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On Eve of Last CEDIA-Produced Show, Are We at a Turning Point?

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CEDIA sells off showWhat a weird time it is for CEDIA members. We are about to head to San Diego in a couple of weeks for the last-ever CEDIA show produced by CEDIA, after which we are losing the greatest revenue-generator for the organization…we have no CEO (just a temporary fill-in) and the reason for the previous CEO’s exit has never been explained…we have been globalized, the benefits of which to American members aren’t exactly clear…we are awaiting a new strategic plan which is being crafted by a consultant in England…and the organization is about to spend some $14 million to build a new building before we even have the strategic plan to tell us if that makes any sense.

It seems as though the organization is at some kind of a turning point. But are things turning up, or down? We talked to some leading industry executives to get their perspective on what’s going on at CEDIA.

See what some are saying about the direction of CEDIA… [Read more…] about On Eve of Last CEDIA-Produced Show, Are We at a Turning Point?

Thiel Audio’s New CEO, Elyse McKenna, Talks to Strata-Gee

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New CEO Outlines a New Future for the 40-Year Old Brand

Photo of Elyse McKenna, Thiel Audio CEOYou practically need a scorecard to keep track of the revolving group of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) that have come and gone from Nashville-based Thiel Audio. The specialty speaker company has had five CEOs in four years – leading to an unending series of disjointed actions from a disconnected group of high-powered executives, each with their own vision of where to take the company.

Now it is new Thiel CEO Elyse McKenna’s turn…and she has a plan… [Read more…] about Thiel Audio’s New CEO, Elyse McKenna, Talks to Strata-Gee

B&H Photo Pays $3.2M to Settle Federal Charges

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DOL and B&H Photo logosBREAKING NEWS

Just over a year ago, we told you about the Federal government bringing charges against popular retailer B&H Foto & Electronics Corp., better known as B&H Photo Video, alleging discrimination, bias, and harassment of workers at its Brooklyn Navy Yard warehouse. Filed by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, the action by the government told a seamy tale of material mistreatment of certain employees at the company, a Federal contractor subject to specific rules governing treatment of workers.

See more on the costly conclusion of the matter by B&H… [Read more…] about B&H Photo Pays $3.2M to Settle Federal Charges

Huge Management Transition at Lenbrook; End of an Era

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Lenbrook logoLenbrook International announced this week a major transition in their management team in what it said was a carefully thought-out “succession plan.” Lenbrook, parent company to the Bluesound, NAD, and PSB brands, will restructure their senior management team in the wake of a form of retirement of two of its most prominent leaders – Lenbrook Americas President & CEO Dean Miller; and Chief Brand Officer John Banks. It is not an overstatement to call this the end of one era and the beginning of a new one.

See more on this change at Lenbrook… [Read more…] about Huge Management Transition at Lenbrook; End of an Era

Jeannette Howe Joins Transformative Engineering as VP of Sales

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BREAKING NEWS

Transformative Engineering logoSpecialty design and engineering firm Transformative Engineering has appointed Jeannette Howe to the newly created role of Vice President of Sales. The company notes that Howe’s background, including stints at “National Buying Groups, Trade Associations, and major retailers,” uniquely qualifies her for this role, which is an expansion of their existing sales team.

See more on this new appointment at Transformative Engineering… [Read more…] about Jeannette Howe Joins Transformative Engineering as VP of Sales

Layoffs Hit Linear Subsidiary GTO Access Systems

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One Out of Every Three Employees to Lose Job

Nortek LogoGTO Access Systems LLC, a division of Linear LLC, itself part of Nortek, Inc. is planning to lay off fully 33% of its workforce, according to a report in the Tallahassee Democrat. The company says all layoffs should be completed by September 20th. This is the first significant layoff of any company associated with Nortek’s Security & Control Solutions segment of which we are aware.

Learn more about this significant layoff at GTO… [Read more…] about Layoffs Hit Linear Subsidiary GTO Access Systems

Are Amazon Geeks Geekier than Best Buy’s?

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Amazon Tests In-Home Installations

Best Buy store and Geek Squad truckRecode is reporting that Amazon is testing an installation service for smart home products in several key test markets – in direct competition with Best Buy’s Geek Squad. While these two giants battle over the rights to install smart home solutions into the home, where does this leave the independent integrator?

See more of what we learned from Recode… [Read more…] about Are Amazon Geeks Geekier than Best Buy’s?

New Mystery: Has Classé Closed?

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Fact? or Fiction?

Classe logoLess than a week after we reported that B&W Group President Doug Henderson had been summarily dismissed from the company he has been a key executive at for more than a decade, the rumor mill has fired up again with word that Classé has been closed down. Classé, like B&W Loudspeakers, is owned and distributed by B&W Group Ltd., a company recently acquired by EVA Automation. Multiple sources are suggesting that EVA owner Gideon Yu has decided to cease operations at the high end manufacturer of audio electronics.

See what we found out from B&W Group about Classé… [Read more…] about New Mystery: Has Classé Closed?

Reformulated Russound is Ready to Rumble

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Russound logoIn an extended meeting with Russound CEO Charlie Porritt and Vice President of Product Development Colin Clark, Strata-gee had the opportunity to learn details of the relatively dramatic developments at the company – many taking place behind the scenes – that management has undertaken over the last few years to better position the company for the future. Like a fighter with a new trainer who has put him on a strict diet and rigorous training regimen, Russound has emerged from an at-times painful multi-year process leaner and meaner…and ready to rumble.

Find out what we learned about the meaningful changes at Russound… [Read more…] about Reformulated Russound is Ready to Rumble

Bowers & Wilkins Notifies Dealers of Henderson’s Departure

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STORY UPDATE

B&W logoShortly after we published our BREAKING NEWS report on the Bowers & Wilkins dismissal of President Doug Henderson, we obtained a copy of an email that was apparently sent by the company to all B&W dealers explaining the situation. We’d like to be able to say this note answered all questions surrounding the upheaval their actions caused, but it raised as many questions as it answered.

See the email Bowers & Wilkins sent to their dealers on Henderson’s departure… [Read more…] about Bowers & Wilkins Notifies Dealers of Henderson’s Departure