USA - After nearly two decades at Walt Disney World and Disney Live Entertainment, Ryan Stumpp has joined Elation Professional as vertical market manager for themed environments. Ryan has designed and programmed lighting for a variety of marquee shows and spectaculars, including the recent redesign of Fantasmic! at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Happily Ever After at Magic Kingdom.
In his role at Elation, Ryan will work to drive Elation product adoption with designers, specifiers and consultants focused on theme parks, cruise ships, hospitality venues, resorts, casinos, museums and other themed spaces.
“Themed environments is a vast and challenging market that spans multiple genres of lighting and applications,” stated Elation director of sales John Dunn. “Ryan’s passion for immersive theatrical shows and storytelling, his years of experience and not least his extensive connections in this key market will help us foster more collaborative technical and creative relationships with designers across themed spaces and we are excited to have him on board.”
Ryan has worked as a freelance lighting designer/programmer for over 20 years - the last 10 through his own company Cue 13 Design. Throughout his career, he has fulfilled a variety of roles in themed environment applications and was an early adopter of IP-rated lighting fixtures for use in outdoor installation environments. Notably, his lightshow design at The Wharf entertainment district in Orange Beach, Alabama, has received widespread acclaim. He is an accomplished stage a

UK - Trade-only display specialist PSCo (part of the Midwich Group) has announced the appointment of Mark Harrison as image processing specialist, and Rob Stallard as consultant partner manager.
Harrison will be primarily responsible for providing pre-sales technical, commercial and solutions design support to customers and colleagues for large screen display projects. A key focus will be on growing the image processing category within the business and to strengthen PSCo’s ‘validated system’ approach to support channel partners with fully validated source-to-screen display solutions.
“I’ve worked alongside PSCo and Midwich for a number of years,” says Harrison. “They are a well organised group of experts who work hard for their customers. I’m very much looking forward to extending existing industry relationships and making many new ones in my new challenge to grow to the PSCo image processing business, both in terms of revenue and the technology solutions we offer.”
In his role as consultant partner manager, Stallard takes on a key strategic role within the PSCo sales team, working closely with architects, audio visual consultants, users, and other specifiers, to identify, develop and support complex project opportunities for the business.
Stallard previously held senior project management and technical support roles at Electrosonic and White Light
Graham Pow, general sales manager at PSCo adds, “We are delighted to welcome Mark Harrison and Rob Stallard to the team. They are two seasoned AV professionals whose stron

UK - Videndum Media Solutions has announced the appointment of Simon Beesley to the position of sales & business development director EMEA for the Pro Audio Group. In his new role, Simon will be responsible for sales and business development in the region for the company’s professional audio portfolio of brands, which includes Audix and Rycote.
Simon Beesley joins Videndum with a broad spectrum of experience in the professional audio and broadcast marketplaces. He started his career in this industry at Raycom, the manufacturer of radio talkback systems for broadcast, as well as performing engineering work on wireless mic systems. He has served in a variety of roles such as business development, sales, product management, and rental and installation division management for companies including Sony Professional, Riedel Communications and Sennheiser.
“We are very pleased to welcome Simon Beesley to Videndum Media Solutions. He brings his extensive knowledge, skills, and experience in the broadcast and professional audio marketplaces to our team,” says Bjørn Rennemo-Henriksen, audio sales senior director.
“Videndum Media Solutions has a long and rich history and its brands have a well-known reputation for producing products and solutions which meet the very highest standards in their respective marketplaces,” adds Beesley. “I am very excited to get to be part of this team and look forward to furthering the brand recognition and building new relationships in the region for Audix and Rycote.”

