NORTHRIDGE, CA--Harman Professional announced the appointment of Mark Ureda as vice president and general manager of the Harman Professional Loudspeaker Group, comprising JBL Professional and Selenium. Effective immediately, Ureda takes over from John Carpanini, who led JBL Professional and was promoted to a new position in Harman’s automotive division. According to Blake Augsburger, Harman Professional CEO, who made the announcement, Ureda brings a unique combination of technology expertise, management experience and proven leadership skills to provide the Harman Professional Loudspeaker Group with the stewardship necessary for continued growth, market leadership and a culture of excellence.
- “What makes Mark ideal for this position is his broad understanding of the values, heritage and potential of both JBL Professional and Selenium,” Augsburger said today. “We are very pleased that he has elected to take this position and I am confident that his leadership will serve as a platform for a host of innovations and the delivery of the quality and performance that our customers demand.”
Mark Ureda joins Harman Professional with a rich background in acoustics and management. He began his career with the Altec Lansing Corporation, where he developed constant directivity horns, authored several technical papers and was awarded several patents. Since 1999, Ureda has been a technical consultant to JBL Professional, where he has developed software to predict the sound fields of loudspeaker arrays and has authored numerous technical papers on the topic.
“Mark’s close relationship with Harman and JBL Professional for more than a decade provides him a unique perspective on the markets we serve and the products we offer. His ability to leverage his management and technology skills is a crucial asset and I know the team at our Loudspeaker Group is looking forward to years of innovation and growth under his leadership,” Augsburger continued.
Mark Ureda joins Harman Professional from Northrop Grumman Corporation, a global defense company, where he had been employed since 1985. At Northrop, Ureda held the position of Vice President, Corporate Strategy, where he was responsible for corporate strategy development, mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning and competitive analysis. Northrop is a $30 billion aerospace company with more than 125,000 employees in all 50 states, and 25 countries.
Mark Ureda received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of California at Los Angeles, a Master of Science in Acoustics from the Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Business Administration from the UCLA Graduate School of Management.
“For more than 60 years, JBL Professional has stood for innovation, excellence and quality,” Ureda said today. “In my new role, I will drive JBL to new levels of system performance and competitive and financial strength. Selenium, likewise, is a brand and organization with tremendous potential and I look forward to becoming a catalyst for its global success going forward.”
