Inland Audio Visual Celebrates 75 Years By Mary Savage
Interfacing Society
F
rom your morning elevator ride to ordering your favourite coffee at the drive-thru, we rely on electronic “message boards” to keep us informed – with everything. They keep score of the game, they illuminate roadways and they keep businesses connected via meetings and presentations. And when it comes to effective communication, it has to be seamless in today’s global marketplace. Whether you’re hosting a seminar or an AGM, a ‘do-over’ is not an option – you only have one opportunity to convey your message with efficiency. “The AV industry is all around us, but people don’t usually recognize it,” says James Werbowski, co-owner, Inland Audio Visual. “We are surrounded by some form of media and electronic signage all the time. The signage communicates with the public to inform, educate, guide, train and advertise, and we put together the products that help people and businesses communicate.” Throughout Western Canada and for 75 years, Inland AV has played an integral role working behind the scenes to help companies deliver their message – effectively and professionally. They have evolved as the go-to company for electronic interfacing of seminars, webcasts, videoconferencing and staged events. From small to large businesses and industries that span all sectors, Inland AV delivers the electronic expertise to help your company communicate more effectively. The company was originally founded in 1937 in Winnipeg, Manitoba as Inland Broadcasting. Some 30 years later, they hired Ed Werbowski to reorganize the structure. Given his entrepreneurial spirit, Ed purchased the business in 1973 and it has remained a family-run operation for almost 40 years. Ed’s two sons, Kim and James, started working for Inland AV when they were teenagers – while most of their peers had paper routes. “We had our first taste of commerce via quality control when a shipment of record players and cassette recorders arrived at the warehouse,” recalls Kim, co-owner. “We would unpack
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them and test them. We did this for a couple of years – making about 25 cents a box!” In 1973, Saskatoon was their first expansion, followed by Regina in 1979. “The Regina expansion was the result of a phone call from a customer in the hospitality industry,” remembers Kim. “We provided their AV services and three decades later, that customer still calls us when they have AV requirements.” During the late 1970s, Kim joined the business full time and he looked after the rental division, largely to help customers in the hospitality industry, which gradually opened up other rental markets in Saskatchewan and Alberta. In 1981, James joined the company and became responsible for the sales department. “We eventually expanded on the heels of the rental business to offer sales and service throughout our offices in Saskatchewan and Alberta,” adds James. Ten years later, they opened an office in Calgary, followed by Edmonton. Many of the early expansions started as a one-man shop, but within a few years each branch grew to become a fullservice AV provider.
Inland AV | 75 years