Every industry has its share of certifications. In our industry, we have them for best of class installation, building networks, designing acoustically-accurate rooms and home theaters, and more. While these certifications typically stay with an individual, until recently, there hasn't been a certification for an entire company.

Enter the Home Technology Association, or HTA.

This Home Technology Association certification is no quick or easy thing to attain. It's arduous. It involves a deep dive into design practices, implementation, insurance, service policies, employment manuals, and overall -- how business is conducted. In fact, HTA-certified home technology professionals have a seal of approval that is in many ways much more significant than a Better Business Bureau "A+" rating -- although that's important too. The Home Technology Association fact checks every response and piece of information a prospective dealer submits when seeking certification, so that when a business carries that designation, you can be sure it's well-deserved and hard-earned.

Today's design trends involve a bunch of hard surfaces: high-gloss lacquer, mirrors everywhere, granite and hardwoods as far as the eye can see. But as striking as these spaces can look, the problem of reflected sound in the form of echos and poor acoustics can threaten to ruin the experience. Integration Controls is a company that takes sound treatments seriously, both in terms of how they improve sonics, and how they actually add to the visual dynamic. This is all part and parcel of our holistic outlook on how you enjoy your home, irrespective of the challenges it presents.

We know technology can be confusing and, since 2004, we have been here to simplify technology in your homes and businesses.  This holiday season, let us also simplify gift-giving with these top five technologies that are easy to give, implement, and expand upon.  Want a holiday tech item that won't be obsolete as soon as it's installed?  These functional gifts will also stand the test of time while making life easy and fun.

In 2004, my husband Jeff and I co-founded Integration Controls in St. Louis, MO.

Our vision was the same then as it is now: simplify technology for our clients, using the right products and solutions to meet their needs and exceed expectations.

Take a minute (and one second, to be exact) for an inside look at what motivates the people behind Integration Controls.