SpeakerCraft Now Shipping Highly Anticipated AIM Series 2

SpeakerCraft, the premier audio brand from Core Brands, today announced that its latest architectural speaker series, AIM Series 2, is now shipping to dealers. The award-winning SpeakerCraft AIM Series 2 incorporates new technologies to deliver a superior home audio listening experience.

“SpeakerCraft AIM Series 2 has been 100% re-crafted to support sophisticated installations and advanced object-based surround audio platforms,” Core Brands Audio Marketing Manager Matt Dever explained. “The re-crafting effort addresses every aspect of the speaker, from front to back, resulting in a sound solution you’ll have to hear to believe.”

The most notable of these technologies is the new patent-pending ARC Tweeter Array™. Inspired by large sound reinforcement installations, the pivoting array is nothing short of groundbreaking. By incorporating multiple tweeters in the line array, AIM Series 2 delivers focused high frequencies farther into the listening area than standard tweeter configurations. The ARC Tweeter Array also enables the crossover point to be lowered, thus increasing the sound pressure level at the critical mid-range frequencies. “The result is that, acoustically, listeners enjoy a much larger sweet spot,” said Dever.  

Available with 5-inch, 7-inch and 8-inch woofer sizes, all AIM Series 2 speakers feature an updated WavePlane™ to further focus the high frequency energy into the listening environment for a cleaner, warmer and richer sound. The entirely new speaker housing design allows the woofer to pivot 30 degrees in all directions, while enabling 359 degrees of rotation for the WavePlane and ARC Tweeter Array.  In addition, the ARC Tweeter Array can be adjusted +/- 15 degrees toe-in/toe-out. The result is virtually limitless directional capability.  

While the front of the speaker gets most of the deserved attention, the back of this speaker delivers game-changing technologies as well. The all-new Acoustic Isolation Technology™ decouples the speaker housing from the surrounding materials, providing a more acoustically repeatable installation and improving sound transference to the listening area by minimizing structural resonance created by the surrounding wall or ceiling. The minimized resonance transfer is achieved using co-molded, lower density compounds, setting AIM Series 2 apart from any speaker in the industry. The speaker can be enjoyed as it was meant to be enjoyed – not colored by the resonance of the material on which it is mounted.

Fully re-crafted, all AIM Series 2 speakers feature a U.S. engineered transducer, motor and crossover. The new curvilinear cone design creates greater bass response, and the non-conductive Kapton formers, copper caps and extended poles reduce distortion. With increased power handling and sensitivity, the speakers deliver an overall cleaner and louder sound.

“The enhanced aim-ability of the AIM Series 2 presents new options for sound design – from home theatre to whole home audio,” Dever continued. “More than ever, sound can be redirected to a specific section of a room, angled toward a seating area or where an audio impact is desired. In addition, integrators can now offer their clients the most uniform coverage ever in any room, along with increased power and frequency response. We’re proud to make installation easier and more flexible for integrators while providing consumers with a superior home audio experience.” 

All models of the AIM Series 2 speakers are available for immediate delivery to dealers. For more information about the AIM Series 2, visit: www.speakercraft.com. 

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.”

Core Brands Appoints Ashley Parkinson to Position of South Central Regional Sales Manager

Core Brands, a Nortek company (NASDAQ: NTK), today announced the appointment of Ashley Parkinson to the position of South Central Regional Sales Manager, reporting directly to James Koenig, Core Brands Director of Sales — CI Channel. 

“Ashley brings a tremendous amount of experience in the sales and marketing of consumer electronics and CI products to Core Brands, experience that is going to make an immediate impact on the quality of our dealers’ local business development programs,” Koenig said today.  “Ashley is also already very familiar with our CI products because she comes to us directly from New Era Marketing, our sales rep firm for the Texas region.  As a result she has hit the ground running!”

Ashley Parkinson’s 20 years of industry experience includes a broad and varied background in sales, marketing, and new business development.  Her direct experience includes managing sales to large national retailers as well as diverse vertical channels like the military, national and regional distributors, and systems integrators.  She has overseen both brand and product launches as well as the formation of strategic partnerships to drive sales.

Parkinson comes to Core Brands from New Era Marketing, based in Dallas, Texas, where she served as Sales Principal with responsibility for developing business throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana through an account base that included national and independent retailers, custom installation dealers, regional and national distributors.  Before this, she held a number of sales positions from 2000—20013 at Era Marketing, the predecessor firm to New Era Marketing. 

From 1995 to 2000 Parkinson was a Project Manager at Pritchard Associates, Inc., the Dallas, Texas based full service commercial property development management firm.  Before this, from 1993 until 1995 she was a freelance producer for NewsOne with primary responsibility for determining the daily composition of the news feed for the Southwestern Region including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana ABC affiliates. 

James Koenig Promoted to Director of Sales for the CI Channel at Core Brands

Core Brands, a Nortek company (NASDAQ: NTK), today announced the promotion of James Koenig to the position of Director of Sales - CI Channel in recognition of his outstanding ability to develop brands on both a regional and national level. 

Effective immediately, Koenig assumes responsibility for the development and implementation of all regional and national sales and business development programs for the Core Brands’ brands sold through custom installation dealers.  He reports directly to Core Brands Senior Vice President of Sales Dave Keller, who today said, “Jim is a true sales professional who has demonstrated over the last 16 years a remarkable ability to grow brands in both challenging and expanding economies. He builds trust-based relationships with dealers and shares my belief that our top priority is delivering our dealers great service to match our innovative products.”

Koenig has held a number of positions within Core Brands and its predecessor companies since 2002 when he first joined ELAN Home Systems as a Regional Sales Associate.  In 2005 he was promoted to the position of ELAN National Distribution Accounts Manager.  In 2007, as National Sales Manager, he successfully launched the ELAN distribution brand ATON.  In 2010, The AVC Group was formed and he took on the role of Western US & Canada Regional Sales Manager for ELAN, ATON, and Sunfire brands.  In 2012 The AVC Group was merged into Core Brands where he became the South Central Regional Sales Manager, a position he held until becoming National Sales Manager for the CI Channel in February of this year.

Before beginning his successful career at ELAN and Core Brands, Koenig grew up in a family security business and possesses extensive knowledge of burglary, fire, CCTV, and access control systems.  After mastering those challenges, he moved into the Audio, Video and Automation side of the CI industry with positions including retrofit installation, retail and custom sales.

A native of Ohio, Koenig studied Computer Information Systems from 1989 through 1993 at Ohio State University and Management Information Systems from 2000 until 2002 at Franklin University. 

“I’m honored to be leading a great sales team and serving our amazing group of dealers,” James Koenig said today.  “And I’m excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. We’re getting ready to bring to market a new generation of products for our key brands, all of which will create amazing new business opportunities for our dealers in the CI channel.”