Expert Panel Discussion Series

Sponsored by: TBA

Tuesday, February 17, 2026 1:00pm-2:00pm

Included with The Essentials and Premium Pass

Moderator: TBA

Panelists: TBA

Level: Any Level

For: Ownership, Finance, Operations, Sales

The question facing many integration firms isn't whether a lighting showroom would be valuable—it's whether the investment actually pays off and how to design a space that genuinely drives sales rather than simply impressing visitors. This candid panel brings together integrators at different stages of the showroom journey to share unfiltered perspectives on what works, what doesn't, and what they wish they'd known before writing the checks. Hear honest discussions about initial investment costs versus actual return on investment, which vignettes and demonstrations truly influence client decisions versus what simply looks impressive, how to design flexible spaces that remain relevant as products and technologies evolve, staffing and maintaining experience centers without draining resources, and measuring real business impact beyond subjective client reactions. Whether you're contemplating your first showroom investment, refining an existing space, or questioning whether a physical experience center makes sense for your market, this discussion delivers the realistic financial and strategic insights you need to make informed decisions.

Sponsored by: TBA

Tuesday, February 17, 2026 2:30pm-3:30pm

Included with The Essentials and Premium Pass

Moderator: TBA

Panelists: TBA

Level: Any Level

For: Ownership, Finance, Operations, Sales, Project Managers

The most successful custom integrators are discovering that lighting represents their next major growth opportunity—but the transition requires more than just adding fixtures to proposals. In this candid panel discussion, integration firm principals share their real-world journeys from traditional AV specialists to confident lighting professionals. Hear honest accounts of the challenges they faced, the investments they made in training and partnerships, the mistakes they learned from, and the strategies that ultimately transformed lighting from an add-on service into a profit center. Whether you're just beginning to explore lighting as a business expansion or looking to accelerate your existing lighting practice, these firsthand stories provide practical roadmaps and inspiration from peers who have successfully navigated this evolution.

Sponsored by: TBA

Tuesday, February 17, 2026 4:00pm-5:00pm

Included with The Essentials and Premium Pass

Moderator: TBA

Panelists: TBA

Level: Any Level

For: Ownership, Sales, Project Managers, Design, Engineering

The most extraordinary lighting projects don't happen in isolation—they emerge from powerful collaborations between skilled lighting designers and talented integrators who understand how to work as true partners. This dynamic panel brings together both sides of the equation to reveal what makes these relationships thrive. Discover how successful teams establish clear communication protocols, define roles and responsibilities, navigate the handoff from design to installation, solve problems collaboratively in the field, and create workflows that maximize both design intent and installation efficiency. Learn what lighting designers truly need from their integration partners, what integrators wish designers understood about implementation realities, and how both disciplines can elevate each other's work to deliver lighting experiences that exceed client expectations every time.

Sponsored by: TBA

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 9:30am-10:30am

Included with The Essentials and Premium Pass

Moderator: TBA

Panelists: TBA

Level: Any Level

For: Ownership, Sales, Project Managers, Design, Engineering

As smart homes grow more sophisticated and homeowners demand greater energy independence, custom integrators are uniquely positioned to deliver comprehensive power solutions that go far beyond traditional electrical work. This forward-looking panel explores how leading integration firms are capitalizing on surging demand for whole-home backup power systems, residential EV charging infrastructure, solar integration with battery storage, and intelligent energy management platforms. Panelists share their experiences navigating utility regulations and permitting requirements, partnering effectively with electrical contractors and energy consultants, positioning power solutions as premium services rather than commodities, and educating clients on the long-term value of resilient, efficient power systems. Whether you're considering adding power solutions to your service portfolio or looking to refine your existing approach, this discussion provides strategic insights into one of the fastest-growing opportunities in residential technology.

Sponsored by: TBA

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 11:00am-12:00pm

Included with The Essentials and Premium Pass

Moderator: Peter Romaniello

Panelists: TBA

Level: Any Level

For: Ownership, Sales, Project Managers, Design, Engineering

While still relatively new, there have been enough experiences (good and bad) to look back and review how the lighting design/specification/selling/service process is going within the CI channel.  Some companies have done it very well, and others have had challenges.  We will have a very frank and open panel discussion with some of the leaders in this industry to gain some insight on how to do this whole "thing" successfully. 

