Ken Johnsen Appointed to Lead International Sales Training for The AVC Group

Adding strength to its international sales support programs, The AVC Group today announced the promotion of Niles® Western Regional Sales Manager Kenneth Johnsen to the newly created position of International Training Manager. Effective immediately, Johnsen assumes responsibility for the development and implementation of all distributor and dealer training programs and training teams for the ELAN®, Niles®, Xantech®, Sunfire®, and ATON® product lines outside of North America. In this new position he reports directly to Mark Terry, President of The AVC Group.

“In his 12-year career at Niles, Ken has held a number of key positions in sales and product training,” Terry said today. “He is a natural educator who understands how to train distributors and dealers to completely and accurately present the full capabilities of our brands’ product lines. On top of this, he is a leader who can identify and motivate a global team of product specialists who will take our training courses deeper into every geographic region around the world.”

Johnsen joined Niles in 1999 as a Regional Product Specialist and was responsible for coordinating, developing and conducting all Niles product and sales trainings for internal staff and Niles sales representatives, as well as dealers and end-users in both domestic and international markets. In 2003 he was promoted to the position of Training Manager and was responsible for development and execution of all of Niles, IntelliControl ICS and JobSite training strategies. He hired, coordinated and managed training staff, while creating and developing the Niles in-house training facility while introducing new frontiers of training and field communication with the “Train the Trainer” and Web-based training sessions.

After a brief stint as Eastern Regional Sales Manager, Johnsen returned to his roots when he was appointed Niles Product Manager in 2006 where he served as liaison between Niles Engineering, Sales and Marketing, and Niles customers to design and develop new products while being “the voice of the customer”. He worked on the product development teams responsible for bringing to market IntelliControl ICS products such as the iRemoteTS and DMS4 Digital Music Server and Niles branded products such as the VS-6 Component Video Switcher, the iC2 Home Theater and Control System, RFG Radio Frequency Gateway, HT-MSU Home Theater Main System Unit, HDMI Baluns and next-generation 20 series Infrared Repeater products. For the last year, he served as Western Regional Sales Manager and was responsible for managing 10 Niles territories in the United States and Canada.

Prior to his career at Niles, Johnsen was with Audio Concepts of Long Beach and San Gabriel, California, from 1989 to 1999. Previous to this, he held sales management positions at World of Sound and The Good Guys. He was awarded a Bachelor of Computer Science degree from San Francisco State University and an Associate of Science degree from Monterey Peninsula Jr. College. He resides in Oceanside, California.

The AVC Group Consolidates Sales Rep Network to Provide Dealers With 'One Source' Contact for ELAN®, Niles®, Xantech®, Sunfire® and Aton Brands®.

In a move designed to provide dealers with a single point of contact for its iconic custom installation brands, The AVC Group today announced the implementation of a new consolidated independent sales rep network that enables qualifying dealers to have ‘one source’ access to more than 1700 products and system solutions offered by its ELAN®, NILES®, Xantech®, Sunfire®, and ATON® brands.

According to Mark Terry, President of The AVC Group, the current network of 45 independent rep firms will now be reduced to 15 firms each of whom will carry all five of The AVC Group brands. It is expected that this new sales rep organization will maximize the effectiveness of the recently introduced AVC Advantage program, which combines focused, complementary brand offerings with automatic incentive, rebate, and support programs. “As a company we are totally committed to the business model of using independent sales rep firms as our front line sales force,” Terry emphasized. “The implementation of a consolidated rep organization is the next logical step forward in our long term plan to provide dealers with a greater array of opportunities to sell more system solutions to a larger and wider range of customers,” Terry said. “This new organization empowers dealers to meet more customer requirements than ever before, allowing them to offer a truly complete range of system and product offerings at every price point.”

