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Meyer Sound Expands Technical Support Team

Meyer Sound has announced the appointments of Jason Rauhoff to the position of technical support / digital products specialist, Michael Maxson to technical support manager, and Brandon Rice to trade show coordinator / technical support. These personnel announcements will further strengthen Meyer Sound's support for its growing user base.

"Besides our innovative audio solutions, one of Meyer Sound's strengths is our responsive and expert support with a strong understanding of the needs in mission-critical live sound environments, as well as cinema and fixed installation markets," says John Monitto, Meyer Sound's director of technical support. "Jason, Michael, and Brandon have all made their marks in various areas of professional audio and are excellent resources as we continue to expand our support capabilities."

A noted FOH mixer, programmer, recording engineer, and sound designer of 16 years, Jason Rauhoff is joining Meyer Sound as digital products specialist to provide training and support to users of the Matrix3 audio show control and D-Mitri digital audio platform. Rauhoff has extensive experience implementing Meyer Sound solutions in theatrical applications. His credits include Zumanity, ZAIA, CRISS ANGEL Believe, and Viva ELVIS, as well as Dragon's Treasure, a multimedia extravaganza at City of Dreams, Macau.

Promoted to technical support manager, Michael Maxson will serve as a key liaison managing the technical support requirements of Meyer Sound customers. Since joining the company in 2003, Maxson has been instrumental in supporting high-profile tours such as Rod Stewart, Metallica, Mudvanye, Dane Cook, and Buckcherry and Avenged Sevenfold. Maxson was previously systems designer and engineer at Walt Disney Entertainment in Orlando.

Joining the company as technical support/ trade show coordinator, Brandon Rice will manage the technical and logistical planning for Meyer Sound trade shows and assist with customer support. Brandon's front-line professional audio experience spans from being a stagehand to mixing rock & roll, corporate, and Broadway shows such as the Tony-winning In the Heights.

Renkus-Heinz Appoints Norbert Bau as Middle East Sales Representative

Renkus-Heinz has appointed Norbert Bau (pictured) as its sales representative for the Middle East, with immediate effect.

Based in Dubai, Norbert Bau has worked closely with Renkus-Heinz for the past four years as part of its Middle East distribution network. He has now joined the company to help build on the strong growth for Renkus-Heinz in the region.

Prior to working with the Renkus-Heinz brand, Norbert had spent some six years in South East Asia and the Middle East running the broadcast section of Klotz Digital Asia, building high level contacts in the region.

Mr Bau comments: "We have been working together for nearly four years and the relationship became stronger and closer with the success of the Iconyx product line in many very prestigious locations including major airports and auditoriums.

"At the end of the day we found there is a fantastic chemistry between us and, for me personally with a background as a professional sound engineer, the opportunity to meet new acoustic challenges with Renkus-Heinz, and in particular a product as innovative as Iconyx, was unmissable."

"Technically Renkus-Heinz is well ahead of many competitors, especially in the field of digital beam steering and Ethernet-based loudspeaker control-systems," he adds. "More and more system integrators are realizing the benefits of the new technology and how it can deal with acoustically complicated rooms, auditoriums, conference halls, large opera halls and so on. It's great when you demonstrate a system to a new customer and every time the reaction is one of amazement. I foresee a very strong future for the brand and I'm excited to be part of it."

Renkus-Heinz export sales manager, Karl-Gustaf Kahlau comments: "In a relatively short period of time, our sales and engineering team have established Renkus-Heinz in the Middle-East as the preferred brand in many advanced and demanding installations.

Bringing Norbert on-board is a natural evolution to further boost our success in this region. Now through Norbert's expertise and with him joining us as our Dubai-based sales representative, we are able to provide our devoted customer network with local sales know-how and even shorter response-time; benefits which we anticipate will bring our clients closer to us and feel even more comfortable in the promotion of our systems."

Acoustician Doug Jones Joins Danley Sound Labs as Technical Consultant

Danley Sound Labs has welcomed respected acoustician and pro audio renaissance man Doug Jones, to the part-time role of technical consultant. Many may remember Jones from his monthly column that appeared in Live Sound International magazine. Jones also served as the chairman of the Department of Audio Arts and Acoustics at Columbia College Chicago for many years. He recently stepped down as Chair in order to spend more time consulting, but will continue teaching the next generation of audio professionals as a professor at Columbia. His new venture with Danley Sound Labs fits perfectly with his teaching responsibilities.

Jones has worked in almost every facet of pro audio for over twenty years, with a leading emphasis on analyzing and designing room acoustics, and he continues to be one of the industry's leading acousticians. Jones is a virtuoso. He's an expert Time Delay Spectrometry (TDS) analyst. He earned the TEF Heyser Award in 2006 and leads master classes in TDS throughout the country. In addition, he is a member of both ASA and AES and is published in IEEE Proceedings and International Computer Music Proceedings.

