The big news last week in Pro AV was not one, but two more acquisitions.
CTI made yet another acquisition, this time acquiring MP Productions of Little Rock, AR, adding the team’s four decades of experience producing arena and stadium events nationwide to CTI’s portfolio. CTI has been busy the past year. First, CTI acquired Vistacom of Allentown, PA, in February 2024 before adding a pair of acquisitions in Advanced Systems Integration and Digital Technology Solutions. This is reported to be the 40th U.S. location for CTI.
“For over forty years, Mike Pope and MP Productions have brought world-class production service to arenas and stadiums across the United States,” said John Laughlin, CEO of CTI. “Beginning with national recording artists like Barbara Mandrell and REO Speedwagon in the eighties, they added corporate events, hosting dozens of shows a year for Amway and Success, earning the trust of organizations as diverse as ATA Martial Arts, Biogen, CAT and many, many more. Their creativity, reliability, and dedication to the client are second to none. I look forward to taking this team into the future and seeing them grow and prosper with CTI.”
Now, on with the show.
People News
Allen & Heath USA Expands Live Sound and Touring Team
Allen & Heath welcomed mixing engineer and experienced touring professional Jake Hartsfield as its new live sound and touring manager. Hartsfield, known for his work with artists such as Carly Rae Jepsen, Ben Rector, and Vulfpeck, brings a wealth of expertise and a passion for audio that will significantly strengthen Allen & Heath’s commitment to live sound users.
Hartsfield's predecessor in the role, Mike Bangs, has been promoted to senior manager of live sound and touring, a new position with focus on high level market development for touring customers and oversight of Allen & Heath training curricula.
In their new roles, Hartsfield and Bangs will both be instrumental in the expansion and delivery of Allen & Heath University, the company’s comprehensive in-person and online training program. Drawing on his extensive experience as a Front of House engineer and Tour Manager, Hartsfield will lead sessions across the United States, providing users with in-depth knowledge and practical skills to effectively operate Allen & Heath’s flagship dLive and versatile Avantis series digital mixing consoles.
Christie appoints Sean James as EVP of Global Sales and Service
Christie appointed Sean James as EVP, Global Sales and Service. In this new role, James leads the sales function and continue to lead the company’s service organization.
With more than 28 years of experience at Christie, James, who started his career as a field engineer servicing cinema equipment, was instrumental in developing support programs and relationships with many leading Hollywood studios as they transitioned to digital cinema. He helped to deploy the world’s first large-scale digital cinema deployment of nearly 4,000 screens across the U.S. and led the development of Christie’s first Network Operations Center (NOC), expanding it globally. James previously led Christie’s Enterprise and Entertainment division and has played a key role in driving Christie’s expansion in both markets. His insights over the years have strengthened the company’s reputation as a global leader in AV solutions for cinema, themed entertainment, government, and live and public events.
Don Sperling Joins KMH Team
The KMH Integration team is expanding with the addition of Don Sperling, who will lead the company’s growing creative services division as SVP of broadcast and digital engagement.
Sperling was previously SVP and executive producer for the New York Giants, where he continually re-invented the team’s in-house content and production workflows, creating dynamic gameday and branded content to enhance the fan experience. Most recently, Sperling oversaw “Giants 100,” marking the team’s 100th season anniversary with a series of digital and broadcast initiatives, events, and in-person experiential activations to commemorate the year-long celebration.
Now, Sperling brings decades of digital media experience to KMH Integration as the system integrator continues to expand its operations across a range of markets, from sports and broadcast to media and entertainment, education, corporate, and financial.
Dr. Markus Motzko Joins LYNX Technik
LYNX Technik has appointed Dr. Markus Motzko as head of production and administration. Motzko has extensive experience in production processes, manufacturing optimization, and technical leadership, with a strong background in the semiconductor and medical technology industries. Before joining LYNX Technik, he played a key role at Littelfuse-IXYS Semiconductor in Germany, where he introduced new production processes, supported manufacturing operations, led product development of a medical chip product line, and provided technical support for the specialized needs of medical clients. His expertise includes process engineering, supply chain optimization, and technical product management.
In his new role, Motzko will be responsible for improving production efficiency, managing supply chain operations, and overseeing administrative functions at LYNX Technik. He’ll focus on streamlining manufacturing processes and keeping operations cost-effective, all while ensuring the company continues to deliver the high-quality solutions the company is known for. He’ll also handle internal operations, financial oversight, and compliance efforts to support LYNX Technik’s ongoing growth.
RCF Appoints Brian Espinosa as Western Territory Manager
RCF has welcomed Brian Espinosa to the newly created position of Western territory manager. In this role, Espinosa oversees sales and marketing support activities across the western United States, further strengthening RCF’s presence in the region.
Espinosa brings over two decades of experience in the professional audio industry, having worked extensively in sound reinforcement, integration and event production. His career began in 1998 at Cakewalk Music Software, where he managed customer support and regional sales. He then spent nearly 20 years as an independent manufacturer’s representative with the Marshank Group, representing leading brands such as Adamson, Clair Brothers, EAW, Mogami Cable, and Genelec studio monitors. Notably, he has also previously represented RCF, giving him an in-depth understanding of the brand, its culture and its products.