In fact, according to Terry, the consolidated rep organization introduced today benefits every entity involved in the sales process — dealers, distributors, reps, and The AVC Group. For dealers, the new organization provides a single point of contact for all five AVC Group brands while allowing them to access bundled and tiered programs and incentives. “We will be able to provide our dealers and distributors with complete and complementary systems solutions — more than 1700 different products,” Terry emphasized. “Our dealers will now enjoy a greater, more powerful relationship with a single manufacturing partner.

For the sales reps in the new organization, the new structure delivers an entirely new level of efficiency with features such as one-stop training, one sales meeting, one commission check, and one business methodology. “At the same time,” Terry emphasized, “the new consolidated sales rep network offers reps the ability to finally offer every dealer a complete price performance range of solutions. Every dealer call they make will be much more likely to result in a sale and that reality will significantly increase their income.”

Finally, for The AVC Group the new structure allows the Group to make sure it always has “A” level reps in every single sales territory. It also allows the Group to more effectively develop and implement a long-term systems solution product strategy that benefits all of its dealers while ensuring that the Group’s brands are not squeezed out of a channel or used to leverage a competitor. “It also allows us to act quicker in the market, offer more comprehensive training and be more efficient with our resources. The bottom line is that everyone benefits, including the customer and that’s the most important priority for all of us.”

While the implementation of a consolidated independent sales rep network bodes well for the future of The AVC Group, dealers, and consumers, it is a significant change that does affect some long established relationships. “Unfortunately this type of action requires that we part company with many extremely qualified, talented and loyal Reps through no fault of their own. I want to thank these firms for their many contributions over the years. Without their effort and success, our brands would not be the leaders that they are today. I wish each and every one of these firms continued success in the future.”

The new independent sales rep organization is comprised of the following firms: Audio Associates Corporation (South Plainfield, NJ), Electronic Marketing Associates (Raytown, MO), High-Tech Network (Smyrna, GA), Market Share Inc. (Bellevue, WA), New Age Marketing (Manvel, TX), ProMark Marketing (Santa Clarita, CA), RS Pro Sales, LLC (Cincinnati, OH), SLAMCO (Chanhassen, MN), Sound Tech Marketing (Golden, CO), Tandem Marketing, Inc. (Elk Grove Village, IL), The Jarmac Group (Taunton, MA), TWC Michigan, Inc. (Trenton, MI), and Zone Pacific Sales (Sacramento, CA).

CAS Group Ltd. Appointed as Exclusive Distributor for The AVC Group in China and Taiwan

Strengthening the representation of its ELAN®, NILES®, Xantech®, and ATON® brands throughout China and Taiwan, The AVC Group today announced the appointment of CAS Group Limited, formerly Xantech China Ltd., to serve as its exclusive distributor in the region. The announcement was made today by Mark Terry, president of The AVC Group, who said that CAS Group Ltd. will now work closely with Claude Sabourin, International Sales Manager, Asia at The AVC Group.

“Cliff Wong and his team of proven professionals at the CAS Group have what it takes to bring our brands to the next level of success in China and the surrounding regions,” Terry said today. “They have the experience, relationships, and commitment necessary to strengthen our leadership position in this vitally important and growing market. Their prior success with Xantech speaks well for their future success with our other brands.”

CAS Group Ltd. is the successor company to Xantech China Ltd. Effective this month, the company changed its name and now operates as a stand-alone distributor for brands of The AVC Group, as well as for Omnimount, Magenta, and BrightSign. The company employs 15 sales professionals and maintains offices in Beijing and Shenzhen in addition to its headquarters office in Hong Kong.

Cliff Wong, CAS Group Ltd. Sales Director, said, “We are honored to represent these iconic brands. Our market is growing and expanding at a very rapid rate and our customers are looking for the quality, performance features, and reliability that the brands of The AVC Group deliver. The value propositions offered by ELAN, NILES, Xantech, and ATON provide our dealers with a complete range of complementary system solution options and connectivity tools to offer their customers.”

