14 Industry Talent Standouts of 2014
Posted on 2014-12-05·By D. Craig MacCormack

Stu Fedt, regional sales manager, and Jane Phillips, regional VP at AVI Systems
Nominated by Kelly Perkins, marketing and communications manager at AVI Systems
Fedt “truly cares about helping people — whether it’s finding the right solution for a customer or helping out a colleague,” says Perkins. “He cares about his company, about the profession, and about the people.” He began his career in video at South Dakota State University producing and broadcasting educational materials including writing, shooting, editing and engineering of all aspects of program development. In addition, as part of faculty staff, he instructed a television production undergraduate course.
For several years, Fedt left the integrator side of the industry to develop new business relationships for Premier Studios in multiple arenas. They include marketing services, production services, event staging services, AV Systems integration, and web/digital development services. After fulfilling his passion in this area, he has rejoined AVI Systems in the project development role and sales management for the Kansas City region.
Phillips “has been a key leader at AVI Systems and in our industry for a long time,” says Perkins. She has actively recruited other women to AVI in leadership positions and mentored them. She manages multiple offices of AVI Systems while also a single mom raising her family.
One of Phillips’ key mentors was Michael Vergauwen, who died five years ago while saving a man from drowning and is now memorialized with an annual InfoComm International scholarship. “That was difficult for Jane but I know she performs at a high level today in part for Michael,” says Perkins.
Phillips helped to lead an entire staff through the demise of MCSI 10 years ago, traversing public bankruptcy and criminal scandal and retained the staff and helped them transition to AVI. “She works towards her mission, and does not ask for recognition,” says Perkins.