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Orbital Reinforces Commitment

Details: 14 March 2016

Central London-based Orbital Sound have appointed Eric Simpson as their senior warehouse manager. He has joined their central London based team to further streamline the operations of their busy warehouse situated at the heart of the Brixton-based facility.

Eric, whose experience is known to many, has officially "hung up his touring boots" to take on this role which follows over 21 years touring with some of the largest names in the business. Recent credits include Ronan Keating, Feet of Flames, Westlife and Hear'say. His knowledge of sound systems as both a FOH operator and chief engineer, coupled with his understanding of live productions, gives him the right credentials to oversee the warehouse operations.

The warehouse forms the core of Orbital's infrastructure and is situated in the adjoining buildings behind their Victorian townhouse where the sound and communications

Sue Webb, pictured with TOA UK's Brett Downing.

Sue Webb Joins TOA (UK)

Details: 14 March 2016

Experienced pro audio sales specialist, Sue Webb, has joined TOA (UK) as sales manager. She most recently occupied a similar position with Wharfedale Professional, and prior to that worked with both HHB and Harman, having started her audio career in production at Soundcraft.

Sue will assist in the resurgence of the TOA brand in the UK and specifically focus on their huge roster of products at retail level, notably the Japanese company's low impedance speakers. "TOA already has a reputation in the contracts market, but after 16 years in the pro audio business, my immediate challenge will be to increase the company's market share in retail sectors such as the music industry." The aim will be to consolidate relationships with TOA’s present distributor network as well as develop new outlets as the company’s marketing reach expands.

(Ruth Rossington)

Internal Reorganization at Martin Professional

Details: 14 March 2016

Martin Professional has reorganized some key internal departments at its Danish headquarters with the goal of increasing the range of its sales and marketing functions. Martin President and CEO Kristian Kolding has taken over the position of international sales director - entertainment, previously under the leadership of Pio Nahum. Pio will maintain his position as international marketing director, as well as his post as CEO of Martin Professional Italy.

Gorm Teichert, who recently filled the new position of international sales director - architectural, assumes responsibility for product management in the architectural segment. In addition, export sales manager Anders Kryger has taken over responsibility for Martin's qualified team of area sales managers, as well as a growing number of associated companies.

(Ruth Rossington)

Nic Tolkien Leaves AC Lighting

Details: 14 March 2016

AC Lighting has announced that Nic Tolkien is to retire immediately from the position of export sales director. Tolkien had been instrumental in developing the export market for AC Lighting since 1984 and managed the export sales office on a daily basis. AC Lighting's managing director, David Leggett commented: "Nic is our longest serving employee and has been with AC Lighting since the early days. We would like to publicly thank him for all his hard work over the years."

Cally Bacchus, export sales manager, continues to lead the day-to-day export sales operation with the established team of directors retaining overall direction. There are no immediate plans to appoint a replacement.

Alexander Tackles South East for Saville

Details: 14 March 2016

AV specialist Saville Audio Visual has appointed Matt Alexander as area sales manager for South London, Kent and parts of Surrey and Sussex. Formerly based in Devon with Greenham Video, Alexander has extensive experience in the AV industry and his responsibilities will include sales of LCD projectors, audio visual and conferencing systems.

(Lee Baldock)

Bob Salt Dies

Details: 14 March 2016

PLASA Media has learned the sad news of the death of Bob Salt, who died yesterday while on holiday in Jamaica. Although early details are vague, it is understood that Bob died of pneumonia, following on from a chest infection.

As founder and managing director of RW Salt Communications, one of the country’s leading distributors of PA, pro audio and communications equipment, Bob was very well known to many in the industry. In a statement issued today on behalf of the company, Richard Lyon, chairman of RW Salt Communications, said: "Bob loved this company and its success was his continuing dream. It is my wish to preserve his dream in the best possible way, as do the loyal people who have worked for Bob over time."

