There were a lot of moves in the Pro AV world recently. Here are a few to get you caught up on all the newsmakers.
One of the bigger stories you may have missed was named Takabumi Asahi new CEO of Christie. You can read SCN's coverage here.
People News
d&b group Appoints Melanie Stegemann as VP of Brand and Corporate Communications
d&b group appointed Melanie Stegemann as its new VP of brand and corporate communications. With more than 15 years of experience in brand, public relations and marketing roles, she will play a key role in d&b’s management team, ensuring the group’s brand vision comes to life through engaging messaging and creative content across all channels, both internally and externally.
At d&b group, Stegemann will head up a diverse team of brand and communications experts and will focus on building a collaborative environment that drives company success. Her role will include a broad range of responsibilities, from brand positioning and communication leadership to content production, thought leadership activities and supporting the strategic decision-making process.
Before joining d&b, Stegemann spent nine years in various senior brand roles at Zumtobel Group, a leading international lighting business, including her most recent position as head of brand marketing Zumtobel. She has also served as Head of PR for Zumtobel Group’s technology brand Tridonic and as PR and marketing manager for Metro Group.
AVPro Global Appoints New COO and VP, North American Residential Sales
AVPro Global has been busy of late. The company closed out March by appointing Mike “Sparky” Detmer as chief operating officer. Detmer will lead and scale AVPro’s growth and global business go-to-market teams, including sales, marketing, customer service, training, technical support, and new business acquisition and development. Detmer brings extensive management experience from benchmark audiovisual (AV) and specialty coatings organizations including Akzo Nobel, Harman International, and Nortek.
Detmer, who first joined AVPro Global as a consultant in 2023, is an industry veteran with over four decades of experience in the audio/video (AV) industry managing commercial results, working with, or providing consulting services for premium AV brands such as Definitive Technology, Elan, Infinity Systems, Niles Audio, Krell Industries, Polk Audio, Russound, SpeakerCraft, Stax, and Xantech.
The company also appointed Chris Kane as VP of North American (NA) Residential Sales. Kane will report to Detmer and oversee NA business development initiatives including streamlining sales processes by unifying the AVPro brand portfolio under one experienced manager. Kane, a known and trusted manager in the NA residential market, brings a wealth of experience and insight to leverage AVPro’s growth initiatives while providing added value to its customers.
At AudioControl since 1992 after ten years in consumer electronics retail, Kane managed new business development with remarkable success, establishing strong relationships with customers across all related sales channels through extensive in-person and online presentations, dealer training seminars, and a consistent presence at critical tradeshows such as CEDIA (Custom Electronics Design and Installation Association). Kane is well-respected as a proficient manager of regional sales teams including independent manufacturer representatives.
Jetbuilt Expands Presence in APAC with New Director
Jetbuilt is expanding in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region with the appointment of Andy Tan, CTS, as director of APAC. In his new role, Tan will spearhead Jetbuilt’s growth initiatives and strategic partnerships across APAC, driving the company’s mission to revolutionize the AV industry with an end-to-end project management solution.
With decades of experience in the industry, Tan has worked with numerous leading organizations, such as AVIXA, EDGE (formerly USAV Group), InfoComm Asia and AVPro Global APAC. Notably, Tan dedicated twenty years to AVIXA, spearheading the expansion of the association’s footprint in Asia. He brings an unparalleled understanding of the market dynamics and strong relationships with key stakeholders to his new role. At Jetbuilt, Tan will focus on cultivating partnerships with AV integrators, distributors and manufacturers, leveraging Jetbuilt’s cutting-edge software solutions to streamline project workflows, increase efficiency and deliver exceptional results to clients.
Visionary Appoints Bob Jacobs Technical Support Engineer
Visionary has appointed Robert (Bob) Jacobs, CTS, CTS-I, as technical support engineer. In his new role, Jacobs will play a pivotal part in expanding Visionary’s in-house customer service and technical support operations, ensuring integrators receive expert guidance and assistance throughout their projects.
With an extensive background in AV design and engineering, Jacobs brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to further strengthen Visionary’s commitment to delivering exceptional customer service and technical support. Prior to joining Visionary, Jacobs served as an AV designer engineer for a prominent commercial integration company, where he gained invaluable experience working closely with Visionary’s cutting-edge technology. His deep understanding of audiovisual systems and his passion for customer service make him an ideal fit for his new role. Jacobs will support Visionary’s customers through technical support and troubleshooting, systems design and integration and technical training.
