VP of Sales Brett Benson to Take Over as President on Oct. 1 and President and CEO on Jan. 1, 2022
Utah Scientific today announced that its president and CEO, Dave Burland, will be retiring after almost three decades with the company. Burland plans to step down as president on Oct. 1 and as CEO on Jan. 1, 2022. Brett Benson, the company’s vice president of sales, will assume the roles of Utah Scientific president and CEO as Burland departs.
Under Burland’s direction, Utah Scientific has continued to expand its global leadership in video routers, master control switchers, and related control software and has strengthened its reputation as the authority in those areas. During his tenure as president and CEO, and earlier as chief operating officer and executive vice president of finance, Burland also cultivated meaningful relationships with some of the biggest names in broadcast.
“Dave is leaving Utah Scientific in great shape,” said Benson. “His leadership has guided us through some challenging times in the industry, including through the uncertainty of the pandemic, causing Utah Scientific not only to survive but even to flourish, and the momentum continues in 2021. It’s an exciting time to be taking on a new leadership role within the company, and I look forward to working with Dave to make it a seamless transition.”
Benson, who joined the Utah Scientific sales team in April 2017, is a 25-year veteran of the broadcast industry. Prior to joining Utah Scientific, Benson built a unique set of skills working as both a vendor to the broadcast industry and as a professional broadcaster. His experience includes everything from television station management to regional sales management to chief meteorologist. He appreciates Utah Scientific’s strong reputation and looks forward to continuing that tradition. Benson adds, “Every Utah Scientific product I have sold still has at least five years of warranty left. I couldn’t say that if I worked for any other broadcast manufacturer.”
“Brett has consistently demonstrated the ability to grow revenue and profitability for Utah Scientific, and he has been critical in building and nurturing deep ties with our customers,” said Burland. “He already is a great ambassador for Utah Scientific, and I am confident he will be a strong leader as the company continues on its trajectory of success.”
In retirement, Burland plans to catch up on his reading, spend additional time with his grandkids, play his guitar, and put more miles on his mountain bike.
Utah Scientific, a world leader in providing mission-critical equipment to content creators, distributors, and broadcasters, today announced a new reseller partnership with EVS, the leader in live video technology for broadcast and new media productions. EVS will package Utah Scientific video routers together with its all-new MediaInfra Strada routing solution to empower live broadcast productions operating in a native SDI routing infrastructure.
“EVS’ new MediaInfra Strada solutions offer multiple approaches to routing: pure IP, native SDI, and turnkey solutions for customers working in mixed environments. Our partnership with Utah Scientific will greatly strengthen our native SDI offering for those customers who are not ready to invest in an IP-based operation,” said Peter Schut, senior vice president, Media Infrastructure, EVS. “As a well-known provider of dependable, worry-free routers with the world’s best warranty, Utah Scientific was an easy choice to supply the routers for this value-added solution.”
While EVS is known for its strong presence in the live sports market, the inclusion of Utah Scientific’s routers to this new MediaInfra Strada offering is ideal for any live production environment in which SDI routing is required: news production, broadcast operations, transmission, playout, and master control rooms, as well as corporate video production. The solution packages Utah Scientific’s UTAH-400 Series 2, UHD-12G, and UDS routers with EVS’ Cerebrum control and monitoring system, which features a logical routing control system with dynamic tie-line management, and options such as integrated tally management, scheduling, and many more capabilities to help customers streamline their workflows. With the exception of Italy, EVS will resell this SDI solution to its worldwide markets.
“Our partnership with EVS is a strategic milestone for Utah Scientific and will deliver big advantages to broadcast customers of both companies,” said Brett Benson, vice president of sales, Utah Scientific. “From the customers’ perspective, live broadcasters still active in the SDI world will be able to benefit from a best-of-breed routing and control solution from two best-of-breed companies. And, from a corporate perspective, the collaboration with EVS means Utah Scientific will be able to expand its reach in the live broadcast arena by working with one of the industry’s best-known power players.