South Africa - DWR Distribution has announced Patrick Manicom as the new workshop assistant in Cape Town.
Patrick was introduced to the entertainment industry by his sister, Jade Manicom, a lighting designer. “I first learnt about DWR in 2020 via my sister before she joined the company,” Patrick comments. “She arranged for me to visit their workshop for a week, and that’s where I discovered that I wanted to work with my hands. DWR was happy to have me tinker around and assist with repairs while teaching me about the different equipment. Everyone was so welcoming from the workshop team all the way to the CEOs, and I seemed to have made an impression too as Bruce Riley remembers me from just that week.”
Patrick recently relocated to Cape Town and now works closely with DWR’s Johnny Scholtz and says the experience has been a combination of nerves and excitement as he hopes to help grow the branch.

Germany - DirectOut has announced the addition of Nicolas Sturmel to their team. Nicolas will assume the role of senior network technologist, leveraging his expertise and commitment to expand the audio network capabilities of the company's R&D team.
CEO/CTO, Claudio Becker-Foss comments: “Nicolas has been a fellow engineer in the audio over IP field since the advent of Ravenna more than 10 years ago. We worked together in the AES67 task group and at ST 2110 interop and JT-NM Tested events. His passion for audio, accurate engineering using the latest technology, and the mindset of thinking off the beaten track to create the best solution for a customer, fit DirectOut’s philosophy perfectly. Nicolas’ knowledge and curiosity will be a great addition to our team.”
It was during his tenure at Digigram as an innovation project manager and later as head of research that Nicolas had the opportunity to combine his two passions and play a pivotal role in defining and promoting the adoption of AES67. In 2016, he joined Merging Technologies as a senior technologist, leading the ANEMAN project and continuing his work on AES67 and ST 2110 implementation.
Nicolas stated: “I'm delighted to join DirectOut, a company I have long admired for its innovation and commitment to the development of bridging solutions for audio networks. I have always believed in the transformative power of audio over IP technology and am excited to bring my knowledge and expertise to an organisation that shares this vision.”

USA - Bandit Lites continues its year of growth with the hiring of Tristan Weaver and Gavin Smith to its world headquarters in Knoxville. Weaver steps into the Integration department as the logistics & inventory specialist, while Smith has entered Bandit’s production team as one of its newest lighting technicians.
Prior to joining Bandit, Weaver worked as an inventory manager. As Bandit’s logistics & inventory specialist, he’ll assist in the daily operations of the Knoxville warehouse including general facilities maintenance, assisting with sales preparation and production prep.
Smith has been hired as a lighting technician, having previously worked as a Dollywood tech where he ran the sound system for the singers and dancers.

UK - 3LR Design has announced the addition of consultant Ziggy Jacobs to the team.
"No challenge is too large for Ziggy," says Josh Allen, global director of design for 3LR. "Designer, trainer, programmer, lecturer - Ziggy does it all. Her extensive experience on a global scale, along with her keen eye for detail and unwavering commitment to excellence, make Ziggy a perfect fit for our team.”
“Her CV includes technical systems in hundreds of installations around the world, and she has been an ETC certified and trained programmer and commissioning technician since 2008.”
Based in London, Ziggy will be instrumental in developing systems designs and bespoke training programmes, ensuring that systems programming requirements which 3LR has specified are met during the construction administration and commissioning phase to close out successful projects. Her credits include a broad range of work - programming West End productions, The British National Opera, The English National Ballet, BT Sport, Royal Albert Hall, Formula One racing, Theatre Royal Bath, Netherlands Opera, British Fashion Awards, Cairo Opera, lighting and programming for the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, and much more.

USA - Fulcrum Acoustic has announced the appointment of Val Gilbert as director of business development for export. The strategic appointment comes as the company focuses on expanding its global market share. In this newly created role, Gilbert will strengthen Fulcrum Acoustic's export business and establish new distribution and dealer relationships worldwide.
Gilbert brings considerable industry experience to Fulcrum Acoustic. Previously, he served on Allen & Heath's technical sales and marketing team and in engineering support at Nexo.
Todd Foster, vice president of sales at Fulcrum Acoustic, comments: "We are excited to welcome Val to Fulcrum Acoustic. His technical experience in the audio industry makes him a good fit to lead our international expansion efforts. With Val on board, we anticipate exciting growth opportunities as he develops new partnerships globally."
Gilbert adds, "This is an exciting time for the company as it expands its international sales and market presence. I’m eager to support Fulcrum Acoustic's growth and drive the brand's global success. I look forward to creating new partnerships and strengthening existing relationships."
Val Gilbert will be on-site at Fulcrum Acoustic booth 5160 and demo room W224D during InfoComm 2023 in Orlando.

