UK - Liz Maw has joined Stage Electrics in Bristol as health and safety manager. Maw comes from Gloucestershire County Council where her role was as health and safety advisor. Of her new position she says, "This is a challenging role in an interesting industry. I look forward to developing procedures which will benefit the company."
Also in Bristol, Gareth Matchwick has joined Stage Electrics as safety services coordinator. Gareth has an extensive background in sales and marketing and his most recent role was as BDM for Expertise Training, the second largest training company in the UK.
USA - Bosch Communication Systems has announced the appointment of Daniel Nix as vice-president of sales - Americas for the Pro Audio Group.
Nix previously served as principal of The Nix Agency, a southwest rep firm, and has been part of the Bosch family for the past five years. Prior to the Nix Agency, he served as VP of sales for a national contracting firm, sales manager for a national retail music chain, and has extensive experience in film and theatre technical production and digital music production.
Nix remarks: "Our heritage of industry-leading brands like Electro-Voice, Midas, Dynacord, and Klark Teknik, now combined with the strength and resources of Bosch, forges new opportunities in our converging markets. I am pleased and honored to join such a wonderful family of people and manufacturers who passionately dedicate themselves to this industry."
UK - Show Presentation Services (SPS) has appointed Peter Davies to the role of creative producer and video director. Davies has extensive experience as a freelance consultant, working as both creative producer and scriptwriter. He has also produced content for major live events.
In his new role, Davies has become an integral part of the SPS team, working closely with a number of high profile clients. He is responsible for the shaping and delivery of all communications requirements, from live events, right though to video and online campaigns.
Robin Coles, managing director at SPS commented: "I am delighted that Peter has come onboard and he is a great boost to the creative arm of our business. Peter will be very active in managing projects and working with clients to develop meaningful content that meets their communication goals."
UK - Lighting designer Dave Byars (Beautiful South, Young Knives, Blur, Deacon Blue & many more) has joined the product development team at Manchester based LED innovators, i-Pix.
He and i-Pix founder Chris Ewington have worked closely on various projects since Ewington launched the original Pixel range of products into the entertainment market in 2003. Byars used these products, and has also been a keen advocate of the first i-Pix fixture - the Satellite - and more recently their new BB range - integrating these into his designs and creative work.
"We're delighted to be working with Dave and to have someone of his touring experience on the team," declares Ewington, "His appointment also reinforces our commitment to ensuring that working LD's are actively involved in our product creation and development". This is one of the areas which helps keep I-Pix uniq
Germany - HK Audio has named Oliver Rückle as the company's new head of international sales. Prior to joining HK Audio, he spent seven years with beyerdynamic in Heilbronn, first as sales manager and then as product manager.
"I have great expectations for my new job at HK Audio, and I relish this opportunity to continue working for a global brand with a reputation for excellence," commented Rückle. His primary duties at HK Audio comprise caring for customers and managing marketing and sales activities.
Export director Andreas Mayerl added: "We are confident that Oliver is the perfect addition to our team, and are happy to have him join us in our efforts to drive our brand's controlled global growth."
Canada - Ross Video has announced the appointment of Marcel Fontaine, as regional sales manager for the Southwest USA. Fontaine joins the sales team after working for Ross as a demonstration artist and trainer for six years. He is currently located in Vancouver, BC, but will be based in Southern California and will report to Kyle Luther, national sales manager for USA.
"Marcel is going to be a great addition to our already strong team of regional sales managers," said Kyle Luther. "His demonstrated abilities as a TD are well noted, and his sales professionalism and familiarity with our award winning product line will allow him to make an immediate impact and contribution to the region and the industry."
UK - Frank Lambrechts has joined Rosco's sales force in line with Rosco's commitment to further developing their international business, and to further increase awareness of their custom gobo service.
Reporting to business development manager, Katrin Schlueter, Frank comes to Rosco with considerable experience of working with lighting designers in Belgium and with an in depth knowledge of the Rosco product range.
