This week's home automation podcast features our host Ron Callis interviewing Chad Russell. Recorded live on Friday, September 23rd, 2022, at 12:00 pm. EST.

About Chad Russell

As Director of Residential Sales, Chad Russell oversees all residential sales for SurgeX and guides the sales team toward achieving new milestones. With over 25 years of experience, Chad is known throughout the industry for his training style, knowledge of cutting-edge control systems, and creation of best practice resources for dealers to help with sales, profitability, and efficiency across their businesses.

Chad has been involved in the custom installation space since his college years. He has also focused on the manufacturing side of the business, where he cultivated his dynamic background. Throughout his nearly three-decade career, he has served as Regional Sales Manager for both Kaleidescape and Crestron Electronics, the Territory Sales Manager for VUDU, Vice President of Sales for ICE Cable Systems, and most recently, the Director of Sales for Josh.ai.

Interview Recap

• Chad’s background and history working the AV industry for 25 years 
• The CEDIA 2022 Expo in Dallas and everything SurgeX was taking to the show, including SQUID, their new power solutions product.
• His perspective on the labor shortage we are experiencing and different actions that can help pull talent into the industry.

About Jimmy Paschke

Jimmy’s love affair with the Custom Integration business burgeoned out of college when taking a role with Sony Electronics. Since then, he has had the pleasure to of helping dealers in this channel sell dedicated theater interiors and seating, high end hard disk drive movie servers, nice audio gear and other solutions providing enhanced living experiences throughout the inside and outside of the home. For the last several years Jimmy has focused his efforts on growing the SurgeX brand within the residential channel. In his spare time Jimmy enjoys time with his family and friends back home gig-in’, grillin’, and gigglin’.

Interview Recap

Here are some of the topics Ron had the opportunity to discuss with Jimmy:

• Proactive monitoring, system design and service to promote healthy relationships with customers.
• Take Control of the Power your sensitive AV gear relies upon.
• Ensure each job has a foundation consisting of Clean and Stable Power.
• Mitigate against reacting to product lock up, mis-communication and synch issues caused by power fluctuations, ground contamination and other anomalies.
• Diagnose power anomalies fast to cut down on wasted time hunting power related ghosts.