UK - Little Lion Entertainment has appointed Marc Williams as their new head of technical and production. With over 20 years in theatre and arts production and 14 years working for the National Theatre in the UK, Williams will bring a fresh take to all things lighting, operations and technical production across Tomb Raider: The LIVE Experience and The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience attractions.
Marc’s background is rich in the world of the arts and technical production. Training at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts in stage management, lighting and set construction, he then stepped into the role of technical manager of Liverpool Everyman, Playhouse and international touring. Following success in his previous roles, he moved on to the National Theatre as Lighting Supervisor in the Olivier Theatre, before being promoted to lighting operations manager, playing an integral role in restructuring the lighting team as a whole.
His role at the National Theatre included being part of the conceptual stages of design and production and building one of the best operational teams in the field, driving advancements in technology and creativity. Across his 14 years in the role, Marc has been part of some of the most successful shows such as War Horse, Frankenstein and various Shakespeare productions.
As well as his beaming production career, Marc’s expertise covers a breadth of successful international lighting design for recent shows at the Schaubuhne in Berlin, The Odeon in Paris and The Armory, New York.
Marc Williams, head of technical and pr

USA - 3LR Design has announced the arrival of Amy D Lux, who joins the consulting team.
"Amy has designed and collaborated on some amazing projects," says Josh Allen, gobal director of design for 3LR. "The experience Amy brings in systems and controls design for immersive environments will allow us to continue our reach as we work with our clients to provide highly creative and collaborative solutions."
Some of Amy's project clients include Meow Wolf, Twitch, ESPN, and Nike. Amy has been invited to speak as part of several industry panels, including LightFair, ArchLight Summit, and LDI.
Based in Austin, TX and in Emeryville, CA, Amy founded and operates LoboLux Design, a multidisciplinary design & consultancy company.

USA - Laura Camacho has been appointed senior vice president for Focusrite Group US to manage the commercial activities across the Americas for the Focusrite Group’s content creation brands of Focusrite, Focusrite Pro, Novation, ADAM Audio, Sequential, Oberheim, Sonnox, and Ampify.
Laura brings channel experience from her leadership roles at Adorama and previously Guitar Centre. Laura also obtained her MBA from Californian Lutheran University. Reporting directly to the Focusrite Group chief revenue officer, Damian Hawley, Laura will manage all Focusrite Group routes to market across the Americas.
Laura Camacho comments: “I am honoured to have the opportunity to join such an incredibly talented team and represent an industry-leading portfolio of brands at Focusrite Group. I have long admired their commitment to innovation and am thrilled to lead the continued expansion and excellence across the Americas.”
Damian Hawley adds: “The Focusrite Group has seen significant growth over the last decade both organically, with its market leading products, and through the acquisition of numerous iconic brands. To further capitalise on the strength of the group we identified the need to bring the teams together under a single leader to prepare for the next stage of our growth plan. We are very happy and privileged that Laura has decided to join us, and we look forward to providing further significant growth opportunities for the Focusrite Group and all our channel partners.”

