PEERLESS INDUSTRIES, BBG DISTRIBUTION LTD. MERGE
Peerless Industries, Inc. (Melrose Park IL), has merged with BBG Distribution Ltd. (Watford, England), a distributor of European brands in the audiovisual attachment and peripheral market throughout the United Kingdom. BBG will continue trading as BBG Distribution Ltd. and distributing the existing lineup of BBG brands, but will become a subsidiary of Peerless Industries. Gordon Dutch will remain as BBG Managing Director and has joined Peerless’ advisory board in the US.
BBG will continue delivering audiovisual products and services from its 20,000-square-foot headquarters, including flat-panel and projector mounts, AV carts/stands from Peerless, AV furniture from Ateca and Gokeda, AV cables from Bandridge and Profigold, and AM-branded products such as screen cleaners, as well as accessories for both commercial and retail distribution.
In related news, Peerless Industries has forged an exclusive distribution agreement with Euromet, an Italian manufacturer and distributor of AV products. Together, Peerless and Euromet are leveraging distribution channels to deliver their product portfolio throughout Europe, North America and South America. This agreement also enables joint product development and design, including the launch of an expanded selection of flat-panel and projector mounts, carts/stands, wall furniture and accessories.

SENNHEISER TO DISTRIBUTE K-ARRAY IN NORTH AMERICA
Sennheiser Electronic Corp. (Old Lyme CT) has signed an exclusive distribution agreement for North America with K-Array, a Florence, Italy-based PA loudspeaker and amplifier manufacturer. (Sennheiser China announced its distribution agreement with K-Array in December 2008.) Representative of K-Array's speaker technology is the KH4 self-powered, two-way, flat-panel line array.
Vaino Gennaro, Sennheiser Canada Business Director for live sound products, remarked, "We are excited to bring this…technology to North America. The depth of the line and the crossover into various markets...will change the production standards of the live entertainment industry."
Alex Tatini, K-Array CEO, offered, "Sennheiser has a long…history in the audio industry. We are experiencing strong growth, and having Sennheiser on board means that we can gain access more easily into their growing markets."

GUILTY PLEA IN WIRETAPPING CASE
David A. Goldenberg, a vice president of AMX (Richardson TX) who was arrested in March 2008, pleaded guilty to felony wiretapping on May 11. He was charged with corporate espionage for intercepting thousands of proprietary emails for nearly a year from Paramus NJ-based Sapphire Marketing, which represents chief competitor Crestron Electronics (Rockleigh NJ). Following a six-week investigation, he was charged with Unlawful Access of a Computer System/Network-3rd Degree, Unlawful Access of a Computer Data/Theft of Data-2nd Degree and Conducting an Illegal Wiretap-3rd Degree by members of the Paramus Police Department (a member of the Computer Crimes Task Force) in New Jersey.
Sapphire filed a complaint to the Paramus Police Department in February 2008 because it suspected a leak after being underbid frequently for projects by Goldenberg. Confidential information disclosed to clients and partners led Sapphire to believe its email was being intercepted. Allegedly, Goldenberg accessed Sapphire’s secure webmail account regularly over a seven-month time span until he established a separate email address to automatically forward Sapphire’s email to a personal account. Goldenberg also had access to weekly conference calls, during which sales and marketing strategies were discussed, by using the call-in information he had because of his illegal access to Sapphire’s email.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for June 26 at 10:30am.

KINSELLA-MARSH GROUP FOUNDED
Kinsella Acoustics, Inc. (KA), has been renamed Kinsella-Marsh Group, Inc. In this change, Gary Kinsella, Founder, and David Marsh, one of the three original Principals of Pelton Marsh Kinsella, Inc., have reunited to expand KA's geographic reach and to add communications technology consulting to the firm's services. Kinsella-Marsh Group, which can be reached at (305) 868-1531, is headquartered in Miami Beach FL. A new branch office in Dallas TX will be headed by Marsh, who can be reached at (214) 891-1400.
In exclusive comments to Sound & Communications, Marsh explained that the firm’s services will broaden to encompass audiovisual, telecommunications and security consulting. Marsh outlined a vision for a company with a nationwide presence. “We’ll start in our respective regions,” he explained, “but most of the larger clients we’ll work with have offices all over the country. We want to establish a network within those client firms to do work wherever they are.” He concluded, “Both Gary [Kinsella] and I have worked with clients all across the country…all over the world. So, we’re setting our sights high.”

SHURE STRIKES AGAINST COUNTERFEITERS
Shure Inc. (Niles IL) has struck another blow against suppliers of counterfeit Shure products. Following a Shure-initiated investigation, officials of the Baoshan Office of the Shanghai Administration for Industry and Commerce (AIC) conducted raids on wholesale stores and warehouses in the Zhabei District of Shanghai. “Counterfeiters are constantly working to duplicate the Shure logo and other product markings as well as the general appearance of the products,” explained Anita Man, Managing Director of Shure Asia.
Large quantities of counterfeit Shure E2c and E4c earphones were seized as well as counterfeit earphones of other brands, including Audio-Technica and JVC. Penalties are still being determined.
“The Shure brand carries with it a promise of quality and performance,” remarked Sandy LaMantia, Shure’s President/CEO. “Counterfeit Shure products do not live up to that promise, and that damages the value of our brand. We are fiercely committed to working with international agencies and with other brands to fight the spread of counterfeit products and halt this kind of criminal activity.”
In addition to anti-counterfeiting actions in China, Shure has also been continuing efforts in other parts of Asia, Europe, South America, the Middle East, Africa and the US to cease intellectual property violations.

