What You Need to Know
- Daryl Friedman has announced his retirement as CEO of CEDIA after leading the association since 2021.
- Friedman will remain with CEDIA through 2027 to support the leadership transition.
- During his tenure, he oversaw advocacy, workforce development and design-build outreach efforts
- His leadership included Capitol Hill advocacy, CEDIA NextGen and the CEDIA Foundation.
- The CEDIA board plans to develop a transition plan at its June board meeting.
After five years of leading both CEDIA and the smart home industry at large, Daryl Friedman, CEO of the Custom Electronics Design and Installation Association, has announced he will be retiring from his position. As stated by CEDIA in a press release, Friedman will stay on to assist the association until 2027, after which he will step down from his current position.
Why this matters to integrators
Upon joining CEDIA as CEO in 2021, Friedman made it his stated goal to make CEDIA a household name, an effort that sought to elevate custom integration in the eyes of the broader homebuilding and renovation industries. Since making this pledge, Friedman has overseen multiple programs and initiatives all aimed at influencing public policy and perception among the public, lawmakers and the design-build industry.
Friedman spearheaded the launch of the CEDIA NextGen and the CEDIA Foundation to address the talent pipeline. Most recently, he helped to created two dedicated departments within the association aimed at design-build outreach as well as industry research to help inform industry members and partners with critical data.
Friedman’s leadership also helped establish CEDIA’s Capitol Hill Day as an annual advocacy effort, pulling from his former work in advocacy as an executive for the GRAMMY’s.
The impact of CEDIA Day on Capitol Hill
Friedman’s impact on the association is perhaps most noteworthy in the advocacy segment, having fundamentally reshaped the association’s approach to public policy into what it is now known as today.
While CEDIA’s advocacy efforts as part of its Day on Capitol Hill are broad, here is a brief list of what it was worked towards over the past three years under Friedman’s leadership:
- Expanding industry resources for education and workforce development through the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act
- Codifying smart home professionals as their own distinct job class (“Technology Integrator”) within the United States SOC system.
- Protecting industry interests through conditional exclusions in the wake of President Trump’s broad spanning tariffs in 2025.
- Promoting general awareness of the capabilities and functionality of the industry to lawmakers.
Additional contributions from Friedman
During his tenure, Friedman also expanded Smart Home Day to a global audience, introduced the first new membership tier since the association’s founding to provide enhanced educational value, and successfully stabilized the organization’s finances, ensuring a sustainable future for the association.
CEDIA reflects on Friedman’s legacy
Amanda Wildman, CEDIA Board Chairperson categorized Friedman’s efforts at the association as “transformative.”
“He stepped into this role at an important time for our association and immediately embraced both the industry and the people in it,” commented Wildman. “Daryl leads with energy, curiosity, and a genuine passion for serving our members, and that has helped shape a stronger, more connected CEDIA. On a personal level, I’m incredibly grateful for his friendship. He will always be part of the CEDIA family.”
In retiring, Friedman himself has stated that he finds the association to be in a stable enough position such that he can dedicate his remaining time in ensuring a “smooth hand-off” for the incoming CEO.
“With a strong Board led by integrator Amanda Wildman and team of committed professionals that has earned the Great Place to Work certification for the past two years, I can pass the baton with confidence,” Friedman said.
What’s next for CEDIA in preparing for retiring Friedman
The CEDIA Board of Directors will hold a regularly scheduled Board meeting in June, at which time they will develop a transition plan. Friedman’s commitment to stay through his successor’s onboarding next year will ensure no interruption to the programs and services currently underway.
Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site CE Pro on May 19, 2026. It has since been updated for Commercial Integrator’s audience.
