To start off, when did you begin working at TOA?

I started on February 18, 1985, and worked right up until January 31, 2018. At that time when I started, TOA Canada didn’t officially exist—we were still functioning more like a subsidiary, so I had actually been employed under TOA Electronics, Inc. Before then, products had been sold in Canada through distribution, but TOA wanted to build a presence here. We operated out of three warehouses across the country: the head office in Edmonton, one in Mississauga, and one in Montreal. Right from the start, even though the head office was in Edmonton, there was always coverage in Ontario and Quebec. As for myself, I started in commercial sales, but we were also doing PM&E—Professional Music and Entertainment—which included portable mixer amps and powered speakers sold through music stores. I focused more on commercial sound, working with contractors. I think in the beginning it was mainly Alberta, and then it expanded into Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and then finally BC.

I was actually involved in the discussions with TOA Japan about moving the head office to Toronto. It just made sense—about 70% of Canada’s market is between Toronto and Montreal. My thoughts, honestly, were to move the head office to Toronto, even though that would have been counterproductive for my own best interest in the future. From a business standpoint, the head office had to be there. Even though that wasn’t the best move for me personally, it was the right call. After moving East, it became TOA Canada Corporation in 1990, and Hitoshi Harui became the President. At that point, I then became Acting Branch Manager for Edmonton, and then Regional Sales Manager for the Prairies—Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba—and later the Northwest Territories and BC too.

What stands out the most about your time at TOA?

It was the people—working with great staff, dealers, engineers, and customers. We called on everyone from end users to high-level decision makers in public and private sectors, from government to churches, schools, and arenas. Whether it was dealing with engineers, integrators, or those who kept systems running, everyone mattered. At the end of the day, everyone and every aspect of a project was taken care of as I tried to be involved with everyone. You have to take care of everybody.

Any particular memories you’d like to share?

There was the West Edmonton Mall project— I think it's still recognized as one of the biggest malls in the world. Anyways, it uses TOA F-Series speakers and 900 Series amps, so to be able to be a part of that project was quite memorable. And the University of Alberta Hospital had one of the world’s largest intercom systems, I think it was 3 exchanges at one point, and I think we ended up with a fourth exchange that actually took it up to almost 1000 stations. There was also a period of time where sales in Western Canada were making up a significant portion of TOA Canada’s overall revenue, it was a very successful run.

Exceptional. A major thing is that the team over in Japan was so engaged and so supportive as we were growing. They listened, adapted, and supported us. Even the President of TOA Japan would visit, meeting dealers and learning the Canadian market firsthand. They had a global perspective and would guide us into markets like hospitals and intercom systems based on what they saw working worldwide. They trusted the Canadian team, especially during that transfer period, moving the head office from Edmonton over to Mississauga. 

And the other thing too is working with our own staff here in Canada, phenomenal staff. In that transfer period I said I know the market out here—we've got this handled. And from there, to help with that transition to get Mississauga established, and to give them the backing and the support to not worry about where their base came from in the West.

To take a step back from it all, audio has become a core part of our lives, but it wasn’t always that way. In the early days of TV and film, sound was an afterthought; they didn’t even have sound at first, and that example serves as a representation of how sound was represented in our lives. Now, sound is central—and has to be clear and consistent across all applications. We’re also seeing more networking, IP systems, and retrofits, connectivity is critical now. But in the end, you still need a speaker—can’t change that.

Our job was always to provide sound, not just sell equipment; the equipment is just a means to deliver clear, effective communication. It’s about helping people hear—whether that’s a teacher in a classroom, a nurse in a hospital, or a security officer making emergency pages. It’s why product clarity, reliability, and innovation matter. The F-Series speakers, for example, solved real intelligibility problems. And the modularity of the 900 Series amps—still around today—was built to be flexible and long-lasting. That adaptability was huge.

As someone who worked hard and supported others. Whether it was our team, our customers, or our dealers, I tried to be there for them. I think that’s what matters—relationships, support, and doing your best to improve communication for everyone. That was the motto after all, to supply sound, not equipment.