INFOCUS ACQUIRED THROUGH SHORT-FORM MERGER
Image Holdings Corp., an Oregon corporation indirectly owned by John Hui, an entrepreneur and co-founder of e-Machines, has announced the successful completion of the merger of IC Acquisition Corp. (ICAC) with and into InFocus Corp. (Wilsonville OR). The merger follows the previously announced completion of the tender offer by ICAC for all of the outstanding shares of InFocus common stock, at a purchase price of $0.95 per share.
In the merger, all shares of InFocus common stock not purchased in the tender offer (other than shares of common stock held by Image Holdings, ICAC, InFocus or any of their respective subsidiaries) were converted into the right to receive an amount of cash equal to $0.95 per share, without interest and subject to any required withholding of taxes. As a result of the merger, InFocus has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Image Holdings.
InFocus common stock will now cease to be traded on the NASDAQ Global Market, and InFocus has notified NASDAQ of its intent to withdraw the listing of its common stock. Detailed instructions will be mailed to former InFocus stockholders who did not tender their shares into the offer, outlining the steps to be taken to obtain the merger consideration of $0.95 per share in cash, without interest.

PRIOSERV ACQUISITION EXPANDS DATA CALL’S DS FOOTPRINT
Data Call Technologies Inc. (Houston TX) has agreed to enter into negotiations for the complete acquisition of PrioServ Inc. (Houston TX), a privately held technology service company. PrioServ specializes in the installation, deployment and management of digital signage systems, as well as VOIP, corporate networks/server installation and management. Financial terms remain undisclosed.
“This acquisition will…assist Data Call in posturing itself for the expected growth in the technology industries for both digital signage and IT networks,” remarked Tim Vance, CEO of Data Call, Houston. “The added service that Data Call will be able to provide its partners is exponential. We have been assisting with network deployments for quite some time, and the ability to offer these more specialized services brings Data Call to the next level of expertise.”
“As our partners and clients continue their growth, this acquisition will provide our customers with the reliability found in our data products, streamlined into further national deployments and installs as well as network management,” added Data Call Chairman Jim Ammons.

ELECTROGRAPH SYSTEMS BEGINS LIQUIDATION PROCESS
We regret to report that Electrograph Systems, Inc. (Hauppauge NY), is moving forward with a liquidation process of all its inventory and assets. Alan Marc Smith, Electrograph’s outgoing CEO, said, “We are very disappointed with this outcome. There were a number of factors leading to this result, including poor economic conditions and constrained access to vendor credit. After exploring all other possible avenues for sustaining the company, including an unsuccessful sale process, our board decided this was the only path for our company.”
Outgoing President Sam Taylor added, “I am deeply saddened by the result of this situation. We would like to thank our resellers for their business over the past 25 years, our vendor partners and our other friends in the industry for their support. Above all, we thank our loyal employees for their hard work and dedication.”
During the wind-down period, a group of 60 employees will be staying and the four warehouses in City of Industry CA, Grove City OH, Hauppauge NY and Middletown NY will remain open and shipping product. The remainder of Electrograph’s 75 employees were laid off.
The company’s website will remain functioning during this period, where it will be advertising promotional offerings and posting updates on the liquidation process.

SOUND & COMMUNICATIONS HAS STRONG INFOCOMM PRESENCE
Don’t miss InfoCommTV News, the official television programming of the InfoComm Expo in Orlando FL. Produced by Sound & Communications’ editorial team, shows providing information on new product launches at the Expo, and the latest show-floor developments, will be offered June 17, 18 and 19. Broadcast 24/7 in thousands of official convention hotel rooms, InfoCommTV News also can be seen on large flat-panel displays throughout the Convention Center and on shuttle buses. And, for those who cannot make it to Orlando, the broadcasts will be available at www.soundandcommunications.com, www.conventiontv.net and www.infocomm.org, and streamed to cell phones and iPods.
Additionally, Sound & Communications is sponsoring an NSCA University education session during InfoComm. “White Spaces Yesterday and Today: Impact of FCC Ruling on Wireless Microphone Industry” is based on a Sound & Communications VIEWpoint webcast from earlier this year. The panel discussion, hosted by Editor David A. Silverman, will address how the June 2009 digital transition has or will affect integrators, technicians, consultants and their customers. The discussion will also review the landscape of wireless systems related to the FCC’s new mandates. Attendees will discover potential challenges, opportunities and solutions for their businesses and how best to address customer needs and concerns. This session (NS53) will be held at the Convention Center on Friday, June 19, from 10:30am to 12:00pm, in room W307A.

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