He continued: "Everything is in place for the company to continue in a professional way. There will be no delays to supplier payments and our customers c

Carpenter Joins HES West Coast

Details: 14 March 2016

Industry veteran Doug Carpenter has joined High End Systems as its new west coast regional accounts manager. Carpenter has 15 years of experience in the lighting industry, most of those concentrated at control and dimming manufacturer NSI. During his years there he worked his way up from production test technician to service manager and onwards to worldwide sales manager. Carpenter will work closely with Randy Mayer, HES' inside sales rep, who recently moved to the company’s LA office.(Lee Baldock)

McDonagh and Ministry Split

Details: 14 March 2016

Nodd McDonagh, operations director of London-based superclub the Ministry of Sound is parting company with the organisation after eight years. The surprise news followed shortly after the departure in November of Hector Dewar, chief operating office of the group, both moves as a result of what Ministry insiders call "a strategic reshuffle".

Nodd, formerly with leisure giants Rank and First Leisure, oversaw the club operations originally as general manager, then rising to operations director as the global music and media group capitalised on its early successes and began to expand into many diverse areas worldwide. It was in the globe-trotting, trouble-shooting role that Nodd excelled, finding himself organising successful Ministry events from Knebworth to Ibiza: more recently of course, he was heavily involved in the massive New Year’s Eve gig at the Millennium Dome - t

Louis Teo - Lighting & Sound Distribution.

Louis Teo Starts New Distribution Company

Details: 14 March 2016

Louis Teo has left Singapore-based distributor Del Salado Entertainment Pte Ltd to start his own company, Lighting & Sound Distribution. The new company will also operate from Singapore and will import and export lighting and sound goods including special effects such as fiber optics, foam machines, CO2 Jets, as well as distributing brands such as Logic System Pro Audio, Starway, MBN, DiscoTech, Supervision and Dare Pro Audio in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

(Lee Baldock)

Rob Kennedy Joins Christie Lites

Details: 14 March 2016

Christie Lites has announced the appointment of Rob Kennedy, former vice-president of theatre for Westsun International, to the position of rental account manager for Christie Lites Toronto. Kennedy’s early experience as a technical director and production manager in regional theatre and summer festivals, combined with his 14 years’ experience as a rental rep in the theatre market, makes him a very welcome addition to Christie Lites, say the company.

Kennedy’s professional accomplishments include assembling the lighting systems for The Phantom of the Opera, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Show Boat, Ragtime, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Fosse, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Barrymore, Sunset Boulevard, The Bridge, Mamma Mia and productions of Disney’s The Lion King in New York, London, Toronto and Los Angeles.

(Lee Baldock)

Bob Salt: Memorial Service

Details: 14 March 2016

Following the news of the death on 9 January of Bob Salt, managing director of RW Salt Communications, details of arrangements for a memorial service have been released. The service will follow a private funeral and will be held at 3pm on Friday 25 January 2002 at St Elizabeth’s Church, Ashley, Cheshire. Bob’s family would like to extend an invitation to all his suppliers, customers and friends from within the audio industry to join them at the church and afterwards at the Greyhound in Ashley.

The family has also requested that those who wish to send flowers instead make a donation to a charity close to Bob’s heart - The Restoration of Appearance and Function Trust (RAFT), and send them to the company address:

RW Salt Communications
140 Princess Road
Moss Side
Manchester
M16 7BY.

Tel: 0161 226 6696

(Lee Baldock)

New faces at FX - Richard Whittaker, Martin 'Budgie' Burden, Brian Cunningham and Martin Anscombe.

FX Expands Into 2002

Details: 14 March 2016

Flying in the face of recessionary horror stories, the FX Group has started 2002 on a buoyant note by announcing the appointment of four key new members of staff. This brings the total number of recent appointments to 10 and the total number of staff across the burgeoning group to 45.

The new faces have joined FX from Dreamhire and include business development manager Martin Anscombe, Martin ‘Budgie’ Burden - who joins the rental bookings department - and Copyroom engineers Richard Whittaker and Brian Cunningham. FX Group chairman Roger Evan commented: "These appointments reflect our confidence in the future and our determination to deliver a high level of service to our customers. We are pleased to welcome staff from Dreamhire who bring considerable expertise with them."

