As we creep towards the final month of 2024, the Pro AV tour de force keeps moving. Take a look at people movers, partnerships, and some summits you may have missed.
[SCN Goes Inside: NSCA Boosts Next-Generation Integration at XBO Experience]
People News
James Gallagher-Powell joins d&b group as new Chief Strategy Officer
d&b group appointed James Gallagher-Powell as chief strategy officer (CSO), a role that supports the company’s ambitious growth and innovation strategies. Gallagher-Powell's expertise in strategic planning, finance and operational excellence will be instrumental as d&b group continues to expand its position as an experience technology company.
Gallagher-Powell joins d&b group following a number of strategic and financial leadership roles with organizations including PwC, RFRSH, and CSM Sports & Entertainment, where he was Group CFO. His proven track record in building growth models and improving business performance through strategic initiatives will complement d&b group's ambition to drive innovation and operational success.
Hosa Technology Appoints Derek Snyder as Global Director of Sales
Hosa Technology appointed Derek Snyder as its new global director of sales. In his new role, Snyder leads Hosa’s strategic sales efforts, working closely with leadership and marketing teams to strengthen Hosa’s global footprint as a manufacturer and supplier of professional audio/video/data cables, power cords and adapters, instrument stands and racks, and audio accessories.
Derek Snyder began his career in the audio industry in the late 1980s, initially gaining valuable hands-on experience in the retail sector with positions at West LA Music and later Guitar Center, where he helped steer the growth of the newly formed Guitar Center Professional division. Building on his retail expertise, Snyder transitioned into the system integration side of the business, where he further honed his skills in solution-based sales and customer relations, most recently with Los Angeles-based Melrose.
Brian Studwell Joins Lightware as New Regional Sales Manager for U.S. Northeast
Brian Studwell has been appointed as the new regional sales manager for U.S. Northeast at Lightware, while also retaining his responsibilities as national consultant liaison. With a strong background in the industry and extensive experience within the company, Studwell is well-positioned to deliver exceptional support to his clients.
In his new role, Studwell is responsible for managing customer relationships, understanding client needs, and providing tailored solutions to help businesses achieve their objectives using Lightware's technology. He plays a key part in coordinating sales efforts, ensuring customer satisfaction, and driving growth across various markets. His proactive approach to account management aims to offer clients seamless experience and strategic guidance, building on the trusted relationships he has already cultivated.
Listen Technologies Promotes Shawnee Bond to Regional Sales Manager–Western United States
Listen Technologies has promoted Shawnee Bond to regional sales manager. Bond will manage Listen Technologies’ team of manufacturer representative firms in the Western United States. She will also work directly with Listen Technologies dealers, integrators, consultants, and end users throughout the region.
Bond joined Listen Technologies in 2017 and has worked in customer service and sales roles at the company. Most recently, she was an account sales representative for the Western United States where she fostered strong relationships and a keen understanding of the market and related industries. Bond has earned the trust and respect of colleagues, channel partners, and customers with her clear communication skills, supportive and collaborative manner, and extensive knowledge of Listen Technologies’ solutions.
Joel Majgier Joins Powersoft
Powersoft has appointed Joel Majgier as its new consultants and key accounts manager in the United States. With nearly 30 years of Pro AV experience, Majgier’s expertise will be a major asset as Powersoft continues its growth in the United States.
In his new role, Majgier hopes to help expand Powersoft’s footprint in the United States, with the aim of becoming the market leader in power amplification for the pro-audio sector in the next three to five years. The U.S. market currently makes up around a quarter of Powersoft’s revenue, a figure that is expected to increase in the coming years.
Sharp Welcomes Mark Quiroz as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Display Division
Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA), a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation (SEC), has hired Mark Quiroz as SVP and general manager (GM) of its display division. He will be based out of the organization’s Downers Grove, IL office, just outside of downtown Chicago, and will be responsible for all aspects of Sharp’s display business for the U.S. and the Latin America Group (LAG).
Quiroz brings nearly three decades of experience in displays and the broader B2B technology industry, with prior roles including chief commercial officer and SVP GM at Masimo Consumer Business, as well as VP and GM at Samsung Electronics America and HP.
At Sharp, Quiroz plans to drive sustainable growth in the company’s display business, focusing on enhancing relationships with the partner community and anticipating customer needs to ensure they receive the highest quality products and support. Under his leadership, Sharp will also build on its ability to support customers globally, providing a one-stop shop to access a wide breadth of office technology solutions.
