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PEOPLE Buzz

Wilcher to Run for City Commission in Kentucky

Gordy Wilcher, who for 46 years owned Owensboro Music Center in Owensboro, Ky., on May 19 filed to run for the city’s commission. Wilcher is also a founding member of the iMSO MI trade group, bassist and vocalist with the Velvet Bombers, and often contributed to the Music & Sound Retailer’s September Independent Retailer Roundtable feature.

“A huge thank you to many of our current city leaders and friends and family for your support,” Wilcher wrote on Facebook. “I do not take this challenge lightly and want to work hard for our community and our business and fellow citizens. I have a fantastic team to help me stay on course. I BELIEVE IN OWENSBORO.”

Catching a New Wave

New Jerseybased Wave Distro, distributor for pro audio brands including Empirical Labs, Useful Arts Audio, Whitestone Audio Instruments and Serpent Audio, announced the addition of industry veteran Orin Portnoy as sales representative for select brands in the USA and Canada. Portnoy brings a wealth of experience in audio to Wave Distro, most notably from his 20-year tenure as vice president of sales and marketing for CE Distribution and, prior to that, a decade spent with New Sensor Corporation (Electro-Harmonix, Sovtek). Born and raised in New York City, Portnoy currently works from his home base in Tempe, Ariz.

Reed Is Fundamental

Yamaha Corp. of America (YCA) named Reed Larrimore its senior director of combo channel sales.

In this role, Larrimore is responsible for leading sales efforts for the company’s combo music products, as well as expanding the scope of distribution for Yamaha Guitar Group products under the Line 6 and Ampeg brands. He is also tasked with broadening sales for Steinberg software and hardware products. Larrimore continues to report directly to Garth Gilman, corporate vice president.

“Reed is an accomplished professional who has done an exceptional job of leading Yamaha sales teams to success,” said Gilman. “He is also one of only a select few individuals in his position to be inducted into the prestigious Yamaha President’s Club, which awards high-achieving sales professionals in the organization. I am confident that he will continue to elevate our company’s overall sales strategy for many years to come.”

Larrimore joined Yamaha in 2001 as district manager for what was then the Pro Audio and Combo Division, serving the New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania territory. In 2005, he was promoted to eastern regional sales manager, and in 2012, to director, national sales. He was named director, combo channel sales, in April 2019.

A Sound Selection

Audix named Steve Johnson as vice president of sales and marketing. Johnson has served for more than 30 years in the pro audio and communications industries, with a background in engineering, marketing and senior management roles. Johnson was most recently the CEO of Community Professional Loudspeakers, with previous leadership positions with Bosch Communications Systems, Harman Music Group and Shure microphones.

“Audix is an outstanding brand with a legacy of quality and innovation,” said Johnson. “There are many exciting things on the horizon and in the works at Audix. I look forward to helping expand their reach and shaping a strong long-term vision that drives success for years to come.”

“Audix has been seeking an industry leader with the skillset to take [the company] to the next level,” added Cindy Bigeh, CFO of Audix. “We welcome the strong business acumen Steve brings to the Audix sales and marketing teams. We are anticipating much success with Steve at the helm.”

PEOPLE Buzz

In Memoriam: Joe Keith

The Retail Print Music Dealers Association (RPMDA) announced Keith was a staple at the RPMDA annual conventions and the director the passing of one of RPMDA’s founding members, Joe Keith of Music for the RPMDA Choir. Mart in Albuquerque, N.M. Keith died at home from complications of Memorials can be made to St. John’s Music Ministry, 2626 Arizona pulmonary fibrosis, which he had been battling the past four years. He NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110. A private service will be held, and a is survived by Claudia, his wife of 58 years, and three children. celebration of life will be announced at a later date. Those wishing to

Keith served as RPMDA President from 1978-1979, and after years express their condolences can visit frenchfunerals.com/obituaries/ of dedicated service to RPMDA and to the print music industry, he Joe-Keith, or do so via mail to Claudia Keith, 7720 American Heritage and his wife received RPMDA’s highest honor, the Dorothy Award, NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109. in 1999.

Joe and Claudia purchased the Music Mart in the early 1960s with the goal of doing all that was possible to support music education and lesson programs. As the store grew, so did his interest in the print SMALL BODY, BIG VOICE industry as a whole. Keith was instrumental in being part of a small group of retailers who formed the RPMDA in 1976. PRS SE PARLOR ACOUSTICS The PRS SE P20 & P20E are parlorsized acoustics with a big presence. On the Marc Featuring PRS hybrid “X”/Classical bracing, which allows the top to freely

Solid State Logic (SSL) vibrate, the SE Parlor acoustics project appointed Marc DeGeorge as with even, bold tone. These guitars national sales manager, audio boast all-mahogany construction, and creation products. DeGeorge, have an organic, warm voice. Their who was previously U.S. sales smaller size makes playing for hours and marketing manager, mufun and comfortable and allows for sic products, will continue to more convenient transport. To find report to Phil Wagner, SSL’s out more and to hear how they sound senior vice president. please visit www.prsguitars.com.

“Marc has been a key part of our sales team for almost a decade, and in his new role he will help extend our success into adjacent markets; particularly for our products such as SiX and our new interfaces,” said Wagner. “Through our relationship with Audiotonix, we have been able to substantially increase our manufacturing capacity while retaining the quality that SSL is known for. In this newly created position, Marc will be instrumental in helping us reach a broader set of consumers.”

DeGeorge joined SSL in 2011 and has been responsible for managing SSL’s independent dealer network, as well as cultivating the company’s console sales, primarily to the North American professional studio market. © 2020 PRS Guitars / Photos by Marc Quigley For official PRS strings and cables, as well as a full line of accessories, wearables and parts, please contact your PRS dealer or shop online at: www.prsguitars.com/shop