Renkus-Heinz
{{short description|American sound equipment manufacturer}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Renkus-Heinz
| logo = RH-logo.png
| image = Renkus-Heinz Headquarters Building Exterior.jpg
| image_caption = Headquarters in Foothill Ranch, California
| type =
| foundation = 1979
| founders = Harro K. Heinz, Algis Renkus
| location = Foothill Ranch, California, United States
| key_people = President Harro K. Heinz, CEO
| industry = Audio electronics
| products = Loudspeakers
| num_employees =
| homepage = {{url|renkus-heinz.com}}
}}
Renkus-Heinz is a California-based manufacturer of loudspeakers and related professional sound reinforcement equipment specializing in steerable loudspeaker technology. Based in Foothill Ranch, California, the firm has a global presence in permanent installations at auditoriums, transit centers,[http://www.renkus-heinz.com/applications/venues/auditoriums/auditoriums.html Renkus-Heinz. Auditorium / Transit] sports venues,[http://www.renkus-heinz.com/applications/venues/sport/sport.html Renkus-Heinz. Sports] houses of worship[http://www.rh.com/applications/venues/worship/worship.html Renkus-Heinz. Houses of Worship] and musical performance venues[http://www.rh.com/applications/venues/PA-theatres/pa-theatres.html Renkus-Heinz. Performing Arts / Theatres] as well as in the concert touring industry.[http://www.rh.com/applications/venues/rental/tour-rental.html Renkus-Heinz. Tour / Rental]
History
Renkus-Heinz was founded on April 1, 1979 by Harro K. Heinz and Algis Renkus (1937–1997[http://www.arx.com.au/International/Algis.htm ARX.com. Algis Renkus memoriam]).{{cite web |url=http://www.audioannals.com/co-p-s.htm |title=Companies P-Q-R-S Renkus-Heinz |publisher=Audioannals.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040903152225/http://www.audioannals.com/co-p-s.htm |archive-date=September 3, 2004 |accessdate=April 16, 2017 |url-status=usurped }} Heinz had previously been awarded a patent in 1975 for his work on a "Comprehensive feedback elimination system employing notch filter"{{US patent reference
| number = 4088835
| y = 1975
| m = 05
| d = 09
| inventor = Harro K. Heinz
| title = Comprehensive feedback elimination system employing notch filter
}} that was performed while he was employed at Rauland Borg Corporation, the company he left to found Renkus-Heinz.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20030510191314/http://www.audioannals.com/bio-g-h.htm#HeinzH Audioannals.com. Biography G–H. Harro Heinz]}} Algis Renkus was joined in the new enterprise by his father Jonas A. Renkus (b. 1912) who had worked at Altec under industry veteran John Kenneth Hilliard.
While at Renkus-Heinz, Jonas Renkus patented a new triple lamination construction method in 1980.{{US patent reference
| number = 4336425
| y = 1980
| m = 05
| d = 06
| inventor = Jonas A. Renkus
| title = HIGH FREQUENCY COMPRESSION DRIVER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF
}} In 1981, the two Renkus men left Renkus-Heinz to assist Emilar, which was having trouble staying in business. Harro Heinz remained president of Renkus-Heinz.
While Jonas and Algis Renkus were at Emilar, they began using the patented triple lamination method which had been assigned to Renkus-Heinz. Heinz sued for damages but dropped the case during the hearing.[http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=13717 Audioheritage.org. Robert Grunberg bulletin board entry Jonas Renkus and his Bowtie horn posted December 28, 2006.]
In 1989 Harro's son Ralph D. Heinz joined Renkus-Heinz to work with Don B. Keele, Jr. and Gene Patronis and further his knowledge of electro-acoustics and horn loudspeaker design. Ralph Heinz eventually became senior vice-president of R&D[http://www.aes.org/sections/la/archive/2000/2000-10.pdf AES Los Angeles section. October 2000. A Field Trip to Renkus-Heinz] and patented a method of arraying loudspeakers for better phase coherency in 1994.{{US patent reference
| number = 5750943
| y = 1994
| m = 02
| d = 15
| inventor = Ralph D. Heinz
| title = SPEAKER ARRAY WITH IMPROVED PHASE CHARACTERISTICS
}} In 1996, he patented a multiple driver horn which was promoted as the "CoEntrant" transducer, covering both mid- and high-frequency bands in one horn.{{US patent reference
| number = 5526456
| y = 1996
| m = 06
| d = 11
| inventor = Ralph D. Heinz
| title = Multiple-driver single horn loud speaker
}}[http://svconline.com/mag/avinstall_renkusheinz_coentrant_transducer/ Sound & Video Contractor. April 1, 1999. Ralph Heinz. The Renkus-Heinz CoEntrant transducer] In 2016, Ralph Heinz was named Chief Technical Officer.{{cite news |last1=SCN Staff |title=Renkus-Heinz Announces Reorganization of Leadership |url=https://www.avnetwork.com/avnetwork/renkus-heinz-announces-reorganization-of-leadership |publisher=AVNetwork |date=May 23, 2016}}
In 1999, Harro's daughter Monika Heinz Smetona joined Renkus-Heinz on the administrative team and was named chief operating officer in 2016.{{cite news |last1=Basnicki |first1=Erica |title=Reorganisation at Renkus-Heinz |url=https://www.psneurope.com/business/reorganisation-at-renkus-heinz |accessdate=13 August 2020 |date=May 22, 2016}} She was then named chief financial officer in 2019.
In May 2019, Matt Czyzewski joined Renkus-Heinz as president.{{cite news |last1=Mullen |first1=Amanda |title=Matt Czyzewski Appointed President Of Renkus-Heinz |url=https://www.soundandcommunications.com/matt-czyzewski-appointed-president-of-renkus-heinz/ |publisher=Sound & Communications Media |date=April 2, 2019}} Czyzewski has since moved on to AtlasIED.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.soundandcommunications.com/matt-czyzewski-joins-atlasied-as-executive-vice-president/ |title=Matt Czyzewski Joins AtlasIED As Executive Vice President |magazine=Sound and Communications}}
Awards
- Rental & Staging Systems Best of Show Award for the ICLive X series{{cite news |last1=SVC Staff |title=Rental & Staging Systems announces Best of Show InfoComm 2019 Awards |url=https://www.svconline.com/svc-event/rental-staging-systems-announces-best-of-show-infocomm-2019-awards |publisher=Future Media |date=June 14, 2019}}
- rAVe [Pubs] The Best of ISE 2019 Award for the DC12/2{{cite news |last1=Kayye |first1=Gary |title=Here Are the Best of ISE 2019 Awards – AV’s Only NOT-Pay-for-Play Awards |url=https://www.ravepubs.com/best-of-ise-2019-awards/ |publisher=THE rAVe Agency |date=March 15, 2019}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{externalvideo
| float = left
| width = 320px
| video1 = [https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/harro-heinz Oral History, Harro Heinz recalls the radio business right after the war. Interview date September 9, 2011, NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Oral History Library]
| }}
Category:Audio amplifier manufacturers
Category:Manufacturers of professional audio equipment
Category:Electronics companies established in 1979
Category:Audio equipment manufacturers of the United States