CEDIA Expo 2027 Exhibitor List

Michael Heiss has over forty-five years of experience in guiding the development, sourcing, production, implementation and marketing of media services and new technology products. Well versed in both professional and consumer electronics, with a focus on the Home Technology Professional market segment, he has held management, marketing and technology development positions for leading hardware and software firms such as Harman International, Rank Video, NBC Television, as well Spectradyne, the originator of pay-per-view hotel movie services and Home Video Corp., the first nationwide direct-to-home video software rental service. He is the author of four books and has lectured on technology across the world. Building on his business and executive experience, he is a long-time journalist and analyst. Covering the professional and consumer electronics industries, Michael is a contributing editor and feature writer for Residential Tech Today as well the US Correspondent and a monthly columnist for HiddenWires.com. A member of numerous engineering, technical and communications societies. He is a Life Member of SMPTE and IEEE and is also a long time member of SBE (Society of Broadcast Engineers), SID (Society for Information Display and ATAS (The “Television Academy”). He is also member of the Order of the Iron Test Pattern with the Dignity of General. Named to the inaugural class of CEDIA Fellows, Mr. Heiss has served two terms as a member if the CEDIA Board and continues as an active participant in, and contributor to, their activities. He is the 2020 recipient of CEDIA’s Lifetime Achievement Award and is a previous recipient of their “Volunteer of the Year” award. In addition to serving on the Board of CEDIA, the global trade association for residential technology specialists, he has served on the boards of other non-profit and faith-based organizations. Born and raised in New York, he lives in Sherman Oaks, California with his wife, Leslie Nathan, AIA.

Since joining the CI industry in 1995, Josh Christian has excelled in partnering with design and build professionals. His success with trade partners led Josh to teach a class on how to work with interior designers profitably at the CEDIA Expo during the mid-2000s. Josh also served on the CEDIA committee that created the COI (Certified Outreach Instructor) program and has taught several hundred builders, architects, and interior designers in his career, which he continues to do. In 2017, Josh co-founded the Home Technology Association (HTA) and champions early hiring for integrators in construction projects.

Sharon founded Thyme and Place Design, headquartered in Wyckoff, New Jersey, and has been practicing kitchen, bath, and interior design for over 20 years across New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and the Eastern Seaboard. She is the Past President of the American Society of Interior Designers, New Jersey chapter, a professional member of ASID, as well as a Certified Interior Designer in New Jersey, and a Certified Kitchen Designer, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Interior Design Community. She is a current member of the editorial board of KBB Magazine. Sharon was named KBB Person of the Year 2025 and Kitchen Bath Design News 2022 Innovator of the Year. Her award-winning designs and editorial comments have been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, Design Milk, Furniture Lighting and Decor, Designers Today, Kitchen & Bath Design News, Design NJ, New Jersey Home Magazine, 201 Magazine, as well as several books. She has authored the Interior Designers’ Guide to Kitchen and Bath Business Success, available through the website. Sharon is an industry thought leader and a sought-after conference speaker and CEU provider.

Using Schneider Electric’s consumer research, Scott will explain how intelligent systems balance saving energy, saving on costs, and keeping homes comfortable with real, measurable results.

Ron Callis Jr is the CEO and founder of One Firefly, LLC, an award-winning and 5-time Inc. 5000 recognized marketing agency. With over 20 years of experience in the field, he has built a reputation for helping custom electronics businesses grow and succeed through innovative marketing strategies and top-notch website design. Ron is a well-known speaker and educator at industry events, a regular contributor to industry publications, and host of the AV and integration-focused podcast, Automation Unplugged.

Leslie Shiner—author, speaker, and trainer—has more than twenty-five years’ experience as a financial and management consultant. She is the owner of The ShinerGroup, a firm which provides top-level financial and management consulting for the integration industry, helping businesses maximize profits and gain financial control. Leslie Shiner is the author of A Simple Guide to Turning a Profit as a Contractor. She is an Advanced Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor and Sage Certified Consultant. Leslie has been recognized as a CEDIA Fellow, she has received the CEDIA Top 10 Instructor Award in multiple years, and most recently has been awarded CEDIA Education Volunteer of the Year in 2024. She frequently speaks at industry conferences and continues to receive high praise for her ability to make financial management interesting, understandable, and even entertaining.