Harman Professional Loudspeaker Group to be led by Mark Ureda
Published: ASIA
Harman Professional has announced that its Loudspeaker Group – comprising JBL and Selenium – is to be led by Mark Ureda, who has been named vice president and general manager. He takes over the role from John Carpanini, who formerly led JBL and has now been promoted to a new position within Harman’s automotive division.
A technical consultant for JBL since 1999, Mr Ureda is described Harman Pro CEO Blake Augsburger as possessing a ‘broad understanding of the values, heritage and potential of both JBL Professional and Selenium’, while bringing ‘technology expertise, management experience and proven leadership skills’ to the Loudspeaker Group. During his period as a technical consultant, Mr Ureda developed software to predict the sound fields of loudspeaker arrays and has authored technical papers on the topic. The new GM started his career developing constant directivity horns with the Altec Lansing Corporation, and more recently worked for defence company Northrop Grumman Corporation as vice president, corporate strategy.
‘We are very pleased that Mark has elected to take this position and I am confident that his leadership will serve as a platform for a host of innovations and the delivery of the quality and performance that our customers demand,’ continued Mr Augsburger. ‘Mark's close relationship with Harman and JBL Professional for more than a decade provides him a unique perspective on the markets we serve and the products we offer. His ability to leverage his management and technology skills is a crucial asset and I know the team at our Loudspeaker Group is looking forward to years of innovation and growth under his leadership.’
Mr Ureda is equally generous with his praise for Harman Professional: ‘For more than 60 years, JBL Professional has stood for innovation, excellence and quality. In my new role, I will drive JBL to new levels of system performance and competitive and financial strength. Selenium, likewise, is a brand and organisation with tremendous potential and I look forward to becoming a catalyst for its global success going forward.’