Expert Details
Distribution, Retailing, International, Mergers, Consumer Products, Especially Consumer Electronics
ID: 722989
California, USA
Expert has served as an executive and/or director in three well known and two smaller companies in the audio industry. He was the CEO or president of Jensen Sound Laboratories (car stereo), JBL Incorporated (loudspeakers and professional audio products), and Marantz Company (audio and video components). He was also president and CEO of Simtech International, producer of simplified consumer electronics products. He currently serves as Chairman of Neosonik Audio, a development stage company manufacturing the world's first high fidelity wireless 5.1 audio and high definition video systems. Expert also has served as an officer and director of the major trade organizations in the audio and consumer electronics industries.
Expert has had extensive experience in helping clients bring products to market. He works with them from the earliest stages in concept innovation and research and development, through product design, sourcing or manufacturing, packaging design, point of sales magerials, collaterateral advertising and promotional materials, distribution strategies and other elements which are part of the "whole product" development process.Organizational assessments, planning, structuring and implementation of new organizational structures are key consulting services provided by Expert and his associates. Expert does a great deal of work helping clients restructure their product development organization, processes, and interfaces with other corporate and outside departments. He has taught brand and product management courses at the graduate business school level at Loyola Marymount University and at USC's Marshall School of Business. Expert is a partner is a Hong Kong based company that assists manufacturers, distributors and retailers in developing, sourcing and quality control of products manufactured in China and other Asian countries.Distribution planning for consumer products through all major channels of distribution is another of Expert's specialties. He has had experience in marketing to and selling big box retailers, mass merchants, specialty retailers, catalog and internet marketers and other forms of direct marketing.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1966 | Degree: MBA | Subject: Marketing and Finance | Institution: Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University |
| Year: 1964 | Degree: BA | Subject: Economics and Fine Arts | Institution: Trinity College, Hartford, CT |
| Year: 2006 | Degree: Adjunct Professor | Subject: Brand and Product Management | Institution: Graduate School of Business, Loyola Marymount University |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2001 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Managing Director | Department: |
Responsibilities:As managing director, Expert is both an active consultant and supervises other consultants in two overlapping businesses. Expert S. Expert & Associates is a full-service consulting firm for small and middle market companies focusing on strategic planning, marketing strategy and development, distribution planning and CEO coaching. VMG Capital is a small investment banking firm that provides merger and acquisition services for middle market companies and raises capital for developing companies. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1989 to 2001 | Employer: Coloramics, LLC and Mayco Colors, Inc. | Title: Chairman and CEO | Department: |
Responsibilities:Expert served as CEO of this small manufacturer of ceramic glazes and paints for the art, hobby, craft and school markets. He grew the company to be the second largest in the industry through product development, diversification and acquisition. He pioneered a new market creating products for contemporary ceramic studios and founded the industry's first trade association. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1987 to 1989 | Employer: Cobra Electronics | Title: President, Marantz; Vice President, Cobra | Department: Marantz Company |
Responsibilities:Prior to his becoming president, Marantz, a manufacturer of audio and video components, had lost $11 million of sales of $60 million. In the first year of his tenure, the company reached breakeven and greatly streamlined its product lines. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1986 to 1987 | Employer: Fertility and Genetics Research, Inc. | Title: President | Department: |
Responsibilities:As president of this publicly traded development stage medical services company, Expert created its long term business mission of developing joint ventures with major hospitals and created the initial alliances prior to leaving to return to the consumer electronics business. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1982 to 1986 | Employer: Harman International Industries, Inc. | Title: President of JBL; Senior VP Harman | Department: JBL Incorporated |
Responsibilities:Though a premier brand, JBL was a troubled, inefficient manufacturer when Expert joined. He led a turnaround team to reverse losses and build the business. JBL became the leader in the professional sound industry, the leading marketer of US loudspeakers for export, and again a leader in the US consumer electronics market. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1976 to 1982 | Employer: Esmark, Inc., International Jensen | Title: Chief Executive Officer | Department: Jensen Sound Laboratories |
Responsibilities:Initially starting as vice president of marketing, Expert became vice president of sales and marketing, then division general manager, and finally CEO. His team made Jensen the leader in the manufacture and sale of car stereo speakers. He introduced the first line of high end in car receivers. Business increased six-fold during his tenure. |
