Nearly 150 integrators and industry professionals gather to share best practices and explore the future of business management tools at this D-Tools gathering.
Integrators from across the globe gather in Atlanta for the inaugural D-Tools User Conference (DTUC), a three-day event designed to help integration businesses improve operations, share best practices and gain deeper insight into the tools that power their workflows.
Held February 23–25 at the Renaissance Atlanta Midtown, the event brings together nearly 150 business leaders, project managers, sales professionals and operations specialists from across the systems integration industry. Under the theme “Share What Works. Build What’s Next.” the conference combines industry insights, peer collaboration and practical guidance for users of the D-Tools System Integrator (SI) and D-Tools Cloud platforms.
Attendees leave with practical strategies aimed at improving profitability, streamlining workflows and preparing their businesses for the next phase of industry growth.
Leadership sets the vision
The conference opens with a keynote and town hall session led by outgoing CEO Randy Stearns and newly appointed CEO G. Paul Hess. The session addresses key industry trends including the economic outlook, the growing impact of artificial intelligence and the future roadmap for the D-Tools platform.
Stearns highlights a positive outlook for the integration sector, pointing to stabilising economic conditions and improving supply chains.
Randy Stearns, Outgoing CEO, D-Tools, says, “Labor is a bit soft, but that actually creates opportunities for efficient, well-run integration businesses. I’m optimistic about 2026 and, frankly, about the next few years for both our industry and your businesses.”
Hess echoes the sentiment while emphasising the role of the platform in simplifying business management for integration companies.
G. Paul Hess, CEO, D-Tools, says, “Many dealers today are juggling a stack of tools — CRM, ERP, project management, accounting, service tickets and more. When those systems don’t talk to each other, workflows become fragmented. Our mission at D-Tools is to create a unified platform that helps integrators build profitable proposals, gain better visibility into their business and execute consistently.”
Industry experts share business strategies
The conference also features a series of presentations from respected industry consultants and business leaders.
Matt Bernath, President of VITAL, guides attendees through an exercise designed to calculate labour profitability and identify ways businesses can increase labour-based margins.
Ron Callis, CEO of One Firefly, explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping online search. Callis notes that Google search volume declines for the first time in 2025 while AI-driven search increases by 400%, outlining practical steps integrators can take to capture this emerging traffic.
Joseph Kolchinsky, Founder and CEO of OneVision Resources, discusses how the integration industry is following a path similar to the IT sector three decades ago, moving toward service-based business models.
Meanwhile Jason Sayen, Founder of I AM SAYEN, highlights the financial impact of poor communication within organisations.
Jason Sayen, Founder, I AM SAYEN, says, “On average, companies lose $12,506 per year per employee due to miscommunication.”
Sayen stresses the importance of clear workflows and structured hand-off meetings between project phases to support the effective use of business management platforms such as D-Tools.
Finally, Chris Smith, Principal of The CoTeam, provides practical hiring advice for businesses struggling to secure skilled staff, recommending paid job listings, transparent salary ranges and a hiring philosophy that prioritises character and attitude before technical ability.
One attendee summarises the overall experience, noting that “every session feels keynote-worthy.”
Product discussion and peer collaboration
Beyond the main presentations, the event features breakout sessions focused on D-Tools SI, D-Tools Cloud and I3 partner analytics. These sessions allow attendees to explore workflows and product updates in greater detail while providing direct feedback to the D-Tools development team.
Roundtable discussions encourage peer-to-peer collaboration around operational challenges such as project workflows, vehicle policies, invoicing processes and managing change orders.
John Cappuccio, Operations Manager, Techifi, says, “We come to the D-Tools User Conference to network with other AV integrators, hear how they are running their businesses and get deeper insight into the D-Tools platform and where it’s going. It’s been great.”
Earl Naegle, Head of CI, Retail and Ecommerce, Neptune / Peerless-AV, says, “If you’re not attending the D-Tools User Conference, you are missing out. This has been two extraordinary days filled with valuable content, interaction and networking.”
Joe Stadler, CFO, Third Coast Tech, adds that the industry background of the D-Tools team plays an important role in shaping the platform’s development.
Joe Stadler, CFO, Third Coast Tech, says, “One of the key things I take away from this conference is that many people at D-Tools come from the integration industry. That perspective really shows in how the platform evolves.”
Sponsors supporting the inaugural event include AV Pro, Somfy, Sonos, Sony, Future Ready Solutions, Neptune / Peerless-AV, SurgeX / Ametek and Wesco Distribution, providing additional opportunities for networking and collaboration across the integration community.