Business Spotlight: Electronic Video Systems Inc.

Electronic Video Systems Inc. has been making Missouri and Arkansas broadcasters, businesses and educators seen and heard for three decades.

Since 1979, Springfield-based EVS has designed and sold audio-visual systems for broadcast, education, house-of-worship, business and security applications, says Raun Hamilton, vice president and general manager of EVS. The company designs systems for almost any need.

"Essentially, EVS handles broadcast, audio-visual, (closed-circuit TV) and essentially, everything to do with audio and video," says Hamilton, who has been with the company 11 years and was hired by the original owner, Don Ingalsbe, to run sales, management and operations.

He says EVS' current president and owner, Marta Haden, focuses more on the business aspects of the company, while he manages daily operations and projects and acts as the voice of EVS.

"Marta's kind of the motor of the boat, and I'm kind of the rudder," he explains. "She's been with (EVS) since 1984."

Haden bought the company from Ingalsbe in 1999.

EVS, which maintains offices in St. Louis and Little Rock, Ark., has designed audio-visual systems for KY3, Bass Pro Shops, The Vacation Channel in Branson and Wal-Mart Stores, Hamilton says. EVS also works very closely with Springfield's Second Baptist Church.

Hamilton says broadcast systems make up about 40 percent of the company's business; CCTV makes up 20 percent; and the remainder comes from audio-visual applications and products by such brands as Sony, JVC and Canon. EVS also now designs electronic signs to give clients more flexibility and interactivity than traditional signs, Hamilton adds.

The company's 2008 revenues were about $8.3 million, according to Hamilton.

"Our sales are flat. It's not as busy as it used to be," he notes. "The way the economy is today, I feel like we're successful."

Kirk Lemons, KY3's chief engineer, says Hamilton and EVS have been reliable for years.

"I like Raun," Lemons says of Hamilton. "He used to work here, and he's local. I can say that he really does follow up his projects."

Lemons says low overhead costs and cutting out the middleman are two of the station's reasons for doing business with EVS.

"Raun will actually come in with the representative from the supplier," Lemons says. "When I want a quote, I can e-mail back and forth (with Hamilton)."

Lemons says EVS recently sold the station high-definition monitors, Apple Final Cut Pro editing suites and master control switches, which the station's control operator uses to combine audio and video immediately before broadcasts.

KY3 has been a client of EVS since its start, Lemons says, and former owner Ingalsbe designed a studio lighting system for the station.

Hamilton says EVS dealt primarily with broadcasters in the 1980s but had to broaden its clientele when corporations began buying news outlets.

"That was back in the days when KY3 was owned by Cox Hospitals," he says. "Television stations were locally owned and operated, so you could deal with them on a lot easier basis. Now, a lot of them are corporately owned, and decisions are made outside of the local areas."

Hamilton says the company's expansion into markets such as audio-visual equipment for education, churches and security services have made the company more stable and less affected by the current economy.

"One of the biggest reasons that EVS has been able to stay afloat with this economy is because we are so diversified," he says.