The CAS Group Ltd. is headquartered in Unit 1701, Union Park Tower, 168 Electric Road, North Point, Hong Kong. The phone number is 852.31051493. Cliff Wong can be reached by email at cliff@the-casgroup.com.

MidwichHome Features The Brands Of The AVC Group At The 2011 CEDIA Home Technology Event

MidwichHome, the newly appointed exclusive United Kingdom distributor of the brands of The AVC Group will be showcasing UK market product introductions from ELAN Home Systems, Niles Audio, Xantech, Sunfire, and ATON at the 2011 CEDIA Home Technology Event, 28-30 June, 2011. The introductions will be made and displayed at MidwichHome’s Stand B7, at the ExCeL London.

Lee Hooker, sales manager for MidwichHome, said: “We are proud to present these iconic custom installation brands to the United Kingdom market. The AVC brands provide professional installers with industry-leading audio, video and control solutions for residential applications, and through this exclusive partnership we are pleased to establish Midwich as the UK’s leading source for custom home electronics installations.”

Product Introductions from the brands are as follows:

ELAN Home Systems will announce that its ELAN g! Series Home Control System is available for immediate delivery to UK customers with built-in multi-language support. ELAN will also be introducing its “Killer Combo” control solution, which combines the award-winning HR2 multimedia-and-home-control remote with the new HC4 four sub-system Home Controller into one affordably priced packaged solution. Also ELAN will introduce two new system controllers to its family of on-wall, can-mount, and rack-mount controller series that feature integrated serial ports, IR ports, relays, sense inputs, and audio outputs — the new ELAN HC4 and HC8 System Controllers which are available for delivery within 30 days.

NILES Audio will introduce the third generation of its DS Directed Soundfield Ceiling-Mount Loudspeaker line and the new ICS Ceiling Mount Loudspeaker lineup. Niles will also announce that it is now shipping the IntelliControl ICS IM-NET Module, the latest in the growing family of source integration modules for the GXR2 MultiZone Receiver. IM-NET plays popular digital music file formats stored on the home’s network and streams music from Internet radio services.

Xantech will debut its Quick Configuration software installation/configuration mode for its MX88 IP-enabled multi-zone audio/video controller. By employing Quick Configuration software, the installer can instantly configure the MX88 for multiple zones and sources throughout a residence without the need of an external computer to program the system. The MX88 can be used to control every aspect of the home theater including audio/video, lighting and drapes. Additionally, it can be programmed to control the air conditioning/heating system, home security and video surveillance cameras.

Sunfire will be unveiling its powerful yet budget-friendly Dynamic Series of subwoofers, in 8”, 10” and 12” models. Tuned for both low frequency Home Theater Effects and powerhouse musical bass lines, these new subwoofers boast up to 600 Watts Peak Power. Also being introduced is the Sunfire Universal Wireless Subwoofer Kit. Comprised of a receiver and transmitter, the Kit is compatible with any third-party manufacturer’s powered subwoofer and eliminates new wires — making the placement of a subwoofer anywhere in a room easier than ever before.

ATON will be introducing to the UK market the industry’s first pre-programmed Whole House “Music & More” System, the ATON AH66T Kit. The new kit features the AH66T Multi-Source Multi-Zone Controller plus six (6) OLED2 touchpads that offer full-color graphic control and feedback. With built-in programming to run market leading sources like the iPort® and Lutron™ RadioRA®2, the affordable multi-room audio solution allows dealers to rapidly deploy a first-time or add-on audio system with iPod® & lighting control capability ready to go.

About MidwichHome:
Established in January 2011, MidwichHome is the home technology division of Midwich, the UK’s leading trade-only distributor of AV, IT and consumer electronics.

Midwich was named Specialist Distributor of the Year at the Channel Awards 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, and AV Distributor of the Year at the AV Awards 2003, 2006, 2008 and 2009. Midwich won the Microscope ACE Award for AV Distributor of the Year 2008, 2009 and 2010 and Logistics Team of the Year 2010. The business is currently ranked 174 on the Times Top Track 250 of private mid-market companies. To find out more, visit www.midwich.com.

