Italian Speaker Imports has announced the addition of Mick LoMauro as its new National Product Specialist. The company, which has been growing since its inception in September, 2014, is the exclusive U.S. distributor of FBT. John Krupa, President and owner of the company, credits the growing popularity of the brand as the reason for Italian Speaker Imports’ success, as well as for the new hire.
“The National Product Specialist role will be key to our continued growth, so we knew we needed someone who would help us drive the business forward with energy and know-how,” said Krupa. “We also knew we needed someone whose ideals matched our own. Mick is a perfect fit because he reflects everything we stand for as a company. He’s committed to our customers and to getting things done right. Equally important, his experience and knowledge are expansive and his integrity is unmatched.”
With over 25 years of music retail industry experience, LoMauro is far from a newbie in the business. In his early twenties, he started out in a mom-and-pop music store in northern New Jersey, and has since been exposed to virtually every facet of the industry, from running his own sound company and working as an engineer to employment as a department manager, product specialist and national sales manager for such companies as Guitar Center, Crest Audio and Loud Technologies.
“I’ve been at this a very, very long time,” said LoMauro. “I fell in love with music and sound engineering at the age of 15 with my first PA system and very own band, and I got into the retail world shortly after. I feel very fortunate and accomplished to have supported myself though the music industry for my entire adult life. That’s a pretty amazing gift.”
Krupa and LoMauro aren’t at all surprised that they’ve ended up working together. The two met when LoMauro was just a teen and Krupa, in his twenties, was working for Sam Ash. A sense of camaraderie and respect developed immediately.
“I always knew that John was someone I wanted to work with,” said LoMauro. “Needless to say, when the opportunity presented itself I took it because, at this stage in my life, I pretty much consider John to be a mentor. It almost didn’t matter what company he was working for because I knew if he believed in it, it was worth it. I’m good at what I do, but John is exponentially better. I want to be that good, so working for him is a great opportunity. There’s always something to learn from him and I can’t sing his praises enough.”
As it turns out, LoMauro believes in the company too, saying that FBT is a product he can stand behind. “If you look at FBT’s mission statement, you’ll see an excerpt from a poem from the 1800s,” he added. “It basically speaks to a passion for making sound better. When you think about a world that’s so driven by currency and capitalism and making a dollar, it’s amazing that FBT’s goal is to just make the world a better place by making it sound better, that the dollar will come later. That’s just damn impressive and sits so well with me. They’re so confident in their product that I can just concentrate on selling some of the best sounding speakers around and let them speak for themselves – And they do.”
LoMauro interviewed with several companies before signing on with Italian Speaker Imports. He’s thrilled with his latest position and anticipates a long, successful relationship with both Krupa and the company.
“I’m really quite proud that the music industry has been kind to me, that it’s been as fruitful as it’s been,” he added. “I’ve been at it for about 25 years now, and I’m not leaving for at least another 25 more. The way I see it, I’m either going to be selling something or playing something until they put me in my grave.”
