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Foxconn’s Double Dose of Bad News

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A Negative Financial Report & a New Wisconsin Governor Add to Headaches

No doubt about it, Apple Inc. supplier Foxconn has had a really bad week. First, last Tuesday Wisconsin voters kicked Republican Governor Scott Walker out of office, replacing him with Democrat Tony Evers. Then early this week, the company released financial results with disappointing earnings that missed analysts estimates. Both of these unrelated events have combined to cause market analysts to question the company’s strategy going forward.

See more on what these events mean bad news for Foxconn… [Read more…] about Foxconn’s Double Dose of Bad News

Gibson to Emerge from Bankruptcy & Stop Singing the Blues

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With Old Debt Gone, A New Leader & Team Arrives

Logo for Gibson BrandsGibson Brands is on the verge of emerging from bankruptcy a much healthier business in many respects – with less debt, more money in the bank, and a new leader to help the company shed its consumer electronics debacle and reconnect with the musical instrument market. The fifth time, it appears, was a charm as the court has approved the fifth revision of a company submitted turnaround plan that, cuts debt, jettisons former CEO Henry Juszkiewicz, and puts bondholders KKR in the driver’s seat.

See more on Gibson’s dramatic turnaround… [Read more…] about Gibson to Emerge from Bankruptcy & Stop Singing the Blues

Krell VP of Sales Leaves Company

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Krell Comments on Shackelford’s Departure

Krell logoGordon Shackelford, Vice President of Sales for Krell over the last few troubled years, has left the company at the end of September. The public face of the company during what might be its most troubled times, Shackelford told me he needed a break after a period of great stress in his career, but he wishes Krell all the best and believes it is in the midst of a significant turnaround.

See more on why Shackelford’s departed from Krell… [Read more…] about Krell VP of Sales Leaves Company

Gibson Begins Leadership Makeover w/New CFO

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Gibson's 2019 guitar lineupGibson Brands’ Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings have continued to incessantly march forward, the gritty work of a large scale matter such as this occurring mostly in the background. However, occasionally a major factor emerges to be picked up by the media. One thing the new owners of Gibson made a fundamental part of this initiative, was to change  the organization’s leadership.

This week, we learned that the company will soon emerge from bankruptcy with a new chief financial officer (CFO) – announcing the appointment of Kimberly Mattoon for the role.

See more on this Gibson news… [Read more…] about Gibson Begins Leadership Makeover w/New CFO

CEDIA Expo18: Vanco in Major Audio Expansion

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Vanco logoVanco has always seemed to be that reliable supplier in the background providing a steady stream of solutions like cables, connectors, and other accessories – not particularly glitzy or exciting, but steady and there. Well all that is about to change I learned when I spoke with Mark Corbin, Vanco’s recently appointed President at CEDIA Expo18 earlier this month. The company has begun a big initiative to become a major player in a category near and dear to my heart…audio.

See how Vanco is attacking the audio business with gusto… [Read more…] about CEDIA Expo18: Vanco in Major Audio Expansion

Origin Acoustics: New Products, New CEO

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Origin CEO Nick BerryAs usual, our first official CEDIA Expo press conference was Origin Acoustics. And as usual, Origin begins the show by putting on the Dave Donald show. Donald, who is Origin’s “Worldwide Ambassador,” is a showman at heart with a dynamic speaking style and sprinkles of exciting hyperbole. I have to say, while Donald seemed slightly lower key that at past shows, you certainly won’t drift off to sleep when he’s verbally throwing new models at you.

But what followed next is what really caught our attention… [Read more…] about Origin Acoustics: New Products, New CEO

Showing Signs of Life, Krell Announces New COO

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Krell logoKrell Industries LLC formally announced today it has hired Walter Schofield as its new Chief Operating Officer. Schofield is fairly well known in the audio community, in fact, Krell refers to him as an “industry veteran.”

See more on this new appointment… [Read more…] about Showing Signs of Life, Krell Announces New COO

Editor Ted Green Appears on ResiWeek

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ResiWeek title slideSeems like my good friends over at AVNation.tv didn’t learn their lesson! Once again, they invited me back to participate in a new episode of their popular ResiWeek podcast, hosted by Matt D. Scott (he insists on including the “D” in his name for some reason).

Read on to see what topics we discussed & get a hint on why the episode title is “Just Do It”… [Read more…] about Editor Ted Green Appears on ResiWeek

Randy Blanchard, ex-ADI, Takes Audio Role at Vanco

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Vanco logoVanco International LLC, a provider of AV and accessories products, announced this week that Randy Blanchard has joined the company as its new Director of Audio Products. Among other things, Blanchard will oversee the company’s Pulse Audio and Beale Street Audio brands. Blanchard joins the company after a 13½-year career with ADI.

See more on Randy Blanchard and Vanco… [Read more…] about Randy Blanchard, ex-ADI, Takes Audio Role at Vanco

SEC Rejects Monster Cryptocurrency Filing, Notes ‘Serious Deficiencies’

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Monster Changes: Prez/COO & Auditor are Terminated, Three-Man Board is Now Only One

Photo of Noel LeeIn June, after significant outreach by many Strata-gee readers, we posted our take on the Monster Products, Inc. (Monster) S-1 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in which Monster sought to launch its own Monster Money cryptocurrency in a major shift in the company’s direction. This SEC filing by Monster was at the end of May, and our story [see: Is Monster Money a Massive Mistake?] was posted June 13th.

We have just discovered that days after our story appeared, Monster received an SEC staff letter dated June 15th titled “SERIOUS DEFICIENCIES.” But that’s not all we discovered…

See more on Monster’s S-1 rejection and other major news we’ve uncovered… [Read more…] about SEC Rejects Monster Cryptocurrency Filing, Notes ‘Serious Deficiencies’