ELAN® Debuts 10” In-Wall Color LCD Touch Screen Featuring “Touch And Swipe” Design And Built-In Video Screen For Television Viewing

Following the recent introduction of its expanded line of ELAN HC Series System Controllers for its g! Control System, ELAN Home Systems today introduced a new 10” in-wall color LCD touch screen to its award-winning family of user-friendly g! system interfaces. The new ELAN TS10 Touch Screen will be delivered to dealers beginning in June, according to Joe Lautner, ELAN Manager of Business Development & Product Management.

“The new TS10 Touch Screen provides dealers and consumers with the ultimate touch screen experience,” Lautner said today. “It combines a ‘touch and swipe’ design with a larger Active Matrix LCD screen for viewing television through the analog video feature, and larger easy-to-read icons for aging eyes. It’s ideal for watching television in the kitchen or the bathroom.”

The ELAN TS10 Touch Screen features composite video for viewing TV sources or cameras, a 16:9 wide screen format, backlit hard buttons for commonly used functions, built-in speaker and microphone for messaging, simple IP connectivity for communication, non-volatile flash memory, quick & easy programming, compatible with all ELAN controllers, easy retrofit installation, optional backbox and preconstruction brackets (sold separately), and a screen saver mode that can display photo. The TS10 ships standard with a white frame, but it is also available in almond, light almond, ivory, and black.

The g! family of interfaces is ELAN’s breakthrough series of touchscreen devices and applications that put total entertainment and control right at a consumer’s fingertips. No matter what is being controlled – the home, office, restaurant & bar, conference room or classroom — this exciting group of g! interfaces enable users to control everything in a fast, powerful, and, most importantly, intuitive way. Each one of ELAN’s handheld, mobile, or in-wall interfaces has the uniform g! look and feel creating a consistent user experience that is both familiar and satisfying. Users simply touch one of the fun g! interface icons and they’re in immediate control of their media, lighting, climate, security, video and much more.

In addition to the new TS10 Touch Screen, the ELAN family of interfaces includes the award-winning HR2 handheld remote control that is the ultimate merger of television remote and home control, the TS7 and TS2 7” and 2” Touch Screens, and the g! mobile applications for the iPod Touch, iPhone, and iPad. The ELAN g! System also provides interfaces for PCs and On-Screen Displays allowing for entertainment and home control from a television.

The ELAN g! Control System provides users with the most uniform and intuitive icon-based control from their favorite devices. The standardized interface works across platforms, so that the trendy g! Mobile app users love on the iPhone appears and works similarly on ELAN Touch Screens, valets and handheld remotes as well as users' televisions and mobile devices. And the system's IP backbone makes it just as easy to control the system from across the room - or across the globe.

Individual "apps" for each subsystem allow the user to control security, climate, lighting, media, irrigation, pool/spa, messaging, video and photos with the flick of a finger. Access is fast and secure through any ELAN home interface or globally with mobile Internet enabled devices like the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Netbooks, and PC Tablets. Since the intuitive interface empowers users with personalized scheduling and detailed history views, high consumption subsystems like lighting and climate can be closely monitored and managed for a greener lifestyle - and substantial energy savings.

MidwichHome Appointed as Exclusive UK Distributor for The AVC Group

Moving strategically to strengthen the representation of its ELAN®, NILES®, Xantech®, Sunfire®, and ATON® brands throughout the United Kingdom, the AVC Group has announced the appointment of MidwichHome to serve as its exclusive UK distributor. The deal was unveiled today by Mark Terry, president of the AVC Group, who said that MidwichHome would work closely with Conrad Gonthier, International Sales Manager, Europe at The AVC Group.

