AVIXA named Marco Pardi its next CEO, putting a technology events executive in charge as the association prepares to bring more residential integrators and lighting professionals into the InfoComm orbit. Pardi takes over Jan. 1, 2027, succeeding David Labuskes, who retires Dec. 31 after 14 years as CEO.
Pardi comes from Informa, where he led its Tech Events portfolio and managed more than 200 people across North America, Europe, and Asia. His portfolio included The AI Summit, Data Center World, and HIMSS Global Conference. AVIXA said its search committee reviewed applications from more than 100 candidates over a 12-month search. Board Chair Tobias Lang cited Pardi’s experience leading international teams and growing revenue, along with his enthusiasm for the association.
When we spoke with Labuskes on the Connected Design Podcast, we asked what he looked for in a successor. Labuskes helped the board prepare for the handoff and left candidate interviews to the search committee. He said the job spans association management, trade shows, and an AV industry that now reaches into broadcast, live events, and construction. Understanding how the association operates and committing to its mission were central to his answer. He also said he looks for “experience, but also curiosity” when making executive hires.
That description helps explain why Pardi’s events background matters. Under Labuskes, the association rebranded from InfoComm International to AVIXA and expanded its professional development offerings, including a networking credential for AV and IT professionals. Pardi’s experience running events and training across several technology markets is relevant to an association whose members increasingly work across disciplines.
Three Shows in One Neighborhood
RESIDE will debut alongside InfoComm and Lightapalooza at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center, with exhibits open June 16–18. AVIXA developed RESIDE for the residential custom integration channel with Home Technology Specialists of America and ProSource. It acquired Lightapalooza, which focuses on residential lighting, from HTSA in April.
Labuskes described the setup on the podcast as a neighborhood. Each show would have its own space, and attendees could walk over to see what their neighbors were working on. He gave the example of an InfoComm attendee spending the last two hours of a Thursday at RESIDE, a much easier commitment than booking a separate trip to a residential show. He also pointed out that manufacturers serving both markets could participate in education at one show while exhibiting at another.
That’s a concrete way to judge how the Orlando format works in Pardi’s first year. A residential integrator can spend the morning with lighting suppliers and use the afternoon to meet commercial AV peers. The value of sharing a venue will show up when those conversations carry over to the next job.
