STILLWATER, OK (05.05.2021) – KICKER was proud to announce several of its 2020 industry awards to regional reps, retailers and distributors recently. All honorees exemplify outstanding performance, reflected in a dedication to outstanding customer service and exceeding sales expectations for the year 2020, according to Tom Heath, KICKER Vice President of Domestic Sales and Marketing.
Central Region
Representing the Central region, The Stereo Shop (Garland, Texas), CarTunes (Wichita, Kan.), Blue Hawk Audio and Video (Bismarck and Dickinson, N.D.), and California Audio (West Valley City, Utah) earned awards as KICKER’s Dealers-of-the-Year. Distributor-of-the-Year was Stereo Max Electronics of Houston. Rep Firm-of-the-Year was Santa Fe Sales (Lenexa, Kan.). Brad Ganz is the KICKER Central Regional Sales Manager.
Southeast Region
In the Southeast region, Cartronics (Hollywood and Miami, Fla.), D&B Sales (Ft. Wayne, Ind.), Pro Audio Center (Richland, Miss.), and Armando Sounds (Chicago) earned accolades as Dealers-of-the-Year. Rep Firm-of-the-Year was TR Sales and Marketing (Indianapolis). Lori Boyer is the KICKER Regional Sales Manager for the Southeast.
Northeast Region
Representing the Northeast region, Barry Electronics (Lima, Ohio), Unique Auto Sound and Security (Lindenhurst, N.Y.), Motorcity Tunes (Dearborn Heights, Mich.), Auto Sound Systems (Rochester, N.Y.), Parkway Sound and Security (Everett, Mass.), and US1 Car Stereo (Philadelphia, Pa.) won Dealer-of-the-Year awards. Swamp Donkey Enterprises (W. Portsmouth, Ohio) won Online Dealer-of-the-Year and TAS Electronics (Holland, Ohio) earned Most Improved. Rep Firm-of-the-Year was OPUS Marketing (Fallston, Md.). Matt Matheson is the KICKER Regional Sales Manager for the Northeast region.
West Region
In the West region, Outrageous Audio (Portland, Ore.) and Quality Car Stereo (Gilbert, Ariz.) earned Dealer-of-the-Year. The Most Improved Award went out to Advanced Car Stereo (Riverside, Calif.) and Snow’s Auto (Spokane, Wash.). KEI Distributing (Los Angeles) won Distributor-of-the-Year. Rep Firm-of-the-Year was Murfco (Murrieta, Calif.). Tracy Focht is the KICKER Regional Sales Manager in the West.
Car Toys, West Coast Car Stereo, Stereo City Pros, Audio Outlet, 559 Car Audio and Alarm, and Sierra Select Distributors were honored as well.
LIBERTYVILLE, IL (05.05.2021) – Effective now, Mark Lieber has joined the team at Maxxsonics USA as Project and Quality Manager. Mark’s responsibilities will involve leading Maxxsonics USA concurrent product development teams in the design and engineering of the products that have made Maxxsonics one of the marque brands in the business. Mark will also be working directly with Maxxsonics global partners to ensure its designs are manufactured to the highest standards, bringing quality products to market on time.
On Mark’s hiring, Alden Stiefel, President of Maxxsonics USA, commented, “As Maxxsonics continues its explosive growth adding Mark Lieber to the Maxxsonics family makes perfect sense. Mark’s vast experience and expertise in manufacturing and quality control reinforces Maxxsonics commitment to continue to produce products that are best in class.”
Mark Lieber
Bringing a crucial skill in communication (both internally and externally) and a strong command of cost with performance and timing, Mark is an adept relationship builder, negotiator, strategist, and manager.
Starting at Rockford Fosgate in 1987, Mark grew into the industry with various positions throughout his career, the first 10 years in manufacturing and completing his time at RF as Senior Project and Quality Assurance Manager in 2011. In October of 2011, he started at YSI Inc. in Supply Chain and managed a supply base of 40 key suppliers. In March of 2013, he joined the team at Scosche Industries as a Program Manager, managing 8 key suppliers while implementing cost-saving measures. 1 year later, Mark rejoined YSI/Xylem as Supply Chain Specialist and managed the supply base of 5 key suppliers with total imports of $7M. In 2017 Mark decided to start Lieber Quality Management Inc. so he could bring his Project Management skills to others with Vertical World Wide being his first customer.
On his new position at Maxxsonics USA, Mark Lieber said, “I am very excited to bring industry experience and knowledge to a company that values the process, product, and the industry. I’m looking forward to working closely with the Mechanical Design team and with Brian, Chad, and Armando in developing products while working closely with suppliers based overseas.”