“MidwichHome has the exact combination of experience, strategic thinking, and tactical effectiveness to best represent our brands in the United Kingdom,” Terry said today. “Their track record of success working with the world’s leading audio visual and consumer electronics brands speaks for itself. We look forward to working closely with the MidwichHome team to develop and implement innovative sales and marketing programmes that reflect the innovation incorporated into each of our iconic brands.”

Lee Hooker, sales manager for MidwichHome, said: "AVC’s industry-leading brands provide professional installers with a great choice of integrated solutions for audio, video and control applications in residential installations. We have built upon our internal team by the appointment of specialist field-based sales and technical staff to support these new brands. This partnership represents a significant further expansion for Midwich into the custom install market and we are delighted to have reached this agreement to become AVC’s exclusive UK distributor."

The agreement with the AVC Group further strengthens Midwich’s strong position in the custom residential installation and independent retail channels. The distributor already has a strong portfolio of consumer electronics products and represents some of the world’s biggest brand names, including Samsung, Sony, LG Electronics, Toshiba, Panasonic, Sharp and Pioneer.

Jim Hardiman Joins The AVC Group as Vice President of Engineering

Moving strategically to strengthen the long-term R&D and product development programs for its ELAN®, NILES®, Xantech®, Sunfire®, and ATON® brands, The AVC Group today announced the appointment of Jim Hardiman to the position of Vice President of Engineering, effective January 3, 2011. Hardiman will report directly to Mark Terry, President of The AVC Group, and will be based at the company’s Carlsbad, California corporate headquarters.

“Jim Hardiman brings more than 35 years of proven innovation and standards-setting thinking to his new position at The AVC Group,” Terry said today. “A world-renowned technologist, Jim’s work over the years has advanced the state-of-the-art in countless product categories. As our new Vice President of Engineering, he will play a critical role in developing and deploying new technologies throughout each of our brands, resulting in a new generation of system solutions that offer clearly defined value propositions to our dealers and consumers.”

Jim Hardiman comes to The AVC Group from Harman International, where he served as Vice President of Engineering for the Harman Specialty Group from 2005 until 2008 and then as Vice President, Consumer Global Engineering for Harman International — Consumer Group. Prior to this, from 2000 until 2005, he served as Vice President of Hardware Engineering at ThinkEngine Networks, a leading manufacturer of cost-effective, highly scalable carrier-class NEBS3 compliant Network Media Servers with intelligent switching and speech recognition.

Prior to this he served as Director of Advanced Development from 1992 until 2000 at Media 100, based in Marlborough, Massachusetts. Previous to this he held engineering and product development positions at Data Translation, Digital Television Imagery, Integral Data Systems, and Data General.

An active member of AES, AVB, China Professionals, and the HDTV Group, among others, Jim Hardiman is the recipient of three United States patents in the area of video compression and decompression and a 2000 Emmy® for Television Sciences awarded by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for the pioneering development of full motion broadcast quality PC video and compression plug-in cards utilized in the manufacture of non-linear editing systems or video servers.

Bob Farinelli, who had served as Chief Technology Officer of The AVC Group and, previously, as President of ELAN Home Systems is retiring but will remain with the Group as a consultant.

About The AVC Group, LLC:
Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, The AVC Group, LLC is a portfolio of pre-eminent manufacturers and marketers of state-of-the-art consumer and commercial audio, video, and control system solutions. The AVC Group is comprised of a group of companies with the following industry leading brands: ATON®, ELAN® Home Systems, Niles® Audio, Sunfire®, and Xantech®.

The AVC Group, LLC is a subsidiary of Nortek, Inc. and is part of Nortek’s Home Technology Group, an over-arching designation for a segment of home electronics companies that includes manufacturers producing nationally-recognized brands in categories such as stereo and home theater speakers, distributed audio and video systems, lighting controls, structured wiring systems, residential and commercial security and access control equipment, and Internet connected media products. Nortek is headquartered in Providence, RI and is a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of innovative, branded residential and commercial ventilation, HVAC, and home technology convenience and security products.