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ALMA International Newsletter |  |
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Greetings! Welcome to the ALMA Newsletter, your quarterly update on the Loudspeaker industry from the only organization dedicated to the design and manufacture, sales and marketing of loudspeakers. In this issue we bring you introductions from ALMA International's new president, Stu Lumsden, and from myself, the new executive director of the organization. We also bring you important announcements about our two upcoming symposia in Shanghai and Las Vegas. Sign up now to take advantage of the early booking discount!
Hello and welcome. I am Stu Lumsden, the new President of ALMA and VP of Engineering at Polk Audio. In my term as ALMA President, I will focus on growth for the organization and greater service by the organization to the trade. Our plans for more newsletters, a better website and expanded symposiums in China and Las Vegas are just a few examples of what we plan to achieve. As our first order of business this year we have moved all of ALMA’s executive management activity to a new firm. I have the pleasure of introducing to you Ms. Zarina Bhimani, the new Executive Director of ALMA International. Her industry knowledge, experience and energy will be aimed at achieving the following three basic goals of my two year term.
As a 30 year veteran of the loudspeaker business I have witnessed a lot of changes, and see many more on the horizon. This industry has a bright future as more applications for our craft emerge every day. Opportunities abound, although they often come disguised as disruption or changes in our marketplace or supply base. Through networking and sales opportunities, and regular updates on news, standards, industry events and technical developments, ALMA plays a valuable role in helping designers, manufacturers, and suppliers of loudspeakers and associated components and equipment adapt to the changing environment in which we operate. Over the past few years, ALMA’s membership has shifted from its traditionally Americentric core of supply-side companies to include European vendors and brand-name manufacturers. As globalization in the industry continues, ALMA ’s challenge is to wrap its arms around the already impressive and still growing involvement of Asian vendors and suppliers. We now have regional ALMA vice presidents for North & South America (Bart Young of ADI), Asia (Phil Bunch of Phase Design), and Europe (Wolfgang Klippel of Klippel GMBH). We are holding events in all of these regions and are planning more. These events are being run by volunteers like you who have realized that having an organization focused on the industry offers real, tangible benefits to them. Your continued membership and personal involvement will benefit you as well as the industry. ALMA’s committee and board meetings are open to all members, and your opinions are always welcome. Please join in wherever and whenever possible. I look forward to meeting and working with you this year.
Greetings! I’d like to introduce myself as the new executive director of ALMA International. In this role, I am responsible for the day-to-day running of the organization. This includes managing memberships, arranging symposia, producing newsletters, updating the web site, etc. I am also responsible for marketing the organization, increasing membership and ensuring that you, as members, feel that you get value from ALMA International. I have been involved with marketing to a technical audience since 1994, and specifically to the loudspeaker industry, on and off, since 1998 in both in the UK and the US. I believe that this direct experience with your industry, coupled with a broad knowledge of marketing in an engineering environment will enable me to serve you well. My immediate priorities are increasing membership, making the upcoming China and Winter Symposia a success, ensuring that we have regular quarterly newsletters bursting with news from our members, and keeping the website updated with current information so that it truly is a resource for the industry. In order to truly give you value for your membership, I need your
input! What are you looking for from ALMA? What does the organization do
well, and not do as well as you would like? What do we need to do better
to ensure your continued support? Please don’t hesitate to pick up the
phone and let me know your thoughts - your opinions are invaluable to us
in driving the organization forward! I look forward to working with you
over the coming year.
Please note that ALMA International has new contact details as
below:
ALMA’s China Symposium is scheduled for November 4 at the Shanghai World Field Convention Hotel in Shanghai. The one day symposium will focus on “Maintaining Quality from Design & Development through Production”. This symposium provides an excellent opportunity for Chinese suppliers of loudspeakers and components to network with potential US customers, with vendors of test equipment, and with integrators who can help reconcile the needs of US purchasers and the capabilities of Asian manufacturers.
ALMA’s Winter Symposium is scheduled for January 6- 7, the two days immediately prior to the CES show, at the Orleans Hotel, Las Vegas. The theme for this years show, like our China Symposium, is “Maintaining Quality from Design & Development through Production". Speakers will represent retailers and manufacturers who are faced with the challenge of sourcing quality products, manufacturers of quality test equipment, and system integrators who bridge the gap between the two. Alongside the technical presentations will be an exhibition showcasing suppliers to the industry. We are now taking reservations for exhibition space. Positions will be allocated in the order that application forms are received, so don’t delay – sign up now to get a good location. The early bird booking discount is only available until Sept 01, so return your application early to take advantage of this discount. We are also accepting registrations from attendees.
We will be publishing the ALMA e-newsletter quarterly, and we are always happy to include news from ALMA members. Please ensure that we are on your press release distribution list, and if you wish to contribute a longer article on a topic of interest to our members, please call me to discuss your ideas. Press releases and articles should be sent electronically with a color picture (TIFF or JPEG file) to news@almainternational.org. Please also supply me with a link to a page on your web site where I can find more information about your product or service.
ALMA members regularly present the ALMA organization as part of other events they are holding. Recently, Wolfgang Klippel introduced ALMA in Italy at a workshop hosted by his company, and Steve Mowry introduced ALMA to the PALA conference in Thailand as part of his seminar on designing and manufacturing “flat loudspeakers”. If you are willing to introduce ALMA at any of your presentations, let us know and we can supply you with a short Powerpoint presentation and handouts.
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