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Recognizing Industry Pioneers and Innovators

The Kiosk Industry Group Hall of Fame recognizes individuals whose long-term contributions have materially shaped the self-service, kiosk, accessibility, automation, and interactive technology industries. It exists to document and honor sustained impact over time, not short-term success or product cycles.

Announcements

Inductees are selected based on decades of leadership, technical innovation, industry building, standards development, accessibility advancement, and real-world deployment experience. Many of those recognized were active in the industry before kiosks, digital signage, and automated retail were widely understood or commercially established.

The Hall of Fame serves as a historical record for a specialized but influential industry, highlighting the people whose work helped define how the public orders, pays, navigates, accesses services, and interacts with technology in shared spaces. It reflects the industry’s evolution from early public terminals to modern, inclusive, mission-critical self-service systems.

With pleasure we welcome our latest members.

Dave Gonsiorowski

For twenty years, Dave Gonsiorowski shaped how people interact with tech through self-service tools. Starting out long before touchscreens became common, he helped build systems that let users do more on their own. While working at WebRaiser, then moving into roles at Flextronics, his influence grew quietly but steadily. Instead of chasing trends, he focused on making kiosks reliable at scale. Over time, what began as basic internet-linked stations turned into complex networks across continents. His path tracks closely with the shift from simple machines to full production pipelines worldwide. His career reflects the evolution from early web-connected kiosks to enterprise-grade global manufacturing and deployment models.

Gower Smith

Now picture this: Gower Smith shaped how machines sell things, way ahead of his time. Through ZoomSystems, he turned self-service shops into something smarter. Before anyone said “autonomous,” he was already building it. Machines learned to adapt because of ideas he pushed forward. Smooth, quick transactions? He worked on those years ago. His work laid the foundation for smart vending, product automation, and friction-reduced retail long before “autonomous retail” became a mainstream concept — and he remains active in the space today

Howard Horn

Starting out on the H32 platform long ago, Howard Horn built his path steadily through real-world kiosk technology. Over two and a half decades at Advanced Kiosks shaped much of that journey. From basic public terminals way back when, he moved into today’s setups used by governments, hospitals, and big organizations. One thing stayed true throughout – his focus on what actually works in the field. His career spans from early-generation public access terminals to modern government, healthcare, and enterprise self-service systems.

Heinz Horstmann

Back in the early days, Heinz Horstmann stepped into a niche few understood. His role wasn’t just about starting SiteKiosk. One of the founding figures, he shaped how locked-down browsers work today. Public terminals rely on rules he helped write. The Kiosk Industry Group counted him among its first supporters. Three decades have passed since that beginning. By 2026, SiteKiosk will stand at thirty years – a mark not many reach. Time has tested it. Few software tools last this long.

Christoph Niehus

Starting out with Heinz Horstmann, Christoph Niehus shaped SiteKiosk into a lasting name in kiosk software. Through his efforts, standards rose for securing terminals, managing devices, and rolling out browser systems across the globe. His work helped professionalize kiosk security, device control, and browser-based deployments worldwide.

Kenneth Larsen

Starting out two decades back, Kenneth Larsen stepped into a quiet scene that soon turned loud. Early on, he brought self-checkout stands to betting spots across America, just as laws changed. His team at KT Group moved fast, landing deals with big names like Wynn Casinos, Churchill Downs, because they saw what others missed. One by one, partners followed – DraftKings included. Trouble came when rivals blocked fair access; his response wasn’t shouting but strategy. Courts sided with him, marking a shift in how rules are applied today. That win didn’t make headlines, yet it altered who gets heard behind closed doors. His work also set legal precedent through successful action against anti-competitive practices, shaping fair-play standards within the industry.

Neil Farr

Fifty-seven years old, Neil Farr began shaping digital tools back in nineteen ninety-seven. Running Working Solutions – known also as Creative IT – kept him deep in tech builds for years. After that chapter, he moved into leading Acquire Digital with steady focus. Through each role, his work touched countless screens guiding people through spaces. Big displays, route helpers, systems connecting users to places – all part of what held his attention. Time after time, project by project, he stayed rooted in how interfaces behave in real environments. His leadership spans decades of interactive signage, wayfinding, and enterprise digital experience platforms.

