New offices, a new CEO, and more Pro AV strategic moves. Get caught up on what you missed.
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ADI Celebrates Grand Opening of New Super Center Distribution Center in Dallas
ASG Expands National Footprint with Las Vegas Office
ADI Global Distribution recently opened its new Super Center distribution center in Dallas. The facility was designed to optimize supply-chain operations, enhance customer service, and provide capacity for continued growth.
[SCN Top 50 Systems Integrators 2022]
The Super Center spans more than 400,000 square feet of distribution space and offers the capacity to house more than two million units of inventory. The site is equipped with advanced warehouse automation technologies to assist with product sorting, picking and packing, and provides real-time and advanced inventory management. The facility optimizes the flow of goods to support same/day next day shipping, quick-turn requirements, and offers will call and pick-up anytime convenience. Additionally, the Super Center features product staging areas, multiple loading bays, and is equipped to facilitate overseas containers.
The Super Center site features an environmentally sustainable design with eco-friendly lighting, LED bulbs, motion sensors, energy-efficient heating and cooling, sustainable packaging, reusable products, recycle stations, energy-efficient equipment, water-conserving plumbing, refillable water stations, and more.
To celebrate the opening, ADI hosted a grand opening event with customers, suppliers and team members. With a carnival theme, the event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, facility tours, food trucks and refreshments, raffles and giveaways. Attendees also participated in a charitable backpack build community activity with Mission 500 to support the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas.
Advanced Systems Group has expanded its Southwest business in Las Vegas. Kymberly Cannon, strategic account executive at ASG, will oversee the expansion.
ASG’s account executive team brings engineering services, physical and cloud integration, training, support, and managed services solutions to their clients. This enables regional teams to bring in the support of additional business units when customer needs require them.
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Cannon is responsible for strengthening existing relationships in the region and looking for new connections that benefit from ASG’s deep range of engineering and technology expertise. “Many of our corporate clients are also based in Las Vegas as well as media organizations, event venues, production companies, and broadcasters. Vegas is home to some of the largest data centers for the world's largest studios. With the depth and breadth of ASG’s solutions, and the quality of service that we provide, we will make an even bigger impact here,” said Cannon.
Cannon comes to Vegas from Los Angeles. A trusted and accomplished executive. Cannon has been in the industry for over 15 years with the last four years with ASG, eight years at Quantum, and before that Dell/EMC.
Avidex Appoints Jeff Davis as New CEO
Avidex named Jeff Davis its new CEO following Gary Kolbeck's departure. Previously president and COO, Davis's appointment took effect Sept. 1, 2023.
Avidex—the eighth largest audiovisual systems integrator in the U.S. in the 2022 SCN Top 50—serves the corporate, education, healthcare, government, houses of worship, hospitality, entertainment, and banking markets. Davis will help to accelerate the company's growth strategy which centers on continued geographic expansion, growing the company's solutions offering, as well as renewed focus on mergers and acquisitions. During the pandemic, the company propelled its internal efforts toward digital transformation and streamlining of systems and processes to re-position its platform for future acquisitions.
Davis brings over 25 years of leadership experience in the security and audiovisual industries, specializing in growth strategies, post-acquisition alignment, and business transformation. His passion for developing people and organizations is supported by his extensive experience in managing the restructuring of sales and operations organizations, effectively integrating processes, and establishing shared standards of excellence. Davis currently serves on the board of directors of PSNI Global Alliance, a global network of premier technology integrators and service providers.
Riedel Appoints Vice President of Sales Enablement
Costa Nikols has joined Riedel Communications as vice president of sales enablement for the global team. In his new role, Nikols will design, develop, and institute sales enablement programs to build the foundational and technical knowledge for the global sales team. Continuing to work with strategic leaders and customers across the industry, Nikols will ensure Riedel delivers solutions and platforms that enable its customers to be successful, while improving the customer journey by providing a more fluid and informed sales engagement.
Nikols had served as vice president of global sales enablement at Grass Valley, where he helped guide the company through its transition from a hardware-based to a software-enabled brand. For over 20 years, Nikols held various leadership positions at Grass Valley and its acquisitions, including senior product manager at Snell & Wilcox and sales engineering group manager at Miranda Technologies. In these roles, Nikols discovered his passion and talent for helping guide both colleagues and customers through technological changes, whether it’s architecting a solution, connecting people to information or through first-hand experience.
“Joining Riedel Communications has been a wonderful experience. I was instantly welcomed and felt like I was contributing right away. Being with a company that values technical innovation, customer experience, and the prosperity of its employees is like being in a little patch of heaven,” said Nikols. “Now working for an industry leader in wireless communication and intercom solutions, my experience lends itself well with the company’s strategic technologies vision, and I also love that I am learning new things from people that are passionate about what they do.”
Rick Goricki Joins SoundTube as VP Commercial Audio
SoundTube appointed Rick Goricki as vice president of sales for Commercial Audio. Goricki brings over 25 years of robust leadership experience spanning the consumer technology, wireless, and music sectors.
Throughout his career, Goricki has demonstrated an aptitude for driving organizational operations and directing both domestic and global sales and marketing teams. Goricki's most recent tenure was with HARMAN International, where he held key roles as the director of sales, North America and vice president sales, West region. While there, he was responsible for revenue, profitability, and channel development for major brands like JBL, Crown, AKG, Soundcraft, and BSS in the United States. Before joining HARMAN, Goricki was president for North America and Gibson Brands and spent two decades at Platronics.
His contributions to the industry have been recognized with his positions as ex-officio of the Wireless Division and board member for both the Division Executive Board and Board of Industry Leaders at the Consumer Technology Association (CTA).
Blaze Audio Expands Company Sales Team
Blaze Audio recently added three new sales professionals to the company’s roster for the Americas. Darrell Champagne, James Duvall, and Rob Howitt—all seasoned professionals—will be tasked with building new and maintaining previously established long-term relationships with dealers, consultants, and end users. This involves coordinating sales, account and rep firm management to ensure growth within each territory, as well as in-person product demonstrations and training at trade shows and similar events. All three gentlemen have been with Blaze Audio since May 2023.
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Champagne will serve as Blaze Audio’s new national accounts manager. Champagne has an extensive background that is expected to serve him well in his new position with Blaze Audio. Prior to joining Blaze Audio, he served as senior vice president of operations at Stingray, a global music, media, and technology company active in TV broadcasting, streaming, radio, business services, and advertising. Additionally, he spent 17 years with PlayNetwork, where he was involved in AV integration and professional audio solutions design and related services. Equally noteworthy, he was the sales manager for professional products and large venue systems at Bose Corporation earlier in his career.
Duvall is Blaze Audio’s new central regional sales manager. In this capacity, he will manage sales and foster new business throughout the central time zone. Before joining Blaze Audio, Duvall served as the solutions specialist at Campion, which represents manufacturers of security, audio visual, as well as controls and infrastructure products. He also spent 14 years operating his own business, Creative Engineering and Solutions, where as an audio engineer, he worked with high profile clients on a variety of projects, including audio designs, live recordings, and events coordination. Duvall also served as the central regional sales manager for Vue Audiotechnik.
In his new capacity with Blaze Audio, Howitt will serve as the company’s Northeast regional sales manager. Before joining the Blaze Audio team, Howitt served as the regional account manager–Pro AV New England for ADI Global Distribution, enabling dealers and integrators to operate more efficiently and offer reliable services. Prior to this, Duvall served as the regional sales manager–installed sound division (New England) for AudioPros. Earlier on, he also worked for New England Technical Associates— a manufacturer’s representative firm—as a territory manager in the Contractor Sales Division.
