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KEY GC PRO MOVES SET THE STAGE FOR
THE NEXT ROUND OF GROWTH— Industry veteran Rick Plushner appointed General Manager
to help guide GC Pro sales force to its next level of success —— Additional sales staff added in key markets, further enhancing customer support —
— GC Pro will for the first time exhibit at the AES Convention in New York City this October, underscoring its commitment to the expanding professional audio market —
119th AES CONVENTION, NEW YORK, NY, October 7, 2005 — GC Pro, the dedicated professional audio division of Guitar Center, Inc. (Nasdaq: GTRC), America’s leading musical instrument and professional audio retailer, is positioning for its next round of expansion and growth. On September 8, 2005, Tom Menrath, GC Pro Director, announced the appointment of industry veteran Rick Plushner as General Manager of GC Pro, bringing the advantage of Plushner’s vast experience with pro audio technology and sales to the company’s executive suite. GC Pro has hired additional sales personnel in several key markets including the music communities of Nashville, Tennessee and Austin, Texas, further enhancing the company’s customer support capabilities. Furthermore, GC Pro will have an unprecedented presence at the annual AES Convention, pro audio’s single largest gathering globally, which takes place October 7-10, 2005 at the Javits Center in New York City.
These moves are part of the ongoing series of strategic decisions by GC Pro management that have solidified the company as the leader in the field of professional audio sales. Exemplifying this, GC Pro is the only pro audio dealer in the U.S. authorized to sell the revolutionary Solid State Logic AWS 900 Analogue Workstation System.
The appointment of Rick Plushner as General Manager of GC Pro will add considerably to the level of expertise at the management level. Plushner most recently served as president of Solid State Logic, North America, where he was crucial to the introduction of such groundbreaking products as the XL9000K, the XLogic series of outboard processors, and the new AWS 900 console. Previously, Plushner gained experience as Vice President, Sales at digital console manufacturer Euphonix, Inc.; he was General Manager, West Coast Operations, for Siemens Audio (now AMS/Neve); and served as national manager, Sony Digital Audio Division, Sony Corp. of America. Plushner will be reporting directly to GC Pro Director Tom Menrath, and will be overseeing sales efforts and guiding GC Pro account representatives/managers. “We are thrilled to have Rick on our team,” says Menrath. “Rick brings an enormous amount of experience with him that will greatly benefit GC Pro and its clients.”
In a renewed commitment to serving the pro audio community, new sales support, account managers and logistics managers in many key territories in the U.S. will greatly enhance GC Pro’s ability to serve its customers. GC Pro sales personnel are experts in pro audio and have considerable experience both using and selling technology. “It is an important part of our strategy to have staff sufficient to serve the growing pro audio industry,” notes Menrath. “We’re not simply providing pro audio products — we’re providing comprehensive solutions.”
As part of its presence at the AES Convention, GC Pro will have a large exhibit (Booth #800) on the show floor, a manufacturer demonstration room (with scheduled demos four times per day) to highlight key products including the new Digidesign® D-Command™ Medium-format Console Environment, and an exclusive V.I.P. lounge for GC Pro customers and vendors.
“All of these moves and initiatives are aimed at one thing and one thing only,” explains Menrath: “to enhance the experience of being a GC Pro customer. Of course, we understand the technology that drives the pro audio industry, but GC Pro has always been customer-driven, and it always will be.”
For more information on GC Pro, please visit www.gcpro.com or call 800-935-MYGC to reach the nearest GC Pro account manager.
Photo File: Plushner.JPG
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About GC Pro/Guitar Center
GC Pro is the outside sales division of Guitar Center that focuses on the needs of professional users. Its clientele includes recording studios, audio engineers, producers, recording and touring musicians, live sound venues, post production facilities and more. Emphasizing extraordinary individualized service via local account managers, GC Pro offers expert consultation and a comprehensive selection of the world’s finest equipment for music and audio professionals.Guitar Center is the nation’s leading retailer of guitars, amplifiers, percussion instruments, keyboards, live-sound/DJ and recording equipment. We presently operate 153 Guitar Center stores, with 121 stores in 49 major markets and 32 stores in secondary markets across the U.S. In addition, our Music & Arts division operates 77 retail locations specializing in band instruments for sale and rental, serving thousands of teachers, band directors, college professors and students. Guitar Center is also the largest direct response retailer of musical instruments in the U.S. through our wholly owned subsidiary, Musician’s Friend, Inc., and its catalog and web site, www.musiciansfriend.com. More information on Guitar Center can be found by visiting the Company’s web site at www.guitarcenter.com.
The Guitar Center logo is a registered trademark of Guitar Center, Inc. Other brand or product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.
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