On the Air:

How Virtual Studio Production Takes Us to the Next Level

Virtual Session - Thursday, April 15, 2021

Now in our second year of collectively using Zoom and other, more comprehensive, virtual platforms, meeting planners are raising the bar by pursuing a higher video and audio quality in a highly produced and controlled environment. Virtual studios offer a level of sophistication and professionalism through an established studio presence or by offering equipment to be set up remotely, such as in a home or office.

What should planners consider when exploring and shopping for a virtual studio experience? Will attendees start to expect “the look” of a virtual studio more? How should planners budget for this? We’ll speak with a panel of knowledgeable A/V experts and explore how their offerings contribute to the virtual and hybrid meeting environment.

PANELISTS

BRIAN MONAHAN
VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

PRESTIGE AV & CREATIVE SERVICES

Brian is an event technology expert, speaker, and certified professional coach. Since the second quarter of 2020, Brian has immersed himself in the learning and execution of resilient and reliable virtual experiences. His current dedication is to prepare the meeting and event profession for the explosion of hybrid events on the horizon. For the last two decades, he has had the opportunity to help hundreds of clients optimize their events in three key areas: attendee experience, organizational growth, and profitability.

DEREK SUMINSKI

VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

BAV/JSAV

Derek oversees BAV/JSAV’s Show and Event Services Division, client acquisition and management, and industry strategy. Over the past 25 years Derek has held various technical, managerial and sales positions including the account management for 65 trade association, corporate and government clientele. Derek has served three terms on the Meeting Professionals International Potomac Chapter Board of Directors. In this capacity he oversaw the chapter’s signature Annual Mid Atlantic Conference & Expo serving in a Director of Meetings capacity, providing him continual and unique insight into the event planning needs and challenges that the BAV/JSAV customers face on a day to day basis.

TROY PETERS, CTS
VP OF MARKETING & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

VIDEO WEST

Troy is an executive with Video West, a national AV provider based in Phoenix, Arizona that provides audio, video, lighting, staging for in-person and virtual events across the globe. He also sits on several boards and committees working to improve our industry and engage with future leaders. Troy's background began in motion picture production before migrating to association show management with the Optics & Photonics Society, where he managed the audio visual logistics at their dozens of events across the globe. Holding city-wide multi-day conferences with upwards of 20,000 attendees, Troy quickly grew frustrated with the lack of initiative and new-technology options their AV company was bringing to their events. He became a Certified Technology Specialist in 2010 and prides himself on helping his clients enhance the attendee experience.

BJ SINGH
PRESIDENT AND CEO

PREMIER EVENT TECHNOLOGY AND EVENTEQ

BJ Singh was recognized by BizBash Magazine on their list of “500 Must-Know Event Pros in the U.S.” in 2020 and “Top 500 People in Events” in 2018. BJ is a serial entrepreneur with significant experience in market positioning, branding, and building customer-focused organizations. Before founding EVENTEQ, BJ was a sales and marketing executive at various software firms and eventually co-founded a software firm that was acquired in 2006. After the acquisition, BJ made his hobby into a business, and EVENTEQ was born. In 2020, BJ expanded his leadership role to oversee Premier Event Technology in addition to EVENTEQ.

Moderator

Phil Rappoport
Virlybird

Phil founded Virlybird to support meeting planners in their quest to deliver quality virtual meeting experiences. Prior to Virlybird, he served as VP and General Manager of the AgendaPop mobile event app since 2015. Phil is the VP, Communications for the MPI Potomac Chapter, and is a member of PCMA, ASAE, SGMP, AMPs, and CSAE. His career has spanned the Internet and broadcasting, holding management positions at AOL, Surefire Local, Sony, Fox Television New York, radio stations in Chicago, Cincinnati, and New York. He also produced a weekly late-night program for the ABC Television Network featuring the top rock and roll artists.

Technical Producer

VINNU DESHETTY
Principal Planner
Apex Meetings & EVAreg.com

As a technology advocate, Vinnu helps clients embrace tools that improve their attendee experiences while making the meeting planner's job easier. With over 20 years experience in conference and event planning, Vinnu's portfolio ranges from working with government agencies including Internal Revenue Service and Department of Defense to social justice organizations like National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance. With her meeting planner hat, Vinnu works with a team of developers at EVAreg.com to customize registration and virtual conference portals.

Raised as a coal miner’s daughter in western Kentucky, Vinnu stays true to her southern roots by valuing community in both her personal and professional lives. She obtained a Bachelors of Science from Vanderbilt University and a Masters of Public Administration.