Capitol Sales Reinvigorates Its Image With Extensive Branding Campaign

Sales, Service And Solutions Have A Fresh New Look

ATLANTA, GA, September 8, 2009—Capitol, the leading consumer electronics distribution source for residential systems and light commercial contractors, as well as retailers and premium incentive resellers, today announced a new branding campaign that updates the company’s presence with a fresh, vibrant image. The campaign officially kicks off at the 2009 CEDIA Expo, where the Capitol booth will showcase the exciting new look and feel for the trade.

“Our new company graphics are a reflection of what Capitol brings to electronics professionals,” said Jeff Kussard, Capitol’s Strategic Development Director. “We set out to create a look that would boldly project the experience of working with Capitol– proven expertise, confidence in doing business with us, and empowerment for our dealers and their customers. We’re excited by the new campaign, and we think our customers will like it as much as we do.”

The first look at the new Capitol Sales graphics will greet visitors to Capitol’s CEDIA booth (#1665). Four kiosks will be branded with the new company logo and colors, each dedicated to a different area of Capitol’s expertise and service:

Energy Saving: This kiosk will emphasize green technologies for the home, including products and solutions for home energy management and conservation.

No New Long Wires: Featured will be exciting alternatives to new long wire runs in retrofit installations, including Powerline Carrier technology and wireless solutions.

Capitol -- Your HDMI Experts: This kiosk is designed to showcase Capitol Sales as the integrator’s expert partner in deploying HDMI throughout their installations.

Opportunities in Light Commercial Contracting: Attendees will discover the many ways to broaden their service offerings to the light commercial market.

In addition, all four Capitol CEDIA kiosks will run short commercials interspersed with the main technology messaging. Topics for the commercials will include information on Capitol’s upcoming, revamped B2B web site (which will also feature the new branding) and business opportunities in digital signage, coordinated with Capitol partner Tightrope/Carousel, which is providing the digital signage for the booth.

The main section of the Capitol booth is a concave area that will be set up as a theater and will present the company’s new relationships with Salamander Designs and other top-tier brands. Throughout the exhibit, visitors will learn about Capitol’s extensive product offerings for the custom installation markets, myriad vendors and products, and the company’s acclaimed sales and customer service.

Capitol Sales Company’s Mike Marko Becomes CEDIA-Certified Instructor

DENVER, Dec. 8, 2008— Mike Marko from the technical sales and design staff at Capitol Sales Company is the first in the Company to achieve status as a CEDIA certified instructor. This certification enables him to teach CEDIA University Core curriculum comprised of more than 140 courses in five industry-specific colleges. Marko, an employee at Capitol Sales since 2002, was one of a select number of instructors invited by the CEDIA Certified Instructor Action Team to participate in the certification course.

“This process is a critical step toward validating CEDIA University courses on the worldwide certification stage,” said Jeff Gardner, Director of Technical Training at CEDIA. “By training and certifying our volunteer instructors, we ensure that our core curriculum is always delivered in an accurate and professional manner. As we update and fine-tune our courses, we must also make sure our instructors are the very best. We are always pleased to add someone of Mike’s caliber to our team.”

Marko joins 158 other instructors in successfully completing certification. One requirement to become a certified instructor was attending CEDIA’s Train the Trainer program. That course includes a review of the adult learning process, managing the learning environment and effective, quantifiable content delivery techniques.

“We’re very proud of Mike’s achievements with the CEDIA-status certification,” said Curt Hayes, Capitol Sales Company’s President and Chief Financial Officer. “His courses are always well received and highly rated by dealers who attend them whether at a trade show, our annual dealer conference or at our headquarters training facility. His certification not only shows the level of commitment we have as an organization to support CEDIA, but speaks highly to the skills that Mike brings to the classroom as an instructor.”

Capitol Sales Learning Institute – Regional Outreach Program Debuts to Attendee Accolades

Kick-off Event in San Mateo, CA Is the First of Five Three-Day Programs Throughout the U.S.

