About Kiosk Industry (and KMA)

About Kiosk Industry

Who and What Kioskindustry is

As a visitor of the Kiosk Industry, you are most likely involved in the self-service industry either as a supplier or a buyer. Welcome.

The Industry Group

The Industry Group

Kiosk Industry Group is a collaborative hub for the self-service kiosk industry, curated by editor Craig Keefner. We serve as an independent voice—free of advertising or sales influence—dedicated to advancing accessibility, compliance, and innovation. The Industry Group runs and manages.

How To Participate? –– see How To Participate

Mission & Purpose

Our mission is to advance the self-service kiosk industry by promoting best practices, accessibility, and innovation.

Craig Keefner

Craig Keefner

We serve as a trusted, independent information resource — sharing unbiased research, standards guidance, and real-world success stories.

We are not an association or vendor; instead, we are an independent network moderated by our editor, Craig Keefner, to ensure balanced and fact-based reporting.

Editorial & Governance

Our research provides measurable insight into adoption trends, ROI, and technology direction. The site is moderated and edited by Craig Keefner, industry analyst and founder of the Kiosk Industry Group. Craig brings more than 25 years of kiosk, self-service, and technology deployment experience. We maintain an Advisory Board of industry leaders to ensure accuracy, integrity, and a balanced global perspective.

Editorial coverage includes:

  • Voice AI, computer vision, and accessibility innovations

  • Hardware, software, and UI/UX design standards

  • Market data, trends, and new deployments

  • Compliance with U.S. Access Board and ADA requirements

Editorial Staff, Media Partner and Contributors

Elliot Maras

Elliot Maras is a highly respected veteran in the vending and kiosk industries, bringing over thirty years of experience covering unattended retail and commercial foodservice. As editor for both Kiosk Marketplace and Vending Times, he has led editorial content focused on vending, kiosks, and the evolving self-service landscape since 2016, after nearly two decades as editor of Automatic Merchandiser Magazine.

Evan Schuman

Evan Schuman is a seasoned journalist and technology writer with over thirty years of experience covering retail, payments, kiosks, privacy, and security topics. He is currently a weekly columnist for Computerworld, where his work focuses on retail and technology issues. Schuman has been cited as a retail technology expert by outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and The New York Times, and his contributions span original editorial content, columns, podcasts, and webinars throughout the technology and self-service industries. https://www.linkedin.com/in/schumanevan

Bassam Estaitieh

Bassam Estaitieh is a visionary executive leader with a unique blend of technical expertise and strategic insight, honed over decades of driving innovation, product strategy, and market expansion. With an MBA and MSEE, Bassam has consistently delivered transformative results in competitive global markets, leveraging his ability to align cross-functional teams, optimize operations, and build sustainable growth strategies. https://www.linkedin.com/in/bassam-estaitieh-strategy-product-management

Richard Slawsky

Richard Slawsky has written a wide variety of articles for kioskindustry.org, focusing on topics ranging from market research and industry growth to software evolution, accessibility, and project best practices. His work regularly highlights industry metrics—such as kiosk market size and growth projections—and provides in-depth analysis of trends shaping the self-service sector. Slawsky’s writing addresses common pitfalls in kiosk deployments, offering guidance on how to avoid failures and maximize project success. He also explores the history and evolution of kiosk software, profiling early innovators and technology advances that laid the groundwork for modern self-service solutions.​ https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardslawsky

Dennis Carter

Dennis Carter has contributed articles to kioskindustry.org that focus on the intersection of technology, healthcare, retail, and EV charging infrastructure, especially with respect to kiosks and self-service solutions. His writing highlights real-world case studies such as the implementation of patient check-in kiosks at Little Clinic locations inside King Soopers grocery stores, where he analyzes technology choices, user experience, and integration between grocery and healthcare verticals. Carter’s articles routinely address usability improvements for kiosks, recommend best practices based on interviews with end users and staff, and detail how various kiosk configurations—like pedestal versus countertop—improve customer engagement and satisfaction.​https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennisccarter12

