John Born

Technical Training Specialist

John Born is a Technical Training Specialist at Shure Incorporated.  In this position he provides in-depth training on the complete line of Shure professional and consumer products to dealers, installers, and end users, and presents seminars on a variety of audio topics.

Prior to joining Shure, John was the Rental Manager and System Technician at T.C. Furlong, a large sound system rental company located in the Chicago area.  In addition to his role at Shure, John also works as a producer, recording engineer, and sound system designer throughout Chicagoland, including an annual stint as mix engineer for the Elmhurst College Jazz Fest. He has served as live sound engineer for a number of regional and touring performers, providing a wealth of practical experience that enhances the training seminars he conducts for Shure.

John has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Business and Communications from Elmhurst College and is currently attending North Park University earning his MBA.

Luis Guerra

Associate Manager, Technical Training

Luis Guerra has been actively involved in the professional audio/visual industry since 1989. He has extensive knowledge and experience with many aspects of AV and IT systems, facilities design, product support, product development, training, user interfaces, and RF technology. He has worked for Shure for over 13 years, and is currently Associate Manager of Technical Training, with a particular emphasis on products for installed sound and advanced wireless microphone training. With his electrical engineering background and extensive understanding of commercial audio systems, Luis has contributed significantly to the design and development of Shure’s entire line of digital audio products.

Throughout the various positions Luis has held at Shure, including Applications Engineer, Product Development Specialist, and Sales Engineer, he has become a knowledgeable, effective presenter and is recognized for his ability to explain complex technical subjects in a way that everyone can understand. Luis has presented seminars and workshops on Shure products and audio principles all over the world.

Gino Sigismondi

Manager, Technical Training

Gino Sigismondi, a Chicago native and Shure Associate since 1997, has been active in the music and audio industry for nearly fifteen years.  Currently managing the Technical Training division, Gino brings his years of practical experience in professional audio to the product training seminars he conducts for Shure customers, dealers, distribution centers, and internal staff. Gino spent over nine years as a member of Applications Engineering, assisting Shure customers with choosing and using the company’s vast array of products, and is the author of the Shure educational publications “Selection and Operation of Personal Monitors,” “Audio Systems Guide for Music Educators,” and “Selection and Operation of Audio Signal Processors.” He also contributed a chapter on in-ear monitoring to the Handbook for Sound Engineers (Focal Press), and has been awarded status as an “Adjunct Instructor” by InfoComm Academy.

Gino earned his BS degree in Music Business from Elmhurst College, where he was a member of the Jazz Band, as both guitar player and sound technician.  After college, he spent several years working as a live sound engineer for Chicago-area sound companies, night clubs, and several local acts.  Gino continues to remain active as a musician and sound engineer, consulting musicians on transitioning to in-ear monitors and expanding his horizons beyond live music to include sound design for modern dance and church sound

Gabriel Benitez

Regional Market Development Manager

Gabriel Benitez is a Regional Market Development Manager with Shure Incorporated. With over ten years of experience at Shure, he is responsible for product and technical support to Shure customers in Canada and Latin America.

He conducts technical seminars on topics like wired microphone placement for studio and live applications, advanced wireless microphone and in-ear monitor operation and he currently specializes in wireless frequency coordination. He is also a musician and plays guitar, drums, bass and sings.

Tim Vear

Senior Applications Engineer

Tim is a native of the south side of Chicago (Go White Sox!).  A lifelong interest in both entertainment and science has led to the field of audio as his choice for combining these interests in a useful way.  Prior to joining Shure he worked as an engineer for recording, radio and live sound, operated his own recording studio and sound company, and continues to play music professionally.  He holds a BS degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, with a minor in Electrical Engineering, from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.  While at the University, Tim also worked as chief technician with both the Speech and Hearing Science and Linguistics departments.

Since joining Shure in 1984, Tim has served in a technical support and training capacity for several departments.  He has been active in product and applications education for Shure customers, dealers, and installers, as well as company staff.  His major goal has been to increase the understanding of quality audio by presenting technical information in a way that is thorough but still very accessible.  Tim’s particular emphasis is on the contribution of proper selection and technique for both wired and wireless microphones. 

In addition, Tim has done technical presentations for many industry organizations (NAB, NAMM, AES, and SBE), as well as for US government entities such as the White House Communication Agency and the US Air Force.  Through his international assignments he has been fortunate to be able to deliver presentations in more than twenty countries and on all but one of the continents (still waiting for an offer from Antarctica…). He has provided specific applications assistance to various performing artists including the Rolling Stones and U2 and for theme parks such as Disney and Universal Studios.

While at Shure, Tim has authored several educational booklets including “Selection and Operation of Wireless Microphone Systems” and “Audio Systems Guide for Houses of Worship.”
 
His articles have also appeared in Recording Engineer Producer, Live Sound Magazine, Pro AV, Technologies for Worship, and Church Sound Magazine.