EAGAN, MN, May 18, 2009—Capitol Sales Company, the leading consumer electronics distribution source for custom installation specialists, retailers and premium incentive resellers, recently kicked off its five-city Capitol Sales Learning Institute™—Regional Outreach program with a successful three-day event in San Francisco.

In the first of what Capitol Sales Company describes as the “ultimate training ground” for custom installation professionals, the San Mateo event, which attracted attendees from the entire Bay Area, presented a soup-to-nuts program on the latest and most relevant products and technology trends, as well as classes devoted to helping professionals market and merchandise their services through a variety of cost-effective means.

“It was a thrill to see the way attendees took advantage of the opportunity to engage some of the most high profile vendors in the business,” said Jeff Kussard, Capitol Sales Company’s Strategic Development Director. “It’s one of the key advantages of taking the time to attend one of our Learning Institute programs, along with a near endless well of usable information.”

Many of the attendees noted how the idea of a three-day educational program at first seemed almost intimidating. “I came in not sure if I could do this. I left knowing I can,” commented Megan Sohm, Arnold Electrical, Arnold, CA.

Joining Capitol Sales Company as an exclusive partner is CEDIA On the Road Courses from CEDIA University On the Road are held in conjunction with the Capitol Sales Learning Institute-Regional Outreach. All Capitol Sales class attendees will receive CEU credits through CEDIA University.

This week, the Capitol Sales Learning Institute-Regional Outreach is in Dallas, TX, May 17 – 19. Upcoming dates and respective locations follow.

May 17-19, 2009 / Dallas, TX
Wyndham Dallas Love Field, 3300 W. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, TX 75235, 214-357-8500

June 7-9, 2009 / Philadelphia, PA
Radisson Hotel Valley Forge, 1160 First Avenue, King of Prussia, PA 19406, 610-354-8206

July 12-14, 2009 / Chicago, IL
Eaglewood Resort and Spa, 1401 Nordic Road, Itasca, IL 60143, 630-694-6097

Nov. 15-17, 2009 / Tampa, FL
Tampa Airport Marriott Hotel, Tampa Int’l Airport, Tampa, FL 33607, 813-879-5151

Capitol Sales Enhances Upcoming Learning Institute™ Sessions With Additional Courses From Industry Leaders

HDMI Guru Jeffrey A. Boccaccio and A New Program on Carousel Digital Signage Are Added To Sessions in Dallas, Philadelphia, Chicago and Tampa

EAGAN, MN, May 4, 2009— Capitol Sales Company, the leading consumer electronics distribution source for custom installation specialists, retailers and premium incentive resellers, today announced additional sessions are being added to four of its upcoming Capitol Sales Learning Institute™—Regional Outreach program events.

New additions to the program include Jeffrey A. Boccaccio, DPL (Digital Performance Labs) principal and leading expert on HDMI, and Tightrope Media Systems, developer and marketer of the Carousel line of digital signage solutions.

“One of the benefits of this being an ongoing program, as opposed to a single annual event, is that we can add to the course offerings throughout the year,” said Curt Hayes, President and CFO, Capitol Sales Company. “So when we were given the opportunity to include both the industry’s foremost HDMI guru and the designer of the most reliable and intuitive digital signage products on the market, we instinctively jumped at the chance.”

Both Mr. Boccaccio and Carousel will join the tour, which debuted in San Francisco on May 3rd, at its stop in Dallas and all subsequent locations.

May 17-19, 2009 / Dallas, TX
Wyndham Dallas Love Field, 3300 W. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, TX 75235, 214-357-8500

June 7-9, 2009 / Philadelphia, PA
Radisson Hotel Valley Forge, 1160 First Avenue, King of Prussia, PA 19406, 610-354-8206

July 12-14, 2009 / Chicago, IL
Eaglewood Resort and Spa, 1401 Nordic Road, Itasca, IL 60143, 630-694-6097

Nov. 15-17, 2009 / Tampa, FL
Tampa Airport Marriott Hotel, Tampa Int’l Airport, Tampa, FL 33607, 813-879-5151

On the tour, Mr. Boccaccio will be presenting an HDMI session designed for dealers, technicians, and CI personnel to understand and work with this highly complex interface, which is at once the most relevant, most talked about and misunderstood technologies to enter the consumer electronics industry.

