January is off to a busy start in Pro AV. Get caught up with the latest promotions, appointments, and company headlines.
People News
NDI Appoints Daniel Nergård as New President
NDI welcomes Daniel Nergård as the new president, responsible for driving the company’s continued expansion. As the community of users keeps growing and adopting NDI into more segments, Nergård will lead the team to harness that growth and bring NDI to many more industry-leading companies, devices, and software applications.
Nergård brings a wealth of knowledge to the role, having previously served as the chief revenue officer of Vizrt and a part of the management team. Prior, Nergård’s expertise was sought in the technology industry, holding key roles in general management and leading commercial initiatives across diverse software segments, including fintech, mobile applications, infrastructure, and enterprise software.
Nergård's looks to align the company’s strategic vision to further scale its presence among major partners and product manufacturers as well as scaling the usage of NDI within major Cloud Service Providers. The current ecosystem made up of millions of users boasts more than 700 NDI-enabled hardware products and 300-plus software applications.
d&b Appoints Marco Baumgärtner as New Asia-Pacific Territory Manager
d&b audiotechnik welcomed Marco Baumgärtner to the role of territory manager for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. Baumgärtner has been with d&b since 2017, and previously held the position of director corporate development, based at the company’s head office. Before joining d&b, Baumgärtner worked in a range of corporate and consulting roles and brings his extensive experience in the areas of transaction advisory and strategy execution to the region.
In his new role, a primary management role for d&b’s future operations in the APAC region, Baumgärtner will take responsibility for the company’s subsidiary in Singapore as managing director and oversee operations across Southeast Asia, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.
The appointment of Baumgärtner signifies d&b's commitment to APAC, supporting the growth of significant new business opportunities across both developed and emerging markets. This enhanced focus on the territory aligns seamlessly with the escalating demand for immersive experiences and the swift adoption of d&b Soundscape across the entire region.
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Matt Schwartz Joins Lowell Manufacturing as Director of Sales and Business Development
Matt Schwartz has signed on as director of sales and business development at Lowell Manufacturing, effective January 3, 2024. Schwartz is an industry veteran with more than 25 years in systems integration working with several known integration firms, as well as his own company. His high-energy approach will guide Lowell’s internal and independent sales teams in representing the Lowell brand to customers as well as the consultant community throughout the United States.
“Matt brings a wealth of industry knowledge to Lowell, both as an integrator and on the manufacturing side of the equation, which will serve him well in his new role ... we’re excited to have him on the team,” said owner and president John Lowell.
Elation’s Koy Neminathan transitions to Obsidian Control Systems
Lighting industry professional Koy Neminathan, who joined Elation as director of business development in May 2023, has now transitioned to a business development position with Obsidian Control Systems, the company’s lighting control brand. Neminathan is now wholly focusing on the Obsidian range of lighting control and data distribution products.
Before joining Elation, the industry veteran served as sales director at lighting console manufacturer Avolites, where he worked for over 23 years in sales and business development. His extensive experience in growing and managing a large distributor network will benefit Obsidian well, and his strong relationships and global market knowledge is poised to contribute greatly to Obsidian's continued growth. His strategic approach to expanding distribution networks, coupled with a proven track record of driving growth provides a solid foundation for training, support, and sales.
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PPDS Names Patrick VanTreese Director of Education Sales
PPDS has promoted experienced AV/IT education specialist, Patrick VanTreese to the role of director of education sales in North America. VanTreese joined PPDS in September 2021 as education sales manager, tasked with spearheading PPDS growth ambitions in the education market, building brand awareness, and driving sales of PPDS’ suite of advanced across campus solutions. He will will lead and advance the team’s education strategy in North America, identifying new business opportunities, partnerships, relationships, and revenue streams.
“Since joining PPDS two years ago, the company, both nationally and internationally, has evolved and excelled," he said. "The strength of our teams, and the quality and innovation of our dedicated display hardware and software solutions, inspire me, our partners and, more importantly, tutors across North America. I’m proud of what our team has achieved to date, and we’re still just getting started. In my new role as Director of Education Sales I’m excited about the opportunity to help take PPDS to the next level. When I joined, I described the company as a sleeping giant in the education space. That giant is now very much awake.”