Having spent the last two and a half years years at Rosco dealer Candela, developing their Rosco business, Frank has the ideal background to develop the Rosco brand in Benelux and Northern France.
Frank will focus his attention and considerable energy on end users ensuring that theatres, lighting designers, TV Studios and filmmakers understand the breadth of the Rosco range and the value it brings to their productions, whilst Katrin will continue to support the Rosc
South Africa - The DWR Distribution sales team has been strengthened with the addition of Robert Izzett. "This is part of a planned company expansion," says Duncan Riley, MD of the leading South African lighting sales company which distributes premium brands like Robe moving lights, Avolites and MA lighting consoles and Strong.
Izzett brings many years of industry experience to DWR, the last eight of those were spent at Electrosonic, before which he worked in the event industry. He also has a diploma in sound engineering.
"I'm delighted to have Robert onboard," says Riley, "People and service are the most important thing in this business. I was specifically looking for someone with a broad hands-on knowledge of our industry and the specific demands of that environment, as well as good product awareness. It's really vital to have the right people in the
USA - Digidesign has announced the appointment of Kevin McLaughlin to the position of vice-president of engineering. In his new position, McLaughlin will oversee the development of Digidesign's audio software and hardware product line.
McLaughlin comes to Digidesign after several years as vice president of engineering at Cisco Systems' Desktop Switching Business Unit, where he led a team of more than 500, overseeing the development of a diverse line of system hardware and software. He has also held executive positions at Silicon Graphics and Cray Research.
"We're pleased to welcome Kevin to Digidesign," remarked Tex Schenkkan, Digidesign's chief operating officer. "He brings a wealth of varied experiences, a strong understanding of large-scale systems development, a broad perspective on engineering and technology, as well as leadership and management skills that
USA - Aviom has confirmed the promotion of Jeff Lange from consultant liaison to consultant liaison & training manager. "With his experience in the field and in designing complex systems, Jeff understands what contractors and consultants need and can move back and forth from the technical and theoretical to the very practical," says Chandler Collison, director of marketing. "In many ways, we're simply formalizing what Jeff has been doing for sometime now."
Aviom will launch the training programme at this year's InfoComm show where Lange will teach two courses: Audio Distribution Applications with Aviom's Pro16 Series and Audio Networking with Aviom's Pro64 Series.
The Netherlands - Peter de Kroon, MD of Projecta BV has announced his resignation and the appointment of his successor, John Hussa.
"After 12 years of working in an inspiring environment and industry I am informing you that I have decided to resign from my position as managing director of Projecta BV from 1st May 2008, "says Peter de Kroon.
"Although I will stay connected with Projecta for the remainder of 2008, I herewith want to thank you for the pleasant and fruitful cooperation that I have enjoyed when working with you during all these years. I am also grateful for the confidence that you had in me and the company in the years that we have been building the Projecta position in the projection screen market.
"At the same time, it is my pleasure to announce the appointment of John Hussa as my successor and new managing director of Projecta BV. John is a
Austria - Mettmann-based VLM recently has appointed Walter Hubacek as sales manager for Austria. Hubacek will be responsible for furthering the expansion of VLM Austria. His tasks will include looking after and winning new customers, optimizing the sales structure, project development and market
Andreas Hellwig, general sales manager, VLM comments: "We took a long time over this personnel decision. Finally, in Walter Hubacek we found exactly the candidate we wanted for this important position. VLM Austria will be a source of very great satisfaction before long."
UK - Gloucestershire-based LED lighting provider, Greenled, has appointed four new sustainable lighting specialists to its expanding team: Ian Russell, Paul Stearman and Paul Haines join the sales force, and Nigel Thomas joins the technical team.
