An AVPro Global Holdings acquisition highlights a busy couple of weeks in Pro AV. With people on the move and new reps appointed, here's just some of what you may have missed.
[Rise Appoints Industry Leaders to Form Non-Executive Director Board]
ACQUISITIONS
AVPro Global Acquires THENAUDIO
AVPro Global, parent company of AVPro Edge, AudioControl Pro, Murideo, and Bullet Train audio/video distribution products, has acquired THENAUDIO from X-VUE, expanding the AVPro Global footprint in the residential and commercial connectivity solutions market segments. Through the deal, AVPro Global will assume ownership of the THENAUDIO business, and X-VUE founder and CEO, Juha Nurminen will join AVPro Global as director of engineering, with an immediate focus on AudioControl Pro.
“The acquisition of THENAUDIO, as an innovative company that pushes the envelope on what is possible in audio/video systems connectivity, complements our existing AVPro Edge, AudioControl Pro, Murideo, and Bullet Train high-performance brand positions in both the residential and commercial audio/video distribution spaces, and provides AVPro with an additional growth platform while expanding our capabilities in the audio/video connectivity solutions markets,” said Jeff Murray, AVPro’s CEO, and founder. “We believe this transaction will create added value for AVPro Global customers and look forward to THENAUDIO’s CEO, Juha Nurminen, joining our best-in-class engineering team,” Murray added.
PEOPLE NEWS
Tommy Edlund joins Intinor as CEO
Intinor has appointed Tommy Edlund as CEO. He takes on the role from Lina Zackrisson, who leaves to run her family’s business.
Edlund is an engineer by training, and a graduate of Umeå University. For almost a quarter of a century he has worked for Konftel, a pioneer in collaborative communications. Most recently he was deputy CEO as well as director of sales for its operations.
On joining the team, Edlund emphasized that he takes over a business in good health. “It feels incredibly exciting to have been trusted to lead a successful and well-established technology company like Intinor. I look forward to getting to know the whole team better, and take the company to the next stage of development.”
Digital Signage Veteran Carrie Garcia Joins WAVIT Board
WAVIT has added digital signage veteran Carrie Garcia to its board of directors. Garcia began her career on the IT side of the industry, working for major corporations like AT&T and Comcast. From there, she crossed over into the world of ProAV and became a passionate digital signage advocate. Currently, Garcia serves as the U.S. business development manager for YCD Multimedia.
“I’m so excited to join the WAVIT board and work with a community of like-minded women,” said Garcia. “It’s our obligation to give back and help the current and next generation of women in the industry. My goal is to leave ProAV better than I found it and joining the WAVIT board will empower me to complete this mission.”
Meyer Sound Adds Several Key Management Positions
Meyer Sound has hired three high-level management positions. Melissa Galicia has been selected as chief financial officer, James Bolton is the new director of logistics, and Michael Heard has been chosen as the director of procurement.
As CFO, Galicia is charged with the leadership role in all financial and accounting activities, including budgeting, financial reporting, risk management, and regulatory controls. Galicia comes to Meyer Sound with a depth of experience in finance and accounting positions at other high-tech firms in the Bay Area, most recently as CFO of Anova Applied Electronics of San Francisco.
Bolton will take lead responsibility for the global and strategic use of logistics and distribution models to manage incoming freight, shipments to customers, and movement of parts. Bolton has more than a decade of experience in positions involving warehousing, overseas shipping, and distribution, most recently with a leading manufacturer of consumer lighting fixtures.
Heard will now oversee all matters regarding supply chains for manufacturing parts and materials. He is charged with ensuring all suppliers meet Meyer Sound’s stringent quality standards and are able to deliver materials on schedule. For the past 14 years, Heard has held key procurement and supply chain positions with one of the world’s leading high-end bicycle manufacturers.
“Our three new hires are new to the professional audio industry, but they certainly are not new to their fields of professional expertise,” notes Helen Meyer. “Once again we are exceptionally pleased that, in today’s highly competitive employment market, we are able to attract such talented and highly skilled people to join our team at Meyer Sound.”
Lawo Expands Executive Management Board
Lawo has expanded its executive management board. Claus Gärtner joined Claudia Nowak (CFO and “Vorstand”), Jamie Dunn (CCO), Andreas Hilmer (CMO), Christian Lukic (CSCO), Phil Myers (CTO), and Ulrich Schnabl (COO).
Gärtner's international career has seen him excel at Rheinmetall, Smiths-Heimann and Heidelberg Engineering Group, where he held key executive positions and contributed significantly to the growth and success of each company. Claus holds a master’s degree in economics.
Claudia Nowak will leave the company in September 2024 but will remain associated with Lawo by joining the company’s Supervisory Board.
