Pro Audio Sales And Marketing Veteran, Richard Ruse, Named JBL Professional Western Regional Sales Director

In a move that immediately strengthens its domestic sales and support operations, JBL Professional today announced the appointment of Richard Ruse as Western Regional Sales Director. Ruse, a pro audio veteran with extensive industry experience in recording, MI, fixed install and tour sound, joins JBL Professional effective immediately and reports to Stephen Morris, JBL Professional Executive Vice President of Sales. According to Morris, Ruse brings strong business acumen coupled with a proven record of success working with both manufacturers’ representatives and customers.

“Richard Ruse brings unique empathy to his new role at JBL Professional. He has known success as a pro audio manufacturers’ representative, a sales and marketing executive and as a musician, and I am confident he will immediately add to the culture and the sales success of JBL Professional and our partners in the field,” Morris said today. “As JBL Professional embarks on an ambitious and progressive product marketing program with imminent new additions to our portable line, our studio family and our contracting and tour sound product families, Richard will be an invaluable resource to our retail partners, our reps and our customers in the Western Region. I am very pleased to welcome Richard to the team and I look forward to working with him to grow our business.”

Richard Ruse joins JBL Professional from Compass Business Solutions, a sales and marketing consultancy he founded and led. There, as President/Owner, he supported an array of pro audio video and technology clients. Prior to Compass, Ruse was Director of Worldwide Sales & Marketing for KRK studio monitors and before that Director of Sales, Independent Accounts at Line 6. Ruse was also Worldwide Sales & Marketing at SWR Engineering and Eastern/Western’s Regional Sales Manager at Alesis Studio Electronics. Richard Ruse is a graduate of the School of Contemporary Music.

Commenting on his new position, Ruse said today, “Leading western regional sales for JBL Professional is a responsibility I embrace and I look forward to meeting the challenge with what I can see is one of the best sales and marketing teams in the business and, certainly, the most comprehensive and compelling product line in the market today. JBL Professional is a market leader comprised of many bright and committed business, operations and engineering professionals and I’m honored and excited to join the team.”

Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com), designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets. Harman International maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, and employs more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under
the symbol “NYSE: HAR.”