Amplified Lifestyles’ smart home projects range from historic mansions in Pacific Heights to a tropical oasis in the British Virgin Islands. The results can appear magical because these systems integrate elegantly into the design. If you peek behind the curtain, a team of outstanding Amplified technicians installs and maintains the systems while providing technical support. One of the team members is Senior Production Field Specialist Jorge Flores Jr. Jorge learned his craft from his father, Jorge Sr., who also works for Amplified. With the recent birth of his son Jorgie III, there may be a third generation.
AL: What drew you into the world of home technology?
JF, Jr: I followed in my father’s footsteps right out of high school. During my summer breaks in high school, I would go to work with him, and I fell in love with the tech industry. My father is also a part of the Amplified Lifestyle family. He has helped develop a strong work ethic that I follow today, from pulling wires to installing TVs to building racks. He was/is my role model.
AL: What’s your favorite aspect about being a part of the Amplified Lifestyles team?
JF, Jr: The effort and time that Amplified takes to ensure their employees feel welcomed, heard, and understood. I believe it plays a massive role in providing great results. It feels as if I have an extension of my family. It’s a pleasure to be a part of what makes this company so successful.
AL: Who is your ideal client?
JF, Jr: My ideal client is a person or family open to creativity, knows what they want, and has a vision of the result.
AL: Favorite app?
JF, Jr: It’s hard to just choose one. I have two. Savant and Crestron are my two favorite apps. Savant is great because you can go from project to project, and the app layout and functionality will never change, which is something I love. But I like Crestron because it is fully customizable, from the layout of the main page to the button layout to the background color. It would be a one-of-a-kind build, which I also like.
AL: What have been some of your most challenging projects you have worked on?
JF, Jr: Some of the most challenging projects I have worked on have been projects that we tackle remotely, from projects in Malibu to projects in Lake Tahoe. Working in a remote environment away from the resources of a warehouse or the capacity to have extra help on the fly has been the most difficult. However, the jobs themselves have been some of Amplified’s biggest ones.
AL: What’s something you’re proud of?
JF, Jr: I am proud of the family I have built. I have come very far in this industry. Being able to provide mentorship and being a person of contact for guidance is a gratifying part of my life in which I take pride.
AL: Who are the special people in your life?
JF, Jr: My wife, Karina, and my baby boy, Jorgie III, my wife is my most significant support and greatest cheerleader. She’s my lifeline; my job is not easy, and she keeps me grounded.
AL: When you are not installing systems, what do you enjoy doing?
JF, Jr: When I’m not working, I’m out on the lake fishing or in the duck blind doing what I love.
AL: What is your favorite place in the world?
JF, Jr: Anywhere I get to be with my family. We love being outdoors. You will usually find us fishing in a lake or ocean.
AL: If you were not in home technology, what would you do?
JF, Jr: My childhood dream was to become a Marine Biologist. I love nature, I love the water, and I like being outdoors.
Kevin Vawter joined Amplified Lifestyles in the New Year as a Technology Advisor. The native San Franciscan entered the world of residential integration 22 years ago and has a particular affinity for interior design. As a teenager, Kevin visited his mother’s place of work in Presidio Heights, the historic Le Petit Trianon, and later had his wedding reception there. When it became the 2019San Francisco Decorator Showcase , he helped designers blend technology seamlessly into the mansion’s rooms.
AL: Congratulations on joining Amplified Lifestyles as a Technology Advisor! What attracted you to the company?
KV: Thank you so much; I’m excited to be part of this fantastic team! I was drawn to Amplified because of its impact on the Bay Area integration market in the past eight years. Everyone I spoke with, from architects to owner’s reps, had nothing but positive things to say about the company. On top of that, going back to the early 2000s, I have wanted to work alongside some of my new co-workers!
AL: What drew you into the world of home technology design?
KV: Much like many of my colleagues, listening to music and watching movies on a high-quality system is a hobby of mine. I was drawn into the A/V industry in 1995 when I walked into a home theater store called Cambridge Soundworks looking for a part-time job so I could afford a ring for my now-wife of 25 years, and they hired me on the spot! In 2001 I entered the world of residential integration, and for the past 22 years, I have been fortunate enough to witness the evolution of home technology. Those were the days when a remote control that allowed our clients to listen to a 5 Disc CD changer was roughly the size and weight of a brick. I remember purchasing the very first iPad the week it came out to figure out how to use it for integration for our clients. Current technology gives them thousands of hours of on-demand entertainment controlled by their cell phones!
AL: How can technology be integrated into interior design and architecture?
KV: My professional mission statement is, “I believe beautiful design, architecture, and craftsmanship can and should blend harmoniously with reliable, easy-to-use technology.” My favorite projects are where there is proper planning and foresight on the design team’s part, so the home technology is sufficiently hidden and disguised. I’ve enjoyed collaborating at the annual San Francisco Decorator Showcase, where I worked with designers to blend technology seamlessly with their incredible visions for their rooms.
AL: What modern design trend makes you cringe?
KV: This one is easy- Dinner-plate sized speakers! It makes me so frustrated to see prominent speakers in ceilings and walls (even more so if they aren’t color matched to the surface) because there are so many hidden and disguised options.
AL: If you were not in home technology design, what would you do?
KV: That’s a tough one! It’s possible that I would still be involved in the design or maybe the art world because when I was a teenager, my mom was the curator/designer/director of operations for Le Petit Trianon in San Francisco, which at the time housed one of the most extraordinary private collections of Egyptian artifacts, Russian Icons and the Impressionists in the world. I loved how she blended the historically significant antiques and artwork with the architecture and design of the home.
AL: How do you maintain a work/life balance?
KV: First and foremost, I stay grounded because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. I enjoy hanging out and watching movies with my family and friends, hiking and taking wildlife photographs on trails overlooking the ocean, and singing. Being a 5th generation San Franciscan, I’m a huge 49er, S.F. Giants, and Golden State Warriors fan, and over the past 12 years, I’ve been absolutely spoiled with what seems like an endless supply of post-season sports!
AL: What are some of the podcasts you listen to and why?
KV: My favorite podcast, and the only one I listen to regularly, is called “Real Men Connect.” I love it because what I learn from listening helps me to be a better husband, father, family member, friend, and coworker.
AL: Song you can listen to on repeat?
KV: Boyz 2 Men’s rendition of Yesterday because their harmony is as tight on that song as any I’ve heard (and I love to sing along with it, especially the high parts!)
AL: What are three things you can’t live without?
KV: My relationship with God and my family, Singing, and Chocolate and Coffee are tied for 3rd (That’s 5, but who’s counting?)
AL: What’s inspiring you in life right now?
KV: I’m part of a men’s group called “Real Men 300” because it is true that iron sharpens iron, and finding people that can be real with each other is very rare.
