Worldwide automated lighting manufacturer High End Systems Inc. (HES) has announced several recent promotions and staff additions.
John Wiseman has been promoted to executive vice-president of business development. Formerly VP of worldwide sales, he will continue at the company’s Van Nuys, CA office. Back in the Austin, TX headquarters, returning HES veteran Grif Palmer has accepted the role of vice-president of Americas sales. Palmer reports to Wiseman and also manages sales operations.
These moves are taking place against a background of fairly aggressive product development for HES, long a major player in the moving light and console markets. Currently, the company is looking to expand its sales with the Wholehog III lighting console (from its Flying Pig Systems division), the Catalyst 3 digital media server, and the ColorCommand™ color-mixing moving light; the latter is designed to bring color-mixing units to the lower end of the market.
Speaking of Wiseman’s new job title, HES CEO Frank Gordon comments, “This is a well-deserved promotion for John and an acknowledgment of his immeasurable contributions over the last few years to High End and Flying Pig Systems Inc. With the new additions to John's sales teams and the fresh product offerings, we look to John to lead us into new markets as well as better servicing our existing designer and specifier base.”
For his part, Palmer says, “There couldn’t be a better time to return to High End. The product line, along with the organizational structure that’s been developed, positions us for a successful model to drive sales. HES has remained true to our mission, bringing new and industry-changing technology to our dealers and new market segments.”
Two more former HES staffers have also decided to return as well. Karen Bowler is the new customer service manager, reporting to Palmer and Jeff Pelzl. Bowler is a 14-year veteran of HES. She has spent the last year and a half in a sales operations role with another manufacturer in the lighting industry. Bobby Brakefield joins the customer service department as the rep for the Southeast and Northeast U.S. and European territories. Brakefield was an HES inside sales rep for nine years, and has spent the last three years in outside sales and sales administrative roles.
David Catterall, managing director of High End Systems Europe, along with Leigh Anne Aiken, regional sales manager for the Pacific Rim and Asian regions, continue in their current sales management roles, reporting to Wiseman. “David Catterall and Leigh-Anne Aiken have been running their areas of responsibilities brilliantly,” says Wiseman. “Grif Palmer joining as the new VP of sales for the Americas is the final piece in the puzzle. Grif brings with him a skill set and industry depth that rounds out the team. We could not have done better. Adding Karen Bowler and Bobby Brakefield is the icing on the cake.”