"Loud has some of the industry's most admired brands, a brilliant collection of multi-disciplined engineers and truly customer-focused product management teams," said Rodney Olson, Loud CEO. "By unifying these disciplines around our core brands and the markets they serve, we will markedly increase our technical innovation and speed the delivery of the next round of products that leave our customers smiling... and our competitors reeling."
Jeffrey Cox, VP of the Pro Audio Group, will manage the EAW and Martin Audio brands and their market positioning, product strategy and product development efforts. Cox's group will include the Whitinsville, USA EAW engineering team headed by Jeff Rocha, who will also take on EAW product management responsibilty; the High Wycombe, UK-based Martin Audio engineering team headed by Jason Baird; and the Victoria, Canada-based pro audio software/hardware development group headed by Chris Jubien.
John Boudreau, VP of the Music Gear Group (MG), and his team will develop the next wave of Mackie, Ampeg , Blackheart , Alvarez and Crate products. The group will include the Woodinville, WA-based engineering team lead by Nathan O'Neill; the Woodinville, WA-based industrial design team headed by Kimberly Van Horn; Greg Young, Mackie brand director; and Pyotr Belov, director of instrument amps.
While the two Groups will focus on the brands in their immediate purview, they will share core technology where it makes sense for LOUD's benefit. The new Mackie HD High-Definition Powered speakers are a good example of this collaboration and the leveraging of EAW Engineering expertise to create an innovative, pro- quality Mackie loudspeaker design that's already turning heads in the marketplace.
"I am confident Jeffrey, John and their teams will add the creative spark and entrepreneurial spirit that will take Loud to the next level of growth," concluded Olson.
(Jim Evans)
