The vibe was certainly alive and palpable in Austin, Texas, during the second annual Oasys Summit. More than 200 attendees gathered for the 2024 edition of the group’s annual conference, which featured over two days of education, networking and idea sharing.
“It’s truly astonishing to see and experience what a difference one year can make for our group and this event,” says Hank Alexander, director of Oasys Residential Technology Group. “The energy was up from the get-go. Our members and vendor partners were highly engaged throughout the event. And the team is really fired up to take everything we learned and experienced here in Austin and carry that momentum into the rest of the year.”
2024 was already off to a strong start for Oasys, with membership surpassing 300 custom integrators and the number of vendor partner programs nearly doubling. This Summit provided many members their first opportunity to gather in person and see up close what the group has been building.
“We’ve been a part of the group a little over six months now, and it’s been fantastic; this event has been really exciting for us,” says Josh Trevithick, owner of PROJECT: automate in southern California. “I came out here with the expressed intent to meet other out-of-market integrators that I could talk to and share trade secrets with. Between that and the chance to get some face time with many of our manufacturer partners, the Oasys Summit was a very worthwhile event for us.”
As important as the networking was, education was also a hallmark of the 2024 Oasys Summit. Matt Bernath, president of VITAL LLC, and Jason Sayen, founder of I am Sayen, each dove into the weeds with attendees, giving them actionable takeaways that could make an immediate impact on their businesses. Bernath offered tactical sales advice to integrators, while Sayen provided an overview on process management and explored ways to streamline one’s business.
Attendees were also wowed during an incredible presentation from Tim Costello, an expert in the home building and technology sectors and founder and principal of Built4F. Based out of Austin, Costello, shared an exceptional overview on the impact of demographics on the economy, imploring integrators to consider where the market is heading and adjust how they pitch product and spec projects to focus more on the needs of tomorrow’s consumer.
And just as giving back is always a signature piece of any Oasys Summit, the event in Austin was no different. This time, though, the efforts were geared toward a cause that hit very close to home. Brad Elbrader, a longtime Oasys member and owner of Brad’s Home Entertainment in Mountain Home, Arkansas, recently lost his wife, Linda, in March after a courageous battle with cancer. In her honor, Oasys members collectively donated more than $10,000 to support the Food Bank of North Central Arkansas and their backpack programs, a cause that was close to her heart.Oasys will soon be back on the road exhibiting at the CEDIA Tech + Business Summit events in Atlanta on May 14 and Charlotte on May 16.