James Jepson Named New Sales Manager UKI at MAXHUB
As the new MAXHUB sales manager UKI, James Jepson will be responsible for the further expansion of the company in the UK and Ireland. With Jepson, MAXHUB has gained an experienced AV professional for its sales team. He started his career in the IT services industry in 2009, before joining ViewSonic in 2017 as business development manager. He spent more than five years there, rising to the position of sales director B2B and AV. Further roles followed at Northamber AV and most recently Sound Technology.
"With the appointment of James Jepson, we have added an experienced professional to our team," said Kevin Wang, European sales director at MAXHUB. "Throughout his career he has proven his ability to develop new business and grow market share. His background gives him a broad knowledge of the industry, which will serve him well in his new role. He is truly the perfect candidate for the position in the UK and Ireland."
Digital Sales Group Metro Brings Sam Aldrich Onboard
Digital Sales Group Metro, (DSG) a full-service manufacturer’s representative for residential and commercial electronics in the New York and New Jersey metropolitan areas, has appointed Sam Aldrich as VP sales in harmony with the expanded coverage from several manufacturers in New England and Upper New York. With an extensive background in the consumer and pro electronics industries, Sam Aldrich brings a wealth of management experience and a customer-centric approach to the Digital Sales Group Metro team.
Bringing more than 25 years of industry experience with the most recent eight years in-support of independent dealers throughout NY, NJ, and New England as Northeast account manager for Sonos and New England sales manager for AVAD. Prior to joining the vendor side of the business, Aldrich was the principal of specialty AV retailer and integrator, Audio etc., in New Haven and Orange CT, affording him a unique and valuable perspective on the vendor-dealer partnership. His talent for analyzing key performance indicators and establishing performance metrics highlights his unwavering dedication to achieving success and driving business growth.
ZTransform Taps Pro AV Veteran for General Manager Role
ZTransform welcomed Paul Catterson to the role of general manager. In this elevated position, Catterson will be responsible for the development and execution of company initiatives and the management of project operations toward the successful completion of all client engagements.
Catterson joined ZTransform in early 2023 as VP of strategy to focus on market expansion and growth of the organization’s existing verticals, as well as overseeing the company rebrand.
Prior to joining ZTransform, Catterson held leadership positions in systems integration, 24-hour media operations, and media business consulting. His multi-disciplined career path has led Catterson to experience the industry from many different perspectives—as a supplier through to end user—and at multiple levels within several organizational models. His previous roles include senior director and general manager, content services for Comcast Technology Solutions, and VP of solutions at Diversified.
Hive Appoints New Sales Director
Hive has appointed Nigel Sadler to the role of sales director. Nigel's background in the world of live entertainment and show business, along with his extensive career, positions him to drive Hive's vision.
Sadler has dedicated more than two decades to the lighting and event industry. Sadler, who began his career as a teacher, entered the Pro AV industry as a sales manager at M&M Lighting in 1992 before later taking on roles at ETC Europe and DHA. Throughout his career, Sadler has worked on high-profile projects including the Super Bowl, the Academy Awards, and worldwide stadium tours of renowned bands and artists.
Sadler's innovative spirit led him to experiment with unconventional lighting methods, including early work with video projectors, eventually resulting in the creation of the renowned Green Hippo product, Hippotizer. In the early 2000s, Sadler officially joined the team at Green Hippo, further developing his expertise and reputation in the media server field in his roles as special projects and strategic product director and chief technology officer. It was during Sadler’s time at Green Hippo that he first met Dave Green, who would later go on to co-found Hive.
In his role Sadler is responsible for setting up worldwide distribution channels and routes to market for Hive's growing portfolio of media playback solutions. He will act as a global ambassador for Hive, offering his extensive industry knowledge, guidance on projects, and leveraging his well-established industry relationships. Furthermore, he will serve as the crucial bridge between Hive's research and development, support and sales teams.