Based in London, Ian Russell will manage key sales accounts in London and the South East, focusing on the new build and built environment sectors in particular. His duties include business development and delivering tutorials to make the building world more aware of the benefits offered by LED technology. "I have always had a passion for lighting and Greenled ticked all the right boxes," Ian explains. "I hope to earn my green stripes by educating and converting businesses to the benefits of sustainable lighting technology."
Ian ran his own property development business in London for several years after working for
USA - Renkus-Heinz has named Tim Shuttleworth to the key role of engineering manager, leading the company's engineering team.
A resident of California, Shuttleworth's has previously held positions with Cerwin-Vega, KRK, JBL Professional, Neve Electronics and Cadac. An AES member since 1976, healso has personal patents issued or pending on 11 audio innovations.
Renkus-Heinz president Harro Heinz says, "Tim brings a tremendous track record of leading by example in contributing to new product concepts, and overseeing the development of detailed specifications for both hardware and software components. His know-how of engineering project management on demanding and time critical projects, as well as providing support and fostering skill development, is a tremendous addition to our engineering team."
USA - Bill Sims will depart Philips Solid-State Lighting Solutions, formerly Color Kinetics, at the end of June 2008, the company reports. He will be succeeded in the role of CEO by Jeffrey Cassis, currently the company's senior vice-president and COO.
Under Sims' leadership, Color Kinetics achieved sustained profitability and its revenues grew 30% per year on average between 2001 and 2007. He guided the company's strategic direction, sales operations, expansion of its OEM business, and the creation of its successful licensing program. He also oversaw the company's most pivotal milestones, including its successful initial public offering in June 2004 and its acquisition by Philips in August 2007 for just under $1 billion.
As a result of this and other acquisitions, totaling more than $4.2 billion in the last two years alone, Philips has emerged as a leader in the increasingly
USA - Mackie has announced the appointment of Laz Harris to the position of Asia-Pacific market manager. In this newly created position, Harris will ensure Mackie and Tapco distribution partners are supported through marketing, training, tradeshows, product launches and other activities.
"We are confident that Laz will strike the critical balance between market opportunity, our business objectives and sales team support," said Adrian Bell, director of marketing. "We look forward to continued, explosive growth in our Asia-Pacific markets."
Harris joined Loud in November, 2004 and most recently held the position of product specialist. Harris will be based in Singapore, reporting to Adrian Bell.
USA - Steve Carson, general manager of Philips Lighting Controls - which includes Vari*Lite, Lightolier Controls, Entertainment Technology, and Strand Lighting - has announced the appointment of Tom Folsom as the general manager of the Strand Lighting division, worldwide. This includes the Strand Lighting operations in Cypress California as well as London and Hong Kong.
"Tom is uniquely qualified for this position. His diverse background and experience as well as his understanding of the entrepreneurial nature of this business make him an excellent choice for this key position," said Carson.
"We have been working quickly since our acquisition of Strand to create the right mix of products and services for the market the past two years. Strand is now positioned to move and establish its position as a world leader in lighting controls. With our recent partnership w
UK - Wireless microphone manufacturer Trantec, has appointed Rob Moore to the position of Northern Field sales executive.
Rob comes to Trantec from a 15 year career at the Music Factory Entertainment Group where amongst other roles, he headed up MastermixDJ, a service that provided DJs with access to the best in equipment and advice.
Commenting on his appointment, Moore said: " I've long been an admirer of the quality and innovation that goes into Trantec products, and joining a major player in the wireless mic market is a great opportunity for me. I don't know of any company that understands their target audience better than Trantec. They've engineered their new microphones for serious users and I'm happy to be a part of an organization that's truly focused on delivering quality products."
Trantec's head of sales and marketing, Mark Parkhouse added: "Rob's ex
UK - Jo-Ann Thorn has joined The Sound Division Group with a multi-functional role ranging from office manager, organising the company's burgeoning hire and production business, to other aspects of sales and marketing.
Thorn spent the past five years at Halo Lighting, following ten years working with AV and videoconferencing technology at BT.
