297: Catch Up from April: HETMA Roadshow Toronto Review

Recorded April 1, 2025In this catch-up episode, Tim Van Woeart and Nancy Blanchard (now with PPDS Professional Display Solutions) reconnect to share updates, swap stories, and dive into Nancy’s on-the-ground review of the recent HETMA Roadshow in Toronto. From wild weather shifts to standout campus tours, they explore what made this stop unique — including the impressive sustainable “Timberlost” building project at George Brown College and how the event drew strong local higher ed participation.The conversation blends personal updates with professional insights, covering how roadshows meet a critical need for local vendor–campus connections, the value of competitive two-minute vendor pitches, and what makes certain campus locations and builds truly memorable. Tim and Nancy also veer into Disney trip planning, conference travel quirks, and what’s next for HETMA Roadshows. Whether you’re in higher ed tech, AV, or just love hearing about industry events with a human touch, this is a fun, wide-ranging catch-up with plenty of nuggets for event planners and tech managers alike.Topics DiscussedNancy’s Canada travels, family updates, and weather extremesThe HETMA Roadshow Toronto: turnout, vendor list, and local higher ed engagementHighlights from the “Timberlost” sustainable building tour at George Brown CollegeCompetitive vendor “speed pitch” format and why it worksWhy roadshows meet an important regional need for AV/IT engagementComparing campus design choices: concrete vs carpet from an acoustic perspectiveDisney World trip overlaps and conference travel storiesTravel limitations for Canadian attendees due to exchange rates and current eventsVolunteer-driven nature of HETMA and how to get involvedUpcoming HETMA Roadshow dates and InfoComm 2025 plansThe AV Life is a Higher Ed AV Media production. More at https://higheredav.com.Connect with Tim:LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-van-woeart-45416826/Twitter (X) – https://twitter.com/TVanWoeartConnect with The AV Life:Twitter (X) – https://twitter.com/TheAVLifePodYouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@theavlife3337