There has been a bevy of acquisitions in the Pro AV world of late, and there seems to be more on the horizon. The latest acquisition was by immersive audio space Focusrite, which acquired spatial audio software house Innovate Audio.
The U.K.-based company is best known for its panLab spatial audio solutions, all of which will now be moved under the Focusrite subsidiary TiMax. Innovate Audio founder, Dan Higgott, will also join TiMax as a senior product developer. The acquisition means that TiMax’s immersive audio products will range from entry-level panning software through to full delay-matrix spatial processors and performer stagetracking.
Elsewhere, TVU Networks and Daktronics both added three new Pro AV industry veterans to boost their respective teams, while Renkus-Heinz and Blaze Audio announced new partnerships.
Here's what you may have missed last week.
[Two Acquisitions, 7 People on the Move, and a Plethora of Partnerships]
People News
Daktronics Announces Three New Hires
Daktronics had a busy week, announcing three new hires. Drew Lindahl joined the Daktronics on-prem sales team, while hiring Tye Dato and Austin Nelson—Dato focusing on AV channel business development with a focus on the federal government and military markets while Nelson is focused on AV integrator sales in the Pacific Northwest and Canada.
Lindahl will serve sign companies and architects as well as end users to implement LED display solutions in and around the city of Houston. He has a background in sports marketing and sales, and he has lived his whole life in the Houston area. He plans to put his knowledge and experience to work to develop relationships and provide solutions and make on-site demonstrations a priority to showcase digital signs for the end user.
Dato is familiar with Daktronics as he started his career with the company in 2007. He’s worked in various Daktronics markets through 2019 before moving into the AV sales position. This year, he accepted the position as AV channel business development and senior strategic sales representative for the federal government and military markets. In this role, he’s focused on connecting the Daktronics AV sales team with dvLED installation opportunities directly or through AV integrators.
Nelson joined the Daktronics team in 2016 and leans on his experience with the company’s On Premise business unit in the South Central region of the United States. He recently accepted the position of sales representative promoting dvLED solutions and their various applications to AV integrators and end users.
TVU Welcomes Three New Appointees
TVU Networks made three appointments aimed at fueling continued customer growth and product innovation in the Americas and beyond.
Coming aboard as VP of solutions for the Americas and global head of partnerships, Socrates Lozano is a seasoned media innovator known for spearheading newsroom transformations and technological integrations. With nearly two decades of experience, including pivotal roles at The E.W. Scripps Company, Lozano's expertise will be instrumental in expanding TVU’s media supply chain ecosystem.
Appointed as the new global director of marketing, Laura Pursley oversees go-to-market strategies in the Americas, as well as the Middle East and Africa. Pursley brings insights from a dozen years of promoting emerging technologies for video production and post-production, including at Adobe, Frame.io, and Sony Electronics. Her experience in both media and SaaS will accelerate the adoption of TVU’s cloud and AI offerings.
Brian Swanson joins TVU as director of enterprise sales in North America. With over 20 years at Starz, affiliate sales and marketing teams, and most recently serving as VP of distribution, Swanson handles the increasing demand for TVU's solutions.
Royer Labs Announces John Jennings as President
Royer Labs president and co-founder Rick Perotta retired effective June 1, 2024, and the company named John Jennings, Royer’s co-founder and 26-year VP of sales and marketing, as the new President, assuring Royer customers and end users a smooth transition in company management.
Jennings’ long history with the company makes taking the position of president a natural step. Jennings established and maintained the company’s dealer/distributor network and has directed Royer’s overall marketing and branding strategies from the beginning. In Royer’s early days he attended countless recording sessions, introducing producers, engineers, and artists to Royer ribbon microphones and photographing them in action.
Located in Nashville, having in-person representation in two major music markets—Nashville and Los Angeles—enables the company to better serve a higher number of important clients in addition to getting client feedback on new gear under development. Jennings plans on putting more new microphone products into the pipeline with a focus on the high-quality, hand-built approach that has defined Royer products for decades.
ICE Cable Systems Welcomes New Chief Operating Officer
ICE Cable Systems appointed industry expert Timothy Copp as chief operating officer. With numerous patents to his name, Copp brings over 20 years of experience as a subject-matter expert in reel-less cable packaging technology. He spent 21 years with REELEX Packing Solutions progressing from brand manager to business development VP. There, he was immersed in a variety of business functions, including marketing, operations and product development.
ICE Cable Systems is an early adopter of REELEX, having incorporated the specialized figure-eight coil into their bulk cable cartons to ensure installers get the best pulling experience. With this, ICE president Brian Rizzo and Copp have an already established, successful working history together that spans more than a decade.
Industry News
Blaze Audio Selects the C&C Technology Group for Representation in the Greater New York Area
Blaze Audio appointed C&C Technology Group to represent the company throughout metropolitan New York area along with Northern New Jersey. With C&C Technology Group representing Blaze Audio in this territory, Blaze Audio looks forward to expanding its presence.
With a corporate mandate that focuses on delivering manageable, hassle-free technology solutions that drive efficiency and growth, C&C Technology Group is well positioned for the various product training / demonstration sessions, and related functions essential to successful professional audio sales.
Renkus-Heinz Announces New Partnership with C.L. Pugh & Associates
Renkus-Heinz has appointed a new manufacturer’s representative for the states of Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, and Michigan in C. L. Pugh and Associates.
This strategic partnership is set to bolster Renkus-Heinz's presence in an important regional market, ensuring that both current and future clients will continue to receive the highest level of support and access to Renkus-Heinz's innovative audio solutions.
Videosys Broadcast Expands and Rebrands Its Antenna Division
Two-and-a-half years after its acquisition of Masthead Antennas, Videosys Broadcast has increased its office and manufacturing capacity in West Sussex. The company is also recruiting more design and production staff and has created a separate brand identity for its antenna business, under the name of VB Antennas.
The growth of Videosys Broadcast’s antenna business has been fueled by its expansion into new areas, including security and defense where there is demand for robust, durable, and flexible antennas that can be used in challenging terrain as well as harsh RF environments.
