“Mixing-Console-Kings” Educate Customers in Interactive Demo Room Protected by Furman

When Dallas-based Sound Productions, renowned as the “Mixing-Console-Kings,” was designing its state-of-the-art demo room, the goal was simple: create a comfortable environment with an authentic live venue atmosphere. After just 90 days, the room was equipped and operational with some of the hottest sound, lighting and video products on the market, ready to be test driven by anyone who walked through the door. Everything was running smoothly, until it hit them: severe weather in the area could ultimately shut down the show. After little deliberation, they turned to Furman to protect their investment and keep all of the systems operating seamlessly. 

“Originally, we installed a power management system that we quickly lost confidence in. The system failed twice during brownouts, which were common this past spring due to unusually extreme weather in our area. Fortunately, the failures did not occur during business hours,” Sound Productions Vice President of Sales & Marketing Jeff Humphrey explained. “It was almost a year after opening the new facility when we finally decided to incorporate Furman products into the racks to deliver advanced surge protection and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) backup.”

The company installed the BlueBOLT-enabled Furman F1500-UPS, Furman P8 PRO-C and Furman M-8Lx power conditioners and a Furman voltage regulator into the racks of four live demo stations showcasing sound reinforcement, recording, contracting, and mobile DJ products. The room comes equipped with the top 10 hottest selling digital consoles, a complete QSC line array speaker system as well as five other major speaker brands, a broad range of lighting products and a full complement of mics and backline equipment to simulate a live sound environment. In the room’s FOH racks, four APB- DynaSonic MixSwitches are used in conjunction with two Presonus Central Stations which allow seamless switching while auditioning the various consoles and speaker systems, all of which is protected and conditioned by Furman. 

Kris Landrum, Engineer & Sales Team Member at Sound Productions

“Going into this project, we were very careful in the design,” Humphrey continued. “We wanted the demo room to operate seamlessly, and be an active tool for our sales team and clients rather than a constant work-in-progress hindrance I’ve seen in so many other facilities. I have witnessed many failed demos; you walk into a room and only half of the equipment is patched or even operational. We wanted to change that typical experience and set expectations higher, so we built a system that does not require any patching or un-patching. It takes little effort to test any given product, in any configuration even down to a specific component.”

This system set-up is extremely beneficial since Sound Productions allows customers to come in and demo products during normal business hours. With this policy, they need to make sure everything is working 100 percent of the time. “My right-hand-man, Kris Landrum (pictured above), arrives early every morning to run all of the diagnostics, prior to opening our doors,” Humphrey added. “He ensures everything is fully operational before he settles into his sales position, so customers can walk in at any given time to see, touch and hear the exact equipment they want at a time that is convenient for them.”

Additionally, since the system is running through the BlueBOLT-enabled Furman f1500-UPS, the Sound Productions team can monitor their system through the cloud-based power, energy, and network management platform from anywhere in the world. BlueBoLT allows them to remotely reboot connected equipment in order to address a myriad of common system issues, so Landrum can fix menial system disruptions prior to walking through the demo room’s door. “We’ve successfully used the BlueBOLT function on mobile devices and local computers and found it to be seamless and very intuitive,” Humphrey stated. 

Sound Productions’ value-add business model doesn’t stop with daily demos. The company offers free monthly educational workshops with content based on new technology, industry trends and customer demand. Workshops and lectures are presented by leading manufacturer representatives and industry professionals such as Ken “Pooch” Van Druten, Bo Brinck and legendary FOH engineer, Buford Jones to name just a few. “Educating customers is our mission; educated customers buy with confidence. They purchase the right gear for their given applications and are happier in the long-run,” Humphrey concluded. “Our new facility and the workshops we offer provide a one of a kind experience for our customers.”

KMC Music Rolls Out Biggest Ever 'Back-to-School Sales Bonanza' Promotion Program Through July 31!

Underscoring its commitment to offer MI retailers the largest array of seasonally themed promotion programs, KMC Music (www.kmcmusic.com) today announced the launch of its “Back-to-School Sales Bonanza,” featuring dozens of brands and hundreds of products all specially priced to generate nationwide consumer excitement during the critically important start to the fourth quarter sales season.

“As the largest distributor of MI and pro audio products, KMC Music can and will offer our retail partners the largest selection of specially priced products and promotion programs and our new Back-to-School Sales Bonanza lives up to that commitment,” said KMC Music Vice President of Sales James Tsaptsinos.  “Every major product category and accessory line is included in this year’s programs — guitars, amps, pedals, percussion, microphones, strings, and more.  Dealers will find all of our brands featured in exciting new programs that are designed to maximize sell-through sales to their customers.”

