Strata-gee.com

Strategy in TECH...

You are here: Home / Archives for News

News

Savant Partners with Top Solar Provider Sunder Energy to Make Solar Smart

by Leave a Comment

Savant app on tablet and smartphone

I first heard about Savant’s interest in energy for the home back in 2018 when a company representative walked me through the Racepoint Energy booth at CEDIA Expo 2018. Racepoint Energy was a sister company to Savant and the two were partnering on creating new concepts in automating, monitoring, and controlling power as part of a smart home system. Ultimately, the two companies would merge to become Savant Power which turbocharged the development of deeper integration and automation of energy solutions for the now smarter smart home.

Now, Savant is partnering with Sunder Energy to provide smart solar power…

[Read more…] about Savant Partners with Top Solar Provider Sunder Energy to Make Solar Smart

Fast Growing Nationwide Mktg Grp CI Div – Working the Plan Because the Plan is Working

by Leave a Comment

Teams meeting with Nationwide CI Division executives

Part 1 of 2 – 2024 Progress in Executing Custom Integration Growth Plan

It was March of 2023 when I began picking up on the buzz that something big was in the works in the buying group world. At the Spring members conference of Azione Unlimited, which had been acquired by and was now part of Nationwide Marketing Group, President and founder Richard Glikes introduced Azione members to a new initiative called the “Drive to 1,000.” Although not a lot of details were discussed at this event, clearly something big was in the works.

Now, a little over a year later, I met with the entire management team of Nationwide’s Custom Integration Group, including Andy Orozco (Nationwide Senior Vice President of Custom Integration), Patrick McCarthy (Executive Director of Azione Unlimited), Hank Alexander (Executive Director of Oasys Residential Technology Group) and Chris Whitley (Executive Director of Ellipsys Commercial Technology Group) to take stock of just what has transpired over the last year or so with the new, expanded family of groups that are all under the Nationwide Marketing Group umbrella.

Read more on Nationwide Marketing Group’s progress in the CI channel

[Read more…] about Fast Growing Nationwide Mktg Grp CI Div – Working the Plan Because the Plan is Working

Gentex to Acquire Voxx Intl for $7.50/Share

by Leave a Comment

Image from Gentex website
Irony – talking about the future while looking in the rearview mirror

Long rumored and now confirmed, Gentex Corporation (Nasdaq: GNTX), an approximately $2.4 billion supplier of largely automotive-related products, announced this morning that it has agreed to acquire Voxx International (Nasdaq: VOXX) in an all-cash transaction valued at $7.50 per share. The transaction covers all Voxx divisions, including the newly shrunk Premium Audio Company that holds just three audio brands – Onkyo, Klipsch, and Integra.

Learn more on the acquisition of Voxx Int’l by Gentex Corp

[Read more…] about Gentex to Acquire Voxx Intl for $7.50/Share

Azione Unlimited Adds Sonance Exec Mike Cleary to Its Advisory Board

by Leave a Comment

Mike Cleary joins Azione Unlimited Board of Advisors

Azione Unlimited, a buying group of predominantly custom integration dealers that is part of the Nationwide Marketing Group family of dealer buying organizations, announced recently that it is adding Mike Cleary, Sonance Senior Director of Strategic Accounts, to its Board of Advisors. Unique to Azione, for years it has maintained an advisory board consisting of five dealer members and five vendor members to operate as its “strategic think tank.” The board’s role is to assist group management in fostering innovation, enhancing business success, and strengthening connections within the smart home industry.

Learn more about Mike Cleary joining the Azione Unlimited advisory board

[Read more…] about Azione Unlimited Adds Sonance Exec Mike Cleary to Its Advisory Board

Has Daisy Cracked the Code to Driving Scale in the Smart Home Biz?

by 1 Comment

Daisy Co-Founder and CEO Hagan Kappler
Hagan Kappler looks out over midtown Manhattan

It was a cool fall morning as I headed into New York City for a meeting that I’d been anxiously anticipating for weeks. The skies were gray and rain was definitely threatening, but nothing could dampen my interest in meeting with one of the newest key executives already exerting significant influence in our industry – Hagan Kappler, CEO of Daisy.