Denmark - Rigging and automation specialist Jimmy Johnson joins the team at Motor State Automation (MSA) led by Christian Vigsø, where he will be focusing on technical sales for MSA’s innovative solutions including the bespoke design and delivery of systems for entertainment projects involving artists, set, scenery, props, equipment, objects, or anything else that needs to move.
Motor Stage Automation (MSA) is a new company based in Denmark, working internationally.
Christian commented, “We are hugely excited about this collaboration. MSA will benefit from Jimmy’s wealth of experience and massive enthusiasm for the industry and the world of automation as well as his love of logistics and the challenges involved in finding smart and creative solutions!”
Jimmy stated, “MSA’s approach to business and investment is impressive. We all share the same values and work ethics, and I relish this opportunity of working more closely with a great company and an outstanding team.”
MSA has purchased large quantities of leading brands like Litec, Kinesys and Alfa System in the past year to facilitate and combine with its range of in-house products like MSA touring dollies, to help provide fast, efficient, and cost-effective automation for a diversity of theatre, music and corporate shows, tours, and events.
“The company and the kit almost sells itself,” added Jimmy, noting that, once the preserve of only the largest shows with massive budgets, automation is now becoming increasingly affordable.
Jimmy will also continue to be

Germany - Under the umbrella of the Approved Certified PreOwned (CPO) Programme, ARRI offers technically refurbished products with the same warranty as new models. This globally oriented programme is now headed by Arne Stadler as business manager certified pre-owned programme camera systems & lighting.
He takes over this role from Christian Richter, who has successfully established and expanded the CPO business at ARRI over the past five years and will now focus on his role as general manager sales & solutions EMEAI.
Arne Stadler reports to Stephan Schenk, general manager global sales & solutions. Before joining ARRI, Stadler was responsible for the business development of film cameras and lenses at Canon for the DACH region.

USA - Bandit Lites has announced the hiring of Sherry Wells to its Nashville office. Wells will serve as a purchasing assistant, aiding the purchasing department with receiving, inventory and sales for the entire company.
With 12 years of experience, Wells will work directly to further support purchasing director Andy Reese.
“Sherry brings a great skillset and energy to Bandit Lites,” said Reese. “Her addition to our purchasing department will allow us to become more efficient and better serve our clients and our internal needs as Bandit’s business continues to grow across all departments.”
Wells’ hiring follows the complete overhaul of the Nashville location, with an office expansion and remodel.

USA - QSC has announced the promotion of Linda Lee to vice president operations and supply chain. Rejoining the company in 2022, Lee worked at HID Global, Lantronix and most recently Indentiv, where she served as senior director of global supply chain and operations.
“Linda is a real professional with an incredible work ethic and she’s an absolute pleasure to work with,” says David Angress, senior vice president and general manager, QSC Pro Audio. “Linda has made an incredible impact on this company by working closely with our suppliers to ensure we have the correct inventory to better serve our customers. We are thrilled to have her back at QSC and I am confident she will continue to lead her efficient team to new heights as we continue to navigate the post-COVID world.”
“What I love about QSC are the people; all who are dedicated to working as a team to achieve the same goal,” says Lee.

UK - Elation Professional has announced that Koy Neminathan has joined the company as director of business development. The industry veteran comes to Elation from lighting console manufacturer Avolites, where he worked for over 23 years in sales and business development, the last decade as sales director.
Koy will work closely with designers to keep them abreast of Elation’s growing line of lighting products while communicating market insight to the Elation product team
“Koy is a well-respected professional with a deep understanding of our industry and we are excited to have him join our team as a representative for the Elation brand,” stated Marc Librecht, Elation sales & marketing director Europe. “The collaborative relationships he will continue to build across the industry will be a great benefit and important asset as we continue to grow globally.”
Based in London, Koy started in his new role on 9 May and will be travelling frequently abroad to visit Elation distributors and customers. He stated: “I have always stood back and closely monitored Elation’s progress over the years, from products to personnel, and was impressed how they have done it whilst earning the respect from the market. I am overjoyed to be joining a strong team and looking forward to contributing heavily to grow all of the brands, which sit under the group’s umbrella.”
Koy is highly engaged in the industry. He currently serves as a manufacturer's representative for PLASA, where he advocates for the interests of manufacturers across all sectors, an

