Scott R. Sharer, age 69, passed away on March 5 th , 2025. A native of Vestal, New York, he was the son of Richard W. Sharer and Doris A. Umbower Sharer.
Scott married his wife Sandra in 1984 in St. Louis, MO. Scott earned a BA from Mary Washington College and an MFA from Texas Christian University. He was an Associate Professor at TCU, Cornell University and the University of Missouri – St. Louis. Scott’s unquenchable thirst for knowledge and intellectual challenge led him away from academia into the private sector where he blended his knowledge of lighting, audio engineering, construction and creative design work into the world of audio-visual presentation systems. While working in St. Louis for Communitronics on a project for McDonnell Douglas, Scott implemented a paradoxical shift in the laser fabrication process for cutting composite wing material, thereby streamlining the manufacturing process of the F-15E Strike Eagle and the T-45 Goshawk
airplanes. This process revolutionized the aviation industry and is still in use today.
Scott and Sandie moved to Tybee Island, Georgia in 1990 and he became a partner in Stage Front Presentation Systems. While there, he designed the first Videoconferencing system that incorporated picture-in-picture video so the person speaking could be seen on the same outbound video screen as the PowerPoint presentation or other video source being delivered. He designed a dental lab camera display system for Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry that changed how professors demonstrated dental procedures performed in the very tight space of a patient’s mouth, now a standard in dental schools across the country. In 1995,
Scott formed Communication Design Group and his clients included the FBI, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, FLETC, World Bank, NASA, Flowers Foods, Polycom, Tandberg, AMX and Cisco to name a few. Scott had a high level security clearance with the Department of Defense and was contracted to design secure communication systems in the Middle East, Mexico and South America.
Scott’s passion for education and sharing knowledge never faltered and he volunteered his time serving as faculty for industry associations ICIA InfoComm (now AVIXA), the NSCA (National Systems Contractor Association) and CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design Installation Association), earning Educator of the Year awards from all three organizations. In 2018, his service was recognized by AVIXA with the Fred Dixon Service in Education Award. “A past Educator of the Year, Sharer has been a pioneering, influential and popular instructor at InfoComm shows and other industry events around the world. Sharer created some of the industry’s first videoconferencing training, made engaging through his use of digital technologies so that students could experience as they learned. Sharer pioneered many of the best practices that define modern unified communications and collaboration. The author of hundreds of articles and books, he is recognized worldwide as an expert in videoconference system and network Design.”
To unwind, Scott rode a variety of custom choppers, including an American Ironhorse Texas Chopper, a Martin Brothers award winning chopper and a Bourget chopper. Sandie wasn’t comfortable riding on the back of a chopper, so she rode alongside on her own Kawasaki Mean Street. Scott started www.ChopperDetailing.com where he cleaned motorcycles at Low Country Customs as a method for hanging out with really cool bikers and to decompress. On one of his many trips up and down the I-95 corridor to Washington DC, Scott stumbled across two young men living in a van with two tigers. They had been part of a research project at Cornell University which was cross breeding tigers with lions to create a calmer, less
aggressive species. Scott donated funds to build denning cages and an arena for the tigers and provided cameras and video equipment so they could create an educational web site as a source of revenue generation. In exchange, Scott asked them to teach him everything they knew about tigers which inspired yet another passion. Scott spent hundreds of hours with Fyre and Kali until an unrelated injury prevented his interaction with these apex predators. Scott truly had no fear and lived his life sharing the philosophy of the stoics… Memento Mori.
Scott was preceded in death by his father, Richard W. Sharer and his mother Doris A. Sharer.
Survivors include wife Sandra Carroll Sharer and sister Lesley Giancola (Stephen) of Acworth,
GA.
Scott’s life will be celebrated by close friends and family in a private gathering. In lieu of flowers, please make a charitable donation to Savannah Hospice or another organization of your choosing.
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Steve and Lisa Thorburn
Sandra,
Lisa and I are so sorry for Scott’s Passing. You are in our prayers.
Steve and Lisa
Gary Kayye
Scott was one-of-a-kind. I especially appreciated how OPINIONATED he was an unafraid to express them to whomever would listen. He was a videoconferencing pioneer who saw the UCC market well before most of us ever knew what it was. But, most of all, Scott was an educator. He lived and thrived on sharing his expertise with all of us and the industry is better because of his contributions.
Brandon Law
Scott touched a lot of lives, but his influence was pivotal in shaping my life. I would not have been able to become the man, father, and husband I am today without his guidance at a crucial time. I owe him a lot, and he will be sorely missed.
Jim Smith
Sandra, i’m so very sorry for your loss. it was 1993 when i first met Scott. i was supposed to assist him teaching a class about a new technology called videoconferencing. i had no idea about what he expected and didn’t even know if i could teach… but Scott saw something in me that i wasn’t aware of. i had been a system design engineer, but had been involved in a bad accident which caused a brain injury and Scott patiently guided me to find a new path for myself. He and Sandra worked through the evening to create a presentation from my working notes (and Sandra ensured i didn’t get lost in the hallways).
from that day onwards, Scott watched out for me and we co-taught many many technology classes; often having to research and teach ourselves as there was no formal education available for these newest of technologies.
