MUSEUM OF MAKING MUSIC TAPS KATHERINE PALMER AS ITS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR N AMM has appointed of Katherine Palmer as the new
that role, she has led the insti- tution’s educational and public engagement initiatives, including management of the Taylor Swift Education Center. At the Museum of Making Music, Palmer will lead the mu- seum’s mission to celebrate and
executive director of the Muse- um of Making Music (MoMM), effective this summer. The an- nouncement comes as Carolyn Grant concludes her NAMM career, which included leading
Katherine Palmer
the museum since its inception in 2000. An accomplished museum leader, arts educator and musician, Palmer joins MoMM from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, where she currently serves as senior director of education and community engagement. In
advance the history, impact and future of the music products industry and active music making through exhibitions, educational initiatives and public programming. Palmer also served as curator of educa- tion at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. {nammfoundation.org}
RATstands Marks 50 Years with Community Program R ATstands, a U.K.-based manufacturer of music stands and performance equipment, has launched its RATstands Community Programme, marking 50 years of supporting music, education and performance worldwide. As part of this milestone, RATstands will donate £10,000 (approximately $13,200) worth of products to charities, schools and non-profit organizations across the United Kingdom and internationally. The program is designed to support organizations where access to reliable equipment can make a meaningful difference to teaching, rehearsal and performance environments. Applications for the program are open now and available to educational institutions, music departments and community organizations that can demonstrate clear impact through the use of RATstands products. “For 50 years, we have been proud to support musicians at every stage, from the classroom to the stage” said Jacqueline Thomson, managing director at RATstands. “The RATstands Community Programme is a way of recognizing the vital work being done by schools and organizations across the U.K. and beyond, and contributing to the next generation of music-making.” The company expects to allocate the total value across multiple recipients, prioritizing organizations that demonstrate clear need, measurable impact and alignment with music education or community engagement. Successful applicants will be selected by a review panel, with consideration given to how the products will enhance learning environments, support performance and improve accessibility to music. Applications will remain open until Sept. 18, with recipients announced shortly thereafter. {ratstands.com}
BEYERDYNAMIC SELECTS JESSE DEAN AS MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAS B eyerdynamic has appointed Jesse Dean as managing di-
of business development, vice president of audio and global vice president of sales at several highly respected companies in the industry. Most recently, Dean served as director of business develop- ment–Americas at RØDE, where
rector of the Americas. In this role, Dean will oversee beyerdy- namic’s business operations, sales strategy and brand development across North and South America. Dean brings more than 25
Jesse Dean
years of experience across the professional audio, video, creator and consumer technol- ogy industries to beyerdynamic. Throughout his career, he has held a range of leadership roles, including global operations manager, director of business development–Americas, vice president
he played a key role in the brand’s expansion across the U.S., as well as vice president of global sales at Mackie. “Jesse brings exactly the kind of experi- ence and passion we were looking for in this role,” said Andreas Rapp, CEO of beyerdy- namic. {north-america.beyerdynamic.com}
JAM INDUSTRIES USA NAMES DIRECTOR OF SALES, PRO-AUDIO J am Industries USA has named Mike Gabriel as its land and ultimately national director of sales. “I’ve always approached the
new director of sales, pro-audio. Gabriel brings a balanced ap- proach that blends data-driven decision making with real-world retail perspective to the role. During his career, Gabriel
MI business with a competi- tive mindset, driving growth, challenging the status quo and finding new ways to win in every channel,” Gabriel said.
Mike Gabriel
has developed expertise spanning retail, distribution and go-to-market strategy. He began at Guitar Center, advancing through leadership positions that included store management in the New York City metro area, regional sales manager in New Eng-
In addition to his retail leadership experience, Gabriel has held key positions on the manufacturer side with several brands including Gibson, Korg USA/ Marshall Amplification, KMC Music and Casio. {jamindustries.com}
16 I MUSIC INC. I AUGUST 2026
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