New Designer Highlight: Mike Jarnagin
Early Life and Education
Since the age of 11, Mike Jarnagin has had a flair for the audiovisual world. Mike got his start in audiovisual by pitching in at his local church on the mixing board during Sunday service. After spending 40 years working throughout all ends of the business, his passion for audiovisual technology shows no signs of slowing down.
“Some people play the piano, trumpet, or guitar. My instrument was an audio mixing console,” Mike explained, “I used every available opportunity to mix audio for church, local concerts, and events.”
After receiving a music scholarship from North Central University in Minneapolis, he shifted his focus to operating concerts and live events rather than performing them. His refined ear for music and aptitude for technology caught the attention of local artists, which landed him his first post-collegiate gig as a front-of-house audio engineer for a national touring gospel musician.
Mike’s position as a front-of-house production manager gave him invaluable experience working as an end-user for audiovisual, broadcasting, and other integral technology systems that ranged from small auditoriums to 15,000-seat arenas. Mike toured for around 10 years before deciding to stray from the road life to start a family with his wife.
The “MJ” of Audiovisual Engineering
Armed with over a decade of experience as an end-user for audiovisual and broadcasting equipment of varying scales, Mike started work as an audiovisual technician. Mike’s expertise was quickly recognized, which prompted a promotion to a field engineer role thanks to his wealth of audio experience.
At the turn of the century, Mike transitioned to a new audiovisual integration company in Tulsa to be closer to his wife’s family. Shortly after joining, Mike received work as the primary audiovisual design engineer on a landmark Tulsa-based project: a 15-story building with bleeding-edge technology requirements. A facility of this magnitude and anticipation required advanced video production systems and a technically-complex video demonstration facility. After a year and a half of designing and commission, Mike emerged from the crucible as the “video guy.”
“Up to that point in my career, I was known as the audio guy that could work with video equipment,” Mike explained, “After going through the lengthy and educational process of supervising project engineers and commissioning, I added valuable video engineering experience to my skillset.”
Mike expanded on an already well-rounded resume with a Corporate Technology Engineer role in 2008.
Mike Jarnagin’s 14-year tenure with Ford AV multiple national design awards. His most recent design accolades can be attributed to his work on an ambitious multimedia ministry campus, complete with a church, radio station, television studio, and publication house. Mike was also recognized for his design work in Utah’s second-largest school district, designing a state-of-the-art production studio for aspiring broadcast students. Both projects are featured in Commercial Integrator’s 2022 Integration Awards.
“Some of my favorite projects are related to video production and broadcast,” Mike stated. “So many types of equipment and different systems are required to create a complete video production and broadcast project. It is very satisfying to watch the customer’s creative team successfully operate and create live shows with the systems I design.”
Unique Perspective and Industry Outlook
Mike Jarnagin is a Certified Audio and Video Engineer with the Society of Broadcast Engineers and a Certified Technology Specialist. Mike makes an excellent addition to the IP Design Group audiovisual technology team thanks to his unique design perspective forged from years of experience as an end-user.
“I approach the entire design from the standpoint of how the design will benefit or hinder the end-user,” Mike explained, “I’m always focused on how to benefit the end-user the most.”
On a personal note, Mike loves the fast-paced nature of the audiovisual technology industry. Having the opportunity and ability to help end-users understand highly technical systems is one of Mike’s greatest passions within his line of work. Providing the system users with the confidence required to utilize the design to its greatest extent and benefit is the hallmark of great audiovisual design.
According to Mike, the future of the audiovisual industry can look forward to more integration with the Internet and cloud-based systems.
“Audiovisual technology will continue to align with data networks,” Mike concluded, “All video and audio signals will be IP-based. There will be manipulation of signals across the Internet and in the Cloud. However, there will always be areas of audiovisual where humans have to physically interact with systems utilizing sight and sound. It is the goal of the audiovisual designer to merge humans with technology.”
When Mike isn’t pioneering innovative designs at his desk, you’ll find him in his garden, fishing in whatever body of water he can find, planting himself on the beach, or hiking in the mountains.
