Daryl Friedman, who has served as Global President and CEO of CEDIA since 2021, will retire in 2027. Friedman recently informed the CEDIA Board of Directors of his decision.
“Daryl’s impact on CEDIA has been transformative,” Amanda Wildman, CEDIA Board Chairperson, said in a statement. “He stepped into this role at an important time for our association and immediately embraced both the industry and the people in it. Daryl leads with energy, curiosity, and a genuine passion for serving our members, and that has helped shape a stronger, more connected CEDIA. On a personal level, I’m incredibly grateful for his friendship. He will always be part of the CEDIA family.”
Under Friedman’s leadership, CEDIA has experienced arguably some of its most aggressive and impactful growth. Undoubtedly, the most important of those initiatives—which is still ongoing—is the association’s prioritization of workforce and market development. Friedman helped to spearhead the launch of CEDIA NextGen and the CEDIA Foundation, which helped to address the talent pipeline issues and create a dedicated research department to better inform the industry of critical market data. The association has also made it a priority to gain recognition for the trade on a much broader scale.
To that end, CEDIA, under Friedman’s leadership, has seen far greater collaboration with and respect from the build and design communities, as well as the halls of government.
Through efforts like CEDIA’s Capitol Hill Day, which launched under Friedman, the association has actively worked to insert itself in public policy conversations. The work has paid off in a short period of time, too, as the association has scored a number of key policy wins.
“It has been the honor of my professional life to lead this association through a period of significant transformation,” Friedman said in the statement. “With a strong Board led by integrator Amanda Wildman and team of committed professionals that has earned the Great Place to Work certification for the past two years, I can pass the baton with confidence. My focus into next year will be to ensure a smooth hand-off and set up the next CEO for success.”
The CEDIA Board of Directors will hold their regularly scheduled June meeting, during which time they will develop a transition plan. Friedman has committed to staying on board through his successor’s onboarding to ensure a smooth transition.
