Earthworks has announced the appointment of Bill Norton to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Norton will be tasked with overseeing all aspects of Earthworks’ sales and marketing operations, including sales expansion into new market segments, the development and implementation of all marketing campaigns and literature, as well as directing strategic product placement plus the development of new, innovative products.
As a former professional musician with a solid applications background in the use of microphones, Norton brings a wealth of experience to his new position as Earthworks’ COO.
Prior to accepting his appointment with Earthworks, he spent several years as National Director of Sales at Dover, NJ-based Casio America, where he had P&L responsibility for all aspects of the company’s Consumer and Musical Instrument channels throughout the United States. During this time, he dramatically increased the presence of Casio’s Privia and Celviano brands.
Additionally, Norton spent considerable time with St. Louis, MO-based St. Louis Music. He served as St. Louis Music’s Regional Sales Manager for the state of New York and the entire New England region. He subsequently assumed a similar role with Loud Technologies after Loud Technologies purchased St. Louis Music prior to his move to Casio.
“I am delighted to be on board with Earthworks,” Norton states. “As a brand and a company, Earthworks is much respected in both the recording and the live sound reinforcement segments of the pro audio industry and is considered by many to be the accepted standard for affordable, reliable reference and measurement microphones. In recent years, Earthworks has developed numerous highly respected vocal and instrument microphones, such as the company’s acclaimed PM40 PianoMic Series.
“With Earthworks’ products being used by a long list of world-class artists and engineers, including Bruce Hornsby, Branford Marsalis, John Harris, and Steve Gadd, among others, it is very apparent the Earthworks brand is very highly regarded. I am honored to be chosen for this role with Earthworks and eagerly look forward to expanding our domestic and global market share.”
“We’re very pleased to have Bill joining our effort,” says Heidi Blackmer-Robichaud, Earthworks President. “He brings a wealth of sales and marketing experience that, I’m confident, will bring greater perspective to all that we do here. With a solid track record in sales that reaches beyond the markets Earthworks has traditionally served, I’m confident of Bill’s ability to look at the big picture and help us identify realistic goals that will enable us to increase our presence in existing sales channels while simultaneously expanding into new markets that are equally viable. The entire Earthworks team is very pleased to have him onboard with us.”
