NSCA Announces 2026 Award Winners

	"After everything I gained from being an NSCA member, it has been a privilege to give back in some small way to support an organization that does so much to support our industry," says Neal.

NSCA has announced the recognition of several industry honorees during the 28th annual Business & Leadership Conference, held February 24-26 in Irving, Texas.

John Mitton, CTO and vice president of AV at Red Thread, is the recipient of the John Greene Mentorship Award. This award is named after John Greene, a well-known industry educator and mentor who was passionate about helping others reach their full potential.

Mitton is committed to mentoring the next generation of technology integration leaders, fostering their growth and success. He has spent time with NSCA members sharing his experiences and insights and helping others navigate business and leadership challenges.

"John Greene opened up doors. He explained to me how to better manage my sales team and close projects faster. He helped my sales forecasts. He took time and energy out of his day to meet with me," says Mitton. "We've now grown to about $50 million in sales, and a lot of that success goes back to John and the other companies that helped me understand the business and grow. I know it's my responsibility to pay it forward."

Chet Neal, founder and president of RelianceAV, is the recipient of the Volunteer of the Year Award, granted to someone who unselfishly and consistently donates their time, effort, and talents to NSCA and the NSCA Education Foundation.

Neal is an Ignite ambassador and serves on the board of advisors for two schools, attending their spring job fairs to make sure students are aware of opportunities available in commercial integration. Three of his current staff are former students he mentored at the local high school. He is also a hands-on supporter of NSCA, most recently helping transport, set up, and staff the NSCA booth at InfoComm, as well as offsetting shipping costs associated with the event.

"After everything I gained from being an NSCA member, it has been a privilege to give back in some small way to support an organization that does so much to support our industry. I started RelianceAV six years ago, and NSCA's resources were such a benefit in launching my company," says Neal. "If my first passion is the AV industry, then my second passion is the education and awareness of our industry for generations to come."

Ray Bailey, founder and CEO of Lone Star Communications, is the recipient of the Per Haugen Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is given to an individual who exhibits dedication to philanthropy and social responsibility.

Bailey has served the industry for more than three decades and has held several leadership positions on the board of directors, including NSCA president. He has also spoken at and moderated for several BLC events. In July 2025, he presented a donation check to the NSCA Education Foundation to support and expand workforce development, training, and industry awareness initiatives.

"I am humbled and honored to be among the previous recipients of this award," says Bailey. "These are the people who have helped make this industry what it has become, as well as the businesses within it. To be among that group is quite an honor, and I am proud to have served on the board."

Each year, NSCA recognizes one of its Member Advisory Council members and one of its Business Accelerators for their contributions to the association and its members. These partners play an important role in helping NSCA deliver practical resources, strategic insight, and added value to integrators.

RISE Performance Group, the Member Advisory Council Partner of the Year, helps integrators scale, grow, and strengthen their businesses through leadership alignment, strategic content, and practical resources. "Mark Fenner and the RISE team continue to provide tremendous value to NSCA members by helping them scale and grow their businesses," says Mike Abernathy, director of business resources at NSCA. "Mark excels at aligning leadership teams around shared goals, and he consistently delivers additional content and resources that help integrators become more profitable."

Insperity, the Business Accelerator Partner of the Year, supports NSCA members with workforce and people-related resources, and the company regularly shares blogs and webinars that help integrators strengthen hiring, retention, and team development.

"Insperity supports integrators with everything related to people and workforce development. Throughout 2025, their team worked closely with us to find new ways to better serve integrators and equip them with the tools they need to grow and support their team members," says Abernathy. "They also continue to contribute valuable blogs and webinars that strengthen workforce strategies across the industry."

The Randy Vaughan Founder's Award was also given to 25 first-time BLC attendees.