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B U S I N E S S P RO F I L E S 50 B U S I N E S S P R O F I L E S P O N S O R E D C O N T E N T I n 1975, a small audio-visual company quietly set up a shop in South Portland, Maine. At the time, the idea of combining projectors, microphones, and visual displays to enhance communication was still a novel one. Founder Bob Bruns saw the future and leveraged his lifelong interest in music and sound with his desire to venture into entrepreneurship to form Headlight Audio Visual, Inc. From its humble beginnings in a small South Portland building with just a handful of equipment, Headlight AV has grown significantly. By 1978, Bruns had hired his brother Phil, and together they laid the groundwork for a company culture centered on integrity and client service. Bruns emphasized the importance of honesty in business, stat- ing, "If you lack integrity, how do you expect your business to survive?" Fifty years later, Headlight AV operates out of a 16,000 square- foot facility in Portland, Maine, employing over 45 professionals. What started with film projectors and rented microphone stands has evolved into a full-service production, rental, and installa- tion company, supporting everything from international hybrid conferences to local nonprofit galas. In 2025, the company is proudly celebrating five decades of service, a milestone not just for longevity, but for resilience, evolution, and trust. Headlight AV's founders were early believers in the value of professional audio-visual services — not just to dazzle, but to sup- port clarity, engagement, and connection. "In the early days, we had people on the road for months at a time," explains Headlight AV COO David Coffin. We would pick up overhead projectors from schools, service them and return them." Current President and CEO Andrew Bruns remembers that task from his early days at Headlight AV. "Actually, that was my first job here. I was a pickup man. e process looks very different today, but back then, it involved a lot of travel — picking up equipment from the client, bringing it back to the shop for repairs, and then returning to reinstall it." From that idea sprang a culture of reliability and precision. Over the years, the company became known for its behind-the-scenes mastery, assem- bling a team of technicians who blend technical know-how with the calm, collected presence of stage managers. In the decades that followed its founding, Headlight AV kept pace with every wave of AV innovation. ey moved from reel-to-reel to VHS, from overhead transparencies to PowerPoint, and from in-room audio to fully integrated sound, lighting, and video solutions. ey build out services in AV system design and installation, media produc- tion, and ongoing service and maintenance. "It was the computer that really changed things drastically," explained Bruns. "When computers came out and people wanted to present more, that's when the needs changed, and we were right there offering ideas and support." COVID, for all its disruption, opened a new world of possibility for Headlight AV. Its skills were in high demand, and its reputa- tion for quiet competence made the company the first call for many organizations suddenly thrust into digital spaces. "Clients came to us with that sound of panic, and we said: we've got you," said Coffin. "We helped companies keep talking to their employees and clients. We helped nonprofits continue holding fundraisers. at mattered." Today, Headlight AV offers a broad suite of services under three main umbrellas: Event Services – Providing production, equipment rental, and on-site technical support for everything from large confer- ences to small internal meetings. Hybrid and virtual support have become a major component of this work. AV Sales, Design & Installation – Creating custom AV sys- tems for classrooms, boardrooms, auditoriums, and more. From video conferencing to multi-screen installations, Headlight AV provides both design expertise and reliable integration. Service & Repair – Ongoing support for installed systems, offering troubleshooting, upgrades, and maintenance to ensure long-term performance. Headlight Audio Visual Celebrating 50 years of service Headlight Audio Visual 74 Evergreen Drive, Portland, ME 04103 Sector: Event services Bob Bruns, Founder Founded: 1975 Employees: 45 www.headlightav.com P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F H E A D L I G H T A V P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F H E A D L I G H T A V

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