Planar Welcomes John McDonald as New Regional Account Manager
Planar expanded its sales team by welcoming 27-year AV veteran John McDonald as regional account manager for the Metro Philly area. McDonald brings impressive sales and technical experience, including previous work with Planar as an integrator, and will now manage the company’s sales efforts in Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, Delaware, and West Virginia.
Prior to joining the company, McDonald collaborated closely with members of Planar’s Metro Philly and New York City team to deploy leading-edge video wall solutions into a number of notable projects. His dedication and experience on those projects are shining examples of his knowledge and skillset, and will directly aid him in working with dealers to grow Planar's footprint in the region.
McDonald will team with former Metro Philly regional account manager Michael O'Halloran, who was recently promoted to director of sales for Metro New York and Metro Pennsylvania, as well as sales development representative Nick Barber and application engineer Eric Kuhns.
Atlona Welcomes Dan Williams to Training and Technical Support Team
Atlona continues to ramp up its training program with the hiring of Dan Williams as regional technical specialist and trainer. Williams brings more than 20 years of AV systems design and technical engineering experience to the newly formed role, which will primarily focus on training Atlona partners in various forms.
Williams' AV pedigree runs deep, taking on roles of increasing responsibility with AV brands over two decades. Most of these experiences found him in customer-facing roles that benefited from his technical knowledge, expertly guiding integrators, consultants and occasionally end users through the systems design journey. He also gained considerable sales engineering experience over the years, working closely with internal sales teams and their customers to develop and program solutions that properly addressed each customer’s needs.
Williams will work closely with the North American training team and provide training services online, in the field, and at Panduit’s headquarters in Tinley Park, Illinois. The Tinley Park Experience Center offers hands-on training of Atlona products and systems across their core areas of collaboration, connectivity and control. He will also support Atlona’s sales operation through his sales engineering expertise, but is most excited about applying his technical knowledge to Atlona’s evolving training initiatives.
RTI Names Ben Mahoney as Global Training Manager
RTI appointed Ben Mahoney as the company's new global training manager. In this new role, Mahoney will lead online and in-person training and education initiatives for RTI's commercial and residential market segments.
Mahoney brings 20 years of training and leadership experience to RTI, including roles at Control4 and ClearOne. Most recently he was director of education at Nice North America, leading development programs across all Nice business units.
Ashly Welcomes Jay Blout, National Sales Manager-Retail
Ashly Audio has appointed Jay Blout as the new national sales manager-retail. Blout brings extensive experience and a proven track record in sales management within the audio industry, making him an invaluable addition to the Ashly Audio team.
With over 20 years of experience in sales leadership roles, Blout has consistently demonstrated his ability to drive growth and cultivate strong relationships with retail partners. His strategic vision and passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences align perfectly with Ashly Audio's commitment to excellence.
In his new role, Blout will be responsible for leading Ashly Audio's retail sales initiatives across the nation, leveraging his expertise to expand market presence and drive revenue growth. He will play a pivotal role in developing and executing sales strategies, nurturing partnerships, and ensuring that Ashly Audio continues to deliver cutting-edge audio solutions tailored to the needs of retail customers.
Lectrosonics Adds Two
Lectrosonics has appointed two new employees in Jamie Criswell as Northeast U.S. sales and market development representative and Ethan Dayton as technical services manager.
In his new role, Criswell will bring his market acumen, wireless knowledge, and sales experience with professional audio systems to Lectrosonics. He will be the sales and technical representative for all Lectrosonics customers in the region, including users, designers, and resellers, as well as acting as a marketing and development liaison. A musician and songwriter, he next did studio work where he became a recording and mastering engineer. This experience eventually brought him to a sales role with Alesis, followed by sales roles at Harman and Sennheiser where he worked in live sound and performance, for clients such as Broadway and Cirque du Soleil.
Dayton will manage the Customer Service and Parts and Repair departments, overseeing 20 employees whose jobs range from customer service and technical support, shipping and receiving, and product repair. Dayton began his career as a part-time camera operator in Colorado where he learned broadcast engineering and quickly moved to technical services manager. Throughout his career Dayton has been a broadcast engineer for concert venues, television stations, and a wide range of sporting leagues including the NHL, NBA, and MLS. He has also worked as an operator and technician for events such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. In 2022, Dayton made the transition into the film industry where he served as the camera service technician for Panavision’s Albuquerque branch.
