News & awards

Before he was designing complex audiovisual systems, Travis Stewart was a kid at his first Van Halen concert, completely captivated by the sound, the lights, and the energy of the production. While most people left remembering the setlist, he left thinking about the gear.

That curiosity stuck. He started tinkering with guitars and home recording equipment, learning how systems worked and how small adjustments could change the entire experience. What began as a fascination with music and equipment gradually turned into a career in audio engineering, freelance event technology, and permanent AV installations, where he worked his way from cable puller to project manager and began bringing his field perspective into the design process.

Today, Karpinski Engineering is expanding its technology department by creating a dedicated AV team and promoting Stewart to Director of AV Services. The move reflects more than one individual’s advancement. It represents a deliberate investment in growing in-house audiovisual expertise and building a team structured to support clients from assessment through commissioning.

Since joining the firm as a Senior Technology Designer, Stewart has helped strengthen AV capabilities while working alongside a growing bench of experienced designers. Over the past three years, the team has delivered a range of AV-focused projects, refined internal workflows, and developed custom Revit families that improve coordination and documentation across disciplines. With talented designers bringing both technical depth and a user-side perspective, the newly formalized AV team is positioned to support complex projects and collaborate seamlessly with mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and technology disciplines across the firm.

As Director of AV Services, Stewart’s focus is on elevating awareness that the firm provides AV assessment, design, and commissioning as a fully integrated service. He is also committed to mentoring and developing the team, helping designers advance their technical expertise and credentials while continuing to raise the bar on design quality. Looking ahead, he sees opportunities to pursue increasingly complex and large-scale projects across our markets.

“Travis brings a rare combination of field experience and design expertise,” said Ryan Smith, Principal & Director of Technology. “He understands how systems are installed, how contractors think, and how owners evaluate value. By building a dedicated AV team under his leadership, we’re giving our clients a more coordinated, performance-driven approach to technology design that integrates seamlessly with our MEP systems.”

Integrating AV design directly into the broader MEPT process allows the team to coordinate pathways, elevations, power, and controls early in design rather than treating technology as an afterthought. For owners, that means a clear, consultant-led design that can be competitively bid, creating true apples-to-apples comparisons and greater confidence in both first cost and long-term performance.

Stewart is particularly energized by the complexity of AV systems, which often combine products from multiple manufacturers into a single, seamless user experience. He also sees continued growth in e-sports, higher education, and K–12 environments, along with the evolution of AV-over-IP and deeper integration with building systems.

For Stewart, the work remains as exciting as that first concert. Only now, instead of standing in the crowd, he is designing the systems behind the scenes that bring spaces to life.

“I’ve always been drawn to what happens behind the scenes. Now I get to design the systems that make spaces come alive, and that never gets old,” stated Stewart.