Charting a Path to Success: Innovation, Collaboration, and Giving Back in 2025

The 20th annual Solutionz, Inc. Sales Kickoff and 10th Golf for Hope came together to foster relationships, shape the future, and support a great cause—City of Hope’s fight against cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening diseases.

As Kenneth Donnelly of Mercer University said, "Experience, leadership, learning, and leisure all came together for an excellent cause—City of Hope."

Setting the Course: A Future of Innovation and Connection

Through hands-on showcases, insightful discussions, and collaborative learning, we explored the future of AV. While business goals were a priority, the connections we built were just as meaningful—because success is best achieved together. This kickoff event brought together our teams, vendor partners, and customers nationwide, ensuring a week of meaningful connections.

A Night Under the Stars

The event began with a warm welcome from Solutionz’s CEO, Bill Warnick, who set the tone for the week ahead. The terrace was complete with good conversation and catching up. The evening’s unique reception featured an astronomer who guided the group through a live telescope demonstration assessing distant stars, Jupiter’s moons, and galaxies—symbolizing the group's curiosity and forward-thinking spirit.

Sales Conference Sessions

Our sales sessions provided valuable insights from leadership on industry trends, best practices, and strategies to meet evolving client needs. One highlight was a session where a client and our sales manager shared real-world examples of how our AV solutions and professional support offerings impact the education sector. We also heard from department subject matter experts who offered in-depth workshops covering remote monitoring and management tools, grant services, adoption and digital training, cybersecurity, and other key initiatives.

Keynote Speaker: Chris Bertish

We were privileged to have Chris Bertish, the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean solo on a stand-up paddleboard, as our keynote speaker. His story of resilience and determination inspires us to push beyond our limits. He reminded us that success is achieved through the decision to go “All In,” the title of his bestselling book, where he reflects on his belief that we can achieve anything against all odds when we persevere.

Bertish, Chris. All In! Chris Bertish, https://chrisbertish.com/speaking/all-in/. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

Recognizing Excellence at the Awards Gala

At the Awards Gala, we celebrated those who achieved greatness and their 2024 sales goals.

Congratulations to the 2024 Award Winners: Adam Newon, Alec Mercilliot, Amy Erber, Ben Windham, Brandy Peake, Brian McKinney, Brian Tribble, Chris Dias, Christopher Jenkins, Danny Dalton, Dave Novak, David Atkinson, Jeremy Kavalsky, Jill Armand, Keith Taylor, Kevin Godwin, Kuebla Ross, Mark Smith, Nathan Tuunanen, Paul Mitnick, Ryan Ruppert, Stephen Jesu, Stephen Spears, Steve Curry, Todd Plumhoff, Tracey Charlton.

Lead by Example Award: Jim Miner, JP LaFleur
Legacy Award: Barry Green

Warnick presented the inaugural Legacy Award to Barry Green, former Chief Operations Officer, now working under the direction of Fernandez Holdings, Inc.

Barry had this to say about his experience at this year's SKO:

“The Solutionz, Inc. Sales Kickoff was an incredible event that brought together our sales and leadership teams for an inspiring and collaborative experience. From insightful presentations to valuable peer learning, every moment was impactful. Our vendor fair was a huge success, with over 50 customers in attendance, and we wrapped up with the Golf for Hope charity golf scramble—culminating in the presentation of a $180,000 donation to City of Hope hospitals. Each year, SKO grows bigger and better, and we can’t wait to see what’s next!”

The evening also featured a glow party, casino night, mini-golf, cornhole, and a tarot card reader, offering a fun reminder to enjoy the journey while working hard to forge new paths.

Exploring the Latest AV Solutions

The event provided a chance to explore the newest AV and communication technologies during the vendor fair and interactive demonstrations. Our Diamond manufacturing sponsors—Legrand AV, Crestron, and Exertis Almo—highlighted their latest innovations, sparking exciting discussions about their products and solutions.

Art Foxall, the Territory Sales Manager at Legrand AV, noted:

“The Solutionz event is something we look forward to every year. It’s a great opportunity to share our latest products, hear directly from the Solutionz team, and find new collaboration methods. Having it wrapped around the Golf for Hope event makes it even more special, as we can contribute to such an important cause.”

Fred Rogers, VP of Sales at Exertis Almo, added:

“This event is exceptional, and it brings all talent together for a week of engagement, collaboration, and empowerment. Every year, we leave inspired by their commitment and philanthropy for the City of Hope! Exertis Almo is truly grateful for our partnership and looks forward to an amazing year of growth in 2025.”

Giving Back to City of Hope

This event was not just about professional growth but also about making a real difference. Through the Golf for Hope initiative, we raised a record-breaking $180,000 for City of Hope, pushing our total fundraising to over $1 million since the event’s inception. These funds will directly support critical research and treatment programs.

Andy Ishii, Director of Philanthropy at City of Hope, expressed his gratitude, stating:

“Our sincere thanks again to our amazing friends at Solutionz—Bill Warnick, Barry Green, Travis Askew, Katie Rogina, and so many others who continue to make Golf for Hope such a special day for so many. Through Solutionz’s leadership and this industry’s generous support, Golf for Hope has raised more than $1 million over the past decade, breaking yet another fundraising record this year with $180,000! This generosity comes at a critical time for City of Hope as we work to expand access to world-class cancer care nationwide. Together, we will find the answers to cancer.”

Looking to the Future

As we settle into 2025, it's clear that our journey is about more than just business—it’s about making a positive impact. Thanks to everyone who participated and supported this cause. Your generosity reminds us that we’re all in this together, building something significant.

Warnick summarized the event:

“We had a great time celebrating our achievers, learning from each other, enjoying an incredible keynote from an inspirational speaker, and raising $180,000 for City of Hope. Most importantly, the attendees reaffirmed their commitment to Solutionz, and their success enables ours. We’re ready to break records in 2025!”