Luxury Hoteliers Magazine 2nd Quarter 2019 | Page 26

This is where the AVMS story begins, Audio Visual Management Solutions started in 1999 by two people embedded within the audiovisual hospitality industry. When Hobart Fugate and Scott Carls decided to build an organization over twenty years ago, they knew it would need to be based on superior customer service through an authentic approach or how would they successfully win over the necessary accounts to grow their organization into what is considered today to be the premier hospitality audiovisual provider in the United States? One thing is certain; creating an event company that honors a profound sense of hospitality coupled with the ability to create superior experiences is not easy. Unless, the basis for your customer-centric hospitality touch, stems from your upbringing. Born in Texas, AVMS founder Hobart, known as “Hobie,” grew up in a “State of Hospitality,” Texas that is. Being raised in the South helped Hobie develop into a person who truly enjoys being the host. To this day, Hobie Fugate is dedicated to this humble approach… Not many CEO’s are so committed to their upbringing that they prepare breakfast nearly every day for their team. That’s what Hobie does for his Seattle-based team. You walk into the office with fresh eggs and sizzling sausage, seasoning the air with peppery pork flavors, or if you’re real lucky, fresh banana bread and its savory baked scent sprinkling the nearby office cubicles. Now that’s dedication to practicing what your company preaches. When you visit the multitude of AVMS locations throughout the nation, it’s hard to imagine that over twenty years ago, two men, Hobie and Scott, bought a truck, purchased some AV equipment and started their own venture. It was just two regular guys in Seattle, Washington, working out of the back of a truck, servicing high-end hotels and event space. Yet, they were armed with a promise: meet and greet each client every day and do not lose the “never-give-up for your client” enthusiasm; therefore, Hobie and Scott ensured that each customer received a superior experience. 26 ILHA