Women in the AV industry have long been trailblazers, breaking barriers, driving innovation and shaping the future of technology and integration. Their vision, leadership and expertise have left an enduring mark, inspiring progress across the field. This International Women’s History Month, Commercial Integrator is proud to honor their achievements with a special series. Throughout the month, we’ll be shining a light on some of the most remarkable women in AV, celebrating their contributions and sharing their stories to inspire and empower others in our industry.
Here, we spotlight Lainie Mataras, general manager, consultant, architect design group at Planar. Mataras shares her unexpected entry into the AV industry, beginning with an admin role at Crestron Electronics, where she discovered her passion for AV. Despite early challenges, including a lack of female representation and career obstacles, she persevered, crediting mentors like Fred Bargetzi and Marla Suttenberg for guidance. Her proudest moment was leaving her 30-year tenure at Crestron to explore new opportunities in the display market with Planar. Mataras values the evolving nature of AV, the tight-knit community and the industry’s growth potential. She champions mentorship, youth involvement and continuous education to drive the field forward. Read #HerAVStory below.
Interview with Planar’s Lainie Mataras:
Commercial Integrator: How did you get into the AV industry?
Lainie Mataras: Since I was a little girl, my dream was to work in the fashion industry. However, with a father in finance and a brother on Wall Street, I naturally considered a career in finance as my “reality career.” I graduated from Lehigh University with a BS in Economics in 1991, during a sluggish economy recovering from a recession and facing rising unemployment. Despite numerous interviews, I couldn’t secure a finance job, and with student loans looming, I needed to earn money. I began working in retail, which was rewarding but had challenging hours. Then, I spotted a job ad for an admin position at Crestron Electronics in Cresskill, N.J., and decided to apply. My first corporate interview was with AV royalty, Randy Klein and George Feldstein. During my school years, I never imagined I’d end up in the AV industry. Back then, AV was just those carts wheeled into classrooms by substitute teachers to show movies. It wasn’t until my early days at Crestron that I truly discovered what AV was all about.
CI: Have you encountered any difficulties or obstacles in your AV industry career?
Mataras: I wish I could say otherwise, but the truth is, my early career was marked by a noticeable lack of female representation. Women were significantly underrepresented, and unfortunately, I encountered both verbal and physical sexual harassment. This is an experience shared by many of my female colleagues in the industry. I quickly learned to navigate these challenges, always ensuring I had a trusted male buddy by my side at industry tradeshows to watch out for me.
Additionally, I faced difficulties advancing beyond traditional administrative roles, often watch my male colleagues climb the corporate ladder more swiftly. It was a frustrating experience, but I remained determined. I focused on expanding my network and growing my industry knowledge, which eventually opened doors to more significant career opportunities. Through perseverance and the support of my network, I was able to make meaningful progress in my career.
CI: Whom would you point to as the most influential and helpful mentors in your career? What did they do to help you?
Mataras: I firmly believe that having mentors is essential throughout your career, and it’s important for those mentors to evolve alongside you, adapting to your growth and changing needs.
Two people standout as my mentors, Fred Bargetzi and Marla Suttenberg.
Sadly, Fred Bargetzi, the former CTO of Crestron Electronics, passed away from ALS in 2021. If he were still with us, he would undoubtedly continue to be a mentor of mine. I often sought Fred’s advice when navigating difficult situations. He had an incredible ability to break down a course of action into achievable steps, leaving you feeling empowered and motivated. Fred also had a remarkable way of gently correcting your misconceptions, making you rethink without ever feeling foolish. Even in the weeks before his passing, despite the challenges of communication, he offered me invaluable career advice. I miss his wisdom and guidance every day.
Marla Suttenberg was the first female salesperson I encountered when I began my career at Crestron. She was a sales rep for Robert Christopher Sales. In those days, there were no Google Maps or iPads for note-taking. Marla taught me the essentials: the importance of showing up early to appointments, how to ask for the sale, follow up effectively, care for customers, and remember important details like clients’ birthdays and personal milestones. Most importantly, she showed me how to conduct myself as a professional woman in the AV industry. Knowing Marla and eventually working directly for her at Sapphire opened doors that allowed me to expand my career.
CI: What is your proudest career accomplishment?
Mataras: This might sound unusual, but my proudest career achievement was finding the courage to leave the family I had known for 30 years at Crestron Electronics. I ventured into a completely new area of the industry by joining Planar, focusing on the display side. While working at Sapphire Marketing and representing various lines, including Crestron, I fell in love with the creativity of the display market. LED displays were gaining popularity in the corporate and education sectors, and I was interested by their potential. This intrigue led me to embrace the challenge of learning something new. It was the hardest decision I’ve made so far — leaving the company where I grew up, experienced my first successes, and formed my deepest friendships, to start anew.
CI: What do you love most about working in the AV industry?
Mataras: The AV industry is constantly evolving. We’ve come a long way from the days of those projector carts I loved seeing wheeled into classrooms as a kid. These advancements are opening exciting opportunities for new generations entering our field. You can also build a fulfilling career in AV without a technical background. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside some of the brightest engineers, despite not having an engineering background myself. I’ve sat at the table with industry legends and held my own quite well. Warning- one downside of this career is the assumption that you can set up any AV system or serve as the go-to IT support for your entire family.
I’ve found my community in the AV world. It’s such a small, tight-knit industry that it’s impossible not to turn relationships with clients and colleagues into friendships. I’ve made friends I consider family and created memories that still make me smile and laugh to this day.
CI: How can the AV industry become even better?
Mataras: I narrow this down to three key words: ACT, YOUTH and GROWTH
ACT: We all need to actively engage with our industry to drive improvement. This could mean taking on a more visible role by getting involved with trade organizations like AVIXA, perhaps by joining one of their committees. Alternatively, it could be more grassroots, such as mentoring newer colleagues at work. I’ve had the privilege of working closely with AVIXA on their Leadership Search Committee, helping to identify future leaders who will continue to grow our industry and create more opportunities.
YOUTH: It’s crucial to spark interest in AV careers among young people. That’s why I’m involved as a board advisor for NextLVL Learning, a non-profit dedicated to empowering youth and students to pursue careers in audiovisual fields. We also need to amplify the voices of young people within our industry, welcoming their fresh perspectives. I’m thrilled to see a new generation stepping into middle management and C-suite roles, as it shows our industry is retaining new talent and valuing their input.
GROWTH: Continuous education is vital for both personal and industry growth. Our industry should support this by offering curricula that help individuals and businesses expand their knowledge and revenue. We need to invest in developing these educational resources and outline new learning paths that reflect the evolving AV landscape. Additionally, fostering partnerships with educational institutions could further enhance the availability and quality of AV-specific training programs.
By focusing on these areas, we can ensure the AV industry not only keeps pace with technological advancements but also becomes a more inclusive and dynamic field.
Would you like to nominate a peer or colleague — or perhaps yourself! — to be featured in this #HerAVStory series? If so, just email Dan Ferrisi, group editor, commercial and security, Emerald, at [email protected].
