The Judges

TECHNICAL JUDGE

As a multi award winning designer of lighting, commercial & residential AV projects, Nic brings over 30 years experience and an in-depth knowledge of a wide range of AV sectors. A CEDIA Outreach Instructor & Judge for EMEA Product Awards 2018/19, Nic is a regular contributor to consumer press and online publications including Forbes Online & The English Home magazine,plus numerous trade focussed publications, ISE presenter, and podcast contributor. Established in 1996 and with offices in London & Devon, The Pyramid Group provides lighting design, commercial AV plus high end cinema and smart home solutions for clients across the UK, Europeand Middle East.

TECHNICAL JUDGE

Eric Bodley is President and CEO of Future Ready Solutions and Bodley and Associates. For the past 40 years, Eric Bodley has worked in nearly every aspect of the consumer electronics industry. Early in his career, he developed the custom installation division for specialty electronics retailer Sound Advice in Florida, and then, after forming Bodley & Associates, trained hundreds of sales associates with his IHAVS™ (In-Home Audio Video Specialist) program. From 1995 – 2009 he launched a myriad of products and programs for Monster Cable Products and started Florida Home Entertainment Design (a CEPro Top 100 Integrator and CEDIA Member). In 2009, he was recruited to launch the revolutionary Perfect Path™ brand of Locking HDMI Cables by PPC®, and most recently founded Future Ready Solutions. Eric is a past president of CEDIA (1993 – 1994); is a CEDIA Fellow; and is a member of the CEDIA Advisory Council. Bodley is the 2015 recipient of the CTA TechHome Leadership Award and the CEDIA Lifetime Achievement Award for 2017.

TECHNICAL JUDGE

David is MD of Grahams in London. He studied computing in the late ‘70s and joined Grahams fulltime in 1980, working initially in sales and then in the engineering and installation department. He took on the role of Sales Director in 1992 and was responsible for the company’s diversification into custom installation. As well as in-house staff training, David regularly lectures within the industry on various aspects of home automation and is a CEDIA Certified presenter and Subject Matter Expert

(SME).

TECHNICAL JUDGE

Gerry Lemay is the Founder of the Home Acoustics Alliance (HAA), and President of Quest Acoustical Interiors Inc.  He first entered the consumer electronics industry in 1977, where he has worked as a retail store manager, business executive, acoustician, consultant, integrator, and teacher.  He spent 28 years in the US Navy Reserve as an Oceanographer retiring as a Captain (O6).  He is the designer of countless theaters and taught hundreds of workshops on high performance audio design and calibration throughout the world.  His contributions to CEDIA as a volunteer include working as a SME, CEDIA Awards Judge, Instructor, and technical writer for various CEDIA manuals.

TECHNICAL JUDGE

Geoff is a twenty-five-year veteran of the AV business. He owns and runs Presto, a web design and digital marketing agency, and specializes in digital marketing for the smart home, hi-fi, and home cinema markets. Geoff is also Lead Instructor for CEDIA EMEA and holds CEDIA’s ESC-T, ESC-D, and ESC-N certifications. He has a wealth of experience teaching audio, video, IP networking, and online marketing. Geoff has taught hundreds of AV professionals in numerous technical subjects across six continents.

TECHNICAL JUDGE

Adam Pelz is the Owner and President of Bespoke Cinemas, a custom integration and consulting firm located near Nashville, Tennessee. Adam began his career as the Technical Director of a 3000-seat concert hall, while studying Engineering Physics. Prior to developing his own company, Bespoke Cinemas, he was the Senior Design Engineer at REAL Audio Video in Salt Lake City, Utah.  He is an expert in home theater design, installation, and audio & video calibration.  He is a sought-after expert consultant with numerous A/V manufacturers including, most notably, Trinnov Audio.  He is ISF, THX and ARCOS certified. He is an expert instructor with the Home Acoustics Alliance, and considered by many to be the foremost audio calibrator in the world.

TECHNICAL JUDGE

James Ratcliffe has been involved in the technology industry since 1994, when he started as a Saturday boy in a local hi-fi shop. Four years later, he completed his first custom install project with a Linn Knekt system. James became fullyembedded in the CEDIA world in 2004, when he joined the CEDIA UK board at the age of 24. With two years under his belt, he started his own company, Homeplay. The business has gone from strength to strength, delivering systems for clients across London, Surrey,and overseas, and maintaining long-term relationships with these customers. Over the last few years, Homeplay has been awarded a number of accolades from Control4, D-Tools, and CEDIA. James designed and installed the Homeplay Experience Centre in 2018, andthis year, was awarded Best Showroom in the EMEA CEDIA Awards. 2019 also marked the year that Homeplay was awarded CEDIA Member of Excellence.

