Company:Renkus-Heinz

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Short description: American sound equipment manufacturer
Renkus-Heinz
IndustryAudio electronics
Founded1979
FoundersHarro K. Heinz, Algis Renkus
HeadquartersFoothill Ranch, California, United States
Key people
President Harro K. Heinz, CEO
ProductsLoudspeakers
Websiterenkus-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,[1] the firm has a global presence in permanent installations at auditoriums, transit centers,[2] sports venues,[3] houses of worship[4] and musical performance venues[5] as well as in the concert touring industry.[6]

History

Renkus-Heinz Founder and CEO Harro Heinz

Renkus-Heinz was founded on April 1, 1979 by Harro K. Heinz and Algis Renkus (1937–1997[7]).[1] Heinz had previously been awarded a patent in 1975 for his work on a "Comprehensive feedback elimination system employing notch filter"[8] that was performed while he was employed at Rauland Borg Corporation, the company he left to found Renkus-Heinz.[9] 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.[10] 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.[11]

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[12] and patented a method of arraying loudspeakers for better phase coherency in 1994.[13] 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.[14][15] In 2016, Ralph Heinz was named Chief Technical Officer.[16]

In 1999, Harro's daughter Monika Heinz Smetona joined Renkus-Heinz on the administrative team and was named chief operating officer in 2016.[17] She was then named chief financial officer in 2019.

In May 2019, Matt Czyzewski joined Renkus-Heinz as president.[18] Czyzewski has since moved on to AtlasIED.[19]

Awards

  • Rental & Staging Systems Best of Show Award for the ICLive X series[20]
  • rAVe [Pubs] The Best of ISE 2019 Award for the DC12/2[21]

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Companies P-Q-R-S Renkus-Heinz". Audioannals.com. http://www.audioannals.com/co-p-s.htm. Retrieved April 16, 2017. 
  2. Renkus-Heinz. Auditorium / Transit
  3. Renkus-Heinz. Sports
  4. Renkus-Heinz. Houses of Worship
  5. Renkus-Heinz. Performing Arts / Theatres
  6. Renkus-Heinz. Tour / Rental
  7. ARX.com. Algis Renkus memoriam
  8. US patent 4088835, Harro K. Heinz, "Comprehensive feedback elimination system employing notch filter", issued 1975-05-09 
  9. Audioannals.com. Biography G–H. Harro Heinz
  10. US patent 4336425, Jonas A. Renkus, "HIGH FREQUENCY COMPRESSION DRIVER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF", issued 1980-05-06 
  11. Audioheritage.org. Robert Grunberg bulletin board entry Jonas Renkus and his Bowtie horn posted December 28, 2006.
  12. AES Los Angeles section. October 2000. A Field Trip to Renkus-Heinz
  13. US patent 5750943, Ralph D. Heinz, "SPEAKER ARRAY WITH IMPROVED PHASE CHARACTERISTICS", issued 1994-02-15 
  14. US patent 5526456, Ralph D. Heinz, "Multiple-driver single horn loud speaker", issued 1996-06-11 
  15. Sound & Video Contractor. April 1, 1999. Ralph Heinz. The Renkus-Heinz CoEntrant transducer
  16. SCN Staff (May 23, 2016). "Renkus-Heinz Announces Reorganization of Leadership". AVNetwork. https://www.avnetwork.com/avnetwork/renkus-heinz-announces-reorganization-of-leadership. 
  17. Basnicki, Erica (May 22, 2016). "Reorganisation at Renkus-Heinz". https://www.psneurope.com/business/reorganisation-at-renkus-heinz. Retrieved 13 August 2020. 
  18. Mullen, Amanda (April 2, 2019). "Matt Czyzewski Appointed President Of Renkus-Heinz". Sound & Communications Media. https://www.soundandcommunications.com/matt-czyzewski-appointed-president-of-renkus-heinz/. 
  19. "Matt Czyzewski Joins AtlasIED As Executive Vice President". Sound and Communications. https://www.soundandcommunications.com/matt-czyzewski-joins-atlasied-as-executive-vice-president/. 
  20. SVC Staff (June 14, 2019). "Rental & Staging Systems announces Best of Show InfoComm 2019 Awards". Future Media. https://www.svconline.com/svc-event/rental-staging-systems-announces-best-of-show-infocomm-2019-awards. 
  21. Kayye, Gary (March 15, 2019). "Here Are the Best of ISE 2019 Awards – AV’s Only NOT-Pay-for-Play Awards". THE rAVe Agency. https://www.ravepubs.com/best-of-ise-2019-awards/. 

External links

External video
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