Our NSCA board member Q&As will help you get to know our Board of Directors. Meet Don Mastro, NSCA secretary and CRO at AVI Systems.
Throughout this year, we’ll sit down with every NSCA board member to ask them questions so you can better understand their goals and how they’re working for you.
Next on our list is Don Mastro, chief revenue officer at AVI Systems and NSCA secretary.
Meet Don Mastro, NSCA Secretary
NSCA: Can you describe the most rewarding parts of your role at AVI Systems?
Mastro: I’m responsible for all revenue lines at AVI Systems, which has been very rewarding for me. It’s all about who you work with. We’re an ESOP owned by 1,200 employees, so it’s a much different model from most. As a result, we’ve been able to triple the size of the company. It’s always rewarding to see that kind of growth. But the most rewarding part is coaching and teaching salespeople. I enjoy servant leadership, watching others grow, and seeing the fruits of that labor.
NSCA: What are the biggest opportunities that AVI Systems and the industry face?
Mastro: Our industry is seeing more mergers and acquisitions, which is a good and bad thing. But it’s not a monopolistic market. It’s very diverse. The top three integrators worldwide own a very small percentage of the industry. Quality of delivery and support at a local level is still critical, and there are many opportunities for small integrators to play a role. Smaller integrators that do great work locally and have really smart people on board are very relevant. But some customers are looking for a global organization that can deliver nationally and worldwide. That has been a really important part of positioning for us. Also, there are always new opportunities in new markets. Traditionally, our mainstay has been mid-market and Fortune 500 companies, but we’re now branching out into education and the federal government.
NSCA: What is the biggest challenge related to running an integration company right now?
Mastro: Succession planning is a big one. When you’re ready to exit, you need a succession plan. Do you sell to another company or is there someone who could take your company to the next level? Also, identifying the next generation of leadership is critical. How do we keep drawing new people who are interested in our industry and want to learn the craft? If you don’t have a really good technical team, the rest of it just falls flat.
NSCA: How can members lean on NSCA for help in addressing these challenges?
Mastro: Companies can learn so much from NSCA. It offers consulting and strategic planning services to help you establish your own succession plan. It offers resources to improve your business practices. It also offers training and education to prepare future generations for work in our industry.
NSCA: What’s a fun fact that most NSCA members don’t know about you?
Mastro: I’ve worked in this industry for my entire career. I started in inside sales in Minneapolis with a small integrator. Before that, I played football for a small college in Minnesota, which is where I met my wife. We’ve been married for 40 years. I also played ice hockey and knew some of the players on Herb Brooks’ team (Brooks played in and coached Olympic hockey teams). Finally, my son and daughter are both in this industry. My daughter is general counsel for AVI-SPL and my son is a regional sales manager for Logitech.
Meet Your NSCA Board
In the coming months, watch for other Q&As with:
- President Dale Bottcher, Executive Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing at AVI-SPL
- Vice President Christina De Bono, President at ClearTech Media
- Treasurer Shedan Maghzi, Strategic Advisor at Avidex
- Immediate Past President Dan Schmidtendorff, Communication Company
- Board Member Ray Bailey, Lone Star Communications
- Board Member Laurie MacKeigan, President at Backman Vidcom
- Boar Member Tina Peters, Executive Vice President at SVT
