Yamaha Forms Professional Audio Division to Better Serve U.S. Customers and Dealers

Yamaha Corporation of America (YCA) announces that it is forming the Professional Audio division to provide a stronger, more unified presence in the live sound, recording, and sound installation markets.

Alan Macpherson, a 27-year Yamaha veteran with a solid background in marketing a broad range of Yamaha musical instruments, commercial audio, live sound, and recording products, will lead a dedicated team of professional and commercial audio specialists in the new division. He will report directly to Tom Sumner, senior vice president of YCA.

The Yamaha Professional Audio (PA) division will market all Yamaha commercial audio products including the acclaimed CL and QL consoles and the recently announced flagship PM10 Rivage, which are currently marketed by Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems (YCAS). The PA division will continue to provide the same high level of service to dealers and customers currently provided by YCAS, and has no plans to change the current distribution strategy. The division will also continue to serve commercial audio markets in Canada as well as the US.

The new division will also represent all Yamaha live sound products, including the best-selling MG mixer line and innovative DXR powered speakers. The new division will continue to represent NEXO speaker products, including the STM system.

Recording solutions are also integrated, including the Yamaha Nuage post-production system, Steinberg software and hardware products including Cubase, and the best selling Yamaha HS series of powered monitor speakers.

Yamaha's new commercial installation solutions (CIS) products round out the broad range of quality products the new Professional Audio division offers.

"We believe this new structure will empower us to get closer to our customers," noted Hitoshi Fukutome, president, Yamaha Corporation of America. "With this focus we can grow our business, grow our dealers' business and delight our customers with innovative, quality products, service, and solutions."

YCAS will be merged into YCA as part of this initiative and Larry Italia, another Yamaha veteran who most recently has served as vice president/general manager of YCAS, will be leaving Yamaha. "We wish to acknowledge Larry's years of loyal and valuable service to the company," said Fukutome. "Larry has made significant contributions and helped Yamaha achieve many milestones during his tenure. We wish him the very best in the future."

Macpherson is currently general manager of the Pro Audio and Combo division, and previously led Steinberg recording products in the US. He began his career at Yamaha Canada Music Ltd. in 1987. In 1999, he was promoted to national sales and marketing manager of the Pro Music and Audio Division and, in 2001, he was named marketing manager, Combo and Music Production Division. His responsibilities were further broadened in 2006, when he was named manager of the Corporate Planning and Communications department at Yamaha Canada. He became director of Steinberg North America at YCA in 2008.

YCA will rename its current Pro Audio and Combo division the Pro Music division. The new Pro Music division will now focus on marketing Yamaha guitars, amps, acoustic and electronic drums, and music production products.

John Shalhoup, who has a 16-year Yamaha career, will lead the new Pro Music division. He currently is the company's chief marketing director, guiding company-wide branding and marketing strategy. Shalhoup has broad experience including district sales, national account sales, sales management, and administration with Yamaha's Pro Audio and Combo and Band & Orchestral divisions. Shalhoup started his musical instrument career with retailer Daddy's Junky Music, serving as a salesperson, store manager, and regional manager prior to joining YCA in 1998. Shalhoup will report directly to Rick Young, senior vice president of YCA.