All right, thanks very much, guys.