Meyer Sound Names John McMahon Chief Operating Officer

	John McMahon

Meyer Sound has named John McMahon chief operating officer, expanding a leadership role that has steadily expanded over his 20 years with the company.

"We push our products to perform at an extremely high level, and we're pushing ourselves to perform at that same level from a business perspective," says McMahon. "That means the way we operate has to scale with where we're growing."

McMahon already oversees sales and marketing, R&D, and operations. The new title formalizes that range, and those functions continue to report to him. "Honestly, the day-to-day doesn't dramatically change," he says. "What changes is the scope -- I can spend more time across R&D and operations and take a more organization-wide view."

McMahon joined Meyer Sound in 2006 through the acquisition of Level Control Systems, where he was CEO, and has served on the executive team since 2008. His early work at the company centered on digital engineering, including the technologies behind the Constellation acoustic system.

McMahon will work in close collaboration with cofounders John Meyer and Helen Meyer, who remain deeply involved in both the company's long-range direction and daily operations. As COO, he will lead company-wide execution of that vision and strategy. "I've always thought of myself as a synthesizer," says McMahon. "We have experts across this company, and my job is to bring their thinking together and help the pieces fit."

As part of the evolving leadership structure, Meyer Sound is recruiting a vice president of sales and marketing.

McMahon's appointment arrives during a period of international expansion. This year, Meyer Sound announced the opening of its new Shanghai facility, a wholly owned subsidiary that will produce the company's top-selling loudspeakers exclusively for the China market. The 4,500-sq.-m. factory will assemble products following the same processes and quality control standards used in Berkeley, California.

"I'm excited about the energy we're unlocking in Asia, and the response to Shanghai has reached well beyond China," says McMahon. "I'm also looking forward to seeing how people put TIGRA, our newest line array, to work now that it's out in the field.

"This is a growth phase for the company," continues McMahon. "Shanghai was the first public announcement of that, and this role is another one. We're working to position the company in a more connected fashion with our customers and strengthen our global footprint."

"John has sat at the table for nearly every important decision we've made for 20 years, and he has never lost sight of what this company stands for," says Helen Meyer. "As we grow into new markets and new categories, his experience, judgment, and ability to bring people together make him the right person to take on this broader role."