Espinosa focuses on driving growth in the integration and event production markets while ensuring continued stability in the retail sector. His responsibilities include managing key product lines such as RCF, TT+ Audio and GTX, working closely with dealers, integrators and production companies across Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Montana, and Hawaii.
Stage Precision announces the appointment of Sarah Cox as CCO
Founder of Neutral Human and a thought leader in the AV industry, Sarah Cox joins the Stage Precision team in the role of chief commercial officer, ushering in the next evolution of the company’s growth. With her years of experience in commercial strategy, marketing, and the converging nature of the industries around us, Cox is ideally placed to drive the expansion of SP Grid.
Cox’s role as CCO will focus on driving SP’s commercial direction under Michael Giegerich, CEO, as well as overseeing brand, marketing and customer experience strategies. With SP V1 having successfully exited Beta two years ago, this next phase is focused on scaling SP Grid across multiple markets and ensuring it becomes the backbone of digital experience automation worldwide.
Company News
Avidex Acquires Visual Commands
Avidex has acquired Visual Commands, a technology-driven AV programming and design consultant known for its expertise in custom programming and design, control system coding, automation, and remote monitoring service solutions. This acquisition strengthens Avidex’s position in the audiovisual industry by bringing expanded capabilities, deeper technical expertise, and a shared commitment to client success.
As part of this transition, Monty Champoux, president of Visual Commands, will join Avidex as chief technology officer (CTO), where he will lead technology strategy and innovation across Avidex’s portfolio. The entire Visual Commands team has seamlessly transitioned to Avidex, ensuring uninterrupted service and expertise for their existing valued clients while gaining access to Avidex’s robust infrastructure, extensive resources, and 24x7x365 National Help Desk for enhanced support.
With a trusted partnership spanning over two decades, Visual Commands and Avidex have spent the last five years collaborating to develop and implement Avidex Assure, a premier Remote Monitoring and Managed Services Platform. This acquisition paves the way for even greater innovation, scalability, and service enhancements across Avidex’s entire portfolio.
Pioneering Pixels: Absen Looks at the Future of LED
Absen pre-launched new products at its Spring Launch event. The event kicked off with keynote speeches by Absen’s senior leadership team, outlining the brand’s positioning and strategy for the coming year. The team emphasized Absen's commitment to pioneering advancements in Pro AV technologies with an in-depth introduction to the company's latest product launches.
The new products pre-launched include the Absen X V2 Series, featuring all-in-one LED display solutions for conference and corporate applications with 2K+ ultra-high resolution, high stability, wide compatibility and quick installation. Absen also introduced its upgrades for NX, KLCOB V2, CPS Series for different applications. These products symbolize exceptional structural engineering and optimal space utilization for strength and durability, as well as an unparalleled visual experience .Also making the introduction was Absen’s A25 Series, a low-carbon and energy saving LED solution for a wide range of creative DOOH applications.
NETGEAR Joins the DPP
NETGEAR has joined the DPP, an international association for media and technology. This strategic move to join the DPP marks the next step in NETGEAR’s commitment to empower businesses with the tools they need for next-generation content creation and distribution.
The company has embraced rapid innovation to ensure end users have innovative equipment for their projects. This includes the simplified approach to network configuration, NETGEAR AV OS with certified profiles for every major broadcast and Pro AV protocol. Additionally, NETGEAR offers free and direct access to engineering teams well versed in AV and IT for pre and post-sales support. Further, NETGEAR’s ST2110-capable series of switches reinforce the company’s rapidly evolving product road map that reflects today’s shifting industry standards. By joining the DPP, NETGEAR can continue to encourage and accelerate adoption of AV over IP.
The DPP’s extensive network provides NETGEAR with the ideal platform to further elevate its place in the broadcast ecosystem. This is complemented by NETGEAR’s base of nearly 400 certified AV manufacturers. By joining the DPP community of over 500 key players in the digital production ecosystem, NETGEAR will collaborate more closely with industry leaders, helping to usher in the next generation of advanced broadcast and digital production networks.
Pro AV Around the Globe
- LEA Professional strengthens international presence with ADI | Snap One EMEA partnership. This distribution relationship will bring LEA’s rich technology catalog, featuring advancements in intelligent IT solutions, DSP, and smart power management, to Snap One customers in the EMEA region.
- Renkus-Heinz teams up with Asimetrik for a wider reach in Turkey. Asimetrik distributes a range of pro audio, lighting, and control products, with a strong reputation for service and technical support. The new partnership with Renkus-Heinz expands Asimetrik’s portfolio with an inventory of innovative products, including the ICONYX Series family of digitally steerable arrays.
- Visionary and BVD International forge partnership for Caribbean distribution. This partnership appoints BVD International as the exclusive distributor of Visionary’s AV over IP and IPTV solutions across the Caribbean, highlighting a significant expansion for Visionary in the region.
