ADAT

Dan Dugan is a pro lighting and pro audio engineer who invented an automixer that he first presented at AES in 1974. With a rich background in theater, both in lighting and sound, Dan created several automations that improved the quality and efficiency of production processes. His innovations were used in many products including Yamaha’s Dugan MY-16 card, and he was awarded an Emmy for technology in 2020. While working for theaters in San Francisco in 1968, the now commonly known title of sound designer was first used to describe the work Dan was doing.

Michael Jago has always had a great deal of respect for music retailers and can boast of working with several over his long career. He started retail with one of his early mentors in the music business, Paul Hayward and later moved to the famous Australian music store chain Brash’s Music. He was later introduced to the world of wholesaling initially with Electric Factory, which is the company that brought a young 20-year-old Michael to his first NAMM Show (he has a great story of seeing Dimebag Darrell at the show). Soon after he moved to New Zealand and ran the Electric Factory o

Arnd Kaiser was born in Hagen, Germany, and developed an early fascination with synthesizers and electronic music that would shape his career. A musician, producer, and sound designer, Arnd began his professional journey while still in college, building a keyboard and pro-audio department at a local music shop. In 1989, he programmed a custom bank of presets for the Ensoniq VFX synthesizer, marking his entry into music technology distribution. As a product manager, he represented U.S. brands including Ensoniq, Oberheim, and Alesis across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland while dev

Abby Kaplan is the Vice President of Global Retail Sales for Shure Incorporated. Her approach to digital commerce and vertical marketing has helped the company expand its reach around the world. Her approach in supporting her dealers and focusing on their success has contributed to the meaningfulness of her position. Shure’s philosophy of the quality of products and people is echoed in Abby’s connections. Having had a deep passion for the industry since working for Alesis in the 1990s, she had witnessed many important changes and adapted to each with innovative ideas and endless e

John Maier had parents that were both singers and would often hang out at the theater where his parents would perform. He used to get in trouble for tapping his pencil during tests and would have to take his test outside of the classroom – early signs of a promising drummer! After developing a love for the drums, John started working at Jeff’s Drum Shop in Illinois where he would teach and sell drum kits. He was intrigued by the music products industry and pursued that interest in Chicago, where he worked for Gand Music & Sound and eventually took a job as a road rep.

Dave Malekpour recorded his band that he formed in high school thanks to the help of his stepfather who assisted him in building a four-track recorder. Once he discovered an SSL in a local recording studio, Dave was hooked, he knew he wanted to build audio gear. And he did! At the age of 26, he formed his own company, Anything Audio, for which he installed sound systems in studios and clubs, which led to Pro Audio Designs, which was established in 1993. Since then, Dave and his team have been on the cutting edge of new technology and innovative products and installations.

Mark Mason's passion for technology began early; he started programming computers at just ten years old. This early interest blossomed into a career when he became a technician for Microsoft in the 1990s, contributing to the launch of Windows 2000. After a period dedicated to teaching, Mark joined Southwest Strings in Tucson, Arizona, in 2001. He felt a deep connection to their mission of supplying instruments to school programs, a cause close to his heart as a lifelong musician. Mark's journey in music began with piano lessons as a child, expanding to guitar, bass, and keyboards

José Nogueira was eight years old when his parents started a music business in Porto, Portugal. He took accordion lessons as a child as well as guitar and piano. In 1974, a group of friends formed a rock band combining elements of R&B and jazz, but they already had a piano player so one of José’s band-mates asked if he would play the saxophone instead. José took to the soprano saxophone and quickly discovered it was the perfect missing element of the band. The band, Jafumega, toured and recorded together until 2008 and is known as one of the founders of Portuguese Rock! He als

Russell Palmer’s father was the first employee for Capital Records, working as a record salesman. As a result Russell grew up in a home full of the latest hit songs. Russell followed in his father’s footsteps to work in the record industry and later in the radio business before meeting Keith Barr and his wife. Together the three formed Alesis, which soon become a leader in innovative products in home and professional studio gear. Russell has been a strong supporter of the music products industry and served on the NAMM Board as well as supporting music education. 

Marcus Ryle began his career in the industry as an engineer for Oberheim while he was still a teenager. In those pre MIDI days, Marcus designed a series of sound controllers as well as providing several modifications to the company’s synthesizers. He later co-founded Fast Forward in 1985 with Michel Doidic, which provided engineering for over 40 of Alesis’ products including ADAT. At the same time, Marcus and his team worked on their own guitar electronics, which eventually became the foundation of their new company, Line 6.  

Rey Sanchez is a professor and the Associate Dean for the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami - one of the leading schools for music business programs. This special focus has allowed Rey to build many strong relationships within the music products industry, which has ultimately served to benefit his students. Rey has also enjoyed a very diverse and successful career in music, not only as a player but as a producer, musical director, composer, author and editor. For some time, Rey was the Director of Guitar Publications for Columbia Pictures Publications while also ope

Keith Taylor strongly believes that every recording engineer should have a foundation in music. Understanding the elements and structure of music has proven to be key to his success as an engineer and studio owner. It does not hurt that Keith also has been formally trained as an electrical engineer. Yet, it’s his background in music that he feels attributes to his understanding of his clients and in being able to help them achieve their goals in the studio. For Keith, it was taking classical piano lessons at the age of five that he feels put him on his current trajectory.

Larry The O has been at the forefront of electronic music and audio technology for decades, shaping the landscape of sound innovation. From studying with Joel Chadabe on the iconic Moog modular at State University of New York at Albany to joining Lexicon during the launch of groundbreaking products like the PrimeTime delay and 224 reverb, Larry's career has been marked by pivotal moments in audio history. As a writer, he chronicled the emergence of digital technology in the field, conducting interviews with visionaries and groundbreakers.