Retail Observer

FEBRUARY 2019 RETAILOBSERVER.COM 65 T he annual ADL National Consumer Technology Industry Dinner paid tribute to five leaders: Daniel Pidgeon, Michael Petricone, Stephanie Dismore, Rick Albuck, and David Pidgeon. Starpower co-founder Daniel Pidgeon received the Torch of Liberty Award. Michael Petricone, Senior Vice President – Government Affairs from Consumer Technology Association accepted the American Heritage Award. Vice President and General Manager of America's Channels, HP Inc., Stephanie Dismore was honored with the Patricia Rienzi Legacy Award. Rick Albuck, Vice President – Business Development of 2020 Companies accepted the S. David Feir Humanitarian Award along with David Pidgeon, co-founder and CEO of Starpower, who closed the night with his acceptance of the Torch of Liberty Award. Guest speakers shared their "Why ADL" moments with members of the National Consumer Technology Industry Board; they included Fred Towns of New Age Electronics, Shelly Palmer of The Palmer Group, Eric Schwartz of Catapult Communications and Moe Lastfogel from The Retail Observer. Fellow board member Jim Sanduski of Sharp Home Electronics Company of America introduced a keynote panel that highlighted the work of ADL's Center for Technology and Society (CTS). CTS Director Oren Segal moderated a discussion with former NYPD Director of Intelligence Analysis Mitchell Silber and former Islamic extremist, Jesse Morton to discuss the roles of the ADL in combatting extremism, especially in the age of technology. ADL, founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti- Semitism and bigotry, is a leading anti-hate organization with a timeless mission: to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion, and ADL is always the first call when acts of anti-Semitism occur. A global leader in exposing extremism, delivering anti-bias education and fighting hate online, ADL's ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or intolerance. 2018 HONOREES DANIEL M. PIDGEON Founder, Starpower Home Entertainment Systems Inc. In 1995, Daniel Pidgeon and his associates started Starpower Home Entertainment Systems Inc., a luxury-brand electronics retailer and custom installer in Dallas, TX and Scottsdale, AZ. Starpower also owns Dallas-based Ed Kellum & Son Appliance Company. Daniel grew up working in a retail home furnishings business. Starpower has become one of the country's largest custom installers, performing thousands of installations across the U.S. Starpower has been recognized by the consumer electronics industry with awards such as Dealerscope magazine's "Best of the Best" and "Best Specialty Audio Video Company in America" by industry trade publication TWICE, along with awards from many other trade and retail organizations. Daniel is the immediate past Chairman of the Executive Board of Consumer Technology Association (CTA), producers of the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). He is a member of CTA's Board of Industry Leaders, a member of the Dallas Chapter of Young Presidents Organization (YPO), a member of Dealerscope's "Hall of Fame," a board member of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), and active on the National Consumer Technology Board and a board member of a number of charitable organizations. Daniel graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Economics. He is married with two children, Madison (1997) and Max (2000). ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE NATIONAL CONSUMER TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY 2018 ANNUAL TRIBUTE AWARD DINNER

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