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O’Connor Named CEDIA CEO, ‘Status Quo’ Wins the Day

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cedia logoCEDIA announced this week that it was promoting Tabatha O’Connor to permanent CEDIA Global President and CEO. O’Connor, a sixteen-year CEDIA association employee, had recently been serving as the “acting” President and CEO in the wake of the sudden dismissal of former CEO Vin Bruno in 2017.

Unfortunately, what this means is the organization has decided to go back to day-to-day association management of operations, rather than drive growth through a strong, visionary CEO with industry experience and great force-of-will to stem the erosion of the organization’s influence.

See more about CEDIA’s choice for CEO… [Read more…] about O’Connor Named CEDIA CEO, ‘Status Quo’ Wins the Day

Luxul Expands Its Team with Key Hires

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Luxul logoLuxul announced today that in response to its growing business, it has added two key hires in product management and technical writing. Joining the networking solutions provider are John Epeneter as its new product manager and Lindsay Bull as technical writer.

See more on the roles of these new hires and what it means for Luxul… [Read more…] about Luxul Expands Its Team with Key Hires

Monte Wood, Behind-the-Scenes Hero, Dies

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Photo of Monte and Mavis Wood
Mavis and Monte Wood

Sad news to report this holiday season – Monte Spencer Wood, a behind-the-scenes hero at Tampa, Florida-based Perpetual Marketing Associates and PGW Distributing, died peacefully in his sleep in the early evening of December 26, the day after Christmas. Monte, a personal friend of mine and many, many others, was a big man with an even bigger heart. His lively, bigger-than-life presence will be missed by all who knew and loved him. He was just 58-years old.

See more on the life of Monte Wood… [Read more…] about Monte Wood, Behind-the-Scenes Hero, Dies

More Thiel Turmoil – Is It Closed? Is It Open?

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Significant Staff Terminations Drop Headcount

New Thiel Audio logoWe are hearing from multiple sources both public and private that Thiel Audio has ceased operations, effective November 30, 2017. If true, the news would be a sad punctuation to the end of the story of a once proud  high-end audio brand that since 2012 has endured multiple CEO’s and their changing business plans. Current CEO Elyse McKenna is, by our count, the fifth CEO at Thiel since the end of 2012 – a year which started with co-founder Kathy Gornik as the CEO who then sold the company to David B. Griffin, a wealthy farmer and landowner according to our sources.

But, apparently, the answer to the question posed in our headline is that it depends on who you ask. CEO Elyse McKenna, in a telephone interview this afternoon, denied that Thiel is closed and tells us the company remains open for business.

See more on this confusing news on Thiel… [Read more…] about More Thiel Turmoil – Is It Closed? Is It Open?

CEDIA Elects New Board Members; Is Change at Hand?

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Photo of Matt D. ScottCEDIA has wrapped up the election process for three open board seats that we first told you about here in a post from September. There were a total of seven candidates vying for three open slots. The election is over and ladies and gentlemen we have a winner, er, three winners.

See who joins the Board for 2018… [Read more…] about CEDIA Elects New Board Members; Is Change at Hand?

Family Sets Steve Zaboji Funeral Arrangements

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Photo Steve Zaboji in flight

As we were first to report on Sunday, October 8th, well-known industry manufacturer sales representative Steve Zaboji was tragically killed in a plane crash the previous day (Saturday). We can now report that the Zaboji family has set the arrangements for his funeral.

Continue reading for more details on the funeral of Steve Zaboji… [Read more…] about Family Sets Steve Zaboji Funeral Arrangements

Iconic Industry Rep Steve Zaboji Killed in Plane Crash

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Industry Stunned as Zaboji Died Pursuing His Love of Flight

UPDATED: Yamaha Responds to News

Photo of Steve ZabojiOne of the most iconic manufacturer sales representatives in the consumer electronics industry in the Mid-Atlantic territory, Steven B. Zaboji, was killed Saturday just before 2:00pm, when the Piper Pawnee aircraft he was piloting crashed shortly after releasing a glider it had towed into the sky. According to the Virginia State Police, the crash occurred near the Front Royal Airport, the airport it had taken off from, in Warren County, Virginia.

See more on this shocking death of Steve Zaboji… [Read more…] about Iconic Industry Rep Steve Zaboji Killed in Plane Crash

Getting Out the Vote for New CEDIA Directors

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cedia logoCEDIA has opened voting to fill the three open seats on the board due to term expiration. The organization has selected seven potential candidates, all of whom are integrators with two international candidates. CEDIA says the Boards Governance committee, after an “in-depth process” has determined that these seven candidates “met the competencies required” to be placed on the ballot.

See more on this election process… [Read more…] about Getting Out the Vote for New CEDIA Directors

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