01.11.2022 | Elation announces retirement of two devoted Southern California sales reps

After decades of dedicated service to the entertainment technology industry, JLH Marketing and R.L. Wilson & Associates are closing their doors at year's end.

Following long careers of outstanding service to the entertainment technology industry, two of Elation Professional's faithful sales partners have announced their retirement effective at the end of the year. Jim Harrington of JLH Marketing and Richard Wilson of R.L. Wilson & Associates, both independent sales representative firms based in Southern California, will be retiring effective December 31st.

The choice to call it a career after so many years in the industry was naturally not an easy one to make for either professional. "The decision took a lot of soul searching," said Jim Harrington, who has worked in the entertainment technology industry for some 50 years, "but I believe it's time." Jim first met ADJ Group founder and chairman Chuck Davies in the early ´70s when both worked in retail audio, and he has been working with and for him ever since. In 2008, he started his own rep firm, JLH Marketing, to represent Elation Professional. "We were all brought together by Chuck Davies - ADJ Group President Toby Velazquez, Elation Director of Sales Eric Loader, myself, and many others. All I can say is how lucky I am to have spent my entire life working with the best people you can imagine."

Richard Wilson has headed R.L. Wilson & Associates based in Temecula, California, since 1988 and has represented several lighting, audio and video companies in that time. He has served as an independent sales rep for Elation since 2017. "I've represented several companies over the past 35 years of being a road warrior and I can honestly say Elation has been the best run company by far I have worked with," he commented. "From the management team, sales support, service, accounting, marketing and independent rep firms, everyone brings a high level of professionalism to the table. The decision to retire has not been an easy one as I have made many lasting relationships at Elation and will miss the day-to-day interaction with everyone. Thank you to everyone at Elation for making the last few years the most successful and enjoyable time of my career."

Elation Sales & Marketing Director Eric Loader was instrumental in bringing both Jim and Richard onboard the Elation team, and developed a successful and close-knit relationship with them through the years. He commented, "It's a bitter-sweet moment for me as I have learned so much from both Jim and Rich over the years to help make me not only better at sales, but a better person. In fact, I owe much of my success in my career to them both in so many ways. They both have a lot to be proud of and are so endeared by their customers, it's going to leave some very big shoes to fill for us here at Elation as we tirelessly look for someone to take their place. We all hope to get to the point where they are today, to be able to enjoy the fruits of so many years of hard work and effort. I am sure they will continue to do many great things to further enrich their lives through their retirement years."

Elation aims to make the transition to new sales representation in Southern California as seamless as possible for its customers and expects to have new representatives in place before the end of the year.