“The level of complexity makes a typical analog connection look microscopic by comparison,” says Mr. Boccaccio.

Carousel digital signage solutions is proving to be one of Capitol Sales Company’s most popular systems to date, thanks to its intuitive user interface that is operable from any web browser. Carousel is a product of Tightrope Media Systems, which boasts an 11-year history in the digital signage industry.

Joining Capitol Sales Company as an exclusive partner is CEDIA On the Road. Courses from CEDIA University On the Road will be held in conjunction with the Capitol Sales Learning Institute-Regional Outreach. All Capitol Sales class attendees will receive CEU credits through CEDIA University.

Capitol Sales Company Honored As Monster's “Most Monsterous Domestic Distributor” Of 2008

Capitol Sales is Cited for Increased Sales and Overall Reach of the Brand

ST. PAUL, MN, January 26, 2009 – Capitol Sales Company, the leading consumer electronics distribution source for custom installation specialists, retailers and premium incentive resellers, received yet another accolade at the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, NV.

The honor, which was announced at Monsters’ annual awards ceremony on January 9, came as a result of Capitol Sales’ most successful year to date as a Monster distributor. Specifically, sales of Monster products increased by 14% over the previous year, with 27 new dealers added in 2008. Additionally, Monster was an active participant in Capitol Sales’ Dealer Education and Technology Showcase, during which time more than 150 dealers received training in Monster’s selection of advanced HDMI cables, plugs, and related products.

“Everyone in the consumer electronics industry knows that Monster has earned its place as one of the most successful brands in the business,” said Curt Hayes, Capitol Sales Company’s President and Chief Financial Officer. “When it comes to accessories, Monster wrote the book on maximizing profits through sales of higher margin, high performance products. It is truly an honor to be considered such an important part of the Monster team.”

“We are very glad to be working with Capitol Sales as a top distributor of our products,” stated Noel Lee, The Head Monster. “Capitol received our Most Monsterous Domestic Distributor Award because they were number one in helping Monster expand its brand into challenging and remote markets. With their full-line support and complete ongoing marketing cooperation, Capitol helped take the Monster brand to new heights. Capitol went “above and beyond” normal business processes to achieve this.”

Capitol Sales is the leading distribution source for electronic systems contractors and retailers who are looking for home theater, telephone, integrated home systems, and commercial A/V products. The company is famous for taking a 360-degree approach to its business, offering retailers high-quality products at competitive prices, plus hands-on application training, expert technical help and unmatched customer service. In 2009, the company will debut the Capitol Sales Learning Institute™ - Regional Outreach, a new education program that will take Capitol Sales’ successful training offerings on the road to six regions throughout 2009 in partnership with CEDIA University On The Road. Additionally, Capitol Sales offers hundreds of application-based education courses throughout the year, including filled-to-capacity classes at CEDIA, EH Expo, and other industry events. For further information, visit the company’s web site at www.capitolsales.com, or call 1-800-INSTALL (467-8255). Media inquiries should be directed to Adam Sohmer; Sohmer Associates, LLC; 718-499-9161; adam@sohmerassoc.com.

ABOUT MONSTER

Monster is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2009. The company was founded by Head Monster Noel Lee with a commitment to creating products under the Monster Cable® brand to literally “make music sound better.” Today, Monster has grown and diversified to become the world's leading manufacturer of connectivity solutions for high-performance audio, video, car audio, computer, console and computer gaming, as well as a leading innovator in the field of iPod® and iPhone™ accessories and professional audio and sound reinforcement. Additionally, under its Monster Power® brand, the company is the leading manufacturer of high-performance AC power line conditioning and protection products for audio/video systems. Explore the world of Monster at www.monstercable.com.