At Total Tech Summit 2025, leaders from KR Wolfe took the stage to address one of the most persistent challenges in the AV industry: sourcing, training and retaining skilled labor. In a discussion, Chief Growth Officer Larry Alexander and Division Manager for AV Integration Rob Thomsen shared how their company has built a nationwide force of expert technicians to deliver consistent, high-quality AV integration projects.
For nearly two decades, KR Wolfe has been a key player in specialized technical installations. The company, headquartered in Lake Tahoe with offices in San Diego, Arizona and Tampa, has built its reputation on a foundation of reliability and expertise. With plans to expand into Texas, KR Wolfe continues to grow its national footprint. Originally rooted in the complex healthcare space, the company has leveraged its experience to build a formidable presence in commercial AV integration.
Confronting the AV Industry’s Staffing Crisis
Alexander opened the discussion by highlighting a critical pain point for AV integrators everywhere. “The main industry challenges really boil down to staffing,” he explained. The specific, high-level skills required in the AV space make finding qualified technicians difficult. This scarcity creates a competitive market where the costs of recruiting, training and retaining top talent are significant.
Many integrators rely on a network of subcontractors to manage projects across different regions. This approach, while common, introduces its own set of operational hurdles. Managing multiple vendors can lead to project delays, inconsistent quality and a heavy administrative burden. KR Wolfe was built to solve these exact problems. By understanding the unique needs of their partners, they deliver customized solutions that streamline project execution and ensure quality from coast to coast.
Building a Culture of Partnership and Quality
Courtesy / CI Staff
KR Wolfe’s approach is far from a one-size-fits-all model. The company emphasizes a culture where its team becomes an extension of the client’s business. Alexander noted that KR Wolfe technicians often wear the client’s logo on-site, representing the partner’s brand with the same dedication and professionalism as an internal employee.
This commitment to partnership is a cornerstone of their service. “We take a lot of pride in what we do,” Alexander stated, emphasizing the company’s goal to provide the best possible value for its partners.
With technicians operating in all 50 states, KR Wolfe guarantees a consistent standard of excellence and brand representation, no matter the project’s location.
“Peeps on the Jeep”: The Importance of W2 Technicians
Thomsen elaborated on the company’s staffing philosophy, summed up by Total Tech Summit’s 2025 Keynote speaker Steve Fredlund’s analogy: “peeps on the Jeep.” This phrase underscores the importance of having the right people on every job. Unlike models that rely heavily on subcontractors, KR Wolfe employs W2 technicians across the United States. This direct employment model allows for greater control over training, quality and company culture.
Thomsen outlined three paths available to integrators facing labor challenges:
- Maintain the status quo: Continue juggling subcontractors and dealing with the associated inconsistencies.
- Internal Sourcing: Attempt to build and manage an in-house national team, incurring significant overhead.
- Partner with an Expert: Collaborate with a specialized provider like KR Wolfe.
By choosing to partner, integrators gain access to a team of expert technicians who have undergone extensive, ongoing training. KR Wolfe’s team is vendor-agnostic, meaning they are skilled in a wide array of products and are always focused on leveraging the latest technologies and data-driven practices to achieve the best results.
A Proven Model for Success
The results of KR Wolfe’s model speak for themselves. The company completes approximately 2,000 projects annually, maintaining an impressive partner satisfaction rating of 4.9 out of 5, according to Thomsen. This track record demonstrates their ability to deliver on their promise of quality and consistency at scale.
In addition to their operational strengths, KR Wolfe is a certified Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE). This status provides an added advantage for partners seeking to fulfill diversity requirements or engage in set-aside work, creating opportunities for strategic and beneficial collaborations. By offering coast-to-coast coverage with its own skilled W2 technicians, KR Wolfe provides a unique solution in the AV market.
Their deep expertise in both healthcare and commercial AV, combined with a national footprint and dedicated project managers, offers integrators more control, higher quality and a reliable path to successful project completion. For companies tired of the staffing struggle, KR Wolfe presents a powerful and proven alternative.
