Control AV has appointed Kevin Cartier as Chief Operating Officer and opened a new office in Orlando, Florida, expanding its operational presence in a market closely tied to the cruise and themed entertainment industries.
The leadership appointment and office opening are part of the entertainment technology company’s broader expansion strategy, strengthening its ability to manage complex audiovisual projects while increasing access to engineering, design and production talent in Central Florida.
Cartier brings more than 20 years of experience in operations leadership and project delivery across the cruise and themed entertainment sectors. His background includes managing award-winning entertainment technology projects throughout North America and the Middle East, providing experience in two markets central to Control AV’s growth strategy.
As COO, Cartier will help oversee operations and project execution as the company expands its portfolio of entertainment technology installations and integration services.
The Orlando office will serve as a hub for design, engineering and project delivery professionals, supporting Control AV’s growing project portfolio. The location also places the company near an established concentration of themed entertainment businesses, technical specialists and creative production studios.
“Orlando is where the technical talent, production capacity, and creative studios all sit within twenty minutes of each other,” Cartier said. “Miami and Orlando are the cruise and themed entertainment capitals of the world, and those two industries are converging.”
Cartier said establishing a permanent presence in Orlando will allow Control AV to draw on the region’s specialized workforce while pursuing opportunities that increasingly span cruise ship entertainment and land-based attractions.
The expansion reflects the company’s focus on the growing overlap between entertainment technology applications across different venues. Cruise operators, theme parks and other experiential entertainment businesses rely on many of the same underlying audiovisual, lighting and show-control capabilities, creating opportunities for technology integrators with experience across multiple environments.
For Control AV, the Orlando location complements its existing Miami operations and strengthens its position in two major centers of cruise and themed entertainment activity. The geographic connection could support closer coordination between design teams, production re
Douglas Ellis, CEO of Control AV, said Cartier’s appointment and the decision to establish operations in Orlando reflect the company’s expectations for future business opportunities.
“Kevin’s record speaks for itself. Bringing him on as COO, and doing it from Orlando, tells you where we think the work is going,” Ellis said.
Amir El Yordi, president of Control AV, described the appointment as an important step in executing the company’s long-term growth strategy.
The Orlando opening is the latest in a series of planned expansions for Control AV, which has developed an international operating footprint serving the cruise, yacht, commercial and entertainment markets.
Founded in 2013, the company specializes in the design, integration, installation and delivery of audio, video, lighting and entertainment technology systems. Its services range from consulting and engineering to fabrication, installation, technology integration and refit projects.
Control AV maintains offices in Miami; Turku, Finland; Totana, Spain; Marghera, Italy; Bogotá, Colombia; and now Orlando, providing a geographic network that supports projects across multiple international markets.
Its business model combines turnkey entertainment technology delivery with specialized technical services, allowing the company to participate in projects at different stages, from initial design through installation and subsequent upgrades.
The addition of Cartier and the Orlando office gives Control AV additional operational leadership and a permanent presence in a market where technical production, creative development and entertainment engineering are closely connected.
Together, the developments position the company to pursue growth across cruise and themed entertainment projects while expanding the reration requirements
