Lighting effects manufacturer Ryger Electronics has announced a management re-shuffle. Matthew Cano, who has been test engineer for four years, takes over the role of production manager from Andrew Eastwood who after nine years in the role, moves up to the position of general manager.
Michael Kaiser, executive director of the Royal Opera House, has resigned. Kaiser, who has been in the job less than two years, plans to leave by June 2001 and return to America. He is the latest in a long line of executive directors to leave the Royal Opera House and his decision comes at a time when the House seems at last to be putting behind it the funding controversies and technical problems that dogged its reopening.
Martin Professional UK's sales director David Faulkes is leaving the company to form his own distribution company, Miltec, which will concentrate on the distribution of audio and lighting products within the UK and Ireland. Faulkes told PLASA Publishing: "Over the past six years I have built up a strong relationship with many of the industry's key accounts. Having attended a number of International exhibitions, I believe there are a number of important product lines that have very little or no presence within the UK and Ireland."Miltec can be contacted at: Unit 1, Leddingford Farm, Darman Lane, Laddingford, Maidstone, Kent ME18 6BL.
Peter Maddison has joined Performance Light & Sound as sales representative. Maddison has extensive industry experience, and has previously worked for companies such as Adam Hall. John Ridley, managing director of Performance Light & Sound, told PLASA Publishing that is looking forward to working with Peter and will take full advantage of his extensive industry knowledge.
Peter Hind of Total Fabrications Ltd has recently been appointed to the Council of the Institution of Structural Engineers. The Council - a body of 12 appointed members - is charged with the running of the Institution for a term of three years. This is proving a good year for Hind - only four months ago he was made technical director at TFL. Hind has made a wealth of contributions to the entertainment business over the years, and is a regular contributor to the ESTA Protocol publication. He has written the ESTA / ANSI standard on the Design, Manufacture and Use ofAluminum Trusses and Towers (about to be published); The revised edition of Temporary Demountable Structures by Institution of Structural Engineers - published in March 1999; and written a chapter on Structures of revised edition of the HSE's The Event Safety Guide - published October 1999.
Tony Rodber is to join Stage Electrics as business development manager for Wales and the West. He brings with him a wealth of experience from the industry where he has been a well-known figure for the last 13 years, principally with Lighting Technology.
Thommy Hall recently joined High End Systems as the Northeast sales representative for High End's soon-to-open New York office. Most recently Hall was the stage lighting director for the Maui Myth and Magic Theatre's production of 'Ulalena', which received the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Board's awards for Best Show, Best Attraction and Best Performing Arts presentation. Prior to that he was the sales manager for Hawaii Stage and Lighting.
Phay MacMahon has been appointed managing director of Bandit Lites London and Bandit Lites Ireland which has recently relocated to new premises in Dublin. MacMahon has been a director of all Bandit companies since 1992 and remains such to this day. He is now directly in charge of operations for both European offices. In London, Jason Tang is the general manager and he reports directly to MacMahon on a daily basis. Bandit's new, larger premise in Dublin can now be found at Unit 10, Solus Tower Industrial Estate, Corke Abbey, Bray, County Dublin, Ireland.
Alfred Van Wyk, whose extensive experience includes time spent at both TOA and more recently Federal Signal, has been appointed the area sales manager for Philips CSI communications division. He will be covering the UK, Northern Ireland and Irish Republic, and will have responsibility for communications, public address and congress sales.
Following over two successful years with Propergander, Anna Morgan has left to form new public relations company, Media Ink. Launched in June, Media Ink provides a comprehensive public relations service to the events industry. The company has moved into offices in Wembley overlooking the Arena, and will work with clients across the spectrum, from the rock 'n' roll arena to corporate clients.
beyerdynamic is expanding its sales staff with the appointment of Simon Druce as sales manager responsible for MI product sales covering the north of England. He has had wide hands-on experience, working as a DJ for six years in clubs and pubs around the country before venturing into sales management in the retail sector looking after key accounts. Druce will be responsible for the full line of beyerdynamic's MI products as well as for introducing dB Technologies radio microphones, active speakers and IEM systems.
Earls Court & Olympia has announced that Jonathan Goold will be leaving Clarion Events, organisers of the PLASA Show, at the end of this year. Goold has spent 17 years with the events organising company at Earls Court & Olympia, more than nine of them as managing director. During his time at Earls Court & Olympia, Goold has been show director for a number of events, including The London Motor Show through the 1980s, before taking on the role of managing director in 1991, and overseeing the company's growth throughout the 1990s to its position as one of the UK's leading exhibition and event organisers.
Dave Haydon, BSS Audio's long-serving sales manager, has left the company to join Out Board Electronics as commercial director. To ensure a smooth hand-over, he will continue his association with BSS, on a consultancy basis, for one year. Haydon has a wealth of industry experience, including working as a sound engineer on Jesus Christ Superstar, QC engineer at Midas and product management and broadcast sales at Solid State Logic.