Brands featured in the Back-to-School program include Legere, VIC FIRTH, Lanikai, Line 6, MBT Lighting, Audio-Technica, AKG, Casio, Belmonte, Denis Wick, K&M, RICO, Herco, Lauren, Lee Oskar, Mooer, Suzuki, Hilo, Innovative Percussion, REMO, Martin & Co, King David, Vandoren, SuperSlick, Mono, Shure, RCF, Dunlop, Jones, Kaiser, Sennheiser, Corpmaster, Players, Stageline, Lauren, Blitz, Bruno, ChopSaver, Kratt, Mike Balter, Becker, Stentor, Barcus-Berry, Seiko, Snark, Wittner, Eldon, Antigua, APM, Vincent Bach, Blessing, BARRI, Selmer, Hohner, Grover, Manhassett, Elixir, Hamilton, and BoomWhackers, among others.

The program runs now through July 31, 2015.  To learn more about the Back-to-School Sales Bonanza promotion program, dealers can call the KMC Music call center at (855) 417-8677.

Core Brands Promotes Gordon Isaac to National Director of CI Channel Sales

In recognition of the outstanding contributions he has made to building CI channel sales throughout the southwest, Core Brands, LLC today announced the immediate promotion of Gordon Isaac from Southwest Region Sales Manager to National Director of CI Channel Sales, reporting directly to Core Brands Vice President of Sales Jeff Costello. 

Effective immediately, Isaac assumes responsibility for the development and implementation of all regional and national sales programs for all brands sold through custom installation dealers.  “Gordon is an outstanding sales professional who has the skills and experience that will help our nationwide network of CI dealers grow their businesses for many years to come,” Costello said today.  “Core Brands is now bringing to market the broadest range of control and audio solutions in our history, and Gordon’s 20 years of experience in the CE and CI channel makes him the right sales leader to launch of these products in the channel.”

Since first becoming involved in the CE and CI industries in 1994, Isaac has held a number of industry-specific retailer, manufacturer, sales rep, and systems integrator sales and management positions, resulting in a uniquely broad perspective that promises to be of great value to dealers and the company’s sales rep partners, according to Costello. 

Prior to serving as Southwest Region Sales Manager at Core Brands, Gordon Isaac was West Coast Sales Manager for SpeakerCraft.  Other previous positions include Regional Sales Manager for Crestron Electronics, Southwest Territory Manager for rep firm Sound-Tech Marketing, Market Representative for Bose Corporation, Store Manager for Ultimate Electronics, and the Director of Finance, Marketing, and Vendor Relations for R2W, a $20-million residential and commercial systems integrator. 

“I have been deeply involved with selling, specifying, and installing the Core Brands portfolio of best-in-class brands since 1996, and I understand the business needs of our dealers and our rep partners,” Isaac said today.  “I believe in creating real business partner relationships with our customers and our reps, and becoming more than just another vendor to the people we do business with. I’ve spent the past 10 years in the field meeting with all types of dealers and love working closely to help them further their success.  For me there is no better feeling than being in front of our customers, and I look forward to working face to face with them, understanding their needs and challenges, and doing whatever we can do to improve their businesses.”

NanoLumens Appoints Riesterer And Promotes Bortles To Strengthen Sales Management Team

Fueled by record-setting North AND South American sales, and expanded product marketing programs throughout the EMEA region, NanoLumens, the world’s leading manufacturer and marketer of indoor LED displays, today announced the appointment of Lee Riesterer to the newly created position of Vice President of Strategic Alliances and the promotion of Rick Bortles to the position of Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales, according to an announcement made today by NanoLumens President and CEO Rick Cope.

“2014 is turning out to be the single biggest year in NanoLumens’ history,” Cope said today.  “We are rapidly expanding sales throughout North and South America and quickly establishing a significant foothold in the critically important EMEA region.  This growth is creating the need for us to expand our sales and business development management team.  The appointment of Lee Riesterer and the promotion of Rick Bortles are going to help us to better meet the demands that growth is placing on all of us.”