Company News
Bogen Communications Partners with CrisisGo to Enhance School and Organizational Safety
Bogen Communications announced a technology partnership with CrisisGo, a safety and incident management platform. Together, Bogen Communications and CrisisGo deliver an advanced communication platform designed to streamline crisis management and emergency response for schools and organizations, ensuring swift and coordinated responses to potential emergencies.
Bogen Communications integration with CrisisGo leverages the Nyquist platform and CrisisGo’s Safety iResponse solution to create a unified communication system that enables clear and efficient communication across schools and organizational premises. This integration enhances emergency response by delivering real-time alerts, empowering administrators and security personnel to address incidents instantly, reducing delays and increasing response effectiveness. By leveraging Bogen Communications’ Nyquist, CrisisGo's alerts are broadcast across facilities to ensure comprehensive campus-wide coverage so no area is underserved.
Bogen Communications’ Nyquist and CrisisGo are designed to adapt to institutions of various sizes; the system is easy to install, manage and expand, making it accessible for schools, campuses and large organizations. The integration seamlessly connects with existing intercom and public address systems, maximizing the value of current infrastructure without requiring additional equipment investments. Additionally, customizable notifications allow alerts to be tailored based on location, emergency type and user preferences, providing the flexibility to meet unique facility needs effectively.
Exertis Almo Becomes Sole North American AV Distributor for Select Planar LED Video Walls
Exertis Almo has been named the exclusive distributor for select models of Planar’s line of Leyard LED video wall solutions for the Pro AV integrator channel. This partnership focuses on the Leyard VDS Series line of Chip on Board indoor fine pixel pitch LED video walls and the Leyard MGS Series line of outdoor fine pixel pitch LED video walls, both of which are currently available for order through Exertis Almo.
To support the Planar LED video wall lines, Exertis Almo has appointed dedicated experts, including Tom Keefe, dvLED category manager and Amy Krezowski, business development manager-brand specialist.
LEA Professional Teams Up with Distributor Snap One Australia
LEA Professional announced its new distribution partnership with Victoria-based Snap One Australia, now part of ADI, showcasing the company's ongoing global expansion efforts. This distribution relationship will bring LEA’s technology catalog, featuring intelligent IT solutions, DSP, and smart power management, to customers in Australia and New Zealand.
Snap One empowers its network of professional integrators to deliver entertainment, connectivity, control, and security solutions to residential and commercial end customers worldwide. Expanding their portfolio with LEA Professional’s award-winning Network Connect series of professional amplifiers and companion Dante Connect series featuring Dante and AES67 connectivity supports Snap One's continued commitment. These series enable integrators to utilize cloud-based remote control, monitoring, notifications, and more from any internet-enabled device, allowing them to stay connected anywhere in the world.
LG Business Solutions Hosts 'Innovember Fest' Customer Experience
LG Business Solutions USA hosted a day-long partner and customer event at its Chicago Business Innovation Center (BIC). The LG “Innovember Fest” brought together over 120 attendees from a broad range of vertical channels to experience LG’s latest business solutions across an array of product categories and hear directly from technology partners about how their solutions interface with and complement LG’s expanding solutions portfolio.
Featured LG ecosystem partners included Balance Box, BrightSign, ChromeOS, Crestron, Jabra, Kokomo24/7, Legrand | AV, Logitech, Mago, Melitron, Navori Labs, Peerless-AV, Q-SYS, rp Visual Solutions, Salamander Designs, SAVI Controls, TSI Touch, Uniguest, Userful, and Vizetto.
Dozens of end-user customers, from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, from many of the vertical markets served by LG Business Solutions attended and participated in the event.
MAXHUB Signs TD SYNNEX for Distribution Throughout Canada
TD SYNNEX will now distribute MAXHUB products throughout Canada. As MAXHUB’s Canadian distribution partner, TD SYNNEX Canadian customers will have access to the full line of MAXHUB products.
With headquarters located in both Fremont, CA, and Clearwater, FL, TD SYNNEX is a global IT distribution company with a workforce of 23,000 serving customers across 100 countries. Offering technology solutions, business services, and technology education across a variety of digital platforms, the company is well positioned to support MAXHUB’s comprehensive range of immersive collaboration products and increase MAXHUB’s presence throughout North America. TD SYNNEX will distribute MAXHUB’s product line to AV dealers and system integrators throughout the Canadian territory.
