By: Héctor Gómez Pérez
In our region the news that refers to Venezuela is not few: for the oil, for its president, for the beautiful beaches of Isla Margarita, for its football team that left the basement of the classifications in South America; in short, it is a country that for one reason or another is part of the pages of the newspapers of Latin America and the world. On this occasion Venezuela is also the protagonist in AVI LATINOAMÉRICA since the Professional of the month of this edition is from this country; this is Frank Barreto, general manager of Auvision, a company with almost 30 years of experience in the audio and video industry.
It all started in Caracas
Frank Barreto was born in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital, on September 4, 1955. His electronic engineering studies were carried out at the Simón Bolívar University and he has a specialization in business engineering from the same educational institution, in addition to other courses and seminars for professional improvement.
His involvement in the audio and video industry came shortly after earning his professional degree at an Admiral-branded tv and sound equipment factory; there he held positions such as head of quality control, head of production and plant manager.
This note is called "a permit that became a company", precisely because in his time as an employee of Admiral, Barreto asked for a permit to help a friend who was in a hurry. "In September 1979 I asked for a permit to help a friend solve some problems in the sound and simultaneous translation systems of the plenary hall of the Caracas Convention Center for the World Interparliamentary Conference. We managed to lift the systems so they offer me the maintenance contract for these equipment, an activity that began me as an entrepreneur on December 1, 1979, "said Barreto.
Then came new contracts and the definitive consolidation of Auvisión, as Barreto recalled: "In June 1980 we were subcontracted by Philips to install the second digital system of microphone control and simultaneous translation that is implemented in the world, which definitively introduces us to the audio and video business. In 1984 we started as industrialists with the assembly of TV antennas, audiocassettes, videocassettes, audio, video and multimedia accessories with the Auvision brand. It was in that year that we promoted new investments, expanded services, product lines and consolidated what constitutes the company today."
Barreto outside Auvision
Our guest declares himself a compulsive worker, he is a lover of travel and readings that refer to the places to which he travels, but he states that he does not read as much as he would like precisely because of his love of work. He also practices tennis and golf, collects stamps and has interests in saxophone and painting.
He has been married to Teresita Rojas for almost 30 years and has two children: Fabiola, 22, and Frank Ricardo, 19.
The professional and the business
When it came to doing business and meeting the goals currently demanded by the audio and video industry, Frank Barreto was emphatic. According to him, a trained and willing human resource is required; a satisfied customer open to an upcoming business; in addition, offer integral solutions that go beyond the immediate requirement and can be projected over time, exceeding any initial expectation. Regarding the product, he pointed out that "the best and most up-to-date service offer must be available, as well as equipment with the best innovation".
Faced with the growth of the industry in Venezuela, Barreto points out that it is a country in which people and companies are very prone to use the most advanced technology, which has led to the evolution of the industry being permanent, that important investments have been made in equipment and that many people are interested in working in the industry. In the same way, he points out that the proximity to the United States makes it easier for Venezuela to update itself technologically, establish interactions and allow professionals to attend events.
As for education for industry issues, he said that "in Venezuela it is very poor and empirical because there are no academies that are dedicated to the audiovisual area and very little to communications in general; those who study communication have the audiovisual option, but more production-oriented". He also considered that companies become schools in which you learn based on practice, but not from a theoretical basis. "Some distributors and rental companies have taken initiatives but with seminars and very short courses that always require minimal knowledge," he added.
The future and recognition
Barreto thinks that the current global economic environment will be conducive to generating uncertainty in the industry that concerns us, although he believes that optimism cannot be lost because he believes blindly in the potentialities of professional audio and video.
When asked about the reasons that have earned him recognition both in Venezuela and in the region, he believes that Auvision has offered a modest, but successful service in many of the events of global importance and important projects that have been carried out in Venezuela, "something of which I am proud for our country and for the duty fulfilled, "he believes." said the professional.
This work fulfilled with the Venezuelan industry of professional audio and video Barreto frames it in: a trained human resource, cutting-edge technology, quality that exceeds expectations, innovation and permanent development and profitability with social commitment. In the aspect of human resources, he also said that "in the relationship with subordinates and collaborators I seek mutual respect, the permanent improvement of labor and social welfare and the search for win-win results."
For now, Frank Barreto will continue at the head of Auvision with the same discipline that has allowed him recognition in Venezuela, the one that forces him to arrive before 7:30 a.m. and that does not let him go home before 7:00 p.m.; the same one that has made that during his working life he writes down all his earrings in papers that he does not get rid of until he brings the tasks to a happy conclusion. That has led him to have weekly meetings with the leaders of his organization to follow up on the objectives and the results obtained.