James Winsor

Back in the day, a man named James Winsor started shaping how kiosks were built across America. His work with Arral Industries laid groundwork during those first key years. From there, he moved on to AVT, diving deeper into automated systems. That shift helped link standalone machines to larger tech networks. What began with basic hardware soon became part of smarter setups. His path wasn’t flashy – just steady steps forward. Machines once isolated now fit into wider workflows. The evolution felt quiet but mattered all the same. One project led to another, each building quietly on the last. Not loud, yet impossible to ignore. His role? More like wiring invisible threads behind progress. Early choices rippled further than expected. Over time, small efforts added up. Without drama, pieces fell into place. A legacy formed through persistence, not proclamation. Influence grew where few noticed. Things changed because someone kept pushing them along. Step by step, machine by machine. That is how it unfolded.

Scott McInnes

A man who built businesses where others saw machines, Scott McInnes shaped four kiosk-driven ventures across twenty years. Envision Kiosks came first, then Paykiosks Internet Terminals Inc. followed close behind. DVDNow Kiosks changed how people rented films, while TapSnap turned events into instant photo moments. Instead of just selling hardware, he reimagined what these standalone units could do. From payments to entertainment, his ideas gave rise to fresh ways of connecting services to users. Each company tapped a different need, yet all shared one core idea – simplicity through self-service. Over time, that vision proved repeatable, scalable, even ahead of its moment. His work demonstrates how kiosks can anchor entirely new business models across payments, media, and experiential marketing.

Manfred Wilner

After two decades and more spent working with transaction printers and kiosk hardware, Manfred Wilner sharpened his skills at companies like Swecoin, then moved on to Zebra Technologies. Behind every smooth self-service machine lies dependable tech – printers, devices, outputs – work that rarely grabs headlines but matters deeply. His path shows how quiet infrastructure can shape real-world performance when things need to just work. His career reflects the often-unsung importance of reliable output, printers, and peripherals in mission-critical self-service systems.

Bruce Bailey

A man who spent decades focused on access for all, Bruce Bailey once served on the U.S. Access Board before retiring. Well ahead of widespread rules, he guided how self-service machines could serve more people. Because of his work, today’s kiosks often reflect ADA-conscious choices in their structure and layout. His influence continues to be felt across ADA-aware kiosk design and standards.

Gregg Vanderheiden

Half a century ago, one man began a quiet shift in tech design. Gregg Vanderheiden did not chase trends; he focused on access. Through TRACE, tools emerged that let people with disabilities interact differently. Kiosks changed. So did ATMs. Software adapted slowly at first, then steadily. Standards across nations now carry his mark. Not because of slogans or noise – just persistent effort. Work stretched beyond labs into real-world function. Influence grew without fanfare. His influence spans kiosks, ATMs, software, and global accessibility standards.

Special Recognition

Phil Day

A man named Phil Day helped shape how things worked behind the scenes in Scotland for NCR. His work quietly held up years of progress in machines you serve yourself on, like ATMs. Though not always seen, his influence ran deep through the systems built during that time.

Ted Henter

Few saw it coming when a former motorcycle racer changed how people interact with machines. One breakthrough reshaped access for countless users across libraries, banks, stores. Technology once out of reach now speaks clearly to those who need it most. A single invention opened doors far beyond its original purpose. Ideas born from personal necessity often ripple outward in quiet but lasting ways. Inventor of JAWS (Job Access With Speech), Ted Henter transformed digital accessibility worldwide. His work remains foundational to accessible computing, including kiosks, terminals, and public-use systems.

Dave Haynes

For more than two decades, reporting on digital signs and touchscreens became a craft Dave Haynes shaped with clarity, truthfulness, and wit (often referred to as snark). Through Sixteen:Nine, he gave depth to stories others overlooked. Recognition of digital signage as real business tools grew because he treated them seriously long before most did. Stepping back in 2025, he left behind work that defined how people saw an evolving field.

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