Corporate Backgrounder
Chestnut Hill Sound (CHS) is defining digital audio for the home by providing
breakthrough sound solutions for iPod® users.
Based in Newton, Massachusetts, CHS was founded by audio and technology
professionals seasoned in developing and producing professional and consumer
digital audio systems and computer software. The team has extensive experience
building and managing early-stage technology companies and strategic alliances.
In 2004, CHS recognized that the iPod had set a new bar for ease of use, intimacy
and elegance and that the home audio experience was simply not living up to this
expectation. CHS obtained a license from Apple Computer under its Made for
iPod® program and created GEORGETM which offers consumers the first digital
audio system architected for field upgrades for future digital audio sources at
affordable prices.
CHS believes the next frontier for digital sound in the audio market is the home.
The company sees rapid advances underway for the electronic distribution of
music along with adoption of HD and satellite radio accelerating market growth.
CHS’ first product, GEORGE, is a new digital audio system that provides
unprecedented value and convenience by combining into one product a digital
music system for the iPod, tabletop radio, alarm system and a removable front
panel that serves as an intuitive wireless remote for all iPod and system
functions, including the BANDLESSTM AM/FM radio and alarm system.
GEORGE was voiced by audio professionals to more closely approximate the way
music was originally recorded by emulating the multi-amped “2.1” systems which
are now used to make professional recordings. Consumers are provided with
unmatched sound quality and control of their digital music with the ability to
upgrade hardware and software by themselves.
The CHS value proposition represents a significant change from the “disposable”
mentality of many contemporary consumer products.
Executive Team
Steve Krampf – Cofounder and CEO
As CEO Steve brings more than 25 years of senior management experience from
several best in class manufacturers of audio/video equipment including: Teac,
Otari, Ampex and Lexicon/Harman International. While running a boutique
consultancy Steve furthered the market success of companies like Berklee Media,
Bang & Olufsen, Waves, Yamaha, Panoram Technologies, HP, and Tannoy.
Rob Friedman – Cofounder and Chairman
With more than 25 years of senior operating management experience Rob has
launched several successful venture backed companies. He was cofounder and
CEO of Bitstream (BITS); President of Electronics for Imaging (EFII) and
Chairman of Ares Software and Softwatch Ltd. Adept at negotiating strategic
relationships and license agreements in the technology industry, Rob is also a
CPA having practiced with Arthur Andersen and Price Waterhouse.
Advisory Board
David Angress has more than 30 years experience in the high-technology
entertainment market sector and currently holds the position of executive vice
president, International Development and Proprietary Brands, Guitar Center,
Inc. (GTRC) Prior to joining Guitar Center in 1996, David held executive sales
and marketing positions for several leading companies including Harman Pro
North America, a division of Harman International Industries, Incorporated, as
well as San Francisco based Sound Genesis, a provider of professional audio
equipment and integration services.
Marvin S. Cadwell currently serves on the board of directors of several
companies including Chart One and Concuity. Marv had a long and distinguished
25 year career at Shared Medical Systems Corporation (SMS), a $1 Billion
provider of health information solutions where he served as CEO and president.
He served on the board of directors for Radiologix and SMS when they were
publicly traded companies.
Randy Ezratty serves as senior vice president of XM Productions. He was
founder and president of Effanel Music, America’s leading live music, remote and
mobile recording specialists, which he sold to XM Satellite Radio in 2004. Randy
has worked with major recording artists under the pressure of live recording. His
company has recorded the Grammy Award broadcasts for the last 10 years and he
has won three Emmy and several TEC awards for technical excellence.
Alan Frohman is an authority on leadership development, strategic planning,
organizational change and technology management. He has worked with many
Fortune 500 companies including Cisco, Genzyme, Astra Zeneca, Pfizer, Gillette,
Procter & Gamble, Polaroid, General Motors and IBM – across a variety of
industries in North America, South America, Europe and Japan. He works with
organizational leaders to develop, communicate, and implement strategies and to
create cultures and practices that build high levels of innovation, productivity and
energy.
Ed Krampf is a senior vice president of Clear Channel Communications (CCU)
and has held P&L responsibility for more than 90 radio stations in the U.S. He is
a highly recognized figure in broadcasting with expertise in sales, marketing and
programming.
Chuck Leavell has been with the Rolling Stones as keyboard player since 1982.
