PE-backed Hall Research appoints CEO

Hall Research, which is backed by Blackford Capital, has named Jason Schwartz as CEO. Most recently, Schwartz was the head of cloud and mobile gaming at Razer Inc. Hall Research is a maker of A/V and electronic hardware products.

PRESS RELEASE

(TUSTIN, Calif., June 30, 2020) Hall Research, an industry leading designer and manufacturer of A/V and electronic hardware products, today announced the appointment of Jason Schwartz as Chief Executive Officer. Schwartz will have the overall responsibility for creating, planning, implementing and integrating the strategic direction of the organization to advance its market share both domestically and internationally. This leadership transition comes in conjunction with the planned retirement of Ali and Gail Haghjoo, founders of Hall Research, who will be retiring July 31, 2020.

Hall has been engineering and manufacturing A/V and data connectivity products since its inception, with a product range that includes matrix switchers, scalers and extenders for applications in a range of sectors including corporate, education, healthcare, transport, broadcast and government. The diverse expertise shapes the company’s culture of high standards and innovation. Hall is a portfolio company of Blackford Capital, a national private equity firm headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“We are excited to welcome Jason to Hall Research,” said Stephen K. Parker, Hall Research board chairman and Blackford Capital operating partner. “He has a proven reputation of innovation as an organized and collaborative leader, and we know his impact-oriented and analytical strategies will further growth opportunities for Hall within in the pro A/V marketplace.”

Schwartz has more than 20 years of C-suite experience, improving bottom-line financial performance through increasing sales, controlling costs and overall supply chains, and implementing cutting-edge technological strategies at varying consumer electronic and technology companies. Most recently, he was the head of cloud and mobile gaming at Razer Inc. There, he created a new business unit within the gaming company and developed a global go-to-market strategy that has greatly accelerated company revenues. Schwartz has additionally held leadership roles at Incipio Group, BAMKO, Zagg Inc., Sanyo North America and Marindi Consulting Group. He completed his undergraduate degree in accounting and finance from the State University of New York at Buffalo and received his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

“I am excited to lead an experienced team with strong engineering and operational backgrounds to continue driving growth, providing high-quality customer service, and building on the exceptional brand Hall Research has established,” said Schwartz. “Hall’s ability to develop custom-tailored products for our customers using in-house engineering and product innovation capabilities is unmatched, and I look forward to working with our team to further utilize these capabilities in new market segments and future business opportunities.”

Hall Research co-founders will be transitioning from their current leadership positions. Ali will continue to serve as a board member.

“Ali and Gail have been instrumental in Hall’s success—managing a strong executive team since 1984, while effectively defining and executing the company’s strategic evolution,” said Parker. “We’ve been impressed with the Hall Research team and their sterling reputation and brand awareness from the onset of our partnership. We look forward to extending this legacy and thank Ali and Gail for their extraordinary leadership that has truly positioned the company at the forefront of the pro A/V market.”

For more information about Hall Research, please visit HallResearch.com.

About Hall Research
Hall Research designs and manufactures innovative Audio/Video switching, extension and automation products, which are used by every major industry in thousands of installations worldwide. Hall Research is headquartered in the city of Tustin, California.

About Blackford Capital
Blackford Capital is a private equity firm based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, that acquires, manages and builds family-owned, lower middle-market manufacturing, distribution, and service companies. Blackford currently has 12 portfolio companies located across the United States and has been recognized as one of America’s fastest growing private companies by Inc. 5000 in 2016 and 2017. For more information, visit www.blackfordcapital.com.