The Netherlands - The ADJ Group has announced ‘the sudden passing’ of Jo Mulders (61) on 17 September. Described as an ‘esteemed and beloved colleague’, Mulders worked for the company for over 15 years, most recently as a general manager at ADJ Group’s European headquarters in Kerkrade, The Netherlands. Toby Velazquez, ADJ Group president, comments: “On behalf of everyone at the ADJ Group, we are stunned and deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Jo Mulders and send our sincerest condolences to his family. Those of us that had the privilege and honour to know and work with Jo have lost an inspiring friend. Jo was a warm, infectiously positive person who really cared for others and his absence will be felt with great sorrow. Jo was always sympathetic and team-oriented, valued for his know-how and drive, and was essential in helping to lift the company
Germany - Absen Europe has announced the appointment of Christian Czimny to the role of R&D director, EU Business Unit. A new role for the company and the first R&D position based in Europe, it will see Christian take the lead on establishing a R&D team in the region to develop the future pipeline of LED display technologies and solutions with features that are specifically sought after by customers in the market. Christian will be working closely with Absen Europe’s team based in the Rüsselsheim HQ in Germany, where he will also host customer visits. Christian will also travel frequently to Absen’s China-based HQ and manufacturing facilities in Shenzhen and Huizhou respectively, in order to align with all departments. The position will take Christian on site visits to customers in Europe to gather their feedback on existing and future products and what deve
USA - ADJ Group has apppointed MI veteran Raul Resendiz as product specialist for ADJ Lighting. Raul will work directly with company staff, dealers and end users with ADJ’s growing line of technical products in ADJ Products, American Audio, and Accu-Cable. Southern California native, Resendiz, has been in the MI industry nearly two decades in roles as technical specialist, field trainer and sales manager at Guitar Center, M-Audio, PreSonus, and most recently at Roland USA. Not only does he know the technical side of the audio business, but he’s also immersed himself in DMX lighting programming and installation. With his vast knowledge of audio and lighting, Resendiz is excited to take on new heights in AVL at ADJ Lighting. Resendiz’s primary responsibilities will be to work hand-in-hand with ADJ’s sales and R&D departments to help train staff members, regi
UK - Industry veteran Chris Hale has joined Chauvet as its new UK product specialist. Prior to joining Chauvet, Chris was the senior product specialist for Martin Professional UK. During his 23 years with that company and its predecessors, Chris worked with lighting products utilised in the touring, theatre, broadcast and film markets. “Chris is a valuable addition to our team,” comments Albert Chauvet, CEO of Chauvet. “He has a broad and deep understanding of many different lighting applications. We’re confident he will be able to make good contributions to Chauvet as we continue to expand and serve more markets with our products.” Working out of Chauvet’s UK office, Chris is involved primarily in the company’s professional product range. “We feel there is an excellent match-up between Chris’s experience and our company’s mission,” says Michael
UK - Lighting and rigging specialist TSL Lighting has announced the appointment of respected head rigger Ali Morris to the team as rigging project manager. Morris brings a wealth of rigging experience to TSL, having worked in the live events industry since the mid-90s. His work has encompassed many disciplines, from theatre, television and rock & roll to festivals, sports, corporate and political events, both in the UK and abroad. During the 2012 Olympics, he looked after the rigging of specialist cameras in many of the venues across London including both vertical and horizontal tracks in the iconic Aquatic Centre. He has also served as head rigger at Glastonbury, Wireless and V Festivals, supervising the main stages. His most recent challenge involved touring a 4.5t custom built gantry crane for Matthew Bourne’s new production of The Red Shoes.