As Maxxsonics enters Q2 of 2021, Mark looks to ensure deadlines remain a top priority in the process of moving projects and visions from start to finish while hitting every objective and goal along the way.
FULLERTON, CA (05.05.2021) – Vision Tech America, Inc. believes in providing customers with the state-of-the-art technology in automobile engineering with the best possible prices to modernize vehicles.
In this regard, BOYO unveiled VTM7012QFHD and VTM9003QFHD, feature-rich 7” and 9” Quad (4 Channel) Full HD Monitors. These monitors are compatible with 1080P & 720P AHD and 960H CVBS cameras with audio and display clear and crisp pictures on 1920×1080 pixel LCD display. A trigger input for each video channel, enables a driver to view the blind spots through a camera as a vehicle backs up or make a turn. With a built-in speaker, audio is also monitored. All cameras’ views are recorded in the built-in DVR video for safety and security.
“Our new VTM7012QFHD and VTM9003QFHD enhances driver safety by providing the driver more information about their surrounding views with an excellent display quality. It will be a great choice for vehicles such as trucks, buses, and RVs,” said Richard Hong, VP of Sales.
CLEARWATER, FL (05.04.2021) – AAMP Global has acquired M2M in Motion, an innovative provider of fleet management solutions. M2M in Motion is a reputed fleet intelligence software company that started in 2013. Their mission was to deliver a single platform fleet management solution that could support any fleet of any size and any type(s) of vehicle.
“Joining the AAMP Team will allow us to accelerate our growth and development roadmap plans at a pace that was not possible before,” said Sean Meister, COO and Co-Founder of M2M in Motion.
Combining M2M in Motion’s Fleet Management Platform and expertise with the engineering and manufacturing capabilities of AAMP Global will result in a best-in-class product and software solution for GPS tracking and telematics.
“We have been looking to expand our product portfolio to include software solutions as we knew combining our unique sales channel with our hardware expertise and network of install partners offers a true competitive advantage in the market. We couldn’t be more excited for Sean, Marc and the M2M Team to join us and lead these growth initiatives,” said Scott Forst, President and CEO of AAMP Global.
M2M in Motion’s existing customers will have no impact on their products and services. The existing platform will continue to support customers who currently manage their fleet on m2mfleetmotion.com and continue growing with new features and capabilities. M2M in Motion customers will also have access to the complete portfolio of products and services offered by AAMP Global.
“AAMP shares our focus of putting the client first,” said Marc Lonson, CEO and Co-Founder of M2M in Motion. “Our existing clients will benefit from more resources and product offerings, an installer network, and extended hours for customer support.”
METAIRIE, LA (05.04.2021) – Oracle Lighting has launched the new waterproof illuminated marine vessel signage. From yachts to commercial fleets to personal pleasure boats, Oracle Lighting has the custom-built stainless steel LED-illuminated name signs for numerous applications.
“With more than two decades of experience, Oracle Lighting now offers our lighting expertise on many marine products,” explained Justin Hartenstein, Oracle Lighting director of development. “These made-to-order signs are designed to endure the harshest conditions and utilize high quality materials, such as 316L stainless steel to insure years of maintenance-free enjoyment and peace-of-mind. Applications are nearly endless…we’ve even had a manufacturer contact us to make logos for an autonomous marine vessel.”
Oracle Lighting’s designers work with its customers to develop the perfect sign…whether they already have a design or need Oracle Lighting’s assistance developing a professional logo for their vessel. Oracle Lighting also offers a variety of mounting options, LED control options, material thicknesses, and colors.
“Our vessel signage is also designed to be completely waterproof up to the IP68 standard,” Hartenstein continued. “This means that the sign can be completely submerged underwater and still continue to operate without failure. The proprietary sealing method includes redundancies for water intrusion prevention while still providing adequate heat dissipation for the LEDs’ standard operating requirements. By reducing the thermal load, the LED chips perform flawlessly with a lifespan of more than 60,000 hours of continuous use.”
Oracle Lighting’s optional multi-layer designs feature a contrasting center layer, or “accent color” layer, to help the letters have a visual pop even during the day when the lights are off. These layers are held together both with marine-grade 5200 adhesive and mechanically with hardware. Stainless studs, which are attached to the back of the stainless steel beauty plate, are used to sandwich the layers together in specific locations of each letter to insure maximum structural integrity.