Learn all about the unique solution Daisy offers the integration community

[Read more…] about Has Daisy Cracked the Code to Driving Scale in the Smart Home Biz?

Procella Audio Appoints Tom Gandulla U.S. Director of Sales

by 1 Comment

Procella Audio logo

Procella Audio BV, a manufacturer of high-performance speakers for residential and commercial cinemas, announced on Tuesday that it has appointed well-known industry executive Tom Gandulla as its U.S. Director of Sales. Gandulla’s appointment was announced by Procella’s USA Managing Director Chuck Back.

See more on the Procella Audio appointment of Tom Gandulla

[Read more…] about Procella Audio Appoints Tom Gandulla U.S. Director of Sales

SEC is Investigating RTW Invest. & Its Role in Masimo Proxy ‘Empty Voting’ Scheme

by Leave a Comment

Image from RTW website, RTW is connected to Joe Kiani and the Masimo proxy war
RTW website

In a new report last week, we learned that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has launched an investigation into RTW Investments over its role in an “empty voting” scheme related to the Masimo Corp. proxy battle which concluded in September at the Masimo Annual Stockholders Meeting. Masimo, now under new board management, has accused former CEO Joe Kiani and RTW of colluding in an empty voting scheme to try and manipulate a board election in their favor and deprive shareholders of their voting rights.

See more on this news about the SEC, Masimo, Joe Kiani, and RTW

[Read more…] about SEC is Investigating RTW Invest. & Its Role in Masimo Proxy ‘Empty Voting’ Scheme

Masimo Responds to ‘Speculative Articles’ on Sound United

by 1 Comment

Marantz Grand Horizon speaker from the Masimo Sound United group
Marantz’s just launched Grand Horizon loudspeaker [Click to enlarge]

‘Discontinued Operation’ is a Financial Reporting Designation

Late Tuesday, Masimo’s communications team reached out to Strata-gee to provide a statement designed to counter or otherwise address unspecified “speculative articles” on the recent pronouncement from Masimo CFO Micah Young that the Sound United division may end up being treated as a “discontinued operation” if the Board decides not to spin it off as a publicly-traded company.

Why are people speculating about that? Read on…

See more on the Sound United ‘Discontinued Operation’ controversy

[Read more…] about Masimo Responds to ‘Speculative Articles’ on Sound United

New Single-Family Home Sales Collapse in October to Two-Year Low

by Leave a Comment

Photo of home by Shenandoah Homes

Sales of newly constructed single-family homes dropped to a two-year low in October as rising mortgage rates and persistent high prices impacted the affordability of available homes and served to keep buyers on the sidelines. Some experts also noted that elevated hurricane activity also kept buyers away, especially in the South region.

Get all the details on new home sales in October

[Read more…] about New Single-Family Home Sales Collapse in October to Two-Year Low

J Geiger Shade Maker’s Gamble on New Trial with Lutron Cost It $1.2 Million

by Leave a Comment

Photo from lawsuit showing the Lutron bracket (R) looks identical to the J Geiger bracket made by GeigTech (L)
Patented GeigTech (J Geiger) bracket on the left, Lutron copy on the right [Click to enlarge]

Last week, a jury was convened for a special trial to determine reasonable damages in the matter of GeigTech East Bay LLC v. Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. GeigTech, the plaintiff in this case is the manufacturer of motorized shade products marketed under the J Geiger brand, an independent company owned by Savant (and which is not a party to this litigation). Lutron has already been found to have infringed on certain patents held by Geigtech and the original jury’s large damages award was set aside by the judge who found it to be excessive. This new trial was held to determine a more reasonable damages amount.

See the painful result for Geigtech in this new trial

[Read more…] about J Geiger Shade Maker’s Gamble on New Trial with Lutron Cost It $1.2 Million