LEA Team Spotlight: Director of Application Engineering and Consultant Relations, Bradley Drummond

What’s your current position at LEA?

[BD] I am the Director of Application Engineering and Consultant Relations.  In this role I look after all things technical with our customers.  This includes everything from application and design support, to technical support and trouble shooting.  From my customer interactions to feed back into product management and engineering for enhancements to future products.  In addition to this I look after business development with AV design consultants globally.  

What drew you into your specific field of work?

[BD] It all started at a nightclub in Boston, Massachusetts called Avalon.  I started there one summer as an intern in the production department, which looked after all the sound, lighting, video, and automation systems.  The first time I heard that sound system fire up I was hooked.

Why is your job important to LEA?

[BD] My job is all about supporting our customers with anything technical that may come up.  Helping to work out which amplifiers would be the right ones for a particular installation or application, trouble shooting any issues that may arise, and also doing technical product and software training will be a big part of my role here at LEA.  I will be one of the main go to people for any type of support that our customers need and help to ensure that our products get effectively deployed in the field.

What is your background in the industry?

[BD] I went to the University of Massachusetts Amherst for my undergraduate degree.  I spent the first 2 and a half years working towards a degree in Mechanical Engineering when I decided to change directions to Hospitality Management which I ended up getting my Bachelor’s Degree in.  All through my time at university and immediately after graduation I worked in the professional AV field.

Right after graduation I started working for the owner of Avalon in second company he had called John Lyons Systems.  With the knowledge I gained as an intern at the club I was setup well to work on system installations and designs.  I quickly became the Project Manager and Systems designer there and in 8 years there I worked on the design and installation of over 150 venues. We worked on a lot of high profile venues and many times had manufacturers sending people out to support us and also teach me a lot.

At the same time I was one of the operations managers at the Avalon in Hollywood, California.  I later went to be the Assistant General Manager at Light Nightclub in Las Vegas which was partnered with Cirque du Soleil at the time.  I acted as the bridge between the technical and managerial sides of the business.

After that I went to HARMAN for 4 years, where I held several different positions working in business development and product management, and the last 2 years there I was based in Shenzhen, China where I helped build up a new team of product and strategy managers looking after hospitality installation markets.

How has your background prepared you to help LEA be successful?

[BD] I have held a lot of different positions in my career and have been part of all the links in the chain.  I have been the end user, the designer, the integrator, and the product manager so I have a good understanding of what our customers go through on a daily basis.  This puts me in a good position to take on anything that gets thrown my way.

What do you like about audio technology?

[BD] Audio technology is advancing very quickly and is part of people’s lives in so many ways.  Audio technology is making it’s way into so many new things and contributing to amazing experiences, whether it’s a concert, or the background music in a restaurant.  The quality of audio improves constantly and it drives us to figure out ways to raise the bar as people’s expectations change.

What is the most exciting thing about joining LEA?

[BD] I am excited to work with all the great people and the phenomenal products at LEA.  There is so much knowledge and experience with the team here and it’s truly incredible to be a part of it. 

What are your personal hobbies?

[BD] I am constantly tinkering with my car and also my ever growing smart home system.  I also really enjoy travelling and have visited some incredible places all around the world.

What’s your vision for the future of LEA?

[BD] I see LEA continuing to grow with the great start of the products that have been launched over the last year.  We will continue to push the envelope with technology and keep delivering cutting edge state-of-the-art products.