In his new role as technical consultant for Danley, Jones will bring his breadth and depth of knowledge, along with his gift for making challenging concepts easy to understand, to the writing of technical white papers and coordinating dealer programs. "Tom [Danley] and Jones have a great deal of mutual respect," said Mike Hedden, president of Danley Sound Labs. "They've spent time together rapt in conversation about the nuances and intrigues of sound reproduction. They're obviously birds of a feather. With Jones' lifelong devotion, not just to understanding and implementing the principles of acoustics, but also, to communicating them to a wider audience, there is no one better suited to assist Danley Sound Labs in this new role. We're grateful to have Doug Jones on the team."

Ashly Audio Hires Todd K. Smith as Western Regional Sales Manager

Even amid trying economic times in an industry that has, by all accounts, taken it on the chin, Ashly Audio continues to grow and support its popular and expanding product line of cost-effective, network-ready DSPs and amplifiers with the addition of Todd K. Smith to the position of western regional sales manager. Based in Colorado and reporting to John Sexton, national sales manager, Smith will oversee and expand markets west of the Mississippi for Ashly Audio.

Smith comes to Ashly with over fifteen years experience of boosting sales in the pro audio industry. He has won multiple sales awards including "Sales Manager of the Year", "Top Sales Producer of the Year", and a character recognition award for his initiative and enthusiasm. Collectively, he has increased profits by tens of millions of dollars over the course of his career by both cutting costs and raising revenues.

"We're delighted to have Todd join the Ashly family," said Sexton. "He is eminently qualified to lead the Western Region into even greater profitability. He clearly has the experience and the ambition. But beyond that, he's a great guy, and I know our partners and customers will enjoy working with him."

"This is the perfect moment in history to be joining Ashly," added Smith. "The company is growing and is poised for even greater expansion with the addition of modular, network-ready processors and amps that offer significantly greater functionality and value over the competition. I will leverage my experience to catapult Ashly's success in the coming decade."

Sean Hoey joins Robe lighting (US)

Sean Hoey has joined Robe Lighting (US) as rental/staging segment manager.

With 22 years of industry experience, Hoey has held similar positions with High End Systems and Vari*Lite in the past. He also has a massive amount of industry contacts and commands plenty of respect. "I am very excited about coming onboard with Robe," he states. "The product line offers the choice of a wide and dynamic range of lighting tools for all types of applications, and Robe's reputation for innovation is one of its great strengths".

Hoey will be based in Austin, Texas, and will spend considerable time on the road visiting clients and contacts and actively demonstrating the kit.

He was initially attracted to Robe after hearing numerous excellent reports on the products from assorted industry professionals. With a good working knowledge of moving lights and digital lighting technology, he is also well aware of the competition, and is certain that with Robe he is on a winning team!

Robe Lighting (US) CEO David Srba states: "It is great to have someone of Sean's caliber join our team. It will allow us to serve the production and rental customers better than ever, combined with outstanding product reliability and a diverse range of technology spanning from digital lighting to the brand new plasma lamp fixtures."

Robe's sales director Harry von den Stemmen adds: "Sean has a long track record of sales activity in various different segments with leading manufacturers. He has excellent relationships with many important customers who know, trust and rely on him. Robe offers a wide palette of products - digital moving lights, state-of-the art moving heads and innovative LED products - a unique mix matched by few other manufacturers. Sean's experience, paired with Robe's proven reliability, will make a real difference."

The US market is still tough and also highly competitive, but Hoey is characteristically optimistic, commenting that as the economic climate improves, there should be plenty of space for companies who will start to change out their old inventories. "New technology like the Robin Series will also definitely drive growth," he affirms, adding that Robe is perceived generally as offering great value, which will be vital in financial decision making and planning as the country pulls out of recession.

www.robe.cz

 

 

 

Bandit Lites Chair Honored by University of Tennessee

Michael T. Strickland (pictured), chairman of the global entertainment lighting firm Bandit Lites, was honored by his Alma Mata in December of 2009. The University of Tennessee College of Business selected Michael as Distinguished Alum, an honor that has been bestowed only 19 times in the 200 plus year history of the school. Previous honorees include C.E.O. of Ball Corporation John W. Fisher, Joe M. Weller retired C.E.O. of Nestle USA, financial guru and television personality Dave Ramsey and William B. Stokley, Chairman of Stokley Company. This is a very lofty honor and Michael is in highly qualified company.

The Distinguished Alum award is given to individuals that have shown exemplary leadership and represented the University in an outstanding fashion. They are extraordinary business executives who have personified leadership and have become role models for future generations. Through their vision, intellect, passion for excellence, and boldness of spirit, these individuals have led many companies to greatness and have touched countless lives.

Strickland was also appointed as Chair of Fund Raising for the College of Business while still serving on numerous other boards and missions within the University.