Company News
Xyte to Accelerate Expansion of Servitization Platform, Xyte Device Cloud
Xyte recently announced a $30 million investment round, which includes $20 million in Series A funding led by Intel Capital, with participation from Samsung Next and existing investors S Capital and Mindset Ventures, as well as $10 million in venture lending from funds and accounts managed by BlackRock. In conjunction with the financing, Roi Bar-Kat, Israel Country manager and managing director at Intel Capital, will join Xyte’s board of directors.
Xyte Device Cloud is an integrated business solution that includes hardware, software, and services, akin to the models of technology leaders like Tesla and Apple. The full-stack servitization platform that empowers device and hardware manufacturers to introduce usage-based and other innovative as-a-service business models and develop sustainable customer relationships. It is purpose-built for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to manage the complete lifecycle of their connected devices – from the minute they leave the warehouse to the moment they reach customers and through aftermarket sales.
“The hardware-as-a-service model is imperative for device and hardware manufacturers to ensure their business success. Xyte is equipping forward-thinking OEMs with an indispensable software stack to meet that need,” said Bar-Kat. “We are confident that Xyte will play a pivotal role in shaping the ecosystem and enabling device and hardware manufacturers’ businesses to flourish.”
VMP Celebrates 30th Anniversary
Video Mount Products is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year with the slogan Nothing Holds Up Better! For the past three decades, Stevensville, MD-based VMP evolved into a renowned supplier of flat panel mounting solutions, from installations in educational, institutional, and religious applications to lodging, sports venues, residential, health care, and restaurants.
Thirty years ago, VMP began as an OEM project to provide mounts for a handful of Maryland electronic distributors whose customers were handling multiple TV installations in small venues. The line began with a product offering of just six items and has evolved into an industry leader now offering nearly 200 SKUs to installation professionals across every facet of the AV, communications, and security industries.
In 1996, Keith Fulmer, now president of Video Mount Products, was then a principal of Keller & Associates, which was the manufacturers’ representative for Video Mount Products in the NY/NJ Metro area. The founder of VMP hired him to spearhead VMP’s growth and market development. In 2005, Fulmer purchased all the company’s outstanding stock and became the sole owner.
“VMP products have been engineered for and installed with confidence in thousands of AV, communications, and security applications throughout the world,” Fulmer concluded. “Thirty years is certainly a milestone to be proud of, especially in our market. However, we celebrate every single year because we are incredibly thankful for our customers and partners, and we wouldn’t be celebrating three decades in the business without them.”
Sound Network Rebrands as DPA Microphones UK
Following DPA Microphones’ acquisition of Sound Network in 2017, this rebrand reflects a keen desire to focus all attention, activities, and energy on the core brand, as well as align the U.K, team’s identity with the global DPA organization. This move further strengthens DPA’s position within the U.K. audio world, as a microphone solution in the West End, broadcast, live, film and corporate markets.
DPA Microphones UK’s mission is to continue to deliver innovative audio solutions across the entire U.K. audio industry, as well as redirect more time and energy to open days, trade shows, educational training and product demos.
“With the official launch of DPA Microphones UK, we look forward to streamlined operations and presence throughout the region,” said Kalle Hvidt Nielsen, CEO, DPA Microphones. “This enhanced operational collaboration between the UK and our headquarters in Denmark better positions the brand to manage new and existing customer requests in this part of the world.”
The rebrand will also streamline internal processes and bring the U.K. operation more in line with other DPA territories in Europe. This includes shipping all orders directly from the production facility in Denmark, where all capsules are carefully hand-crafted on-site with the highest levels of accuracy, consistency and quality control. A more consistent delivery time for a wider range of products will be available for all those in the U.K. looking to get their hands on the latest DPA microphones.
DPA Microphones UK is also leaving Kentish Town to relocate to a brand-new, purpose-built office space in Dalston, London. This move provides an opportunity to reorganize and refresh the U.K. team. Lastly, DPA Microphones UK will terminate distribution of Quested Studio Monitors and Smart Research.