USA - Brant Underwood has joined Theatre Projects’ New York office as associate principal. “Viewing industry consultants from the outside, I always knew TP was at the top of my list if I ever made the leap,” shares Brant.
Brant joins Theatre Projects from the world of fabrication, automation, technical direction, visual arts, scenic construction, and experiential design, where he held a broad resume, moving from union stagehand at various New York venues to lead project manager at Hudson Scenic Studios in a relatively short period of time (and with ample detours along the way). Working with Theatre Projects attaches him to the same communities and opportunities, but with an even broader impact.
“Brant and I have a long history together. We started in the New York theatre scene, assembling the tools we now share with clients at Theatre Projects. We spent time in the creative fires of modern dance. We forged a client services focus in the crucible of experiential marketing. And through it all, Brant remains one of the most intelligent, egoless, solution-oriented, and technically creative people I have ever met,” offers general manager Daniel Ordower. “I know his philosophy matches that of the reenergised Theatre Projects brand. Every day, we provide our partners with practical, innovative solutions to their goals, and Brant knows that success - creating positive solutions for clients - comes from truly listening. He is a consummate collaborator and an asset to our clients and growing suite of services.”
Officially, the new department Bra

Italy - KSCAPE has appointed Vieri Parrulli to the role of sales manager. Parrulli brings with him over a decade of experience in the lighting industry, alongside ‘a wealth of knowledge and expertise’.
Parrulli studied at the Faculty of Architecture in Florence. After a year of experience as a freelance professional, he decided to specialise in the field of lighting design, which he had always appreciated from an aesthetic point of view. Since then, Parrulli has gone on to complete several specialised courses and training throughout Italy.
“I am delighted to join the team at KSCAPE within K-array, an organisation that is at the forefront of innovation in the audio industry,” confirms Parrulli. “RAIL is an exceptional offering that has already set a precedent in a merging industry of light and audio, and I am eager to introduce it to the wider market.”
Parrulli has always been fascinated by the use of light to create spaces, define environments, and shape moods. In 2013, he began work at CREE, a multinational American producer of LED lighting fixtures for urban lighting, with European headquarters in Sesto Fiorentino.
After 10 years at CREE, Parrulli moved on to explore different worlds aside from urban lighting. This led him to KSCAPE, where he hopes to contribute to the commercial development of a new product.
"We are delighted to welcome Vieri to the KSCAPE family," says Tom Riby, KSCAPE global sales & marketing manager. “Today’s announcement marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for KSCAPE, not only because we

USA - Fulcrum Acoustic has announced the promotion of Todd Foster to vice president sales. Since 2013, Foster has spearheaded the development of the company's North American market. Under his leadership, Fulcrum Acoustic has experienced substantial growth of its domestic business and sales force.
“Todd’s strategic approach to sales has been instrumental in the expansion of Fulcrum’s footprint domestically,” explains Stephen Siegel, president of Fulcrum Acoustic. “As we look to expand our export business, it’s natural to move Todd into a position where he can bring that same approach to the global sales team.”
“The last 10 years have been an exciting time at Fulcrum,” says Foster. “I’ve enjoyed being a part of this growing company and supporting our North American market. I look forward to serving our international clients and expanding support for new technologies. We are in a great position to increase our global presence.”

USA - Renkus-Heinz has further strengthened its sales and marketing team with the appointment of Dan Housel as applications engineer.
Housel has extensive music and professional audio experience, most recently working in pro audio sales at Group One Limited. Before that, Housel worked for Enko Systems, Inc. in AV design, engineering, installations, programming and sales.
“I’m excited to join Renkus-Heinz in the role of applications engineer. I’m confident that my years of experience in the music and pro audio space will be an asset to the technical support team,” Housel said. “I’m looking forward to helping our customers realize the best possible experiences and results with our products.”
As a member of the Renkus-Heinz technical support team, Housel will work closely with product manager Brandon Heinz.

