Fairfax, VA (January 6, 2026)—Following 13 years of radical change in the AV industry, a worldwide pandemic and more, David Labuskes, CEO of AVIXA has announced he will retire at the end of 2026.
During his time with AVIXA, Labuskes pushed for the industry to re-envision itself as a profession providing integrated experiences that connect people. With that in mind, during his tenure, the industry expanded to include more fields and roles, including experiential designers, content creators, IT companies and users of AV solutions across a growing cross section of markets. This led to the rebrand of InfoComm International to AVIXA (the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association) in 2017.
Much as Labuskes aimed to foster a more inclusive view of the industry and the roles that support it, he also championed diversity throughout the association’s many platforms to ensure an array of voices were represented. During his tenure, AVIXA’s Women’s Council and Diversity Council were established. The Women’s Council is the largest AVIXA Council with more than 1,100 members and draws hundreds of attendees year after year to its annual breakfast at InfoComm in North America.
During his time as CEO, AVIXA became more internationally focused as well. Today, more than 50 percent of AVIXA’s revenue—from training, trade shows, certifications, and additional offerings—is generated outside of North America. In 2025, the number of CTS (Certified Technology Specialist) holders reached 15,000 worldwide. In addition, in 2024, AVIXA launched the Audiovisual Network Professional (ANP) certification, a credential that provides pro AV and IT professionals with the ability to demonstrate their experience of integrating AV into a network. Today, 30% of certification holders are outside of North America.
AVIXA Remains Positive on Industry Forecast
“I would have never predicted the level of personal growth and fulfillment that accompanied these many years at the helm of AVIXA,” Labuskes said in a statement. “The audiovisual industry has been a part of human evolution since the use of signal fires in early civilization. The association now known as AVIXA was established in 1939, well before most of us were born. The responsibility and privilege inherent within the role I played for a tiny part of that timeline was one that could not have been fulfilled without the brilliance of the team of executives, industry volunteers, and dedicated AVIXA employees giving everything they have to deliver on our mission every day. I look forward to being in the stands watching the future successes of AVIXA and our industry around the world.”
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The AVIXA Board of Directors has begun a search for a successor. “We are confident that this exciting, attractive, and demanding role will be filled in a way that reflects the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing world,” noted Tobias Lang, Chair of the AVIXA Board of Directors and CEO of LANG AG. “On behalf of the AVIXA Board of Directors, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to David for everything he has done for AVIXA over the past 13 years. His vision and leadership have been instrumental in establishing the audiovisual industry as a globally relevant profession with a strong and positive outlook for the future. David not only helped redefine what our industry stands for, he also built an exceptional leadership team and a culture that is both value-driven and uniquely collaborative.