Steen Tychsen Appointment Bolsters Genelec’s International Sales Team
Genelec has appointed industry stalwart Steen Tychsen to the position of international sales manager, with responsibility for Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and Canada. With over 25 years of professional audio experience in a succession of senior roles, Tychsen brings with him a deep knowledge of the industry, helping to further strengthen Genelec’s sales operation in these key global territories.
Tychsen’s previous high profile roles at both DPA and Neumann have given him extensive experience of overseeing sales and business development in both EMEA and the United States and demonstrate a strong track record of implementing strategies to maximize revenue and productivity, and proactively developing regional partners.
Straker Coniglio New AJA Asia Pacific General Manager
AJA Video Systems has added media industry veteran Straker Coniglio as Asia Pacific (APAC) general manager (GM). He brings more than three decades of experience to AJA, including a successful Emmy-Award winning career in production, followed by years of developing and executing comprehensive global sales strategies for prominent media and entertainment technology companies. Based in Bangkok, Thailand, Coniglio will work closely with AJA’s established APAC team, as well as its broad network of distributors and resellers, to expand AJA’s geographic and market footprint, and support customers across the region.
Coniglio joins the AJA team from Vizrt, where, as GM of APAC, he implemented customer-centric strategies that drove new and repeat business. Prior, he spent time managing Vizrt’s entire product portfolio as head of global product management and leading the company’s MAM and Digital Publishing Business as VP of the division. He’s also held senior sales, product, and management positions at Harmonic, Belden, and Avid. A launchpad to his career in media and entertainment technology, he previously worked in production on projects broadcast on CNN, NBC, ESPN, and other major news outlets.
CECOCECO Bolsters Leadership Team
CECOCECO, an innovator in the lighting and display industry, has appointed Danny Kim to the role of senior client engagement. Kim joins CECOCECO from PLANNET, where he was a technology architect and an industry visionary leader. With over two decades of experience in technology environments, particularly in audiovisual and business development, Kim has distinguished himself as a key player in the tech industry. His unique approach to developing audiovisual strategies, combined with his knack for understanding operational impacts, has made him an invaluable asset to clients. Notably, Kim played a critical role in expanding Riot Games, taking the company from less than 100 employees to nearly 2,000.
Nelson Petzold Announces Retirement From NSI Industries
Nelson Petzold, regional VP of sales of NSI Industries, is retiring after an 18-year career with the company. Based in Dallas/Fort Worth and a veteran of the electrical industry for more than four decades, Petzold joined the company in 2006 when NSI acquired TORK.
Nelson one of NSI’s greatest ambassadors, and during his time with the company, he worked tirelessly to increase sales and promote the value of working with his colleagues. His ability to build trust with and support his customers as they grew their own businesses is unmatched, and he felt an enormous amount of pride seeing them succeed. NSI will miss his leadership and knowledge as well as the advice he has given the sales and internal teams over the years.
Company News
ASG Expands with New London Office
Entering its next phase of growth, Advanced Systems Group is opening a new office in London in May. The move gives ASG, which is headquartered in Emeryville, CA, a greater European presence to better serve its international customers, as well as meet the increasing worldwide demand for managed services, production, and post-production facility expertise.
The office will be located at Aviation House in London's Holborn area, a booming professional and creative hub. Tim Cuthbertson, an ASG global account executive with more than 30 years of integration and professional services experience, will relocate back to his native London to head the new operations as managing director.
According to Cuthbertson, the ASG London office was a “right time, right place” decision driven by shifting business and economic factors. “Organizations in our markets have had to reinvent their operations, first adapting to workforce changes caused by the pandemic and later dealing with issues like the actors and writers strikes, so there’s a lot of pent-up refitting and development that’s ramping up,” he explained. “With globally distributed workforces now a reality, having an international presence is an operational requirement. Technology doesn't stop moving, and London is a significant production center, so expanding was the logical choice. Our U.K. presence will be there to serve the needs of these organizations.”
Advanced Systems Group U.K., a wholly owned subsidiary of ASG, is part of a phased approach to ramping up the company's international presence. The U.K. team will focus on its current European clients including SNAP, Google, and Yahoo with even more comprehensive services, as well as ASG’s U.S.-based clients that have facilities in Britain.
“From the start, our goal was never to be the biggest integrator, but to be known for delivering the best service for our customers,” said Dave Van Hoy, president of ASG. “We have been operating internationally with a managed services and SI presence in London for more than a decade, and several of our global M&E and enterprise customers have long requested us to establish a greater presence outside of North America. It’s clear that this is the right time to formally expand our international business and open an office in London.”