Media Partners

  • AVIXA Xchange — AVIXA Xchange is an online professional community created by the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association (AVIXA) to connect thought leaders, solution providers, manufacturers, and AV professionals from around the world. The platform hosts ongoing conversations, news, and educational resources related to AV technology, including digital signage, kiosks, and interactive experiences. AVIXA also organizes the InfoComm trade shows, the largest pro AV tech events in North America, where innovations in kiosks, self-service, digital signage, and related hardware and software are demonstrated and discussed.​
  • QSR Magazine — QSR Magazine is a leading publication and trusted source of news, trends, and analysis for the quick-service and fast-casual restaurant industry. Known for its in-depth reporting, annual QSR 50 rankings, and intelligent commentary, QSR Magazine empowers restaurant owners, operators, and marketers with actionable data and expert insights into operations, technology, menu innovation, and customer experience. Delivering a positive and forward-looking perspective, QSR celebrates the brands and professionals driving growth and excellence in this fast-paced, competitive market.
  • Reforming Retail — Reforming Retail offers sharp, evidence-based commentary on brick-and-mortar retail, payments and POS systems.
    reformingretail.com It helps merchants navigate tech stacks, data and operations with honesty and industry insights.
  • Sixteen-Nine — is a long-running online publication devoted to the digital signage and digital out-of-home industry, offering news, analysis and commentary since 2006. With a mix of industry depth and a candid tone (“some snark”), it’s appreciated by professionals who want both insight and honesty. Operated by Spectrio and founded by Dave Haynes, the site covers trends, technologies and case-studies in digital signage globally.
A man in a white blazer with a red pocket square and a dark shirt stands beside a sleek digital signage kiosk in a modern building with large windows and curved lines, smiling at the camera.

Covering Las Vegas, ATMs and Vending is Elliot Maras. Over 30 years in the business.

Kioskindustry.org is one of thirty websites operated by The Industry Group. The Industry Group is owned by CAKCEK which is registered Colorado business. Other than being operated by The Industry Group we are totally separate from KMA.

Who We Serve

We provide insight and visibility for:

  • Manufacturers and OEMs of kiosk hardware, digital signage, and payment systems

  • Software developers and integrators building interactive and AI-enabled experiences

  • Deployers and operators seeking reliable, accessible, and secure solutions

  • Consultants and researchers analyzing market trends and policy developments

  • Government and accessibility agencies collaborating on inclusive design standards

Resources Research & Market Data

Accessibility, Compliance, Certifications

  • We support all major accessibility groups including the U.S. Access Board and RNIB
  • We support ETSI in Europe for ADA and EV Charging
  • We work with PCI DSS and also with UL

Contact and Participation & Membership

Kiosk Industry Group has no formal membership dues or association bylaws.
Participation is open to qualified companies, agencies, and individuals through:

  • Content and thought-leadership contributions

  • Sponsorship of research or educational initiatives

  • Advisory Board collaboration

  • Participation includes
    • Posting content and internet visibility for SEO
    • Includion in Advisory Board
    • Inclusion on Accessibility or PCI committees
    • RFPs for kiosks, digital signage, POS, Lockers, Payment
    • Newsletter features to over 12,000 qualified recipients
    • Trade Show participation and leads
    • Weekly email with insight, news and opportunities
  • Inclusion on additional sites for APAC, South America and Europe
  • Contact Email — [email protected] [email protected] and also [email protected]
  • We are located in Denver Colorado with text phone 720-324-1837

Our focus remains education, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing — not product sales or advertising.

History & Evolution

  • 2014 – Concept launched as an independent kiosk news and information portal

  • 2015 – Expanded into industry research and public resource center

  • 2018 – Partnered with the Kiosk Manufacturer Association (KMA.Global) for standards alignment

  • 2020 – Published first full industry market report

  • 2025 – Ongoing initiatives in AI-driven kiosks, accessibility, and next-generation deployments

  • Kiosk History  — For more history and historical content, see the Kiosk Archives here on Kiosk Industry.
  • Craig Keefner career

Related Resources

Additional Resources

Recommended Links

Participant Links October 2025 examples – Full List

Questions We Are Asked

  • Do we sell kiosks?
    • Answer — No we do not. We can assist you in getting a quote.
  • What is your relationship with KMA?
    • Answer – They are also part of the overall The Industry Group but separate from KI
  • When did Kiosk Industry start and who is the founder?
    • Answer — Kiosk Industry actually started in 2014 when Ron Bowers at Frank Mayer kept asking for a collective group. Provisio and Sitekiosk agreed to “stake” us with some starting capital and in 2015 we launched. Craig Keefner has a long history with kiosks dating back to comp.infosystems.kiosk on Usenet and originally working on the Target Bridal registry at GCC.
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