Tina Luppino is the founder and CEO of The AV Firm, an event staging and consulting company. Based in Chicago, she's also a membership committee member of Women in AV & IT, a DEI committee member of the Greater Midwest Chapter of PCMA, and an IDEA committee member of the MPI Chicago Area Chapter.
A quote from her nomination: "Tina is a trailblazer in the male-dominated audiovisual production and consulting industry. Her leadership and vision established The AV Firm as a value-driven, collaborative audiovisual partner that empowers clients to make informed decisions about their event design needs."
How she got here: "I spent the first 10 years of my career as a meeting planner for a medical education company. I then progressed into being the business and operations manager for an audiovisual company for 20-plus years. In the last three years, I founded and launched The AV Firm, alongside my team. We strive every day to change the way people work with their AV providers to help them be more relatable and transparent in our interactions."
Her greatest career accomplishment: "Successfully launching the first 100% woman-owned and -operated AV and consulting company in Chicago with nationwide coverage."
A specific improvement she's made: "The drive to build The AV Firm was to change the way people interact with their AV providers. We partner with our clients and build a relationship with them using a strategic approach to managing their business in a more relatable manner. We strive to have more transparency and make it easier for them to understand where they can truly realize value in their AV budget through our educational content.
We aim to bring more women into our area of the industry and let them know they have a place at the tech table. We accomplish this through our mentorship and grant programs, by acting as a visible leader in our industry and raising awareness of the magic behind the curtain."
The biggest change she's observed in the industry: "The biggest shift I have observed are the resources that are readily available, aiding in the efficiency of planning and shorter lead time to accomplish this. We now live in an age of on-demand and quicker access to information. Everything from content creation to how it is relayed to the screens has transformed. The way we conduct spatial studies to rendering out a room to reality is exciting to be a part of. We are in an age where the next generation is using AI to work smarter, not harder. It is a fun transformation to be a part of and help incorporate into our events and execution."
Her ideal day OOO: "When I close the office on a Friday afternoon, the Chicago-based team sneaks out and meets at Wrigley Field for a Cubs game. The pregame ritual is enjoying a glass of red wine or a few cocktails with snacks. Postgame, I love coming home and grilling dinner with my sons."
The advice she'd give her younger self: "Get involved in an industry organization such as MPI or PCMA early in your career. 'Pick yourself' to learn and lead. Doing this earlier in your career will help you enhance your business acumen and give you a skill set to advance in your daily job. In addition, you will form relationships that will last a lifetime. With those relationships, I have been able to successfully launch The AV Firm."