“Each project is customized to the client’s needs,” said Hartenstein. “We offer a variety of control systems that can be programmed to provide simple static color light or create colorful patterns and lighting effects. Our ColorSHIFT® LED system can create more than one million color variations to match just about any color a customer wants, and they can control the color and brightness easily and conveniently from a wireless remote, a light control panel, or even from their smartphone or tablet.”
Getting a quotation is easy. Simply fill out the form at www.oraclelights.com/marine with the details you need and a representative from Oracle Lighting will get back to you with options and pricing for your project.
Oracle Lighting also recently announced the launch of the new custom illuminated logo decals. Easily installed/applied on cars, trucks, UTVs/ATVs, and other vehicles and now available for custom order at oraclelights.com/logos, customers can choose between 31 custom colors and create their own text or utilize their own graphics.
Louisiana-based Oracle Lighting has been designing innovative lighting products and technologies for the automotive/12Volt, powersports, motorcycle, and marine markets since 1999. Oracle’s philosophy is this: in today’s world of fly-by-night vendors, we think it is important to partner with businesses that you can trust to be there for you today, tomorrow, and for years to come.
MIRAMAR, FL (05.04.2021) – JL Audio’s Clarion Marine brand has officially become the Exclusive Audio Sponsor of CCO Showdown Sailfish Edition. Put together by the creative minds at Center Consoles Only (CCO), CCO Showdown events are the only fishing tournaments solely dedicated to the use of center console boats.
“Beyond the extremely appealing social media content they create, CCO is revolutionizing the marine media landscape. No other media group delivers the same kind of modern approach, unique perspective, and influential voice to boating-focused content than they do,” said Bryatt Fischer, Marketing Director, JL Audio. “We are thrilled to support CCO Showdown and look forward to seeing CCO expand these events in the future.”
As part of this sponsorship, Clarion Marine will work with CCO to create high-quality content and generate exposure among those fishing in the tournament and those following it on social media. Additionally, Clarion Marine will have personnel on the ground at the event to answer any questions about Clarion Marine products, hand out swag, and host product giveaways.
“JL Audio has been a great partner of ours and we are excited to expand the relationship to include Clarion Marine in our CCO Showdown,” Alan Blanco, CEO at Center Consoles Only. “We personally chose the Clarion Marine brand for our boat’s audio option and couldn’t speak more highly of the product quality and overall value. The products are a perfect fit for Center Console enthusiasts and we look forward to working more closely with this brand as we grow our CCO Showdown tournament events.”
The CCO Sailfish Showdown Fishing Tournament will be hosted in Coconut Grove at Monty’s Raw Bar at Bayshore Landing in Miami. The event runs from May 6-8, 2021. Participants must have center console boats to participate and fish in the tournament.
12VOLT CENTRAL STUDIOS (05.03.2021) – JVC Mobile Entertainment has entered the booming dash cam market. The new KV-DR305 dashboard camera, a feature rich and value-priced dash cam boasting full HD (1920×1080) recording, is now shipping.
The KV-DR305 is arriving in the field and JVC Mobile has set 2 training sessions for dealers to learn about this exciting new product. Lights..Dash Cam..Action. The sessions are set for Tuesday May 4th @12:00 PM Eastern and Wednesday, May 5th @ 9:00 PM Eastern.
Marcus Vasconcellos, JVC KEWOOD Mobile Electronics Product Specialist, recently received a sample KV-DR305 and installed it in his Toyota Sequoia. “I have hands on experience with the KV-DR305. I put it through its paces forward and backward and it performed flawlessly. I look forward to presenting a LIVE DEMO of this amazing new JVC dash cam during the 2 training sessions.”
Marcus Vasconcellos holds the JVC KV-DR305W sample that he installed it is vehicle to prepare for the LIVE DEMO.
During the sessions hosts will lead discussions relating to Dash Cam market growth and why it makes sense for 12volt retailers to add the category their product mix. Dealers will also find out who the dash cam customer is and the benefits a dash cam will add to their driving experience. The LIVE DEMO of the KV-DR305 dash cam will add to the take-away of people attending the sessions.
Dealers attending a session will also have a chance to win a KV-DR305… 1 dash cam prize per training.
Make your plans to attend a JVC KV-DR305 training session.
ST. MARYS, GA (04.03.2021) – Modern Media Geeks is celebrating their 13th birthday in some big ways. What started as a small consulting firm in 2008 has grown into a Google-accredited agency specializing in brand-building for businesses.
