Allen

AGOURA HILLS, CA (July 8, 2002) — A new company, North American ProAudio (NAPA), has been formed to provide United States distribution forBritish audio mixing console manufacturer Allen & Heath. The newcompany will operate as Allen&Heath USA. Allen & Heath will berepresented by NAPA beginning August 1, 2002, ending the UK company’sbusiness relationship with Utah-based Harman Music Group. Allen &Heath left the Harman International Industries Ltd. group following amanagement buyout in June 2001 but continued to distribute its productsthrough Harman Music Group until the present time. Allen & Heath’sManaging Director, Glenn Rogers explains the move: “This change indistribution is the final step on the journey to full independencewhich we embarked on with the buyout last year. We’re grateful toHarman Music Group team in Utah for all the work they have done overthe years to support the brand. Thanks to them, we and NAPA have a verystrong base from which to grow our business in the future.” NAPA hasbeen founded by Lynn P. Martin, an industry veteran who has heldexecutive positions with Harman International and, most recently, withGuitar Center, a prominent musical instrument retailer. Allan Nicholswill continue as Director of Sales in the new company. NAPA plans toretain the existing rep network to ensure a smooth transition for thedealers and customers that they serve. The new company has itsheadquarters at a newly built facility in Agoura Hills, in Los Angeles,Calif., with Nichols operating a satellite facility in Nashville, Tenn.to ensure complete East and West Coast coverage. Lynn P. Martin,President of NAPA, said: “This is the beginning of an incrediblyexciting future for us and for Allen & Heath. The team we havebuilt has an unsurpassed knowledge of this business, and we are allhuge fans of Allen & Heath’s products. I’ve seen the new productplan and the future looks very bright indeed.” For more informationplease call NAPA on (818) 917-3556 or [email protected].