"I've been aware of Sound Division's excellent reputation within the industry for many years and it's a real pleasure to be invited to join the team. I'm greatly looking forward to the challenges ahead," she says.
The company's managing director David Graham adds, "It is fortunate that we have been able to recruit someone of Jo-Ann's background and enthusiasm. With a range of services from party and event production through to top-level install it was vital that we enlisted someone with the organisational skills and indus
USA - The United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) bestowed one of its highest honours, the 2008 Harold Burris-Meyer Distinguished Career in Sound Award, on Meyer Sound founders Helen and John Meyer at its annual conference in Houston. At the same event, The Pearson Theatre, Meyer Sound's resident theatre at its Berkeley headquarters, was also given an Architecture Merit Award.
"The world of the performing arts has always been a passion for us, both personally and professionally," remarked Helen Meyer. "Meyer Sound has long strived to be part of the driving force in the evolution of theatre sound technology, and we're gratified by the recognition we've received today from our friends and colleagues at USITT."
Also at the USITT Conference, architects Marcy Wong and Donn Logan were recognized with an Architecture Merit Award for their work on Me
UK - Stagecraft Theatre Services (STS), one of the country's leading experts in stage, sound and lighting installers, has welcomed new project manager Kevin Hughes to its growing Salisbury-based team. Hughes, who has worked in the industry for 20 years, has project managed audio and visual installations at events and venues throughout the country, including commissioning the sound system at the much-talked-about O2.
"2008 has been an exceptionally busy year for STS so far and we are very pleased to welcome Kevin to our team," said sales director Martin Palmer. "Kevin brings with him a wide-range of experience and equipment knowledge, which will be of great benefit to schools, theatres and performance venues."
Originally an expert in sound system installation and commissioning, Kevin now has a breadth of expertise covering sound, video, lighting and stage ma
UK - Shure Distribution UK (SDUK), a leading distributor of professional audio equipment, is delighted to announce the appointment of Dinesh Maisuria as their new Senior Service Technician.
Dinesh brings a vast amount of technical experience to SDUK. Dinesh has most recently worked at Sennheiser UK for over eight years as their key RF Service Engineer and previously at Audio Engineering where he was responsible for testing Micron microphones.
Dinesh brings a depth of industry experience and technical knowledge to SDUK and enhances the already strong service team. 'This new appointment will grow and develop the service team enabling SDUK to achieve the long-term objective of positioning SDUK as industry leaders in providing renowned and unique levels of service to their customers,' say the company.
'The appointment of Dinesh represents our commitment to continually improve,
UK - After working with engineering design company Xolve for some three years on a freelance basis, draftsman and designer Andy Prescott has now formally become part of the team adding his extensive CAD and project management skills to the Xolve portfolio of technical and mechanical capabilities.
With six years' experience in the entertainment industry, an inherent ability to problem-solve and an in depth understanding of 2D and 3D CAD, Prescott is perfectly positioned to complement Xolve MD Neil Darracott's mechanical engineering and design expertise and to hasten the development of this growing business.
Having already supported Darracott on such high profile projects as last year's rugby world cup, and West-end musical Gone With The Wind earlier this year, Prescott has recently led Xolve's work for George Michael as his 25 Live tour prepares for the USA in the summer
UK - Sennheiser UK has announced that John Steven has left the company. Having been Sennheiser UK's director of marketing for the past eight years, he leaves to start and run his own company, John Steven PR.
Steven will continue working with Sennheiser UK on a freelance basis on various special projects, including assisting general manager Phil Massey with the company's ongoing involvement with the National Film and Television School and the Liverpool Institute of the Performing Arts.
Massey wished his departing colleague well. "John's been very committed to this company for a long time and we're sorry to see him go," he said, "although I'm glad he'll still be involved with us in a freelance capacity. He leaves behind a very strong and capable marketing team."
Steven joined Sennheiser UK in January 2000, having previously worked for their appointed PR Com