S&I was the 2020 Impact Awards Partner of the Year recipient. At the 2021 Chamber’s Impact Awards Livestream Broadcast Event: Carl Blackstone, Alicia Barnes, Banks Meador, Lee Baldwin, and Casey Welch.
How did your business begin?
Close friend and South Carolina legend Eddie Wright founded Sound & Images in 1981. Paige, my wife, and I purchased S&I five years ago in 2016. I was previously a mutual client and vendor of S&I as the general manager of a large volume tent and special event rental company.
What is your mission?
To provide client partners with the highest quality of commercial audiovisual equipment for installations, rentals, and events. S&I backs our products with an accessible, responsive, local, and friendly team providing world class service from our intown Columbia location. S&I is dedicated to being a valuable and contributing member of the community that we serve.
What is something people would be surprised to learn about your business?
To learn how fully comprehensive S&I is in what we do. Both for events — traditional, hybrid, and virtual — and commercial A/V installations. Including but not limited to: conference room A/V, videoconferencing, gymnasium and stadium PA systems, churches, schools, digital signage, restaurant menu boards, hotels, large scale manufacturing facilities, outdoor audio/PA systems, apartment community TV monitors, indoor/outdoor LED wall installations, and so much more.
How does your company give back to Columbia?
S&I is very supportive of nonprofits, schools, and their events. We routinely partner and sponsor with charitable organizations. I personally like to volunteer with my friends at Harvest Hope every month serving in the drive-through food distribution lines. I started at the beginning of COVID and continue to do so. I’ll keep volunteering as long as I am able.
