Sony Electronics is saying goodbye to one of its major mainstays of the custom integration industry. Jeff Goldstein, who has long guided Sony’s CI channel business, has announced his retirement from the company after 28 years.

As Head of Sales for Home Entertainment America, Custom Integration Channel, Goldstein has spent nearly two decades working with dealers, being instrumental in driving Sony’s custom industry growth and relationships.

Kathleen Thomas, currently Senior Manager for Custom Integration Channel, will lead Sony’s Custom Integration team starting April 1.

Thomas is a lifetime veteran of the consumer electronics industry with extensive experience in the high-performance audio and custom integration markets.

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During this tenure, Goldstein successfully launched award-winning displays, a full lineup of ES (Elevated Standard) receivers, and two generations of home theater projectors. After about seven years with other industry stints, he returned to his longtime role with Sony five years ago.

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“I have been incredibly fortunate to have worked alongside our industry’s best and brightest over these many years,” says Goldstein, whom CE Pro honored earlier this year as one of our CE Pro Masters.

“I truly value the dealer partnerships and people at Sony who have made this such an amazing journey for me.”

Goldstein’s deep connection to product development and understanding the customer’s voice contributed significantly to Sony’s success in the market. He started his career at Sony Electronics back in 1989 in the Personal Audio business.

“We are deeply grateful for Jeff’s leadership and contributions to Sony, and his lifetime of advancements in our industry. I personally would not be where I am at without him,” says Neal Manowitz, president and COO of Sony Electronics.

“As we look ahead, we are confident and excited for Kathleen to step into this role and continue driving this important part of our business.”

Industry Veteran Kathleen Thomas Set to Take Sony’s CI Helm

Thomas was formerly the vice president of North American Sales at AudioQuest and managed the Custom Integration channel for Bowers and Wilkins.

She has been recognized by several organizations within the industry including HTSA Person of the Year, Women in CT Legacy Awards, and Dealerscope’s 40 under 40.

“Sony was one of the founding pillars of the Custom Integration channel, and it continues to be deeply important to our strategy,” she says.

 “I have big shoes to fill but am excited to lead such a world class team and support our valued dealers.”

Goldstein has been working closely with Thomas over the past few months to ensure a smooth transition, and he’s excited to see her take the team to the next level.

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