Quick Bio
NAME: Brian Divine
TITLE: Director of Marketing
COMPANY: JBL Professional
OVER TIME : Before joining JBL, Divine worked in both the shipping department and as an intern at Crown Audio.
SCN: When did you discover an interest in audio? Do you have a musical background?
Brian Divine: While I don’t play an instrument, my interest in audio started around the age of 13 or 14. I always had an appreciation for musicians, and as my interest in music grew, so did my interest in audio. I, like most people, first became aware of audio through personal devices and home stereos, but going to concerts and seeing the large-scale audio systems definitely piqued my interest in professional audio.
SCN: How did you get your start in the pro audio industry?
BD: My first experience in the pro audio industry was a summer job during college in the shipping department at Crown Audio in Elkhart, IN. Later as an intern with Crown, I worked with (then vice president of sales) Scott Robbins on a sales forecasting project. Once I graduated college, a marketing position became available, and I took it without hesitation.
Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN, home of the Indiana Pacers, features six main arrays of JBL speakers, each with 10 high power three-way modules with double 15-inch woofers.As I mentioned, I had an interest in audio for a long time but it never really occurred to me that I could have a career in audio—that someone would actually be willing to pay me for doing something so enjoyable! Being able to work with such a prestigious company during college and after graduation was a tremendous opportunity.
SCN: How have you seen the industry change since you began your career?
BD: From a technology side, innovations in DSP have changed the entire dynamic of the audio industry, the electronics are much more efficient, and the amount of science going into the design and development of loudspeakers is on a completely different level today. That said, I still think we’re touching the tip of the iceberg in terms of what we’re capable of accomplishing.
SCN: What attracted you to join JBL?
BD: Having worked with Crown for so many years, I have longstanding relationships with a lot people at Harman, which made JBL attractive. But more importantly, JBL is the most innovative and storied loudspeaker manufacturer in the industry. There’s something to be said for a company that has such a full portfolio of products and JBL is one of the few that sees the manufacturing process through for each loudspeaker, from the transducers to the finished product.
SCN: What do you see as the keys to JBL’s success in the systems integration market?
Williams Arena at The University of Minnesota features eight line arrays, each comprised of six JBL VRX932LA-1 Constant Curvature loudspeakers, along with two additional arrays of four VRX932LA-1 loudspeakers each for court coverage. The system also features four subwoofer clusters, each containing three JBL ASB6128 subs, while 20 Control 30 loudspeakers are installed for upper balcony fill with 48 Control 29AVloudspeakers for lower balcony fill.BD: Success in the systems integration industry hinges on building and maintaining relationships as much as developing cutting-edge technology, so supporting the quality of our products with an unwavering commitment to customer service is our number-one priority.
Listening to the needs of our customers also drives our product development and we’re finding an increased interest in architecturally friendly loudspeakers that provide worldclass audio quality in visually discreet packages.
SCN: What is your favorite band of all time?
BD: Pearl Jam
SCN: What is the best concert you’ve seen?
BD: I saw Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band play one of the last shows in Giants Stadium before it was torn down. They performed “Born to Run” in its entirety and being able to see Springsteen in New Jersey playing that album was such a cool experience.
SCN: What’s the last song you listened to?
BD: Metallica: “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)”.
