I owe so much to SynAudCon

Brenda,

Thank you again for letting us be a small part of this SynAudCon. I mean it when I say I owe so much to you and Pat. The Passion, excellence and love you guys pour into every lesson, email and sidebar conversation is what makes SynAudCon the wonderful institution it is. I wish there were words to describe how profound of an impact you two have made on this world. As you are no doubt aware, SynAudCon is about so much more than audio. It is about relationships. It is about pursuing excellence in what one does. Ultimately, it is about the power of synergy. Proverbs 27:17 says “as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” You and Pat have created a world where people come together to solve problems and to make each other better. The humility, love and kindness that pervades everything you two touch, has left a profound impact on me and I wanted to say thanks. It may seem hard to fathom how attending a few seminars could do anything more than just educate. But let me tell you it does. You and Pat have inspired me. Being a part of the SynAudCon community has given me so much that I can give away to others. In the ensuing years since we first met, I have had the privilege of working with more churches, manufacturers and television stations then I can count. In every gig I’ve worked, I have actively sought out ways to pass along any idea or principle I felt would be of benefit. Every gig is an opportunity to invest in another. To put it another way, synergy has become a way of life. When I was younger and in search of life mentors, Mike Hedden connected me with you two and this network of geniuses who make up SynAudCon. I witnessed people in this community who have forgotten more about technology than I could ever hope to know. Yet despite having such a wealth of knowledge, you were all so humble, approachable and giving. SynAudCon may have paid the bills, but it has also been something more profound than just a business; it is a reflection of Pat and Brenda. So on behalf of the masses you have impacted over the years let me say “thank you for everything!”

Much of my current team is made up of people I have invested in while they were in high school. Without SynAudCon, I would have had nothing but misinformation to pass along to them. And even more importantly, I would not have known how much of a difference sharing with others could make if it had not been for your example. Many of the guys I’ve been able to pour into what I learned from you and Pat have gone on to form production companies, work for churches or become professional techies. One is even become head of internet security for the US embassy in Germany. I can assure you, anyone who knows me knows the name SynAudCon. I am always trying to send people your way. This is because SynAudCon not only makes us all better technicians, but it also makes us better people.

It was truly humbling to host the official SynAudCon tour. There are countless places that would have been honored to have you come by, but you allowed it to be me and I will be forever in your debt for letting me host the tour. I hope those in attendance found it helpful and I hope I did not talk too much. J I love this stuff and I love SynAudCon, so it is hard not to be pumped anytime those two things converge. It was also incredibly generous of you to allow two of my guys to attend for free. I saw Wade tonight and he was gushing. He said he and Ashley can’t wait to test out what they learned. For example, Wade wants to flip the polarity on some of our speakers around campus, and he wants us to build some of those rapco boxes you used for distributing audio to redesign our band rehearsal spaces. I couldn’t be more proud of him. Wade said that he and Ashley want to sit down with me and dialog about what they learned and talk about some concepts they want to study further. SynAudCon has an uncanny way of inspiring excellence and igniting a passion for learning. Bill thrasher even gave me his card and wants to get together for lunch. I wish I knew how to say thanks for inspiring both myself and my team and for connecting me with new people like Bill whom I can learn from. This letter is my attempt to say how much you two mean to me and I hope you are as encouraged by this letter as I am honored to call you friends. Life can be hard. If you and Pat are like the rest of us, there have no doubt been moments when I am sure it has not felt worth all the effort you two have put into SynAudCon. But take it from someone you have impacted deeply that from where I am standing, it was worth every sleepless night. I have attended many seminars in my life but I have never written a letter like this before, but I couldn’t let these thought go unshared. Do know that I count you both as dear friends and mentors.

I hope to attend another SynAudCon very soon as I have so much I need to learn, and I can think of no better place to grow and find answers. Until then, please let me know if there is anything, I can do for you or anyone in the SynAudCon community. I am always here to serve or help in any way I can.

Always in your debt,
Steve Simmons