New Partnerships
1 SOUND opened distribution in Taiwan by partnering with Seapower Technology. Its team of engineers have training experiences from experts around the world, allowing Seapower to offer strong engineering technical support using audio design and test equipment, including TEF, SMARTT, and EASE. Seapower Technology collaborates with distributors worldwide to deliver innovative solutions and technical training projects, ensuring top-notch service delivery for their market in Taiwan.
The Adam Hall Group is further expanding its international sales network. With OHM Distribution, the event technology provider headquartered in Neu-Anspach, Hesse, the company has gained an experienced sales partner in Mexico. OHM Distribution is a distributor for AV installations and is now the exclusive distributor for the Adam Hall Group brand Cameo's lighting technology solutions.
Atlona will broaden its APAC presence with the addition of Aquila Data Indonesia to its regional channel partner network. Aquila Data Indonesia becomes the distribution partner for the expansive APAC country, which touches Southeast Asia and the Oceania region. In addition to country-wide sales efforts, the company will elevate Atlona’s brand recognition through dealer network expansion, post-sales support, training and education, and other value-added services. Based in Jakarta, Aquila Data Indonesia specializes in the distribution of high-end AV and UC systems, with an emphasis on convergence with IP networks.
AudioControl has appointed Staub Electronics as their key distributor for the Canadian custom installation and home theater markets. Staub’s head office is in Richmond, B.C., with a second facility in Mississauga, Ontario. Staub Electronics was founded in 1981 and is a distributor of name brand consumer electronics products from over 50 industry-leading manufacturers. Staub Electronics has become known for their dedication to customer service, supplying premium solutions to specialty retailers and custom integrators across Canada for over 40 years.
Humly has entered its first national United States distribution relationship with BTX Technologies, part of ADI Global Distribution. In addition to extending availability of Humly Workplace Solutions across the United States, BTX will support Humly through a comprehensive range of business and technical services, including pre- and post-sales level 1 support. BTX’s broad reach and experience representing strong brands in the United States will raise Humly’s visibility and brand recognition in a market poised for growth.
Legrand | AV has named Bell & McCoy Integrated Solutions as its new representative firm for Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas, serving dealers and distributors in the CI channel. Bell & McCoy Integrated Solutions will represent a comprehensive portfolio of Legrand | AV brands, including Chief, Da-Lite, Luxul, Middle Atlantic, SANUS, and Vaddio.
MAXHUB appointed Audio Source for sales representation throughout the Pacific Northwest region. Headquartered in Moses Lake, WA, the company will represent MAXHUB throughout Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, and Montana. Audio Source represents several manufacturers of professional audio, video, lighting, and control products. Founded on the premise of delivering 'factory' sales results to the manufacturers they represent; the company maintains solid customer relationships in all channels of business throughout their territory. Audio Source is comprised of Richard Gibson (president), Dave Raneses (VP), James Graham (business development manager), Paul Folkestad (business development manager), and Debbie Gibson (co-owner, executive office administrator and marketing).
PK Sound, the robotic line array company, has added Vancouver-based live sound specialists Gearforce to the PK Alliance following the company’s investment in a PK Sound T10 robotic line source system. As an Alliance member, Gearforce can augment its T10 system with exclusive access to the large-format Trinity Black robotic array elements from the Alliance’s global dry-hire inventory. ACT Entertainment is the exclusive distributor of PK Sound in North America.
SoundTube Entertainment has added five new manufacturers’ representatives to its sales organization.
- DirectLink Marketing: Headquartered in downtown Salt Lake City, Dave Larsen and his team have built strong relationships over decades throughout the Rocky Mountain region.
- Excellence Marketing: Established in 1988, Excellence Marketing is renowned throughout the Upper Midwest for its unmatched Industry expertise, longstanding relationships, and unwavering commitment to customer service and support.
- Audio Source: Covering the Pacific Northwest including Alaska, Audio Source is committed to fostering true partnerships, providing design and technical support and outstanding customer service.
- AV Sales: Serving Michigan under the leadership of Andy Combs, IAV Sales (Innovative Audio Video) has also been a true partner with his customers and has provided comprehensive support and expertise to pro AV integrators for over 30 years.
- Frequency Sales: Specializing in the Illinois and Wisconsin markets, Frequency Sales has a passion for audio technology and 14 years of building meaningful relationships with customers based on trust and mutual success.