UK - Shure has announced the appointment of Laurent Rault as its new senior sales director to lead the company’s retail business in Western Europe, one of the key markets supporting Shure’s growth.
Laurent Rault brings to Shure more than 25 years of experience in audio, with a focus in the consumer electronics industry. Rault has solid knowledge and a background in managing all facets of distribution across Europe, including distribution partnership management, direct account management, digital commerce, product marketing, and digital marketing.
“We are excited to welcome Laurent to the team,” said Abby Kaplan, vice president, global retail sales, at Shure. “He has achieved extraordinary results during his tenured career, and we are convinced his expertise and deep industry knowledge will lead the European team throughout a successful journey in the coming years.”
“I’m honoured to join Shure,” said Rault. “I can’t wait to work with the team to bring our exceptional products closer to the customer, while enabling new business opportunities and regional growth.”

Morocco - Terry Di Isernia will take on a new role in the Robe France subsidiary, co-ordinating customer and commercial relations for the whole of French North Africa – Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia – in addition to continuing as a salesperson for southern France.
The move by Robe Lighting France is to develop and strengthen the brand’s business, opportunities, and presence in North Africa generally, and specifically in these important French-speaking countries, recognising the potential of the region.
Terry has been working as a part of the Robe Lighting France team since 2019. The new role is an integration of what he’s already been doing across southern France and will offer great continuity for these dynamic countries, all with their own style, culture and unique environments.
The scope of Terry’s work will include discussing and pitching for new and potential projects with customers, and in particular defining their fixed installation market more clearly, as well as proposing inventive and imaginative technical solutions involving Robe and Anolis products that can be adapted to meet specific needs.
His work will include bringing Robe’s knowledge and visions in the stage, entertainment and architectural lighting markets to these three countries, where there is a large demand particularly in the fixed installation market.
Commenting on the new role, Terry stated, “It’s very exciting to be active in North Africa, there is a massive energy there. Being based in the south of France, regular visits will be easy and it’s i

Europe - Absen has welcomed to its team Geoffrey De Schepper Bruggeman as business development manager for Benelux and Will Miles as pre-sales engineer for UK and Europe.
Specialising in AV and LED, Geoffrey worked for Novid NV, an AV and IT rental company in Belgium. Through his experience, he has developed a refined understanding for the demands within the market, opened up new opportunities, and established strong relationships with a number of diverse partners, whilst also delivering large-scale AV projects.
The second addition to Absen’s European sales team is Will Miles, appointed as pre-sales engineer. For this newly created role, Will’s 10 years of project management and coordination experience within the digital and LED markets has given him a strong track record in delivering technically demanding projects. Most recently, Will was the consultant project manager for AI Arabia OOH, where he was the technical and design lead on a plethora of DOOH projects.
Ruben Rengel, vice president of global business development says, “We are delighted to have two such high calibre individuals joining our team. With these new roles we are supporting our clients and putting people on the ground where they are really needed. With their strong backgrounds, Geoffrey and Will are the perfect fit to help us drive new possibilities in this exciting market.”

UK - VDC Trading has announced the appointment of Jason Shaw as UK sales manager.
Brought on board to help drive the company’s growth post-COVID, Jason is responsible for developing go-to-market and sales strategies, creating new business opportunities and providing greater support for existing clients in the UK. Jason has worked in sales and business development roles for almost 20 years and has extensive experience in the telecoms and property sectors.
Jason comments: “I’m delighted to be joining VDC at such a pivotal stage in the business’ development. I am confident that I can support its continued growth, in line with the expansion plans, to develop the business and its propositions that will benefit our customers.”
Niall Holden, founder and CEO of VDC Trading adds, “We’ve been looking for an effective and experienced sales manager and his extensive experience will be a great addition to VDC and our customers. His broad development skill set make him an undoubted asset to the company. We’re delighted to welcome Jason to the team.”