CONN SELMER NAMES JOHN FULTON PRESIDENT, CEO C onn Selmer has appointed John Fulton as president and CEO.
Asia Pacific, marketing and the division of education. “I’m honored to step into the role of CEO,” Fulton said. “As Conn Selmer continues to expand globally, we remain firmly rooted in our U.S.-based manufacturing
He succeeds Stephen Zapf, who had led the company since 2019. Fulton brings more than 28 years of music industry experi- ence, including the past eight
D’Addario Opens New Artist Lounge at CenterStaging Studios in Los Angeles D ’Addario has announced the opening of its new Artist Lounge at CenterStaging Studios in Los Angeles. The new Artist Lounge is designed as a casual, welcoming environment for musicians who are based in or traveling through Los Angeles. Whether artists are seeking insights about gear, aiming to refine their sound, or looking to optimize their instruments, the Artist Lounge provides the ideal setting to engage with D’Addario’s team of experts. To celebrate the opening, D’Addario hosted an exclusive artist party at CenterStaging on April 24. In attendance were Jim D’Addario, board chairman and chief innovation officer; John D’Addario III, CEO; and D’Addario’s AR team. Artist guests included Brian Frasier Moore, Dirk Verbeuren, Brittany Bowman and more. {ddar.io/center-staging}
John Fulton
years in senior leadership roles at Conn Selmer. Most recently, he served as se- nior vice president, overseeing sales and customer service for the Americas and
and committed to delivering instruments that reflect our 750 years of combined brand heritage while setting new standards for quality and performance.” {connselmer.com}
JENNIFER THAYER JOINS MUSIC & ARTS AS PRESIDENT G uitar Center has named Jen- nifer Thayer president of
US, STG Logistics (through an acquisition of XPO) and Lowe’s Home Improvement. As president, Thayer will help drive performance across Music & Arts’ retail, lessons and rental channels; strengthen relation-
Music & Arts, its B&O arm. In this role, Thayer will lead the strategic direction, operations and growth of Music & Arts’ more than 250 stores.
Jennifer Thayer
With more than 25 years of leadership experience, Thayer has held senior roles across retail, logistics, sales and customer experience at companies including, Harvia
ships with educators and schools; and advance the mission to expand access to music education through innovation and community engagement. {musicarts.com}
GUITAR CENTER ADDS 2 TO ITS MUSIC EDUCATION TEAM G uitar Center has added two leaders to its les-
vice president of education and training. He has led instruc- tional strategy, driven talent development and shaped stu- dent-centered learning models. Kushner is known as a
FOUNDER OF HOSA TECHNOLOGY PASSES AWAY S ho Sato, founder of Hosa Technol-
sons team: educator Giovan- ni “John” Bianchette as vice president of music educa- tion and Grammy-winning guitarist Dave Kushner as senior director of music education experience. Bianchette is an educator who brings public and private sector experience from leadership roles at Mathnasium, including
Giovanni “John” Bianchette and Dave Kushner.
ogy, passed away on May 15 in Whittier, California. He was 81. Born on Nov. 27, 1943, in Yokohama,
founding member of rock supergroup Velvet Revolver and brings decades of stage, studio and education experience to his new role where he’ll energize the curriculum and content for students. {guitarcenter.com}
Sho Sato
Japan, Sato moved to the U.S. at the age of 25 with only a few dollars in his pocket. In 1984, with nothing but a borrowed desk and telephone, he founded Hosa Technology. Under his leadership, Hosa grew into one of the most respected and recognizable com- panies in the music and pro-audio industries. Sato’s legacy continues through the com- pany he built and the people he inspired. In recent years, he passed the torch to his daughter, Mayumi Allison, who now leads Hosa with the same mission her father held dear: to create reliable connectivity solutions with unparalleled service, passion and care. Sato is survived by his two daughters, Mayumi and Yuki, and his grandchildren, Dylan, Rhys and Alexa. {hosatech.com}
SOUNDPRO EXPANDS SALES TEAM SIGNALING GROWTH AHEAD S oundPro has made several appoint- ments to its sales team. Doug Kliever, a 25-year industry veteran, has been pro- moted to director of sales.
To further strengthen customer sup- port, SoundPro has added five new ac- count managers: Martin Vire , Davion Elliott, Abraham Velasquez, Austin Bell and Darius Jones. Supporting this expanded team is Tif- fany Stalker, the newly appointed director
of marketing and sales enablement. With more than 15 years of industry experience, Stalker will enhance outreach and partner collaboration. {soundpro.com}
18 I MUSIC INC. I JULY 2025
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