EMAIL INTERVIEW – Ken Smyers and Ken Sinclair

Ken Smyers, with DMS Controls Group, LLC, in Pittsburgh, has over 30 years of experience in the HVAC, Building Automation, and Controls Industry and is Co-Founder of the ControlTrends Awards, which was established to recognize the superstars and heroes of the HVAC and Building Automation Industries.  Ken is also very much involved with Eric Stromquist and ControlTrends.org, a leading internet source for HVAC and Controls information.

Sinclair:  The 2015 ControlTrends Awards nomination period is well underway.  How has the response been thus far?

Smyers:  The response to the ControlTrends Nominations has been fabulous. There has been a marked increase in awareness and participation, due in part to a large number of new products and new solutions introduced in 2015, and from those nominees that engage their social networks on a regular basis.  The nomination responses to the ControlTrends Awards are from people anxious to recognize and feature those people, products, and solutions that are making the greatest impact in our HVAC and Building Automation industry.

Sinclair:  With less than three months to go before the 2015 ControlTrends Awards, how are the 2015 ControlTrends Awards shaping up?

Smyers:  Everything is right on schedule.  Eric and I are very excited about having the ControlTrends Awards on Sunday evening -- and the Hard Rock Live venue is incredible.  Of course, as we get deeper into autumn and then persevere the winter season, the prospects of a warm weather break in Orlando -- in January, is getting more and more attractive. We can’t wait.

Sinclair:  Is there anything different with this year’s awards show?

Smyers:  In addition to the 22 categories, the Young Gun Awards, the Petock Award, and the ControlTrends Hall of Fame inductees, we are recognizing two of the top trends of 2015 -- with a Cyber Security Award, and with the ControlTrends Systems Integrator of the Year Award.

Sinclair:  ControlTrends has done a great deal of traveling in 2015 and attended many of the vendor and industry conferences held in North America and even Europe.  Are there any similarities from these experiences?

[an error occurred while processing this directive]Smyers:  We are delighted to say that ControlTrends now reaches out to over 80 countries, and in many of those countries, we’ve had the opportunity to meet our counterparts in person or interview them --to learn firsthand that “buildings” in a very real sense, are both our common denominator and our common currency.  And despite different languages, codes, voltages, and pipe connections, there is a growing desire to share knowledge and collaborate – because we share such incredibly similar interests, challenges, and headaches.

Sinclair:  In closing, when does the ControlTrends Awards voting begin and what’s next?

Smyers:  The ControlTrends Awards nomination period will end November 15, 2015. The top 5-6 in each category will be on the final voting ballot, and the official voting period will begin immediately after the nomination period ends, so be sure to register to vote. As always, Ken, we thank you and Automated Buildings for your help in promoting the ControlTrends Awards, and for being part of the Young Guns Awards.