Industrial Integrator proudly continues its ongoing #AVLivingLegends sequence! This week, we highlight Thomas (Tom) Berry Jr., CEO at Verrex. This sequence exists to rejoice the people who’ve formed at this time’s industrial AV trade, and Berry brings not solely a wealth of trade information but additionally common respect amongst his friends.
As CEO, Berry has 30-plus years {of professional} AV programs integration expertise the place he has supplied technical and strategic steering to organizations in search of options for visible communication and collaboration necessities.
On this dialog, Berry displays on his numerous achievements, and emphasizes the worth of relationships not simply at Verrex, however within the AV trade itself.
Industrial Integrator: What motivated you to hitch the industrial AV trade? What has stored you motivated and engaged within the a long time that adopted?
Tom Berry: I used to be born into the trade. My Uncle Glenn all the time advised me I used to be born so he and my father may retire sometime. I labored at Verrex after I was younger throughout summers and after faculty doing stock, delivery and receiving and fabrication. Sound programs contain much more fabrication than videoconferencing does at this time. I’d construct issues like ceiling speaker assemblies again after I was younger.
I used to be the primary in my household to get a university diploma. My dad inspired (effectively, advised) me to get a level in Accounting so I’d all the time have an entire understanding when anybody was speaking about finance. He would additionally say, “4 for Forty.” He’d fund 4 years of school for 40 years of service at Verrex. We’ll see; I’m in my 32nd yr now!
To start with, after I graduated and began working full time at Verrex promoting service contracts, I used to be motivated by the duty of working and proving myself to individuals who thought I used to be solely there due to my dad and uncle, my “Jr. Entitlement.” I discovered I used to be motivated by promoting one thing the client wants, and while you succeed, it snowballs. From there, I shortly constructed confidence that I exuded to co-workers, purchasers, companions, and so on.
In 2000, after operating the Gross sales division for a number of years, I turned the CEO and president of Verrex. I noticed then, as I do now, that it’s an honor and a duty to run a household enterprise that was round for 45 years earlier than my arrival on the scene. I’ve a legacy to proceed. Additionally, I usually consider my grandfather and grandmother who began the enterprise and all of the work they put in to begin the corporate and I nonetheless work every single day to make them proud.
CI: Mirror in your function as each a mentee early in your profession and as a mentor later in your profession. Who helped form the trajectory of your skilled life, and the way have you ever tried to assist form others’ careers?
![Tom Berry standing with a frame of his family.](https://www.commercialintegrator.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/tomheadshot4_new923-225x300.jpg)
Berry posing with a portrait of his grandparents and uncle. Picture courtesy of Verrex.
Tom Berry: In fact, my dad and my Uncle Glenn had been my first mentors. I discovered loads watching them run the enterprise, the Yin and Yang of their relationship that served them effectively. My dad taught me to be a terrific chief. I discovered from him methods to get individuals to like you and observe you. He taught me to encompass myself with nice individuals, particularly those that know methods to do stuff you don’t know methods to do, then there’s nothing you may’t do.
Then I began working in gross sales. I labored for Mario Porto, our VP of gross sales on the time. He was my first office mentor. I had a take a look at to move, coming in as Thomas Berry, IV. Below Mario’s mentorship, I discovered to leverage my strengths, like being an extrovert, a fast learner, and the boldness to change into a terrific salesperson. I spent 9 years on the gross sales monitor and began operating gross sales in 1994 till 2000 after I turned CEO. Ken Abel was one other mentor of mine at Verrex. He was an engineer, our first programmer and developer of Procomm (the predecessor to our present ERP VTools).
I attempt to study from my co-workers and colleagues regularly. There may be all the time one thing new to study, whether or not know-how or enterprise processes.
Mentorship Alternatives
Being a mentor is a very powerful and notable part of my journey. I really feel like NSCA and InfoComm associations are the proper platforms for individuals like myself and are chock filled with alternatives to be a mentor. Each time I’m placed on a roundtable, I mechanically appear to change into the group’s spokesperson, sharing the successes of Verrex with smaller firms. I attempt to share good concepts and construct a community of allies. Moreover, I like to attract out introverts and quiet engineers and I’m all the time “recruiting” for companions. I’m all the time open to studying from different house owners and trade leaders. I all the time discover some nuggets to take again and share with Verrex after I share with others.
CI: What’s probably the most memorable story/anecdote of your profession in industrial AV?
