Las Vegas, Nevada, September 26, 2017—During his opening remarks at the 2017 BICSI Fall Conference & Exhibition, BICSI President Brian Ensign, RCDD, NTS, OSP, RTPM, CSI, announced an extension of the regular credential re-certification and membership renewal grace period for those affected by recent natural disasters including Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, as well as the earthquakes in Mexico.

“The recent catastrophic events around the world, like the hurricanes here in the United States and our CALA District, and the earthquakes in Mexico have called for BICSI to act, because we truly care about our members and credential holders around the world. At our most recent Board meeting, we passed a motion to double the grace period to six months for credential re-certifications and membership renewal for areas affected by the hurricanes and earthquakes. This will allow our members and credential holders to focus on their families and homes, as well as other equally important matters, at this time.”

Following Ensign's opening remarks, Opening Keynote Speaker Bill Rancic delivered an exciting presentation. Rancic rose to stardom by becoming the winner of the first season of “The Apprentice” reality show. His entertaining experiences as an entrepreneur—from starting a pancake business with his grandmother at age 10 to his current ventures as a small business spokesman, restaurant owner and real estate developer—gave attendees valuable insight to apply in their lives. 

Tuesday’s General Session continued with educational presentations on remote powering over communications cabling; data center standards; security inside the white space; optical trends in the data center; and protecting critical infrastructure from bad habits.

The Exhibit Hall opened Monday evening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, which included a performance from Morgane Latouche as Celine Dion. The Exhibit Hall was full of activity, as more than 120 exhibitors spoke to excited attendees about the latest products and solutions that will help them in their careers.

Exhibitors are very happy with their conference experiences. “BICSI has always been fantastic for us,” said Walter Taylor of FreeAxez in Del Ran, New Jersey. “The thing I like most about the Exhibit Hall is that the members take the time to learn about what we’re selling and educate themselves. The people are very professional, and they are leaders in their fields. It’s a pleasure to work and speak with them. We are rewarded with projects as a result of the relationships we have developed at the BICSI conferences.”

Additional Exhibit Hall activities included the First-Time Exhibitor Pavilion, where exhibitors brand new to BICSI Conferences were available to speak with attendees about their latest industry advancements. Also of note was the BICSI Theater, where exhibitors shared new information in short “What’s New? What’s It Do?” demonstrations. The BICSI Theater also hosted the Cabling Innovators Awards, presented by Cabling Installation and Maintenance. The 2017 BICSI Fall Conference offers more educational sessions, networking opportunities and exhibit hours through Thursday afternoon.