Professional Sound - April 2019 | Page 12

SIGNALS France’s Vervent Audio Group Acquires Audio Plus Services & Plurison Vervent Audio Group (VVAG), a France-based hi-fi audio company that owns the Focal and Naim brands, has acquired Quebec’s Audio Plus Services and Plurison, distributors of pro and hi-fi audio equipment in the U.S. and Canada. The acquisition has created the Focal Naim America and Focal Naim Canada subsidiaries. The companies say the move signals the new phase of an investment plan agreed to by the group in America and initiated in 2018 thanks to the merger of Audio Plus Services and Plurison and Focal North America. With this acquisition, VVAG says it maintains its goal of increasing the quality of its services, driven by the desire to work more closely with its retailers. Creating its own distribution entity, the aim is to turn the North American territory into the leading market for Focal, which this year celebrates its 40 th anniversary, and Naim, which just turned 45. Daniel Jacques, the founder of Audio Plus Ser- vices and Plurison, will be president of both Focal Naim America and Focal Naim Canada. For more information, go to www.vervent-audio-group.com. Vince Marcantonio Named Sr. Business Developer for Solotech Ottawa Vince Marcantonio has been appointed as the senior business developer for Solotech’s Ottawa office. In this role, under the direction of Sales Director Robert Aubry, Marcantonio will develop business opportunities in the National Capital Region. With over 20 years of experience in the audio- visual sector, including for large-scale systems in- tegrators such as Sony Canada and the Canadian government, Marcantonio is seasoned in business development. “Mr. Marcantonio was the ideal candidate for this position. We are looking forward to benefit- ing from his expertise and leadership to carry out our future projects,” says Aubry. For more information, contact Solotech Ottawa: 613-736-7656, [email protected], www.solotech.com. 12 PROFESSIONAL SOUND SFM Named One of Canada’s Best Managed Companies SFM has been named one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies for 2019 – a recognition sponsored by Deloitte Private, CIBC, Canadian Business, Smith School of Business, and TMX. Established in 1993, Canada’s Best Managed Companies recognizes excellence in private Ca- nadian-owned compa- (L-R): MARTIN BEAULIEU, DITA RASMUSSEN, JOHN WARWICK, RANDAL TUCKER, & JOEY MOLINO. ABSENT FROM PICTURE: GHYSLAIN BERGER nies. Each year, hundreds of entrepreneurial companies undergo a rigorous application process that evaluates four categories within each company’s structure: strategy, capability, commitment, and return on investment. Companies with sustained performance and strong financial results are awarded the designation. “Over the past few years, SFM has adopted a new strategic focus and made signif- icant operational investments. As a result, SFM is experiencing substantial growth and ongoing innovation. Every single person in the company has felt the effects of this, both in terms of their workload and their involvement in new tasks and processes,” says Randal Tucker, president and COO at SFM. “Taking the time to undertake the rigorous Canada’s Best Managed application process and coming out of it with this recognition brings me an incredible sense of pride and confidence in the people that make up this company. We tend to be quite hard on ourselves, so receiving this award from Deloitte and the program administrators is an incredible boost of confidence for everyone here that we really do have a good thing going on.” Winners will receive their official award at the Canada’s Best Managed Companies gala in Toronto in April 2019. For more information, contact SFM: 514-780-2070, [email protected], www.sfm.ca. Sennheiser Introduces New Pro Audio Solutions Channel Team Sennheiser has announced several changes within its Pro Audio Solutions Channel with the forthcoming retirement of John Falcone, its long-serving SVP of global sales for pro audio solutions. Mark Posgay has been appointed to succeed Falcone as SVP of global sales for pro audio solutions. With his appointment, Posgay has announced his leadership team for the Pro Audio Solutions division. Christophe van den Berghe has been promoted to VP of SENNHEISER’S MARK POSGAY sales and marketing, EMEA, and Simon Holley to the position of VP of sales and marketing, Americas/ANZ. Vince Tan has been appointed as VP of sales, APAC. Posgay has been with Sennheiser for five years, with a background of 20 years of sales and industry experience. He will report directly to COO Peter Claussen and continue to collaborate closely with Falcone until his retirement in October 2019. For more information, contact Sennheiser Canada: 514-426-3013, FAX 514-426- 3953, [email protected], www.sennheiser.ca.