Apr 1, 2002 12:00 PM, COMPILED BY SARAH BENZULY

Who: Chris Pelzar, CEO at Fairlight USA

Previous Lives:

• 2001-2002, president Euphonix

• 2000-2001, executive VP sales & marketing AMS Neve

• 1997-2000, VP Euphonix

• 1991-1997, VP AMS Neve

• 1989-1991, acting president WaveFrame

• 1980-1989, independent manufacturers representative and shareholder in LaSalle Music & Pro Audio

Main Responsibilities: Entire operations P&L in the U.S., Canada and South America; setting the direction this organization chooses to go now and in the future.

If I could do anything else as a profession, it would be: Head Coach of the world champion New England Patriots. I have been a season ticket holder for almost 10 years, and my colleagues call me “Coach.”

The most important lesson I've learned since being in this field is: People are your business' life blood. I feel that if you get enough truly talented people together who are motivated by a single goal, you cannot fail. I always seek people that are self-assured and self-motivated. You cannot teach someone those attributes. I have been lucky to have worked with several people who fit that description in my career, and I am very fortunate to work with two of them, Mike Mueller and Brad Eisenhaure, at Fairlight right now.

My biggest accomplishment in this field was: Being at the forefront of large-format digital consoles in music, post and broadcast. I was involved in some of the very “firsts” in this industry category, including the first use of an all-digital console in a live television show at TNN and the first all-24-bit digital recording and digitally mixed album projects at Right Track Recording.

Currently in my CD player are: Van Halen 5150, Aerosmith Pump, Dave Matthews, Steely Dan Greatest Hits.

When I'm not in the office, I enjoy…Skiing at Vail/Beaver Creek Colorado. I have been going there for many years and I love it more each time. I love traveling to Europe, Florida and the Caribbean, and I have just returned from my first trip to Australia and am looking forward to going back after 10 years to South America this year.

Send your “Current” news to Sarah Benzuly at sbenzuly@primediabusiness.com.

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