September 17, 2019 · Paradigm Appoints Delnero
Paradigm Electronics Inc., a global manufacturer of speakers, and Anthem, a manufacturer of audio/video equipment, have announced the appointment of Kyle Delnero to the brands’ sales team as training manager, effective immediately.
Delnero has extensive experience in the audio industry, having worked as Eastern regional sales manager for KEF and field support specialist for Bower & Wilkins. Delnero is responsible for training Paradigm and Anthem dealers and reps, along with supervising the training efforts of training specialists throughout Canada and the U.S.
“We are excited to add Kyle Delnero to our growing team. Kyle brings a contagious enthusiasm for this industry and all that it entails. His knowledge and training experience is a welcomed addition to our brands and our expanding network of dealers,” says Mike Barber, director of U.S. sales, Paradigm and Anthem.
September 13, 2019 · Savant Adds IC Realtime to Partners in Excellence Program
Savant, a smart home technology company, has added IC Realtime as a Recommended Partner to its Partners in Excellence program, providing integrators with access to “best-in-class” security cameras.
Savant Recommended Partners represent solutions from each product category, with associated driver testing performed by both Savant’s engineering team and the participating partner.
Savant’s newest Recommended Partner is IC Realtime, delivering video surveillance solutions that interact with the Savant control and automation platform. Established in 2006, IC Realtime is known for systems that enhance the privacy of their clients, including government and military contracts, only sourcing cameras and other critical components from trusted suppliers.
Unique to Savant, IC Realtime cameras have the ability to record triggered events, based on detected motion, directly to the Savant Cloud, offering enhanced value and service opportunity to technology integrators.
September 12, 2019 · AudioControl Adds Russound Architectural Loudspeakers to Sound Partners Program
AudioControl, makers of high-performance audio solutions for the residential, commercial and automotive markets has announced that Russound has been added to their Sound Partners Program (SPP).
The AudioControl SPP was established as a cooperative initiative with architectural speaker manufacturers in order to implement optimized performance profiles as defined by each brand’s engineers. These profiles, when stored in the DSP onboard the AudioControl Director and CM-Series high-performance 8-channel, 16-channel and 70-volt amplifiers, create a whole-house entertainment/commercial audio platform for integrators.
AudioControl has made DSP profiles available now for the complete line of Russound IC-Series Architectural Loudspeakers, from the IC-610 to the 20-Series and 30-Series models featuring Russound’s SwiftLock toolless mounting system in the brand new IW-620 in-wall loudspeaker.
Multiple DSP profiles have been set up for all of the Russound models, including a “flat” profile that is designed to enhance the speaker’s performance without any coloration, a “reflective” profile to be used in rooms with large amounts of reflective surfaces and lastly, an “absorptive” profile designed for rooms that are filled with absorptive surfaces like carpets, furniture, curtains, etc.
September 11, 2019 · Nortek Security & Control Hires Richardson
September 11, 2019 – Further strengthening its CI sales team, Nortek Security & Control, a global manufacturer of wireless security, home automation, access control, and health and wellness technologies, has announced the appointment of Nathan Richardson to the position of CI regional sales manager for the Southern California territory.
Richardson replaces Scott Osborne, who is taking over the CI team’s Florida territory. Richardson’s industry experience includes over five years as a branch manager at Volutone. Before that, he served as a sales manager at Magnolia AV, where he provided system designs and sales proposals for premium electronics solutions. Most recently, he covered System Design and Outside Sales for Absolute AV Design.
Richardson replaces Scott Osborne, who is taking his talents to the CI team’s Florida territory. Richardson’s industry experience includes over five years as a Branch Manager at Volutone. Before that, he served as a Sales Manager at Magnolia AV, where he provided system designs and sales proposals for premium electronics solutions. Most recently, he covered System Design and Outside Sales for Absolute AV Design.
“I am tremendously excited to join the team at Nortek Security & Control,” says Richardson. “This team has an incredible customer focus and the new ELAN solutions we are bringing to market are truly market-leading.”
September 9, 2019 · Azione Unlimited Partners with VITAL MGMT
Azione Unlimited is proud to announce a new partnership with VITAL MGMT, providing the smart home association with a “distinct abundance of process knowledge and operations guidance,” according to a press release.
Directed by the combined efforts of Paul Starkey and Steve Firszt, VITAL MGMT will leverage custom integration focused business exercises to bolster the profitability of Azione Unlimited members.
Rooted in a philosophy of education, VITAL MGMT is designed to align every part of a business from labor rates to accounting, payroll to bidding into a standardized process. VITAL MGMT then uses that collected data to determine strengths and weaknesses from a fully informational standpoint.
The process, designated as Business Intelligence for Custom Integrators (or Bi4Ci), boasts a proven track record of “3 to 13 points of bottom-line profit improvement, that is, $100K’s to the bottom line,” notes Starkey.
“The real key is for dealers not to wait to get started,” continued Starkey, CEO and executive director of VITAL MGMT.
“The building blocks are quite simple: adopt the chart of accounts, standard revenue recognition practices, project tracking disciplines, and management reporting. Enabling Azione Unlimited members to adopt these core values will put them on the road to making high impact changes in their business.”
As Azione Unlimited continues to foster this relationship, members will gain access to these dashboard services and personalized business coaching methods provided by VITAL MGMT.