Moderated by Peter with experienced ci who have done it for years and what has been learned….David Liu, Drew Balsman, Navot, Michael Brody, Dennis, Navot, as potential panelists

Sponsored by: TBA

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 1:00pm-2:00pm

Included with The Essentials and Premium Pass

Moderator: TBA

Panelists: TBA

Level: Any Level

For: Ownership, Sales, Business Development, Design

The most lucrative lighting projects are won long before the RFP arrives—they're secured through strategic relationships with architects and builders who view integrators as essential design partners rather than vendors brought in after major decisions are made. This business development-focused panel addresses one of the industry's most requested topics: how to position your firm as the lighting authority that architects and builders actively seek out early in the design process. Panelists share proven strategies for building credibility with the architecture and construction community, communicating in their language and understanding their project pressures and priorities, providing value during pre-construction phases without giving away the farm, navigating the delicate balance between supporting the architect's vision and protecting your scope, and converting early involvement into signed contracts and long-term repeat business. Stop being the last call when budgets are depleted—learn how to become the first call when lighting vision is being defined.

Sponsored by: TBA

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 2:30pm-3:30pm

Included with The Essentials and Premium Pass

Moderator: TBA

Panelists: TBA

Level: Any Level

For: Ownership, Sales, Project Managers, Design, Engineering, Everyone

The lighting integration industry is evolving, and women are playing increasingly vital roles as business owners, designers, project managers, programmers, and technical leaders—bringing fresh perspectives, diverse approaches, and exceptional talent to an industry that benefits immensely from their contributions. This inspiring panel celebrates and amplifies the voices of female professionals who are shaping the future of lighting integration. Hear their unique career journeys and the paths that led them to lighting, the distinctive perspectives and strengths they bring to client relationships and project execution, honest discussions about navigating challenges and breaking through barriers in a traditionally male-dominated field, advice for other women considering or advancing careers in lighting and integration, and their vision for creating more inclusive, dynamic teams and companies. Whether you're a woman building your lighting career, a business owner committed to diversifying your team, or anyone who recognizes that the industry's future depends on welcoming talent from all backgrounds, this conversation offers both inspiration and actionable insights.

Sponsored by: TBA

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 4:00pm-5:00pm 

Included with The Essentials and Premium Pass

Moderator: TBA

Panelists: TBA

Level: Any Level

For: Ownership, Sales, Project Managers, Design, Engineering

Lighting projects present unique project management challenges that distinguish them from traditional AV installations—from coordinating with architects and electricians during construction to managing complex fixture schedules and ensuring design intent survives to final commissioning. This practical panel draws on real feedback from integration firm project managers actively running lighting projects in 2025 to explore what actually works in the field. Discover how successful firms structure their teams and define clear role responsibilities, establish effective communication protocols with clients, architects, and trades throughout the project lifecycle, utilize software tools and documentation systems to track specifications and changes, manage the critical fixture procurement and delivery timeline, and execute seamless handoffs from sales to design to installation to programming. Whether you're a project manager refining your lighting workflow or a business owner building your lighting practice infrastructure, this discussion delivers actionable tactics you can implement immediately.

Sponsored by: TBA

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 9:30am-10:30am

Included with The Essentials and Premium Pass

Moderator: TBA

Panelists: TBA

Level: Any Level

For: Ownership, Sales, Business Development, Project Managers, Design, Engineering

While new construction offers ideal conditions for implementing sophisticated lighting designs, the reality is that most integration firms generate substantial revenue from retrofit and remodel projects—work that demands different strategies, creative problem-solving, and realistic client expectation management. This pragmatic panel features integrators who specialize in transforming existing homes with upgraded lighting systems despite the inevitable constraints of established architecture, limited access, and budget realities. Learn how experienced practitioners assess retrofit feasibility during initial walkthroughs, work creatively within existing electrical infrastructure and structural limitations, prioritize which spaces deliver maximum impact for the investment, communicate trade-offs honestly while maintaining client enthusiasm, and execute installations that minimize disruption to occupied homes. Packed with real project examples and hard-won lessons, this discussion equips you with proven tactics for turning retrofit challenges into profitable opportunities.

Sponsored by: TBA

Thursday, February 19, 2026 11:00am-12:00pm

Included with The Essentials and Premium Pass

Moderator: Lynne Stambouly, Light Lady at Illuminated Design

Panelists: Bruce Clark, Kaleidolight

Level: Any Level

For: Ownership, Sales, Business Development, Project Managers, Design, Engineering

The Reflected Ceiling Plan (RCP) is one of the most critical yet misunderstood communication tools in the project workflow. It’s where design intent meets construction reality—showing fixture placement, switching logic, control zones, ceiling conditions, and coordination points that affect nearly every trade.

Too often, the RCP is created in haste or left until “later,” when decisions have already been made in the field. This panel pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to create an RCP that works—for lighting designers, technology integrators, electricians, and clients alike.