Scott was a guide, a mentor, and a good friend. He will be missed but will live forever in our hearts and memories.
Bill Nattress
Sandra,
My deepest condolences and prayers.
May you keep the positive memories and I hope you have some relief now from the burdens you have had over the last many years.
I have the perfect T-Shirt to wear tomorrow.
Gary Hall
I am very sorry to learn of Scott’s passing. He was a visionary and pioneer who has left an enduring mark on the audiovisual industry. He was one of my first and most inspirational mentors and teachers and I will forever be grateful to him for the love of AV he helped to instill in me. Thank you, Scott, for everything! I’ll miss you, my friend.
Randy Lemke
Sandra,
I am so sorry to learn that Scott has passed. Please accept my condolences.
A favorite memory was that the two of you would pack up your vehicle with gear and meet everyone at InfoComm or Fairfax to educate so many AV students.
Scott was somebody I could go to for behind the scenes advice and get his opinion… his honesty was refreshing in a world of hype and showmanship.
Randy Lemke
Paul Depperschmidt
In our careers we meet and work with a lot of people. Some stand out more than others. Scott was one of those people. He could come across as gruff and obstinate, but he had a heart of gold and would do literally anything to help a friend. And what a mind! Always curious, always learning and eager to share what he learned. I was privileged to work with Scott in many capacities and cherish all the memories. Fair skies and following seas Scott.
Rob Powell
So sorry to hear of Scott’s passing. Sending prayers for you Sandy. I’ll never forget talking with him a few years ago. Even in illness he was so upbeat… the same Scott that I went to college with. We had a lot of laughs reminiscing about those years. He was a unique individual indeed and will be missed and remembered.
Neil Howard
Scott was truly unique and one of my favorite students. It was wonderful to read about his productive life after MWC. May his memory linger in the hearts of his family and friends!
Alan Schwalbe
My most sincere condolences to Sandra and the other friends and family of Scott. Scott and I had some wonderful times together at Mary Washington, from dancing to Steely Dan, to more reflective moments when I ran his campaign for a seat in the student senate. Scott was a thoughtful, charitable and loving human being. I am a better person for having known him.
Shyam Devadas
Dear Sandra,
Thirty years ago I was fortunate enough to encounter you and Scott at that first Tandberg training at the ICIA Academy in Fairfax, VA. You were both so generous with your time and knowledge. I ended up taking Infocomm courses from BOTH of you and over the years I was fortunate enough to encounter Scott in many more great trainings. You guys made a big difference in my life and my career. I am glad that our paths crossed. There are many great AV professionals among us, but Scott was truly unique. This industry owes you guys more than it could ever repay. He will be greatly missed. Strength to you and your family in the days ahead.
Scott Walker
Dear Sandra,
I am very sorry for your loss. Scott was a brilliant guy and a mentor to many of us, but he was also one of the most generous people I have ever known. To say he was one of a kind is both patently obvious and an understatement. He could be disarmingly honest and hysterically funny at the same time. He was a true pioneer and will be missed.
Joshua Kranz
So sorry for your lost.
I had the good luck to be one of Scott’s students, and his mentorship and friendship are things I will always treasure.
Matt Boyer
Scott had a profound impact on me as I began my career. I still have the training materials and notes from the many classes he taught. He had a unique talent for bringing cutting-edge technical information into the classroom and making it accessible to everyone. His real-world stories not only illustrated the concepts but also made them unforgettable. I still remember the story about a backhoe cutting the ISDN lines to his house while he was on an important call with a military contact. The situation was so concerning that they almost sent out a unit to investigate.
His knowledge and passion will live on through the countless students he taught.
David Stout
Thank you Sandra and Scott. Your passion for video conferencing was key to leading me down the AV niche of video conferencing. Those courses I took from you both at Infocomm truly were inspirational, leading me to purchase my first Polycom Viewstation 512 and start a video conferencing company of my own. I too still have my course materials from your classes and a time when H.323 was king, and I am still primarily involved with video conferencing. My condolences to the family and everyone who feels this loss.
Jody Neaderland
Sandra,
Scott was so incredibly inspirational with his endless energy to learn and then teach what he had learned to others, to never-ever take no for an answer, and to give your heart to the causes that matter most!
He was a wonderful human and a steadfast friend.
With love,
Jody
David Neaderland
My brother, I miss you already.
John Pfleiderer
Dear Sandra,
I was saddened to hear that Scott had passed away. I was one of the many students Scott instructed back in the day. When Scott was teaching videoconferncing, data networking or the new [at the time] digital video subjects; I was signed up and in the audience ready to learn. He was always encouraging and one of the smartest guys I knew. Scott was a one of a kind person – he taught his classes with humor, energy and provided an inspiration for the future. I’m disheartened and will miss you my friend!
Scott will certianly be missed by many of us.
Anne Marie Kuehling
I’m so sorry for your loss Sandra. I was a classmate of Scott’s in the theater department at MWC. He was a no BS independent guy and I can still picture him “chewing” on his mustache. I remember the scare when his cancer returned while we were still in college and I’m so happy to see that he had a fascinating journey through life.