September 9, 2019 · Lenbrook Americas Appoints Manufacturers’ Representatives in the US
Lenbrook Americas, the distributor of residential hi-fi audio brands NAD Electronics, PSB Speakers, and Bluesound wireless multi-room in North, Central, and South America and DALI Loudspeakers in the U.S., today announced the appointment of manufacturer’s representatives in key regions in the United States. The announcement reflects Lenbrook Americas’ desire to better serve the growing custom installation market, with responsive and regionally-nuanced sales, fulfillment, and post-purchase support.
“Supplementing our internal sales resources with external representatives will help us to more efficiently and effectively gain traction in the custom installation marketplace, while allowing us to continue building our traditional hi-fi dealer business,” says Stephen Baker, senior director of sales for Lenbrook Americas.
The company intends to continue augmenting its U.S. sales infrastructure in the coming months and interested and qualified parties are encouraged to drop by the Lenbrook Americas area at CEDIA Expo 2019, booth #2520 to speak with the commercial team
September 9, 2019 · Dynaudio Opens New Headquarters
The Danish loudspeaker company Dynaudio celebrated the grand opening of its new headquarters for North and South American operations with its Annual Rep Summit, held Aug. 21-22, in the Chicago suburb of Northbrook, Illinois. The 25,000-square-foot facility is dedicated largely to the new Dynaudio Experience Center, which will be utilized for product demonstrations and dealer and sales rep training sessions, as well as housing a larger warehouse to support product demand in the region.
“As we continue to expand, we’re always looking for new opportunities that we can invest in to support our customers,” says Michael Manousselis, vice president, operations – Americas, Dynaudio.
“Our new North American headquarters is part of that mission. We not only will be able to facilitate continued sales growth, but also conduct highly requested training sessions and demonstrate our expanding and increasingly diversified high-end product portfolio properly because of our more flexible facility. We’re excited to open the doors to Dynaudio’s dealers, reps, members of the press and to our industry partners participating in the center to allow visitors an opportunity to experience first-hand all of the unique elements and advanced performance capabilities of our collective products.”
September 9, 2019 · B&O to Focus on Custom Install Market
Bang & Olufsen is focusing on the installation market through several developments in its North American organization. The moves are designed to strengthen its position in the monobrand and custom integration channels.
“Our strategy for the coming year is to grow our business in North America,” explains Ulrich Wohn, managing director of Bang & Olufsen America. “We will do that by expanding our monobrand retail presence in key cities throughout the Unites States and Canada, and by strengthening our relationships with our custom integration partners.”
Over the last three months, Bang & Olufsen has opened new stores in La Jolla and Vancouver. Next week, the brand will be returning to the annual CEDIA Expo to display a selection of exciting new products and platforms that have special relevance for custom integrators.
Organizational changes to support growth ambition, especially within custom integration To support this growth ambition, Bang & Olufsen veteran Brian Bjørn Hansen, who currently serves as the company’s head of custom Installation and third-party Integration, will be moving to New York City and working out of the U.S. headquarters in downtown Manhattan. Hansen will take on a new role as senior manager of retail business development for North America, and he will focus in particular on the monobrand and custom integration channels.
September 9, 2019 · Wilson Electronics Hires Dave Donald
Wilson Electronics, a manufacturer of cellular signal amplifier products, has announced that Dave Donald has joined the company as its new CEDIA national account manager to help the company implement its go-to-market (GTM) custom installation strategy.
In his new role, Donald will be responsible for interfacing with integrators, representatives and distributors in the custom electronics market to promote Wilson’s offering of cellular signal amplifier technologies. Donald will be based out of Las Vegas, Nev.
“Strong cellular signal has quickly become a crucial factor to success in an increasing number of projects,” says Donald. “I’m excited to be working with Wilson Electronics to help bring our cellular signal amplifier technology to integrators so they can better serve their customers, build loyalty and create new revenue opportunities.”
As CI national account manager, Donald will play a key role in fine-tuning and executing Wilson Electronics’ GTM strategy in the CEDIA space by helping integrators add a new and profitable category to their offering. Donald’s 30-plus years of experience in the custom electronics world has brought him a great deal of insight into the evolution of the industry. As systems have become more advanced and customer reliance on their integrators has increased, companies like Wilson Electronics are providing critical solutions.
September 9, 2019 · RTI Promotes Bova
RTI, a global manufacturer of control and automation products, has announced the promotion of Vincent Bova to the position of director of dealer experience. Bova has earned the new role by ensuring an exceptional experience for the company’s dealers through robust training programs, superior technical support, and project design assistance, according to the company.
Bova has extensive experience in the CI industry, having owned an integration business for over 12 years, where, in addition to doing installations of his own, he became a programming resource for other dealers. Joining RTI in 2017 as the dealer experience manager for the Eastern region, Bova was instrumental in developing the new RTIXCEL training program, including a state-of-the-art online learning management system, online webinars, and the successful three-day headquarter training.
“With his extensive knowledge of the CI industry and passion for supporting dealers, it’s no surprise that Vincent has made a huge impact at RTI since joining our team,” says Ed McConaghay, CEO, RTI. “His contributions to our Dealer Experience initiative and RTIXCEL training program have been invaluable to their success, and we’re thrilled to recognize his leadership with this promotion to Director of Dealer Experience.”
