From the Editor: Presenting the Top 12!

Friday, June 03, 2011 -- Hello All,

I'm proud to present the Top 12 Retailers and Top 12 Installers, based on industry and consumer votes, for 2010-2011.

This year marked the first time that consumers were encouraged to participate in selecting their favorites stores to be included in the Top 12. I hope that each of the stores in the Top 50 Retailers and with installers in the Top 100 took advantage of this opportunity to reach out and build rapport with your customers.

Now the categories. In the past, the Top 12 Retailers have been separated into categories based on number of locations. This resulted in a perceived disadvantage, since a minimum of 3 businesses of each size were guaranteed spots in the Top 12, whether they campaigned for votes or not. We remedied this by basing the categories on the stores that worked the hardest to get votes, which is why you've seen category names change from year to year, and why some categories have had more than one winner.

Of course, some retailers worried that large chains would dominate the votes because of their sheer reach, but this has yet to happen — which leads us to the Top 12 for this year. Of the 12 highest vote-getters, only three have more than one location; the other 9 are single stores. This is on par with the ratio of single-store specialists versus chains in the industry.

As a result, we are doing away with categories this year. 12 specialist businesses worked their butts off to achieve Top 12 status, and each will be judged according to the same standard — size does not dictate any advantages in the final stage.

We will select 4 Retailers of the Year, as is our traditional number, and these retailers — as well as one installer, will be awarded at the Mobile Electronics Industry Awards presented by Guidepoint Systems at this year's MERA KnowledgeFest event in Dallas.

I applaud the industry for participating in our greatest honor, and congratulate all of the Top 50, Top 100 and especially the Top 12 for a job well done. I look forward to the awards celebration, and hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Solomon Daniels, Editor-in-Chief

Presenting the Top 12 Retailers for 2010-2011

As selected by industry and consumer votes, in order of highest votes received.

• Abt Electronics — Glenview IL
• PJ's Auto Sound — Erie PA
• Performance Audio Las Vegas — Las Vegas NV
• Perfectionist Auto Sound & Security — Anchorage AK
• Al & Ed's Autosound — Van Nuys CA
• Car Tunz — Williston ND
• Mobile Edge — Lehighton PA
• Westminster Speed & Sound — Westminster MD
• Car Fi — Springfield MO
• Columbus Car Audio — Columbus OH
• Enormis Mobile Specialties — Erie PA
• Extreme Performance — Palm City FL

Alternates (in order of selection)

• Ocala Car Audio — Ocala FL
• Sound of Tri-State — Claymont DE
• Soundcrafters — South Daytona FL

Presenting the Top 12 Installers for 2010-2011

As selected by industry and consumer votes, in order of highest votes received

• John Samp — Abt Electronics — Glenview IL
• Jeremy Carlson — Extreme Performance — Palm City FL
• Michael Betts — Audio Workx — Pittsburgh PA
• Anthony Riebe — Columbus Car Audio — Columbus OH
• Jon Webb — Performance Audio Las Vegas — Las Vegas NV
• Jon Kowanetz — Handcrafted Car Audio — Mesa AZ
• Steve Ledford — Soundcrafters — South Daytona FL
• Garrick Allen — Abt Electronics— Glenview IL
• Jon Murphy — Soundworks — Anchorage AK
• Scott Rosen — The Sound Sensation — Auburn MA
• James Drinkut — Alarms Etc.— Lakeland FL
• Greg Fuchs — Cartunz — Willinston ND

Alternates (in order of selection)

• Rob Bess — Audio Specialists — Hopkinsville KY
• Mike Fusto — Sound of Tri-State.— Claymont DE
• Jay Enge — Car-Fi — Springfield MO

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