One of the masterminds behind the birth of concert video support nearly a decade ago, Malcolm Mellows has returned to the UK from California to become manager of the Concert Touring Division of Presentation Services Ltd (PSL). A familiar face among road crews from his 18-year career as a lighting designer, Mellows will head a dedicated team at PSL's Cricklewood HQ that also includes Mick Ryder, Scott Russell and Stephanie Jefcoate. Malcolm headed up the original Presentation Services Ltd for three-and-a-half years when it was based at Scrubs Lane. After becoming lighting designer for Suede's Dog Man Star world tour, he then persuaded PSL chief Gary Davis to set up a US office for PSL in Burbank, California, which he established and ran for nearly three years. During his first two stints with the company, Malcolm Mellows was responsible for project managing on PSL's behalf ground-breaking
Paradigm Audio Visual Ltd has expanded its ranks to include new sales manager, Mick Perrone. The rear projection technology specialist is expanding due to a successful business relationship with Danish rear projection manufacturers, DNP Denmark A/S. Perrone brings to the role qualifications in computer technology as well as experience in account management.
Four new directors at large and two new officers have joined the leadership of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT). William J Byrnes, who was elected in 1999, assumed the office of president on July 1st after serving a year as president-elect. Byrnes, an award-winning lighting designer, is associate dean at the Florida State University School of Theatre, has served as a member of USITT's executive committee since 1987, most recently as vice-president for marketing and development. He is the author of Management and the Arts, a comprehensive textbook on arts administration, now in its second edition.
As part of its current restructuring programme, Trantec Systems has further strengthened its sales force with the appointment of Allan Gallacher as regional sales manager for the North of England, Scotland and Ireland. Allan brings considerable experience at the MI end of the market; he was lately shop manager at Micro Music in Liverpool, and prior to that worked at Dawson's in Warrington for six years.
Martin Cassey has joined NXT. Cassey studied Engineering before going on to work with a number of companies including TAG McLaren Audio, Rover Group and British Aerospace. He joins NXT as general manager in the technology transfer department which has a 25-strong team of scientific and engineering specialists.
City Theatrical has appointed Tim Bourgeois as lead engineer. Bourgeois has extensive experience as a lighting designer, technical director and freelance electrician for theatre productions in Boston, and will be developing products for City Theatrical's expanding customer base in the performing arts, convention centres and other entertainment sectors.At the same time, City Theatrical has also appointed lighting designer Brian Patrick Byrne as a technical liaison to dealers and end-users. As well as lighting design, Byrne's experience includes work as a director, production manager and master electrician. His LD credits include productions of Godspell, A Lie of the Mind, Six Degrees of Separation and The Who's Tommy for Evader Productions.
Audio-Technica has restructured its UK operation. On the processing side, Joanne Harding and Sophie Kramer have joined the UK sales pool, along with Donna Norman as office trainee. Chris Todd moves into the new position of product specialist, and is on call to answer any microphone selection or technical enquiries. Denise Turner also changes position, joining the marketing and facilities department as marketing administrator. She has held a number of roles during her four years with A-T, including the setting up of the German office. Alistair Powell joins the company in an internal sales position to support the efforts of the field-based sales team. He has a wealth of audio knowledge, and lists a spell at London's Nomis Studios amongst his previous experience.
Production Resource Group (PRG) has announced that John M. Hovis has joined the company as president and chief operating officer. In his new position, he assumes responsibility for all aspects of the company's day-to-day operations, specifically overseeing all field operations as well as the corporate Information Technology, Human Resources and Finance departments. Hovis comes to PRG from RailAmerica, where he was senior vice-president and chief operating officer for North American operations. John E. Cunningham Jr. has also joined the company as chief financial officer of the Lighting and Audio Group. He is located in the offices of Production Arts and comes to PRG with almost 20 years' experience in finance, including four years as a chief financial officer and three as a consultant.
Celestion has underlined its commitment to OEM sales of guitar and PA chassis loudspeakers with the appointment of two new sales people. Paul Richardson (pictured) is handling OEM export sales to continental Europe and the USA. Richardson brings a substantial commercial expertise to the company. Although his appointment places renewed emphasis on Celestion's North American market, he will also be concentrating on developing new business, especially for recently-introduced products like the Red Label and Truvox ranges.Andy Farrow has been recruited to handle OEM Sales in the UK. A former Celestion employee, he spent five years in the production engineering department at Ipswich. After 18 months outside the company, he missed the music business so much that he has returned in a sales role. With a degree in engineering, an MBA, and production experience at Celestion, his technical skills wi
Stu Chalmers has joined High End Systems as the company's new vice-president of operations. Starting in mid August, he will be based at the automated lighting manufacturer's headquarters in Austin, Texas, to oversee product manufacturing. Areas of responsibility include all production and assembly areas, materials and purchasing. Chalmers was the first employee of the Kaizen Institute of America and as a consultant, has worked with a number of manufacturers including Ford Motor Company. Prior to that, he worked for 3M Company for 15 years. High End is currently working towards ISO Certification which it hopes to complete before the end of this year.
BSS Audio has carried out a major restructure of the sales department, which sees Rik Kirby promoted to the position of sales manager and Dave Smalley to the position of systems group manager. Both have been rewarded for their efforts during what has been a major period of growth for the company. Kirby has been with BSS Audio for three years and his responsibility has now widened to include the UK and all international sales. Smalley, meanwhile, heads up the new Systems Group, which will enable distributors, consultants and installation contractors to draw on BSS's project expertise.