TECHNICAL JUDGE

Joel Silver is the president and founder of the Imaging Science Foundation, Inc., which was incorporated in 1994 to introduce video quality calibration methodology into consumer electronics. He also heads the Imaging Science Research Lab, which is Microsoft’s quality certification lab for Vista Premium video quality. He is the producer of the HDTV Calibration Wizard DVD and HD DVD-ROM. He has been involved in and consulted for high-end video, high-end audio, telemedicine, medical management, Microsoft Media Center Edition PCs, and the Venture Capital and Entrepreneurship program at the W. Averill Harriman School of Management. Joel Silver is a co-inventor of the patented Microsoft Media Center Edition Calibration Wizard, which is now in over 111 million PCs. Mr. Silver received the CEDIA Lifetime Achievement Award for 2018.

EMEA PRODUCT JUDGE

With an Electronics Engineering degree from Bath and following twenty years in the mobile technology and service industry, Jools now co-owns BrownHen Solutions, a home technology business, where his engineering approach, attention to detail and passion for helping people make better use of technology is put to good use. Jools recently authored a new chapter in the latest edition of the popular ‘Architect’sPocket Book’ exposing Home Technology Integration and CEDIA to a whole new audience of architects.

EMEA PRODUCT JUDGE

Nick Caripis, BNC Technology’s Founder and Managing Director with over 15 years of experience in the custom electronic design and installation industry. BNC Technology was founder in 2008 after Nick saw the need for a company that offered the ultimate in Quality, Performance and Design. Nick is a certified Designer with CEDIA.

EMEA PRODUCT JUDGE

Jan Martens is an experienced integrator with an award-winning history of working in the home technology industry. He is skilled in high-end audio, functional home automation, and residential cinema design. Jan is the integration specialist at Woelf, a Belgium home technology company.  Woelf is indefinable unique. They propel inventivity with passion and they break through boundaries of technology. They listen to customer’s inner desires and design your way of life at home by building smart solutions. Solely for you. Woelf became the first CEDIA Member of Excellence in Belgium.

EMEA PRODUCT JUDGE

Stephen Nevison is managing director at Intuitive Homes, an award winning systems integration company in South Manchester. They specialise in the design and installation of technology for the home with the aim of bringing everything together into a simple yet powerful system for the homeowner. Stephen studied Mechatronics at the University of Leeds and started Intuitive Homes in 2009 with the aim of using his lifelong passion for technology and home AV to create some of the best integrated homes in the world.

Michael Sherman is the owner and Managing Director of HENRI, the leading CI company in France. This third-generation family business, founded in 1961, is based in Paris and Cannes, and specialises in bothhigh-end residential and luxury hotel projects. In the past few years, HENRI has won multiple distinctions, including the CEDIA, SmartBuilding, Lutron and Crestron awards. CEDIA Member since 1999, Michael has also been a member of the EMEA Board of Directors and Membership AdvisoryCouncil. He’s also recently been awarded Artisans’ Chamber Entrepreneur of the year for Paris region, recognizing the significant and healthy growth of the company over the past few years.

DESIGN JUDGE

Following a degree in French from Royal Holloway, University of London, and a career in international marketing, Dean studied for a Diploma in Interior Design with Rhodec and set up Armstrong Keyworth Ltd. in 1997. Armstrong Keyworth offers a wide range of services from informal design consultancy to full project co-ordination including building work, planning, lighting, decoration and furnishing. As well as his design acumen, Dean provides business and management skills that help to ensure the smooth progression of design projects from single rooms to large country houses. His work has been featured in House & Garden, Ideal Homes, 25 Beautiful Homes, as well as on Channel 4 and London Live television. Dean served on the board of the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) for 4 years and was elected as its President for 2006-7.

DESIGN JUDGE

Susie is the Founder and Creative Director of Tessuto, a successful, multidisciplinary design studio based in London. Established in 1993, Susie has built up a prestigious portfolio of commercial and private clients. Her practice specialises in both the design of large residential developments for the sales and private rental sectors, and luxury homes for private clients. Susie is Past President of the BIID, following roles as CPD Director and Vice President. She now works closely with Gilly Craft, current President of the BIID, to ensure continuity on the Council.

DESIGN JUDGE

Peter has been the Director of EAB Homes since 2013. Working in this family business that has been established for well over thirty years, Peter has personally overseen the delivery of hundreds of new homes, extensions and refurbishments, from concept through to completion. He has extensive on and off-site experience, a keen eye for detail and time and cost management. EAB Homes is a multi-award-winning boutique development company, building exceptional, high-end residential properties in and around the Home Counties, with an emphasis on modern family living.