Services now include: • Local Search Engine Directory Submission • Search Engine Management (SEM) • Search Engine Optimization (SEO) • Pay-Per-Click (PPC) • Back Link Auditing • Google Citations • Social Media / Online Marketing • Web Design • Premium Company Brand Development NEW
Modern Media Geeks is adding to their available services, but they are continuing to grow their team to ensure that all their clients’ needs are met and exceeded. Their most recent hires include Stephanie Benoit – Key Accounts Manager – and James Smith – Marketing Director. With these new additions comes a completely new look and a brand-new name that aligns with its continued growth.
No longer is Modern Media Geeks merely geeks. The team is now a professional agency and is changing its name and branding to reflect that. That said, the brand is dropping the “Geeks” from their name and will now be known simply as Modern Media.
Along with the new branding comes even more exciting news: a new strategic alliance with the award-winning creative agency D’zine Alaska.
“We are incredibly excited to be working collaboratively with D’zine Alaska,” said Jon Dewar, founder of Modern Media. “Don and his team are the absolute best graphic artists and brand strategists in the country.
“Our strategic alliance allows each of us to add services to each of our businesses which complement both party’s strengths. By doing so, our customers can be certain they are hiring the best that can be had.”
The team at D’zine Alaska are just as excited about the new strategic partnership: “We are thrilled to be collaborating with Dewar and his experienced team at Modern Media. As we forge a new future for the branding and online presence needs of our clients, each of our industry-leading skills will add the professional strength and bold engagement they need to stand out in their fields and succeed.” – Don Poynter, President & Creative Director, D’zine Alaska.
While the team is proud of the work they’ve accomplished, Dewar is excited to see the company continue to grow and help their clients to see the great success they’ve experienced thus far. Dewar believes that the only constant is change in business and marketing, which is why he’s excited to invite everyone to grow alongside the Modern Media team.
Call Jon Dewar at (904) 717-0000 or visit www.modernmedia.pro for more information
12VOLT CENTRAL STUDIOS (05.03.2021) – Owners undoubtedly have a large investment in their stores and businesses. Social media platforms today offer store owners an opportunity to show their stores, products and services to followers and consumers with a minimal outlay of cash. Marketing your store locally should be at the very top of a retailer owner’s business plan.
Chad at KC Trends grabs attention in Kansas City with upgrades on hot vehicles.
Installations Unlimited spotlights categories with posts in North Syracuse, NY.
Sound Connection in Brainerd, MN grabbed interest with the recent PowerSports and motorcycle jobs.
Every day 12volt Central Studios staff see posts from 12volt retailers who make posts that highlight their stores. When these posts are seen on social media they have an impact with the viewer. The viewer’s impact could turn into business that makes the cash register ring. With just a smartphone a store post can be made in a matter of minutes. Snap, add a few words of text, and post.
During the COVID-19 Pandemic the 12volt industry has seen strong sales spurred by stimulus checks, reduced consumer spending in other areas and the ability upgrade rides for not a big cash outlay.
This post from Showtime Audio stresses doing it right to followers in the Chicago area.
559 Car Stereo in Fresno, CA features a happy customer in a great looking show room.
When followers see this in-vehicle lighting from Audio Electronics in Indy they will immediately think “What could my ride could look like!”
As an industry, let’s utilize social media tools to drive brick and mortar business and keep the cash register ringing.
SHREVEPORT LA (05.01.21) WTF…Win This Friday. Audio Solutions 49 won the DAS Off Terrain prize on the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel on Friday morning, April 30th.
The 12volt Spin-to-Win Wheel was created to bring an element of fun to the 12volt industry. Four months ago we celebrated the 2nd Anniversary of the weekly 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel.
The 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel rolled for 125th time on Friday morning April 30th. The Wheel landed on the DAS Off Terrain space. The Audio Solutions 49 slip was drawn from the jar and an Instagram post of the winning slip was posted. A video of the Wheel spin was also posted. We reached out to Audio Solutions 49 and Wayne Holton was out for the morning. We will contact DAS to determine which Off Terrain product will be headed to Audio Solutions 49 and let Wayne know what Off Terrain product will be headed his way.
Spinning out a winner each Friday, a lucky 12volt retailer can win a cool prize and top brands receive visibility across the marketplace.
12volt brands with a space on the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel include Kicker, NavAtlas, SiriusXM, Accele, PowerBass, CRUX, DS18, SoundStream, AIS, JBL, DAS/Off Terrain, Power Acoustik, JVC and ZZ-2. 12volt News $100. cash awards have spaces on the 12volt Spin-To-Wheel for a winning 12volt retailer.
