Skip to content
MarketScale
‹ Back to IndustriesProfessional AV

Turning Crisis into Engineering Opportunity with Mike Wilkinson

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Paragon Innovations, under the leadership of Mike Wilkinson, exhibited remarkable resilience and innovation. They saw the market downturn as an opportunity to reimagine their strategies and adapt accordingly. With a seamless transition to remote work, Paragon Innovations ensured uninterrupted service to their clients. Leveraging technology, they provided their customers with advanced…

This story was produced through MarketScale. See how Professional AV teams put it to work with Customer Stories & Case Studies.

Share

Get featured

Want to get featured in MarketScale Professional AV?

Create a free MarketScale workspace and get your company's expertise featured across our Professional AV coverage. No credit card, no demo required.

Start free

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Paragon Innovations, under the leadership of Mike Wilkinson, exhibited remarkable resilience and innovation. They saw the market downturn as an opportunity to reimagine their strategies and adapt accordingly. With a seamless transition to remote work, Paragon Innovations ensured uninterrupted service to their clients. Leveraging technology, they provided their customers with advanced solutions and supported their transition to the remote work environment. Wilkinson envisions the post-pandemic world being heavily influenced by the Internet of Things (IoT), as demonstrated by Paragon Innovations’ ability to overcome location barriers and achieve productivity through wireless capabilities. Their success highlights the importance of adaptability and innovation in navigating the challenges brought forth by the pandemic.

Video TranscriptExpand ↓

So Mike COVID nineteen has obviously been a big topic of conversation when it comes to business and what else is going on around the world. So how have you led paragon innovations through this particular time and talk to me a little bit about being a leader and being a business leader during COVID nineteen? Yes. So the the, you know, anytime there's a problem or downturn in the market. It's really a good opportunity to think about how can we be innovative and jump out there and do something different and take advantage of the situation. So Paragon's done the same. So we've we've already been a technology company. We're able to continue our work with our clients and do that remotely, and we've taken advantage of getting our customers more depth to technology and make those transitions for them as well? So one of the things I'm most curious about about this time is what changes or innovations we see to cope with COVID nineteen end up being permanent changes the way we live and do life after this. So how do you see IoT maybe playing a part in what the world looks like post COVID nineteen and how can it maybe play a role in the recovery process, the reopening process, and things along those lines. And great question. So, you know, in our case, I think we're gonna we've seen that we can do more technology remotely. I've always been adverse of doing things outside the office. I like to have everybody together, and I still believe that's the best. But we've proven that we can do things outside the office. We have the tools, to do that, and all the wireless stuff that we have remotely as well. I mean, sometimes we're not even working in our home. We're working outside with some and so being able to be that remote. I found myself, in fact, I spent three days two weeks ago on my boat in the lake and I just camped out there and I worked and I worked and then I would sleep and work and work and got a lot done. And I could do it off from my boat, so it really doesn't matter where you're physically located. Nothing wrong with that? Exactly.

Your experts belong here

Every story in MarketScale Professional AV starts with a company putting its integrators, design engineers, and product specialists on the record. Buyers are already reading this topic. The only question is whose experts they find.

When a spec writer or facilities lead searches this category, your integrators are what they find instead of a competitor.

Get your team featuredSee how it works15 minutes, straight to a calendar.

Follow Professional AV Insights

Get new expert content in your inbox.

Professional AV: are you visible to AI?

Before they reach out, Professional AV buyers ask AI engines which vendors to trust. Explore how your experts, customers, and partners can become useful content for buyers and AI search.

Free plan

You just read one Professional AV expert. Your company is full of them.

This article was produced through MarketScale. The same platform turns your integrators, design engineers, and product specialists into the articles, video, and social content Professional AV buyers are searching for. Create a free workspace and see it with your own people. No credit card, no demo required.

NPS +73 · 1,000+ creators · 38+ countries

What you get, free

Your own MarketScale workspace, up to 10 people
One professional video edit a month for qualifying companies
Media requests to your crowd, remote recording, AI writing tools
$0, no credit card, nothing that expires

More Professional AV Insights

End users made up 37% of InfoComm 2026's 28,132 attendees

End users made up 37% of InfoComm 2026's 28,132 attendees

AVIXA reports InfoComm 2026 drew 28,132 verified attendees from 94 countries to Las Vegas, with end users making up 37%. Microsoft and Cisco keynotes centered on AI agents for the meeting room. For enterprise workplace and IT teams, the June attendance mix and cross-platform AI pitches are timely as fall buying decisions approach.

  • 01A 37% end-user share at a pro AV trade show is a usable benchmark: more than one in three badges belonged to organizations that deploy the equipment, suggesting exhibitors may be demoing more directly to customers.
  • 02A sharper question to put to a collaboration vendor before the demo is which platform an AI meeting feature actually runs on. According to AVIXA, Cisco framed intelligent systems and open collaboration ecosystems as working across platforms including Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Zoom, while Microsoft tied its voice agents to Teams Phone and Teams Rooms.
  • 03The 170-meter Cat5e reach BZBGEAR's Matt Richards cited to CE Pro for the XTREME-PRO, part of the XLink-ONE family that took Best of Show at InfoComm 2026 from AV Technology, is a manufacturer spec, not an independent test; for facilities with runs past 100 meters it is worth a bench check before fiber is designed out.

Sep 18, 2026

Sponsors, not subscriptions, will fund free streaming across all 7 Smyrna Baseball League fields

Sponsors, not subscriptions, will fund free streaming across all 7 Smyrna Baseball League fields

Smyrna Baseball League in Tennessee is launching free live streaming across all seven of its fields through Hometown Live, with sponsors rather than subscription fees covering the six-figure project cost. Nevco Media Group is funding the initiative by matching the league with national and local advertisers, while the platform integrates scoring data, statistics, and video in a unified experience.

  • 01Nevco Media Group is funding a six-figure streaming project for Smyrna Baseball League by matching sponsors to cover technology costs instead of charging families subscription fees.
  • 02Each of seven fields receives a Nevco ONE scoring controller, Scorebird NeST device, and auto-switching cameras, with real-time scores and statistics integrated directly alongside video.
  • 03The partnership structure expands with the league's construction plans: new fields added by SBL trigger new technology installations, preventing the system from becoming outdated.

Sep 17, 2026

College of Idaho adds 10mm video display and scoreboard at Simplot Stadium

College of Idaho adds 10mm video display and scoreboard at Simplot Stadium

The College of Idaho installed a new 10mm Nevco video display and custom scoreboard system at Simplot Stadium to support the football program's rapid rise in the NAIA rankings. The venue upgrade is part of a broader athletics facilities investment aligned with the team's on-field success, including 11-2 record last season and number 4 national ranking.

  • 01The College of Idaho has installed a 10mm video display and scoreboard at Simplot Stadium.
  • 02The improvements are part of efforts to meet the demands of a growing football program.
  • 03Simplot Stadium hosted its first night game in 2024 following the installation of new lights in 2020.

Sep 17, 2026

Explore More Professional AV Insights

Read more expert perspectives from across Professional AV.

Browse Professional AV Hub

For B2B teams

Your experts could be publishing here

Stories like this one run on content MarketScale captures from real practitioners. See how your team's expertise becomes coverage in Professional AV and beyond.

Book a 15-minute demo

Or call us. No forms required. We pick up. 214-945-2512