Industry stalwart Jeremy Burkhardt will be inducted into the CEDIA Fellows program at the CEDIA Expo later this year.

The program honours long-time CEDIA members and volunteers who have contributed significantly to the association’s success.

Jeremy is currently the chairman of Origin Acoustics as well as a former chief executive, architect and co-founder of SpeakerCraft, Inc. For over 20 years he actively contributed to the growth and development of the residential architectural custom electronics industry.

Beginning his career as a custom installer, he then branched into independent AV retail where he identified deficiencies in products and installation practices that drove him to design innovative and time-saving products which revolutionised the home installation market.

He and his business partners founded and developed SpeakerCraft into the industry’s largest architectural speaker manufacturer and brand. That company was then sold to Nortek, Inc for a record $58 million in 2004; Jeremy remained the chief executive until his retirement in 2012.

In 2014, he teamed up with the original SpeakerCraft partners to launch a new architectural electronics brand, Origin Acoustics.

He served on the CEDIA board from 2006 to 2008 and his volunteerism has continued over the years. He regularly contributes articles to a variety of industry trade publications and lectures at educational events worldwide.

CEDIA chairman David Humphries says: “Jeremy’s legacy in the industry has been anything but quiet – he’s pushed the boundaries in product development with a constant eye on balancing the needs of dealers and end users.”

CEDIA senior director of sales, sponsorship and partnerships Robert Keeler adds that few can doubt Jeremy’s foresight and vision, saying he helped to shape and propel the architectural speaker category.

“Ultimately, his passion has built two brands that have incredible loyalty among their dealer base and have earned the love of homeowners around the world.”

The CEDIA Expo takes place in Denver from 10 to 14 September.