Major Players in the Pro AV Industry: Bose, PPDS, USSI, and Others Announce Significant Staff Changes
The Pro AV industry is experiencing a wave of changes, as companies adapt to evolving market demands, workforce shifts, and the need for enhanced collaboration platforms. Here are some of the recent developments that have taken place:
Personnel Changes
Bill Graham, a long-standing figure in the industry, has announced his retirement from PCD Audio & Video. Hal Truax has been appointed as the new Vice President to succeed him [3]. At DPA Microphones, Adinaldo "Adi" Neves has been appointed as the director of business development, wireless, while Geoff Baynard joins the team as business development manager, wireless [1]. Stephen Ratcliff has been appointed as sales director, defense at Videosys Broadcast, with particular responsibility for the VB Antenna division.
In another significant move, Ian O'Connor has been appointed as general manager at Videosys Broadcast, bringing his extensive 34-year experience in the broadcast industry to the role [1]. Brandon Wilkinson, who began his AV career in 1993 with SCN Top 50 integrator, Ford AV, has been named as the company's new field application engineer at PPDS. Lightware welcomed Mike Ellsworth as the new director of live event and entertainment technology at Lightware Americas.
Bose Professional has appointed Adam Castillo as VP of global marketing, with over 20 years of experience in senior marketing positions at Logitech, Avid, and Blue Microphones [1]. Alex Keighley has been appointed as the new SVP of sales for North America at Grass Valley, bringing a unique blend of industry knowledge and sales leadership to the company.
Strategic Partnerships
Xilica, a Toronto-based collaboration solutions provider, has partnered with the Professional Audio Visual Society of Canada (PAVSC) as its first official partner. This partnership aims to strengthen the Canadian AV industry by fostering collaboration, innovation, sharing best practices, and supporting integrators in hybrid work and learning environments [2].
KMH Integration has joined the Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) as a new member, signifying a commitment to the adoption of open standards for the interoperability of media over IP networks [1].
Industry Trends
The Pro AV sector is facing significant talent shortages and growing operational complexity, leading integrators and distributors to seek flexible, scalable solutions. Companies like D&H are making substantial multimillion-dollar investments in immersive, interactive demo experiences to better serve midmarket and enterprise partners [1][4]. These efforts coincide with increased demands in security and cloud solutions, with D&H reporting 41% growth in modern security solution sales and a 29% increase in cloud-based solutions [1][4].
Further Developments
Riedel Group has invested in APEX Stabilizations, an Austrian manufacturer of camera stabilization solutions (gimbals). VuWall has relocated its U.S. subsidiary, VuWall USA, to a larger and more modern office in Atlanta. The new facility serves as an experience center, training center, production hub, and technical support center [1].
L-Acoustics has announced a strategic restructuring and expansion of its Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) sales team. Robert Luther has been named as director of dvLED sales and support at PPDS, with over 5 years of experience in dvLED, previously holding the position of product manager for LED at Ross Video [1].
These developments highlight the industry's response to evolving market demands, workforce shifts, and the need for enhanced collaboration platforms. The Pro AV industry continues to evolve, and these changes are a testament to the sector's resilience and adaptability.
[1] AV Technology [2] Pro AV Magazine [3] Pro Sound News [4] Residential Systems
- Digital signage products have become a crucial component in enhancing collaboration platforms within the evolving Pro AV industry, as evident in D&H's substantial investments in immersive, interactive demo experiences for midmarket and enterprise partners.
- The finance sector has played a significant role in the growth of the Pro AV industry, with companies like D&H reporting 41% growth in modern security solution sales and a 29% increase in cloud-based solutions.
- The industry is seeing a rise in strategic partnerships, such as Xilica's collaboration with Professional Audio Visual Society of Canada (PAVSC), aimed at strengthening the Canadian AV industry by fostering innovation and best practice sharing.
- Technology advancements in the Pro AV industry are reflected in personnel changes, such as the appointment of Adam Castillo as VP of global marketing at Bose Professional, bringing extensive experience in senior marketing positions from Logitech, Avid, and Blue Microphones.