Lee Reisterer brings more than 25 years of tech sector experience to his new position at NanoLumens.  He began his career in sales at Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in Boston, MA.  Prior to joining NanoLumens he was the Global Vice President of Mobility Channels at SAP, where he established the mobility channel as the fastest growing segment of the business and added over 100 pure-play mobility partners to the SAP ecosystem.  Prior to this, Reisterer served as Senior Vice President at CDC Software, where he had full P&L responsibility for approximately 40 percent of the company’s revenue, more than doubled his operating units profitability, and was a key contributor to CDC’s successful IPO on the NASDAQ in August of 2009.  

“As NanoLumens extends it reach into key vertical markets, Lee will lead our activities in identifying and partnering with organizations that can influence and drive strategic initiatives in these markets and help position NanoLumens as an innovative solutions provider that delivers significant business impact for our customers and partners.  Our objective is simple – by leveraging these strategic alliances we expect to increase both awareness and mindshare in the marketplace.  As a result we expect to increase ‘top of the funnel’ opportunities that will lead to more sales.   Lee will report to Karen Robinson in this new role,” Cope explained.

Coincident with the appointment of Reisterer, NanoLumens today announced the promotion of Rick Bortles to the position of Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales.  According to Cope, ever since Bortles joined the company in May 2013 as Vice President of Global Channel Sales he has made tremendous contributions to virtually every part of the company’s worldwide sales organization’s growth.  “And now he is getting the recognition he deserves for the many, many contributions he has made to our growing worldwide success,” Cope emphasized today.  “Reporting directly to me, Rick now is responsible for guiding and managing all of our direct, distributor, and channel sales programs around the world.”

Rick Bortles is a growth centric sales leader that helped to build a sales and service company with over 15,000 OEM’s across North America, Europe, Japan and Asia. He brings 30 years of senior sales and executive leadership in the technology industry to NanoLumens, including serving for 22 years as President and CEO of ELCOM Inc., a leading semiconductor sales firm, and Southeast Regional Sales Manager at Sprague Semiconductor.

NanoLumens displays are extremely slim, ultra-lightweight, energy efficient, and feature a bright, seamless, high resolution picture quality that can be viewed from any angle throughout the display horizon without color shift or image distortion. The company’s patented display technology, promises to transform the way marketers engage their customers in every type of trade show, retail, hospitality, stadium, arena, transportation and public event environment.

All NanoLumens displays accept input from nearly any device or content management system. There is no need for special software, hardware or special personnel to display content beautifully. With a profile of only a few inches, NanoSlim displays can be installed on virtually any surface without being obtrusive, adding the ‘WOW’ factor to any environment without taking up precious space. NanoLumens’ patented display technology is optimized for indoor use, operating with virtually zero heat or noise while producing bright, rich, consistent color as well as superior off-axis viewing with no color shift or image distortion throughout the display horizon.

Core Brands Reorganizes Southwest Region Sales Team to Better Serve Local Dealers

Leading control, audio, and power solutions provider Core Brands, a Nortek company (NASDAQ: NTK), today announced the introduction of a reorganized, focused Southern California Regional Sales Team that will better meet the needs of the company’s growing and expanding base of dealers throughout the region.

According to Core Brands Director of CI Sales Jim Koenig, a new Southern California Direct Sales Team has been formed to support all of the Core Brands’ brands with a primary focus on SpeakerCraft, Niles, Sunfire and Aton while supporting Core Brands existing rep firm in the area, Morris Tait, with other Core Brands offerings. This new team will report to Southwest Region Sales Manager Gordon Isaac.

“I am very pleased to announce that Peter Arnold and Eldon Henry have joined this new Core Direct Sales Team as a Regional Account Managers in the southern part of the new territory respectively,” said Koenig. “They bring a wealth of experience that will help our dealers build their business.

Arnold brings many years of account management experience to this new position, including with companies like Pioneer, Yamaha, and Kaliedescape. Most recently with Pakege, Henry was at SpeakerCraft for six, years where he started as Technical Support Supervisor and advanced to become the Global Education Specialist responsible for SpeakerCraft’s training programs.

In order to provide localized technical support to dealers in the territory, the company has hired another SpeakerCraft veteran, Rick Geller, as the Southern California Technical Specialist, RTS.  “Rick was an engineer directing product development at SpeakerCraft.  He brings a deep understanding to how technology works, which will be helpful in training our customers.  He will be responsible for providing support on all brands to dealers in the Southern California market.”

I addition to managing the new Southern California team, Southwest Region Sales Manager, Gordon Isaac, will personally handle all of Core Brands audio brand accounts within Arizona and Las Vegas in addition to managing Core Brands business with rep firm Morris Tait Associates.