TMB Welcomes Bryan Reiss

New Products. New Customers. New People! TMB has announced the expansion of its North American Sales Group with the addition of Bryan Reiss (pictured). Bryan arrives at TMB NY with over 15 years experience in the industry. His role will be primarily in Customer Development; enhancing customer relations and service, increasing awareness of TMB's innovative products and value-added services, and strengthening and expanding TMB's Northeast customer base.

A graduate of Adelphi University where he earned a BFA in Theater Design, the New Jersey native began his working career as Technical Director with the touring production of Peter Pan. After ten years in executive sales at legendary Bash Theatrical, and then PRG, Bryan joins TMB after stints in sales management at BML Blackbird Theatrical Services and Altman Lighting.

"Bryan has the perfect combination of sales experience with hands-on touring and theatrical experience," says Linda McDonald, TMB NY sales manager. "His career path is ideal for TMB Sales: first doing shows, then supporting shows, and now servicing those who support the shows!"

"My early years on the road were a great boot camp," explains Bryan. "Dealing with various personalities - designers, stagehands, actors - taught me how to listen!"

Bryan adds: "At Bash, then at PRG, BML, and Altman I came to know TMB and always appreciated their commitment to quality and attention to detail. I witnessed their outstanding growth, and how they remained personable and service oriented. Thus when TMB's CEO Colin Waters offered me the job, I knew firsthand what the company was about and that I would be at home here. I look forward to the fast pace and the opportunity of joining a thriving industry leader - an organization that is original enough to not forget their origins!"

www.tmb.com

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Paul Shiner Named L-Acoustics US Regional Sales Manager

L-Acoustics US has appointed Paul Shiner to the position of regional sales manager. The announcement comes from Jochen Frohn, L-Acoustics director of business development. Reporting to Frohn, Shiner is responsible for directing the loudspeaker manufacturer's sales efforts in the northeastern US corridor from New England to Virginia and west to Indiana.

"Not only does Paul have extensive industry experience working in senior sales, marketing and product management positions for Harman Pro, Peavey and Crest Audio," says Frohn, "he has developed countless professional relationships with key systems integrators, designers and live sound companies over the years. Paul is already proving to be an outstanding liaison to our client base and we warmly welcome him to our team."

Shiner comments: "As L-Acoustics closes out another successful year, I had the opportunity to visit the factory and meet an exceptional group of audio professionals. The entire factory team in France is committed to supporting my efforts, especially with the release of new K1/Kudo and XTi product ranges for tour sound and installation markets. My immediate focus is to facilitate their introduction and provide support while developing the territory with a fresh market approach that is centered on building strong relationships with Certified Providers."

In picture: Jochen Frohn (left) welcomes Paul Shiner to the L-Acoustics US team.

PLASA Appoints Linda Moore to Head Sales & Marketing Strategy

PLASA has announced the appointment of Linda Moore as its new sales and marketing director. Linda joins PLASA from Stage Electrics where she held the position of head of sales and marketing for the past 11 years and been a key member of the team that successfully developed the company into one of the leading players in the installation and events markets.

Linda already has considerable knowledge of the PLASA organisation having served for five years on its Executive Committee - the governing body of the organisation - and will bring extensive international sales and marketing experience to her new role.

Her appointment to the team of directors comes at a key time for PLASA, which is currently delivering an ambitious strategy across its membership, events, media, professional services, qualifications and technical divisions.

On the political front, PLASA continues to campaign on behalf of the entertainment and live events sector as Ofcom moves to finalise the details of its Digital Dividend Review - a Government proposal which will see bands of the radio spectrum relied on by the industry either auctioned or reassigned. Having already won key concessions from Ofcom, PLASA continues to work with BEIRG (British Entertainment Industry Radio Group) to protect the industry's interests and is currently preparing its bid to be the new industry band manager.

In October, PLASA announced its intention to merge with US-based ESTA, another international trade body representing those in the live events and entertainment industries. The merger is a significant step for both organisations and will effectively create an industry-wide global membership network of over 1100 dealers, manufacturers, installers, service providers and consultants operating under the PLASA name.

The new role of sales and marketing director will be pivotal to these initiatives and will focus on enhancing the organisation's range of products and services, whilst also identifying new opportunities.

Linda will take up her new role with PLASA in February 2010.

Theatre Projects Welcome Steve Rust

Theatre Projects has welcomed Steve Rust to their team as the senior lighting designer in our US office. With over 10 years as a theatre consultant, Steve joins Theatre Projects from Sachs Morgan Studios in New York where his projects included the Nederlander Theatre in New York, the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, and the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theatre in Washington, DC. Before becoming a consultant, Steve was a production stage manager with Columbia Artists Management, touring dance companies including the Bolshoi Ballet, National Ballet of China, and Paris Opera Ballet Ensemble.

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