FX has also marked the New Year by opening a dedicated Pro Tools transfer suite as part of

New Sales Manager for Next Two

Details: 14 March 2016

Stuart Thomson, formerly of Avalon Communications, has joined MEDC Ltd as the UK northern area sales manager for the Next Two range of loudspeakers. Thomson has had more than 20 years of experience in the communications industry with companies as diverse as Millbank Electronics, Planned Equipment Ltd and Avalon Communications as a proposals manager.

With involvement in major projects such as The Millenium Dome, Paddington Railway Station, London Underground, Newcastle United Stadium and a variety of other commercial installations from shopping centres to office blocks, Thomson brings a wealth of experience to the team. Thomson will assist Next Two customers through advising on loudspeaker layouts and working with third party VA/PA rack manufacturers to ensure a successful installation.

(Lee Baldock)

Warren Connelly joins Blackout Triple E

Details: 14 March 2016

South London-based Blackout Triple E, specialists in the design and manufacture of drapes, starcloths, tracking and production rigging equipment, has recently appointed Warren Connolly as hire and sales manager. He joins the busy rental department with 15 years’ sales and marketing experience, and will be promoting the company’s extensive product portfolio and range of production services to new and existing clients.

Warren will be liaising with producers, production companies and event organisers from the early planning stages of a project. He will be presenting creative and practical solutions for the most challenging special events, theatre productions, exhibitions, installations and conferences. Working closely with the company’s in house design, project management and technical support teams, he will help transform the most complex needs and ideas into reality. W

New Appointments at Stage Electrics

Details: 14 March 2016

To further enhance the service Stage Electrics offers its West End and UK touring markets, the company has promoted Chris Patton to work alongside Matt Lloyd in developing and supporting current commitments and future initiatives. Patton will relocate from Birmingham, where he was responsible for developing local business through the theatre and event market. During his time with Stage Electrics he has been on-site with several major theatrical companies, including the Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Andrew Suggs has been promoted to branch account handler at the busy Bristol customer service centre. Suggs has worked for Stage Electrics for six years, covering all aspects of hire. Most recently he was a contract handler in the Bristol Warehouse, managing the co-ordination of all major hires leaving the building.

Tony Rhodes has joined the company as business development manager at the NEC

All Change at ACDC

Details: 14 March 2016

Gareth Frankland and David Horsfield have taken over the operation of ACDC Lighting Systems Ltd, part of the Standel Dawman group of companies. The two have been key members of the management team for some time, and had been instrumental in developing ACDC into one of the UK’s largest manufacturers of cold cathode lighting systems.

The company will continue to work with designers to develop lighting solutions and will launch a new dynamic range of high intensity LED products later this year.

(Ruth Rossington)

Myriad Appoint New Managing Director

Details: 14 March 2016

Ashwin Shah, chairman of the Myriad Group, has announced that, as part of the recent re-structuring of the Group, Richard Crowe has been appointed managing director of its Creative Staging subsidiary. Crowe, who was previously the sales and marketing director of the company, has been with Creative Staging for the past seven years, working in senior positions in the AV presentation industry since 1978. As well as fulfilling a full-time role at Creative Staging, Crowe will also play an active part in the future development of the whole Myriad Group. The Group recently restructured its nine business areas under the four main names of Myriad, Creative Staging, MAP and Visual Systems, offering a range of services for AV and IT communication and presentation.

(Ruth Rossington)

Celestion’s Vivian Moves Up

Details: 14 March 2016

At Celestion’s HQ in Ipswich, Richard Vivian has been promoted to the position of marketing manager, Professional Product Division. Vivian joined Celestion from the R&D department of Turbosound three years ago. As Celestion’s product manager for Professional Systems, he has been instrumental in the development and promotion of a number of key products, including the CXi range of sound reinforcement loudspeaker systems, which has been successful in opening up new opportunities and markets for the Celestion brand.

