A colourful character, known equally for salesmanship and his cheeky, humorous, bluntly honest (and occasionally profane) manner, Volver joined Martin Professional in 1994. His tenure as managing director of Martin Singapore, beginning in 1996, provided a showcase for his abilities. He took over Martin's US office in 1998, tripling sales there in the process.
Volver left Martin, and the lighting industry in 2005; he returned in 2011, joining SGM, the Italian lighting manufacturer, which had been purchased by Peter Johansen, the founder and former managing director of Martin Professional. At SGM, Volver served as export manager, North America and Asia Pacific.
Volver's years at Martin coincided with a period of transformation at the company from manufacturer of gear for the club market to a major presence across all sectors of the entertainment industry. Speaking on the occasion of his tenth anniversary with the company, he said, "No one would argue that this company has changed dramatically in the past ten years. Products, philosophy, attitude, it's all different. Back then we were a 'fly by the seat of the pants' company, a scanners and smoke machine company - we didn't even have MACs to sell. Today, we've developed into a mature player in this industry with a strong corporate identity and strong corporate culture that is customer focused."
Eric Loader, now director of sales at Elation Professional, who worked at Martin with Volver, wrote: "He was instrumental in the success and was trusted by all to lead the charge and growth of Martin US in 1998 and was a breath of fresh air to us all after a few years of turmoil. The thing he did best was listen to his staff and empower them to do their job. He was the best listener, leader, motivator, and friend anyone who knew him could have hoped for. He told it like it was, didn't sugarcoat things, and was not the most politically correct person, but his heart was always in the right place." He added, "He built a team at Martin US that was second to none and I was honored to be at his side through thick and thin."
Seth Jackson, the well-known lighting designer wrote that he was "shocked, saddened and speechless at the loss of my dear friend, mentor, and one of the great characters the world will ever know." Noting that Volver provided him with crucial support early in his career, Jackson added: "I will never forget him, never not hear that laugh, never be able to repay him for believing in me. A giant of a human being that I will sorely miss and be forever grateful."
Details of funeral arrangements will follow.
(David Barbour)