Naostage Expands Global Reach with three APAC Distributors
Naostage announced three new distributors in the APAC region. These strategic partnerships with Novatech, in Australia, ArcSource in Hong Kong, and EZpro in mainland China, cater for the growing demand for Naostage’s tracking solution, K SYSTEM.
In Australia, Naostage will be represented by Novatech Creative Event Technology, a family-owned event production company based in Adelaide, South Australia, focusing on providing innovative, creative turnkey solutions for events of all sizes, while offering a one-stop shop for event organizers and promoters.
Hong Kong-based ArcSource distributes AVL brands and offers services such as design development, concept design and commissioning tailored to meet the specific needs of its clients. EZPro International, the new distributor for the mainland Chinese market, represents pro audio, lighting, conference and control system brands with high-quality products, professional technical support, and full service for systems integrators and dealers.
Neat Named Exclusive Video Conferencing Hardware Partner of Oracle Red Bull Racing
Neat and Oracle Red Bull Racing announced a new three-year partnership naming Neat as the team’s exclusive Videoconferencing Hardware Partner and an Innovation Partner. As part of the agreement, Oracle Red Bull Racing will integrate Neat devices throughout the organization to support creative and flexible collaboration for the championship winning team.
[Massive Philips LED Wall Drives New Energy at Oracle Red Bull Racing]
Beginning in 2025, Neat will be featured on Oracle Red Bull Racing’s RB21 car, pit crew helmets, and track displays. Neat will have access to race paddocks and garage throughout the season for hospitality events with customers and partners. Oracle Red Bull Racing will also use Neat video technology devices in the organization, bringing the team together for creative, flexible collaboration.
Viz University Introduces New Viz Artist Certifications
Vizrt launched its brand new Viz Artist Professional and Expert certifications via Viz University. Viz University is Vizrt’s learning platform offering customers, partners, and freelancers a library of product and technology courses for training, upskilling, and certification.
The revamped Viz Artist training helps designers start their certification journey with the “Certified Viz Artist Design Professional” curriculum. When ready to take their skills to the next level, they can choose from several expert certifications, covering specialized topics such as Transition Logic Design or the Viz Artist Unreal Engine Integration.
Consisting of online courses, exams, and assignments, the new concept promises faster learning across specific topics to master complex tasks and workflows. The Viz Artist programs will also now be in module format to ensure that full-time designers can learn at their own pace and complete each course without unnecessary time pressures and constraints.
Xyte Hosted First AV Cloud Summit
Xyte hosted the inaugural AV Cloud Summit, featuring a panel of industry leaders throughout the entire value chain, including Pam Hoppel, president of LegrandAV; Scott Walker, president of Waveguide; Eric Snider, CTO of CTI; and Ron Sklaver, global lead for In-Office Meeting Experience at EY. In addition, AV companies such as AtlasIED, Planar, Legrand AV, Symetrix, IMSTS, and others presented their cloud implementations. The Summit’s discussions stressed the importance of a unified, interoperable cloud platform to address the complexities of AV system management and monitoring, and meet increasing end-user expectations of simplicity and efficiency.
The AV Cloud Summit highlighted that cloud integration in AV is more than just device connectivity: It’s about effective, seamless, centralized, and efficient management. As the industry moves toward remote monitoring capabilities, the Summit uncovered a major challenge: the fragmentation of cloud management systems. AV devices are often monitored in a decentralized manner, creating a significant overhead for IT/AV managers in assuring continuous operation and a seamless user experience.
AtlasIED, Planar, Symetrix, and WyreStorm demonstrated advanced features in their cloud implementations, such as estore for license enablement and advanced features, secure tunnels, and more. AtlasIED's Atmosphere Cloud, for instance, uses secure tunneling to allow real-time remote system adjustments, reducing operational costs and improving response times. Symetrix showcased cloud licensing as a means to provide product flexibility, where customers can instantly activate new features through software licenses rather than physical upgrades.
The AV Cloud Summit called for collaboration among manufacturers, integrators and industry stakeholders to establish open standards, crucial for accelerating cloud integration in AV, and for allowing an improved user experience that increases efficiency and simplicity. Xyte will host another industry event on May 7th, looking at additional industry cloud trends and cloud use cases.