Belgium - Patrick Van de Sande, founder and CEO of Belgian pro audio manufacturer PVS, has announced his son Tom will succeed him as CEO. The company is also finalising an investment of €12m in new buildings for R&D, quality control and distribution in Stevoort, Hasselt. Tom Van de Sande comments: “A few years ago, PVS invested heavily in its own experience centre at the Veldstraat in Hasselt. In the meantime, the company has bought the buildings and land of a former transportation company in Stevoort, Hasselt. We have invested 12m euro in our new logistics centre, complete with new testing facilities and R&D centre. From this location our products are shipped worldwide, to every continent.” The own brands Audac (audio equipment), Procab (cables and accessories) and Caymon (flightcases and racks), all developed in Hasselt are finding their way to 8
Europe - To support the growth of Luxibel, AED has announced the appointment of Damon Crisp as the new international sales manager for the Luxibel brand and for the VMB Show Lift. Damon's wealth of industry knowledge and contacts spans almost 30 years. Recently he has been running his own UK distribution company (DAC Pro-Media LTD) and prior to this he was managing director of Numark Alesis Europe LTD (now In-Music Group). Damon comments: "I have watched over the past decade the incredible growth and achievements of AED group. It is with this unique insight that it was clear to me that any development of own brand products would be as a result of demands requested from our vast rental business. It was an easy decision for me to join AED. They understand and know that dedicated and unique products are the future. It is for this reason that I wanted to be part of this e
UK - Event production and equipment specialists Light Fantastic Production Services has appointed Andy Vere to the role of director of production at their Borehamwood headquarters. A well-established member of the Light Fantastic production team, Vere joined the company in 2014 and has been instrumental in building the company’s reputation as a premier provider of technical production equipment and support services. With a background in theatre lighting design, Vere has a wealth of experience covering a broad range of production disciplines, including theatre, live music and corporate events. Vere’s depth of technical understanding and artistic skills have proven to be invaluable in the successful delivery of a wide range of projects. In his newly expanded role Vere assumes responsibility for supervision of the LFPS project management team, overseeing all as
Canada - Solotech has announced the appointment of Jason Howard as director of operations for the Ottawa office, effective 5 September 2018. In this role, Howard will lead the operational activities, including the integration of advanced equipment and technology for clients for all the segments of expertise (government, business, cultural and sports facilities) of the sales and integration division. Jason has been working in project and operations management for almost 20 years and his areas of expertise include quality assurance, strategic planning and process improvement. (Jim Evans)
Germany - Phil Myers has joined German IP video, audio and control specialist Lawo as senior director of IP Systems. In this newly created role, Myers will coordinate the IP product portfolio and core technology development across the Lawo business as well as supporting the Advisory Board with strategic and technology direction during this fast-changing transitional period in the broadcast industry. Myers previously held the role as IP product manager for SAM (Snell Advanced Media) and Grass Valley, a Belden Brand. Additionally, Myers has undertaken technical product management and head of technology positions at Pinnacle Systems Inc. (now part of Avid Technology), Sony and CVP. Myers comments: “It’s great to be part of a team with such a great vision about the future of our industry and that has the commitment, passion, right people, and leading-edge IP audio, vid
USA - Meyer Sound Laboratories co-founder John Meyer will deliver the AES New York 2018 Convention’s Heyser Memorial Lecture on 19 October (Friday) at 6:30pm. Speaking on the topic Taking the Room Out of the Loudspeaker: New Tools for Transparent Reproduction, Meyer will share his expertise on loudspeaker design and applications from his lengthy career the industry. Meyer first got involved in pro audio in the late 1960s when he started out as designer of custom amplification systems for guitarist Steve Miller. Meyer created the Glyph very large horn loudspeakers and he was the in-house loudspeaker designer at San Francisco’s McCune Sound Service. In the 1970s, his audio research at the Institute for Advanced Musical Studies in Switzerland led to his first patent awarded for a low-distortion horn design. In 1979 he co-founded (with his wife, Helen) Meyer So
Europe - RTW has announced the appointment of Thomas Valter as the company's new director of product management and marketing. Valter, who has more than 20 years of experience in the audio industry, will be at IBC 2018 (RTW stand 8.D89). He comments: "I am pleased to be joining RTW, a highly focused, professional and strong brand. I look forward to taking part in further developing and strengthening the company's position within the ever-changing global broadcast market." Valter recently served as vice-president of business management for the broadcast and production division of TC Electronic. Previous roles at TC Electronic include international public relations manager and product manager, in which he drove product development, UI/UX specifications, sales and marketing for the company. (Jim Evans)