Past winners of the 12volt Spin-To-Win include…Stereo & Video Center-Tyler TX, The Outlaw Garage-Franklin TN, Exotic Sounds-West Palm Beach FL, Endless Possibilities-Aurora IL., Go Auto Sound in Union City NJ, Al&Ed’s South Bay CA, No Limitz Car Audio in Upland CA, Neil’s Specialty-Eureka CA, Sturgess Customs-Lexington SC, Audio By Art-San Antonio TX, SMS Car Audio in Marreo LA and Sweet Wheelz in Mississauga Ontario Canada, Cartronics in Biscayne FL, The CarAudio Shop in St Louis MO, Exotic Sounds in West Palm Beach FL, High North Customs in Grand Prairie Alberta Canada and AMS Audio in Bakersfield CA, Team QRT in Abbeyville LA and California Sound in Fontana CA and Jackie Cooper Electronics, Oklahoma City OK, MARS Audio-Orlando FL, All American Audio in Nutley NJ, Proline Car Stereo in Brooklyn NY, Custom Shop Miami, Tunes and Tint in Lakeland FL, Mobile Concepts Inc in Mokena IL, Seismic Auto Sound in Concord CA, Brooklyn Car Audio in Brooklyn NY, Audio Solutions in Florence MS, Enhanced Customs in Largo FL, Rayco Auto Clinic, Audio Design in San Jose CA, Go Bass Mode in Florida, Avenue Sound in Freeport NY, Audio Plus in Riverview FL, Stereo Zone in Whittier CA, In-Phase Car Audio in Omaha NE, AutoLife Group, N&H Electronics, SK Customs, Land & Sea, The Audio One, NC Custom Shop,Tint World Orlando, Ricky Smith’s Audio, VIP Custom Woks, Mobile Audio Concepts, Audio Lad, Sound Sensations, Dave’s Stereo, Stereo Design, Badlands Customs, Custom Audio-Erie PA, Voltz Autosports-Bridgeport CT, Infinity Sound and Security-Kissimmee, Autosport Plus-Canton OH, Stereo City Pros in Carmichael CA, Devine Concepts in Naples FL, The Sound Shop in Indian Trail NC, Extreme Performance Audio in Fresno CA, Audio Depot in Arlington TX, Audio Security in Houston TX, Earmark Car Audio and Marine in Lewisville TX, Audio Jam in Bear DE, Stereo City Ontario, Ontario CA, Audio By Art, San Antonio TX, Code Zero Customs in Tulsa OK, Ken’s Car Tunes in Mobile AL, Soundz Plus in Naperville IL, Markland Designs in Lithonia GA, Electronics Plus in Salinas CA, Xtreme Autosports in Santa Clarita CA, Superior Audio Sounds in San Angelo TX and Model Electronics in Ramsey NJ, Texas Dreamz Customs in Spring TX, Wired Electronics in Linden NJ and Intense Car Audio in OKC, OK, Underground Auto in Sarasota FL, Car Toys Tulsa in Tulsa OK, Real Audio in Erie PA, Go Autosound in Union NJ, DFM Stereo in Ukiah CA, Impact Tint and Audio in Tyler TX, Mobile Sound Systems in Arlington TX, Redline Audio and Performance In Spindale NC, Car Audio Land in San Diego CA, Audio X Custom Car Audio in Florence AL, River Oaks Car Stereo in Houston TX, American Radio Orlando in Sanford FL, Illustrious Customs in Woodbridge VA, Remote Start Pros in Lawrence MA, HiPro Audio in Victoria TX, AudioPlanetNY in Huntington Station NY, Endless Possibilities in Aurora IL, Audio Finesse in Santa Monica, Drive Customs in San Luis Obispo CA, Custom Works, Noblesville IN, AtoZ Detail in West Haven CT, Cars 843 in Charleston SC, CarTunes Atlanta in Atlanta GA, Mobile Concepts in Garwood NJ, Duke’s Car Stereo in Flint MI, Infinity Auto Sound, King Car Audio in Norwalk CT, PopTronics in Baltimore MD, Sanford Sound in Sanford ME, Angelvip2474 in Draper UT, Dynamic Car Audio in Baltimore MD, Hi-Pro Audio in Victoria TX, Car Stereo Max in Houston, Pro Audio Center in Richland MS, Rhodes Off-Roads in Farmington MO, Model Electronics in Ramsey NJ, Just Audio in North Providence RI and CT_Custom in Philadelphia. Congratulations to all.
WTF… Where’s the Fun. On the next spin of the 12volt Spin-To-Win Wheel… on Friday, May 7th.
12VoltNews.com 