REP REPORT
Atlona Designates Kor Media Pro as Manufacturer’s Rep for Florida
Atlona has named Miami-based Kor Media Pro as its new manufacturer’s representative for the state of Florida, effective immediately. Specializing in the AV market, Kor Media Pro has deep expertise in AV-over-IP, lighting, projection, and pro sound, as well as a solid understanding of the key trends driving the market.
With the goal of expanding Atlona’s brand awareness and market share in the busy Florida AV/IT market, Kor Media Pro has hit the ground running with in-person sales calls, product demos and training of AV dealers and system integrators. The team also provides dependable, personalized support to system integrators, as they conduct site surveys and design and deliver the cost-effective AV solutions their customers require.
Corey Silverman, president of for Kor Media Pro, cites the OmniStream AV-over-IP platform and the Velocity IP-based AV control platform—which enables remote room scheduling, device management, and control—as particularly valuable to today’s networked AV systems.
At its Miami headquarters, Kor Media Pro has a showroom of gear that customers can see, space for hosting training sessions, as well as a conference room configured to show off the capabilities of Atlona AV control systems. They’re also putting together Atlona demo kits that they can take on the road to show the dealers and integrators that then resell Atlona products to the end user.
Synthax Appoints Right Track Marketing as Mid Atlantic Representative
Synthax has officially hired Right Track Marketing to represent the following Pro Audio brands in the Mid-Atlantic territory: RME, Ferrofish, Appsys, myMix, Digigram, and Alva. With over thirty years in the industry, Right Track Marketing is a manufacturers’ representative firm offering service to re-sellers in Eastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC.
"Synthax is very excited to be teaming up with the entire team at Right Track Marketing. Their experience and track record in the Pro Audio, Live Production, and Integration markets align well with our goals for developing the Mid-Atlantic territory for the Synthax brands,” stated Derek Badala, director of sales. By establishing this partnership, Synthax Inc. is able to expand and grow that region, allowing for an increase in prospective customers and stronger execution of its overall business strategy.
Right Track Marketing will work closely with leading professionals in the region to develop and execute a more effective approach tailored to Synthax Inc.’s core values.
Williams AV Readies for Next Phase of Growth Strategy
Williams AV has inked a distribution partnership with U.K.-based Audiologic covering the U.K. and Ireland beginning January 1, 2024, and the company’s Digi-Loop hearing loop products will once again be available in the U.K. and North American markets beginning January 2024. The change in distributors and reintroduction of Digi-Loop into key markets is part of Williams AV’s growth strategy, which includes taking a more direct, in-market sales and support approach and accelerating the development of new and existing product offerings.
Over the past three years, Williams AV and Ampetronic have cross-promoted their products in North America, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, delivering assistive communication solutions to systems integrators, distributors, and resellers. However, Williams AV, in pursuit of accelerating its growth trajectory, has opted to conclude its distribution agreement with Ampetronic as of December 31, 2023.
This announcement officially marks the reintroduction of Digi-Loop hearing loop products into the North American and U.K. markets. Initially introduced in 2013, Digi-Loop revolutionized the hearing loop industry with the first D-Class hearing loop amplifier equipped with DSP, network controls, and Dante capabilities. Since Digi-Loop's introduction, it’s been continuously sold and installed around the world, and with the company's TechBlue design and support experts enabling countless venues to incorporate thousands of hearing loops, providing greater accessibility for those with hearing impairments.
Audiologic joins Williams AV's growing list of international distributors who sell and support the product line. Formerly a sub-distributor of Williams AV products, Audiologic is a value-added distributor known for its deep expertise in design and project support for integrators, installers, and architects.
Blaze Audio Selects DirectLink Marketing as New Rep
Blaze Audio has appointed DirectLink Marketing as the company’s new sales representation firm throughout the U.S. Mountain and Southwest regions, including Eastern Montana, Wyoming, Southeast Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and the metropolitan El Paso, TX area. The addition of DirectLink Marketing is an important step forward in making Blaze Audio products readily accessible throughout this vast territory. The company joined Blaze Audio in October 2023.
The U.S. Mountain and Southwest region is a large and diverse territory. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT, DirectLink Marketing is well positioned to address the business concerns of retailers and AV integration firms throughout the region. Equally notable, the company’s headquarters include both offices and a showroom that is well suited for product training / demonstration sessions and similar functions related to professional audio sales.
Dave Larsen, principal at DirectLink Marketing, has an extensive background in professional audio that makes him well-suited to represent Blaze. He has served as the principal at DirectLink Marketing since 2007. Prior to this, he was a sales representative for HP Marketing of Phoenix, AZ, where he spent 12 years representing a variety of pro audio manufacturers throughout the Rocky Mountain states. Going back still further, Larsen served as the owner/general manager at the Music Factory in Salt Lake City, a general music store with an emphasis on drums, guitars, and sound systems.