With his detailed knowledge and experience of the professional audio and music industries, Vivian will now be taking on marketing responsibility for the entire Professional Division, which includes the growing range of Professional Component (raw-frame) loudspeakers. "Since I joined Celestion, I’ve been closely involved in the ongoing initiative to design

Giles Conte goes freelance

Details: 14 March 2016

Giant screen project manager Giles Conte, who recently left Screenco after six years with the company, has embarked on a freelance career as a project manager and technician. Giles takes with him a wealth of knowledge and expertise and is very optimistic about the future of LED, with its emergence as an information relay device and creative visual medium for both rock ‘n’ roll and the corporate market.

(Lee Baldock)

Thomas Schweers joins Fourth Phase

Details: 14 March 2016

Thomas L. Schweers will be taking on the role of northeast regional sales manager for Fourth Phase New Jersey. Schweers will be based at the company offices in North Bergen, New Jersey. Schweers was formerly the executive vice-president of sales and marketing for Fiber Optic Systems, Inc in Whitehouse Station, NJ.

In this newly created position, Schweers will be responsible for the direct supervision of Fourth Phase sales staff, and will also oversee the development and implementation of sales strategies and the allocation of sales resources.

(Ruth Rossington)

AC Lighting Inc appoints Trey Merrill

Details: 14 March 2016

Trey Merrill has joined the sales team at AC Lighting Inc. Originally from Baton Rouge/New Orleans, Merrill has been involved in the music and film industries for a number of years, both on and off stage. Having attended Louisiana State University and the University of New Orleans, where he studied Drama, Communications and English, he eventually graduated from the Seattle Art Institute, with a degree in Music Business & Video Production. He worked as a music critic, band manager, production and stage manager, high steel climber, guitar and drum technician and set carpenter before forming his own production company, Gator Bait Productions. He recently became an associate producer of the Motion Picture ‘The Midnight Hour’ and is currently producing the debut album for a young Louisiana artist 'Benjy Davis' featuring Grammy Award Winners Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown, Lucinda Wil

New Frontline Recruit for OHM

Details: 14 March 2016

UK pro audio manufacturer OHM has appointed Martin Potter as sales and marketing executive. OHM chairman Jo Olenski has worked with Martin on several projects prior to the appointment: "Martin brings to OHM a wealth of experience gained from over 20 years involvement in audio related sales and marketing. He has a strong management background in both the retail and distribution sectors of our industry."

The appointment ties in with the advent of a new wave of ambition from the Cheshire-based company, with R&D at its highest ever level. Forward sales orders for both home and export divisions are reportedly booming, despite the recent difficulties brought on by world events. As we reported yesterday, on the agenda for March 2002 is the release of new loudspeaker product aimed at the MI retail sector. This will be marketed via both existing and new dealerships across the UK.

Blasor joins Lightpower sales management team

Details: 14 March 2016

Carl Pierre Blasor has joined the sales management team as head of international key accounts at Lightpower, the Paderborn-based distributor of professional lighting equipment. Blasor has majored in Linguistics and Cultural Studies and has completed vocational training as an export merchant. Born and raised in Italy, he has also lived in Puerto Rico and the United States, and now resides with his family in Germany. He speaks four languages and has a good working knowledge of a fifth.

MA Lighting International, a subsidiary of Lightpower, was founded in order to coordinate and carry out its international sales and marketing activities and Blasor, as key account manager, will be a significant contribution to the international team. His main aims will be to consolidate existing international customer relations and maintain and coordinate the more than 30 worldwide exclusive representative

Paul Twist Dies

Details: 14 March 2016

Paul Twist, a figure well known to many in the industry, died recently in the United States. Paul had been working as a freelancer for Colin Hammond at Meteor Lighting in Huntsville, Alabama. His earlier career had seen him working in sales at Chappels (sheet music), Selmer (musical instruments) and Cadburys-Schweppes. He then spent four years in the late seventies with OPTI where he was the company’s first ever export sales director, before he moved on to Meteor Lighting.

His funeral is planned to take place in the UK on Friday 22 February. We’ll advise of further details as they become available.

(Ruth Rossington)

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