USA - ETC has announced the promotion of four ETC employees into vice-president roles. Fred Foster, ETC CEO says: “Each of our new VPs bring fresh viewpoints to our executive group which is something we constantly encourage across the entire company.” Jake Dunnum is the new vice-president of commercial and industrial operations. Dunnum started working for ETC 18 years ago as a technical support specialist, later moved into marketing product management and most recently became the general manager of business development. In his new role as vice president, Dunnum will continue his duties in business development for all ETC companies around the globe and oversee the management of the commercial and industrial companies of Echoflex and Penko. Vice-president of human resources, Val Farace, will focus on the global employee experience at ETC. Farace joined ETC 22
UK - Bristol-based specialist LED lighting manufacturer GDS has added two new staff members. Following a recent management restructure and the ongoing establishment of important new areas of business, the company has appointed Charlotte Fenwick to the position of marketing manager and Katie Dyer to the role of business development executive. Charlotte brings wide experience of growth-marketing from the property development and engineering sector, whilst Katie has a strong sales background, developed across the IT industry. Managing director Richard Cuthbert comments: “These are very exciting times at GDS. We’re moving forward on a number of new fronts, so it’s essential that we keep pace with progress as we continue to expand the business. Charlotte’s appreciation of engineering and technology and her previous work in taking forward projects in the architectur
Italy - Powersoft has appointed Thiago Terra as application engineer (rack amps). Terra joins the team to support the company’s business growth - acting as a bridge between the market and Powersoft’s product development unit. Thiago joined Powersoft in June and is based at the company’s Italian headquarters in Scandicci, near Florence. The role will also see him travel around the world to conduct training and seminars and to support other engineers, as well as visiting distributors, customers and trade shows to deepen knowledge of Powersoft’s Touring and Install line and Armonía software. At HQ, Terra will work side-by-side with the research and development team to strive for constant improvement to Powersoft’s hardware and software products - identifying and fixing bugs, bringing new ideas to the table and providing worldwide support for Rack Amps. An
UK - LSi is sad to report the passing of Australian lighting designer Richard Pacholski – perhaps better known to many in the industry as R2 – on 19 August after a brief and intense battle with cancer. Fellow lighting designer, and LSi journalist Rob Halliday remembers his friend and colleague: “For many people taking shows, particularly musicals, down under, R2 was the friendly face that welcomed you to Australia. You immediately knew, from the ‘Hey mate’ said in that calm Aussie voice, the big open smile and that sparkly twinkle in his eye, that everything was going to be alright. “Richard began his career at the Adelaide Festival Centre, then joined the Australian Ballet. He wasn’t the first Richard there and so soon became R2, a name that just stuck. In the late 1980s, when Cameron Mackintosh set up an Australian office, R2 joined as lighting manager
Germany - Adam Hall Group has announced further expansion to its international sales team. Markus Jahnel, COO and managing director, will assume responsibility for the Group’s global business development with immediate effect. Bodo Falkenried, who has headed that department since 2013, is retiring and will complete the handover to Jahnel by the end of September. Jahnel comments: “The long-term development of new business areas and partnerships and the development and personal maintenance of our global networks are important priorities for the immediate future. I am looking forward to being even closer to our marketplace expansion.” He adds: “We would like to thank Bodo for his great work and wish him all the best for the new chapter in his life. He was a valued employee who was greatly appreciated by the entire team.” Marcel Mieger will be Adam
UK - Bandit Lites has appointed Jerry Archer as an installation and service specialist to its sales and installation team. Archer will work from the company’s base in Charlotte, North Carolina. His responsibilities will include helping organise and provide support and ideas for the creations of new lighting systems, installing those systems and then maintaining those systems over time. Chris Barbee, Bandit Lites Director of Sales and Installation: “We have spent the better part of a year looking to add this position in Charlotte in order to support our work in the Carolinas as well as nationally. We have a very diverse portfolio of projects which demands a person with a wide skill set and a great personality. We wanted to find the right person for our team and Jerry is definitely the right fit.” Archer adds: “I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of the Bandit
