Gary Johns Rejoins Sony To Head Digital Cinema Unit

October 17, 2007

Gary Johns has rejoined Sony Electronics as vice president of its Digital Cinema Systems Division. A 25-year Sony veteran, Johns spent the last four years as a consultant to Sony in various areas including digital cinema market development and digital sound licensing. Now he brings his considerable industry experience back to Sony directly. “Gary’s experience and his knowledge of the motion picture industry make him the ideal person to lead our Digital Cinema Systems Division to continued success in transitioning the motion picture industry to digital,” said John Scarcella, president of Sony Electronics’ Broadcast and Business Solutions Company. “This is an exciting time for the motion picture industry and for digital technology overall,” said Johns. “More exhibitors are realizing the benefits of digital projection, especially SXRD 4K technology, and I’m looking forward to playing a larger role in Sony’s efforts.” Until 2002, Johns was president of Sony Cinema Products Corporation, a worldwide organization that provided high-quality digital sound systems (SDDS) to motion picture exhibitors. Prior to that position, he spent three years in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, as director of business and industrial strategic marketing for Sony’s Broadcast and Professional Europe (BPE) organization. In this role he was responsible for marketing, product management and business activities, working with the managers of country operations throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Johns was instrumental in Sony’s shift from country-based operations to a European-wide operation, and he played a key role in establishing a “business team” approach, with each country contributing to a common decision-making process. He has also held a number of positions within Sony’s Broadcast and Business Solutions Company, including vice president of the Midwest Region. Johns has managed both direct and indirect sales forces, selling to the broadcast and production industry as well as corporate and government customers. In this and other roles within the company, he was responsible for new technology market development, product management, marketing and customer support. Sony’s Digital Cinema Systems Division, which has sales, marketing and engineering teams across the country, was developed to market Sony’s 4K SXRD digital cinema projection system, including the projector, media block, storage and screen management systems, to motion picture exhibitors. These technologies have continually gained marketplace acceptance, including recent announcements by Landmark Theatres and Muvico Entertainment that they would be equipping their screens across the country with Sony SXRD 4K digital cinema projection systems.

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