Azione Unlimited, The Smart Home Association, has elected Patrick Laidlaw, director of business development-integration at AiSPiRE and WAC Lighting, to its advisory board. With more than two decades of experience in the custom integration and lighting industries, Laidlaw brings essential knowledge and visionary leadership to Azione Unlimited.
Laidlaw’s career spans various facets of the CI industry, including strategic business development, innovative lighting solutions, and fostering strong dealer-vendor relationships. At AiSPiRE and WAC Lighting, he has played a significant role in introducing advanced lighting technologies and enhancing industry collaboration.
“Joining the Azione Advisory Board is both an honor and a responsibility I embrace wholeheartedly,” Laidlaw said. “The future of the CI channel is brighter than it ever has been. The convergence of cutting-edge technology, health and well-being, and heightened client awareness — including the transformative power of lighting — has reached an unprecedented peak. I’m thrilled to be part of this monumental time in the channel’s growth and to contribute to the dynamic changes within our industry and the Azione organization.”
The Azione Unlimited Advisory Board, a cornerstone of the organization, is committed to advancing the mission of fostering growth and collaboration within the custom integration sector. Composed equally of dealers and vendors, the board strives to lead the group to new heights. Laidlaw’s appointment brings valuable expertise to this mission, enhancing the organization’s capacity to develop world-class initiatives for its members.
“Patrick’s election to the Advisory Board is as exciting as it is valuable to the Azione Unlimited family,” said Patrick McCarthy, interim executive director of Azione Unlimited. “His extensive expertise and forward-thinking approach perfectly align with our mission to drive innovation and collaboration in the industry. Patrick’s presence has made an immediate impact, and we are confident that his contributions will propel both our organization and the custom integration community to new heights.”
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Laidlaw succeeds Jeff Brewer, whose influential tenure was instrumental in bringing innovative initiatives to fruition and advancing the organization’s objectives. During Brewer’s tenure on the advisory board, he helped strengthen dealer-vendor constructive collaboration and promoting educational programs. Brewer recently left Azione manufacturer member Sonance to join SoundTube as VP of sales, residential.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to Jeff Brewer for his unwavering commitment and invaluable contributions during his term on the Advisory Board,” McCarthy said. “His leadership has set a high bar, and we are excited to continue building on the foundation he helped establish.”
The current advisory board includes:
- Brad Camp, Director of Business Development, OneVision
- Ron Callis, CEO, One Firefly
- Gretchen Gilbertson, Co-founder & CEO, Séura
- Patrick Laidlaw, Director of Business Development-Integration, AiSPiRE / WAC Lighting
- Angela Larson, SVP Services & Customer Operations, Savant
- Bryan Mills, Principal, Mills Technologies
- Kyle Steele, President, Global Wave Integration
- Ryan McDaniel, President, One-Touch Automation
- Nick DeClemente, President, Elevated Integration
- Paul Ostrin, President, Unlimited Integration