USA - Electro-acoustics specialist Audio Precision (AP) has announced the passing of its co-founder and former president Bob Metzler, aged 84. Metzler founded AP in 1984 alongside Dr Richard Cabot, Bruce Hofer and Robert Wright. He served as the organisation’s president until his retirement in 1999 and was the face of the company in its early days, taking up marketing and sales duties as well as travelling internationally to engage with customers. His legacy includes authoring the Audio Measurement Handbook in 1993, which was widely read throughout the audio community and was used as a text in university-level courses. Metzler also wrote numerous magazine articles and application notes, edited AP’s newsletter, Audio.TST, and conducted seminars and
USA - Ed Grabscheid has joined the executive team at Atlona as chief financial officer (CFO), effective immediately. Grabscheid has spent more than three years at the company as its vice-president of finance and administration. In his new role, he will report to CEO Ilya Khayn and look after all aspects of Atlona’s strategic investments, reporting functions, human resources, and tax and treasury requirements. Grabscheid’s finance experience spans more than two decades, including leadership positions with several Silicon Valley technology companies. Prior to joining Atlona, he served as VP of financial planning and analysis at ServiceMax; and senior director of finance at Intermolecular, where he built and managed the financial reporting function through the transition from a private company to a successful IPO. Among other management positions over his career, Gra
USA - DAS Audio of America has appointed Edwin Guerra to the position of US marketing manager. In his new role, Guerra will be responsible for all US tradeshow coordination from concept to execution, social media management and content creation, supporting the company’s sales staff with a variety of marketing initiatives, and overseeing the creation of related marketing collateral. Guerra is stationed at the Miami office. Prior to joining DAS, he served as production director for Battlefrog Race Series of Miami, where he consulted on all audio equipment purchases in addition to overseeing the deployment of equipment for events. He was also an AV installation technician for AVED of Miami. Reflecting on his new role with DAS Audio, Guerra comments: “I’ve been very fortunate to work with music and sound in several different areas and, with DAS Audio, I now have the
USA - Harman Professional Solutions reports that Tommy Vext, lead vocalist of heavy metal supergroup Bad Wolves, has joined the Harman Professional Solutions Ambassadors Programme. Bad Wolves released their debut album Disobey on 18 May and are preparing to embark on a 32-date summer amphitheatre tour across the U.S. with Five Finger Death Punch and Breaking Benjamin. “I’m beyond excited to partner with Harman Professional Solutions and represent legendary brands like AKG and JBL as we continue our wild and exciting journey,” says Vext. “Bad Wolves brings an incredible amount of energy and focus to our shows, and we need rock-solid gear that works as hard as we do. Harman brands have set the standard for professional performance for decades, and I’m honoured by their support.” The Harman Professional Solutions Ambassadors programme gives lead
UK - Event design and technical production company Maestra London has expanded its team in readiness for a busy autumn season. Joining MD Justin Hammond and the London team are Matt Spark (senior project manager), Euan MacLeod (business development manager) and Cameron Pullar (warehouse assistant). Spark started working at festivals and events like SW4 and the Isle of Wight and other international events, as well as becoming a freelance production assistant for a succession of artists. This experience took him to Australia for three years where he worked with a raft of brands including Star Wars, Quantas and Disney. MacLeod worked in New York and Woodstock before relocating to Scotland to take a degree in Events & Entertainment Management at Glasgow Caledonian University. Pullar worked at a Scottish LED company whist still at school and then studied M
Czech Republic - Architectural LED lighting manufacturer Anolis has appointed Peer Oestergaard as sales director. Based in Denmark, Peer will be managing and co-ordinating Anolis sales teams globally and travelling extensively in his new role. He has most recently worked at SGM Light (sales manager) and has also held a business development role at Alfred Priess and international sales management roles at Thorn Lighting and Martin Professional. Anolis director Tim Van den Eede comments: “We are delighted to have someone of Peer’s calibre and talent on-board. His personality, approach to business and smart outlook is the perfect match for us, and we share the same core visions for taking Anolis to the next level of operation. This is the first of several important upcoming announcements for Anolis over the coming months.” Peer adds: “I am lucky enough to ha