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International Experience
| Years | Country / Region | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Years: 1976 to Present | Country / Region: Europe | Summary: Extensive work in establishing distribution companies for all of Europe and in individual countries. |
| Years: 1976 to Present | Country / Region: Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, China | Summary: Actively involved in sourcing products on both an OEM and ODM basis from small factories to some of the world's largest manufacturers. |
| Years: 1982 to Present | Country / Region: Asia | Summary: Established distribution companies for American-made products in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore |
Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| Governor/Executive Committee Member, Electronics Industries Association; Director and Division Chairman, Consumer Electronics Group; Chairman and Co-Founder, Committee of Car Audio Manufacturers. President and Treasurer, Car Audio Specialists Association (CASA). Founding Sponsor & Director, Contemporary Ceramic Studios Association. Founder, Ceramics 2000. Professional Networking Group Chairman (middle of second 3 year term), Board of Trustees, House Ear Institute, the world’s leading medical research organization for hearing disorders. Member, National Association of Corporate Directors. Member, Professional Networking Group, Century City II Chapter. Member, Corporate Directors’ Forum. Several Offices, Young Presidents' Organization (YPO). Chapter Ambassador, World Presidents’ Organization. (WPO) YPO-G, Young Presidents' Organization Graduates. Session Chair, California Club Executive Forum; Member Tournaments Committee. Finance Committee, Los Angeles Tennis Club Director, Los Angles Music Center's "In the Wings". Board Member, St. Expert' Episcopal School. Steering Committee Member, National Public Radio. Corporate Boards (in addition to those of companies for whom he has worked) Delivrion, Inc., food delivery dot-com start-up. Metal Box International, Inc., manufacturer of sheet metal tool boxes and point of purchase displays. Communication Innovations Corporation, owner of nationwide paging license. Comfort Center Stores, Inc., the largest retailer of mattresses in the Western U.S. Compact Industries, Inc., coffee packaging and distribution. |
| Awards / Recognition |
|---|
| Awarded the First Lifetime Achievement Award by the Contemporary Ceramic Studios Association. |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
|---|
| Authored numerous articles in trade publications. Frequent lecturer at colleges and universities. Co-Author of a Chapter in the Product Development Management Association's ToolBook 3. |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| Has provided testimony in product liability cases on behalf of the defense. Has served as an expert witness in a case involving the terminated acquisition of a foreign distributor in the software industry. Has given depositions in a variety of cases including product liability, wrongful discharge, regulatory matters and others. |
| Training / Seminars |
|---|
| He has been on the graduate business school factulty at Loyola Marymount University where he taught a 2nd year MBA course in Brand and Product Management. He also taught a two day seminar at the Marshall School of Business at the USC in product lifecycle management. He has been a frequent speaker to chapters of the Product Development Management Association and to their national convention. He was also a frequent speaker in consumer electronics and ceramics industry conventions. |
| Vendor Selection |
|---|
| Currently a partner in a Hong Kong based company for sourcing products in China. Have actively sourced products in Asia for nearly 30 years. |
| Marketing Experience |
|---|
| For over 30 years have worked designing, developing, manufacturing or sourcing, marketing and selling technically sophisticated consumer products. |
| Other Relevant Experience |
|---|
| For 20 years, six as chairman, Expert has been a Trustee of the House Ear Institute, the world's leading medical research organization for hearing diseases and disorders. |
Fields of Expertise
brand extension licensing, CE Marking, Chinese marketing, consumer product label, consumer product marketing, distribution channel, European marketing, international marketing, Japanese marketing, market development, market positioning, marketing, marketing brand management, marketing communications, marketing mix, promotion, time-to-market, retail banking, business management, business strategy, corporate strategic planning, entrepreneurship, integrated product team, market trend, new product design, organizational development, planning, product development cycle time, project management, small business, strategic market planning, strategic planning, strategic research planning, trade show, audio equipment, camcorder, consumer product, consumer product design, digital audio tape cassette, home entertainment system, stereo, videocassette recorder, retail computer software, tape recording analysis, business development, e-tailing, business ethics, business operations, Internet marketing, DVD Player, digital video disc, market assessment, direct mail, advertising, public relations, build-to-order, market potential, VHS videotape, incentive compensation plan, food marketing, business incubator, proposal writing, joint venture, technical marketing, market forecasting, high-definition television audio acoustics, new product market survey, color television receiver, audio power amplifier, research and development management, high-definition television system, health care marketing, service marketing, audio compact disk, video disk, television equipment, stereo amplifier, digital audio equipment, compact disk, audio tape recorder, audio recording