The Stones wrapped up their Bigger Bang tour in November of '06, another
record breaking tour for the band. Leavell’s musical history includes work with
Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Allman Brothers Band, The Indigo Girls, The
Black Crowes, Lee Ann Womack, Montgomery–Gentry band, Rod Stewart,
Aretha Franklin and many more. He is also known for his solo work with several
CDs to his credit...the latest being the highly critically acclaimed "Southscape".
Chuck and his wife Rose Lane are active conservationists and maintain a 2200acre tree farm and quail plantation in Georgia. He has been recognized for his
environmental work by numerous organizations and has received awards
including the National Tree Farmer of the Year (1999); the Citizen’s Steward
Award, Department of The Interior; the Communications Award from the Forest
Leadership Organization, Canada; and the Wise Owl Award the highest award
given by the Georgia Forestry Association. He is also the author of three books:
Forever Green: The History and Hope of the American Forest; Between Rock and
A Home Place (autobiography) and a new children’s book – The Tree Farmer.
John F. Levy runs an investment business. He serves or has served
on the board of several companies in the software, biotech and retail fields
including Inverness Medical Innovations Inc (IMA), Autolines, and Profile
Systems. Mr. Levy was Waban Inc.’s founding President and C.E.O. serving in
that capacity from 1989 until June of 1993. Waban Inc. was a major participant in
the field of warehouse merchandising through its HomeBase and BJ’s Wholesale
Club businesses. In 1993 Waban had some 130 outlets with sales of four billion
dollars.
Walter McLallen founded Meritage Capital Advisors, an investment banking
boutique engaged in leveraged finance and private equity transaction origination,
distribution and asset management in 2004. Prior to Meritage, he was a
Managing Director at CIBC World Markets from 1995 to 2003 where he headed
Debt Capital Markets and High Yield Distribution. Prior to CIBC, he held
positions at The Argosy Group and Drexel Burnham Lambert.
Madeline & Larry Petersen founded LP Marketing in 1975 to provide sales
and marketing services for manufacturers of audio and video equipment for
home entertainment and professional use. Their company has received more
than 100 national awards for performance excellence. They also founded Bayview
Distributing in 1995, a distribution company for home theater and custom home
audio video systems integrators.
Don Puluse was Dean of the Music Technology Division at Berklee College of
Music from 1985 to 2001. He served as Chairman of the Music Production and
Engineering Department prior to becoming Division Dean. This department
earned four TEC Awards for Excellence in Education. Don's career as studio
engineer at Columbia records in New York City from 1965 to 1983 resulted in his
receiving twelve gold and platinum records for albums by Chicago, Bob Dylan,
Janis Joplin, Labelle, Ted Nugent, and Sly and the Family Stone. He also received
a Grammy nomination for Classical Recording of the Year for his recording of the
Mass by Leonard Bernstein. Don is currently on the teaching staff and Advisory
Group at the New England Institute of Art, and consults and lectures on the
music recording industry.
Sandra J. Sucher is Senior Lecturer at the Harvard Business School. She
currently teaches "The Moral Leader" and "Leadership and Corporate
Accountability" in the MBA curriculum and has taught "Technology and
Operations Management" and related courses in various Executive Education
programs. Author of Teaching the Moral Leader: A Literature-Based Leadership
Course, and the textbook, The Moral Leader: Challenges, Tools, and Insights,
Professor Sucher's current research and consulting focus is on the relationship
between ethics and innovation, moral leadership, as well as on the
implementation of ethics and leadership education in business organizations. A
specialist in service industries, Professor Sucher spent 25 years in private
industry and nonprofit management including senior executive positions in
Fidelity Investment’s retail business and in fashion retailing. She wrote the
proposal, approved by Federated Department Stores, to expand Filene's
Basement from a single store to a national chain. Professor Sucher has also
served on corporate and nonprofit boards and as chairman of the Better Business
Bureau of Boston.
Sam Tramiel is a 30 year veteran of the consumer electronics industry. He was
vice president of Commodore International and served as president and then
CEO of Atari from 1984 to 1996. Sam is now an investor and advisor to
companies in the high technology industry.
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Chestnut Hill Sound, GEORGE and their respective logo designs and BANDLESS are trademarks
of Chestnut Hill Sound Inc. Apple and iPod are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in
the U.S. and other countries.