Tom Berry: Oh, I may write a ebook! Possibly I ought to have… There are some loopy tales over time. AV is an unbelievable trade and I really feel blessed to be part of it. I’m the luckiest particular person alive! I see one thing new every single day and attempt to study one thing new every single day.
The fun of the hunt, then the reward, that’s what retains you going. In 1993, I landed my first massive sale to Allied Sign. It was a sitewide paging system. They needed it as a result of a yr earlier, that they had an explosion on campus and didn’t have a approach to let everybody know. Then there have been the roles I received that weren’t within the tri-state space. That was thrilling! Among the first had been the South Carolina Statehouse and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife mission in West Virginia. However our partnership with State Road in 2003 started Verrex’s widespread nationwide and worldwide development!
In 2003, we opened the Boston workplace. Finally, this 20-year partnership led to our UK and APAC places of work opening. The remaining is historical past that’s nonetheless being written.
However what’s most memorable to me in my profession with Verrex? It’s the “Carry Your Baby to Work” days. A lot of our staff begin working at Verrex when they’re younger and single. Then we watch them get married, begin a household, convey these youngsters to work on these particular days, after which some come to Verrex to work. Speak about a full circle! That’s fairly cool!
CI: What has been your best skilled accomplishment to this point? What has been your largest skilled remorse to this point?
Tom Berry: I’m most pleased with the accomplishments of all Verrex staff, previous and current, even those that labored for us for a bit and used Verrex as a stepping stone to perform nice issues elsewhere. I’m additionally pleased with the home and worldwide development of the corporate. It has all been natural. It was time-consuming and expensive, however the success was sweeter.
Moreover, I’m extremely proud to have helped the corporate rejoice milestones like our 50th and 75th anniversaries. Shepherding the corporate by these anniversaries may be very particular. It permits me to consider my grandfather, grandmother, dad, and uncle’s legacy and the sacrifices they made to begin the corporate. As I stated earlier than, I nonetheless work exhausting to make them proud.
I’d say the top of my profession was after I was nominated for the Board of InfoComm by Jay Rogina. Jay was one other of my early mentors, and it meant a lot to me to be appointed by him. I knew I had confirmed myself and had the respect of my friends after I served on the board in 2011 and 2012.
My regrets? As a younger salesman, I didn’t all the time take a look at issues as holistically as I do now. I discovered the crucial lesson of by no means burning bridges. When that occurred, I vowed to maintain these burned bridges to a minimal. And, in fact, when instances are exhausting, for our staff’ sake, I want I had achieved higher in order that we may have been extra affluent. Powerful instances pressure exhausting, painful choices that have an effect on lives. If in case you have 100 staff, you have to do not forget that your selections can have an effect on 100 households. I don’t take that flippantly. I do know the buck stops with me.
Operating a profitable enterprise in good instances is simple; when instances are robust, it’s exhausting. I take care of these robust instances by being as clear as I can.
CI: What’s one of the best recommendation or pearl of knowledge you both obtained throughout your profession or got here to comprehend by yourself?
Tom Berry: My dad taught me to encompass myself with nice individuals (one of the best), and there’s nothing you may’t do. I’ve succeeded at doing this at Verrex, which is why we now have loved success. Verrex staff are one of the best of one of the best!
Be a hands-on chief, however not a micromanager. This ties in properly with surrounding your self with nice individuals. These two items of recommendation have allowed us to prevail and differentiate ourselves from the competitors.
Good individuals to demise, however be real about it. That is one I got here to comprehend by myself. After I began at Verrex in gross sales, my dad and Mario had stable relationships and rivalries with enterprise individuals. I used my neutrality to get individuals who would possibly say no to my dad or Mario to say sure. Moreover, I turned the “clear slate” and way forward for the corporate. As the long run management of the AV trade developed, I ensured I used to be considered good for my phrase. I labored exhausting to ascertain relationships and construct a status as an expert businessman who was a straight shooter, trustworthy, humorous and all-around good man.
Have enjoyable! In case you are in it for the lengthy haul, you might want to have the mindset to have enjoyable whereas doing it!
Would you prefer to nominate a peer or colleague — or maybe your self! — to be featured on this #AVLivingLegends sequence, identical to Tom Berry was? In that case, simply e mail Dan Ferrisi, editor-in-chief of Industrial Integrator, at dan.ferrisi@emeraldx.com.
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