Celebrating 40 Years:
The CTS Way Forward

Published on: Friday, August 15, 2025 - 11:03am

Celebrating 40 Years: <span> <br> The CTS Way Forward </span>

Forty years ago, CTS started as a simple idea — a group of people who believed that technology, curiosity, and care could move the room and, maybe, move the world. In 2025, our 40th anniversary isn’t a finish line; it’s a milestone that begs reflection, gratitude, and a recommitment to our core beliefs. Four decades later, the world of live event production and AVL integration looks nothing like it did in 1985. But the heart of CTS — the reason clients trust us — hasn’t changed. Here’s what forty years in business have taught us.

What We’ve Learned

No one gets to 40 years in business by accident. We’ve endured because we learn — constantly. Sometimes by example, and sometimes the hard way.

Our Strengths & Weaknesses: Our expertise isn’t just gear or flash; it’s the cumulative experience in navigating every challenge a room can muster. From the engineers obsessing over the details to the creative teams who turn ideas into reality, CTS is an all-in company. Complacency tends to be a common weakness in our industry. Our team works hard to combat this – it’s why we’re always pushing, always asking, and always growing.

The Perfect CTS Client: Over the years, we’ve defined — and redefined — our perfect customer. They are purpose-driven, intent on making an impact, and recognize that we bring more than equipment; we bring partnership. They’re open, honest about their needs, and value predictable excellence over fleeting trends. Some weren’t perfect partners on day one. We grew alongside them, learned with and from them, and built deep trust that stands the test of time.

Who We Are: CTS is a living, breathing culture built on six core values. If you work with us, you’ll hear them more than once: Professional, Trustworthy, Courageous, Receptive, Profitable, and Growing. These aren’t just words — they are the standards we use to hold each other accountable. We lean on experts, ask for help, and treat every role (from sales to technical support) as vital.

Learning by Success and Failure: Ask anyone here, and they’ll tell you about the jobs that didn’t go according to plan. They’re the ones that taught us the most. Every setback forced us to make better decisions, show up better prepared, and never settle for mediocrity. Failure is a teacher, not an adversary. In this industry, it’s not a matter of if something will go wrong, but when it will go wrong – the unpredictable is inevitable. When we’re forced to pivot last minute, our team is calm, confident, and equipped – simply because we have done the work to prepare.

How We Do It

Preparation and anticipation are the backbone of the CTS Process. From the moment we quote a project — whether it’s a live event or the design-build of a brand-new worship center — we’re thinking ten steps ahead. We pull in voices from all departments early, because timelines are short and seem to get shorter every year. By involving more people upfront, from engineering and sales to production and AVL design, everyone is already on the same page the moment a project is confirmed. There’s no learning curve to getting started — just a clear, shared vision and a plan that’s airtight.

We think through every single detail. Every rack is pre-built, every box opened and checked, every system tested and retested before we ever set foot on site or begin a new design-build. We listen more than we talk. We dig for nuanced challenges our clients might not even recognize yet, asking the right questions so nothing is missed. We’re committed to building solutions, not problems — taking pride in preparation, sweating the details, and delivering pain-free experiences that set a new standard for trust.

Whether it’s event production or an AVL integration project, our process is always intentional, always tested, and always ready. Our size keeps us agile; our collective expertise keeps us sharp. When people walk into a room we’ve prepared, they feel the difference.

Future: The Next 40 Years

The next chapter for CTS isn’t about being the biggest — it’s about being the best version of ourselves for the mission-driven clients who trust us, time and again. Our focus is on deep, long-standing relationships built on reliability, accountability, and mutual growth. The true story of CTS is written in the friendships and bonds we build along the way: friendships forged through midnight load-outs when the room finally goes quiet but the camaraderie is loud; through early morning site checks when most of the world is still asleep and our team is checking every detail, side by side with our clients.

Connections are cemented at those “first use Sundays”— when a new AVL system brings a space to life and the excitement is palpable in the room. They’re built in the long hours of design-builds, when collaboration and problem-solving transform a blank canvas into an environment that moves people. They’re found on the show floor, backstage, and in warehouse aisles, as we celebrate victories, troubleshoot challenges, and share a sense of purpose.

Our future is rooted in the same values that got us here — trust, curiosity, adaptability — and a commitment to being worthy of the trust our partners place in us. Over the next forty years, we’ll continue to grow, to refine, and to deepen those relationships. At CTS, it’s about moving the room, moving the world, and moving forward — together.

Thank You

To our clients — thank you for letting us serve as your trusted partner, your sounding board, and your safety net. To our team — thank you for living out our values on every job, for every client, every day. To everyone who’s helped CTS reach forty years, know this: we see you, we appreciate you, and we’re ready for what’s next.

Here’s to 40 years of moving the room, moving the world, and moving forward — together.

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