Utah Scientific, a world leader in providing mission-critical equipment to content creators, distributors, and broadcasters, today announced that Broadcast Management Group (BMG) has chosen a UTAH-400 Series 2 288 x 288 router to drive its landmark new production center in Las Vegas. The Utah Scientific solution will provide the core signal routing infrastructure for the entire BMG facility, the first of its kind built from the ground up to enable the Remote Integration Model (REMI) for television production.
Founded in 2005, BMG is a full-service broadcast production company offering services in six core areas: live and live-to-tape multicamera TV production, broadcast consulting, broadcast facility systems integration, production staffing, event management, and creative services. BMG serves broadcasters nationwide from its offices in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.
The new REMI facility marks BMG’s first experience as an end user of a Utah Scientific router after a long track record of installing the company’s systems for clients of its systems integration business. BMG will cut over to its new REMI facility March 8 with live broadcasts of the UN Women global conference and daily programming for several live shows. On March 20, the new operation will take over production of regular game and post-game coverage for the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights hockey team presented by the Sinclair Broadcast Group’s KVCW-TV.
“One of the silver linings of the current pandemic is that it has accelerated several important trends that were already shaping the future of broadcasting, and REMI is no exception,” said Todd Mason, BMG founder and CEO. “With so many productions suddenly having to rely on remote workflows and key talent working from home offices, we saw an opportunity to offer a one-of-its-kind, world-class REMI facility that could meet their needs both now and in the post-COVID future.”
With only a small control room crew working on site in Las Vegas, BMG has adopted a novel “data center” approach to REMI. This enables remote production talent to access all of their content and workflows from anywhere without having to be concerned with the facility’s location. Such a decentralized operation demands maximum reliability; therefore, another very large selling point for the UTAH-400 Series 2 router was Utah Scientific’s no-fee 10-year hardware warranty including 10 years of maintenance and support — completely unique in the broadcast industry.
Mason added, “Choosing the right routing system was one of the biggest decisions we faced for the new facility — and we knew we couldn’t go wrong with Utah Scientific. With its expandability and support for every type of signal format, the UTAH-400 Series 2 is the future-proof router we need as we continue to grow and migrate to full IP-based operations in the years ahead. Based on our ongoing and successful partnership with Utah Scientific, we already have firsthand experience with the company’s engineering excellence, product reliability, and first-rate service and support.”
“BMG is breaking new ground with this facility, enabling its clients to take unprecedented advantage of all the core benefits of REMI. Our UTAH-400 Series 2 will provide them with the reliable infrastructure required in addition to the flexibility to grow in size and functionality,” said Utah Scientific Western Regional Manager Barry Singer. “Understanding REMI’s significance and growth in live TV production, we’re honored that our system is playing such a pivotal role in BMG’s REMI leadership.”
By Barry Singer
At Utah Scientific, we like to say “There are two types of broadcast engineers: those who love Utah Scientific, and those who haven’t installed us yet.” The City of San José definitely falls into that first category, as a satisfied user of our Series 2 router since 2011. Last December, when it came time for the city to upgrade to a 12G single-link system, the choice was simple: stick with Utah Scientific.
Craig Jutson, San José’s broadcast engineering and operations manager, put it this way: “The first and most important element in our decision to renew with Utah Scientific was the dependability of our UTAH-400 Series 2. It ran 24/7, 365 days a year for nine years with NO issues – no power supply or control failures whatsoever. We never had a need to reboot it.”
For Jutson, the choice to stay with Utah Scientific while upgrading to 12G signal flow was simple, and it was made even easier by our company’s customer-friendly policies.
“Making a Utah-to-Utah router transition is quite straightforward,” Craig added. “And Utah Scientific doesn’t charge an annual maintenance fee, which over the life of a router can be extremely expensive.”
We knew the UHD-12G would be a perfect solution for San José’s growing 12G requirements as well as allowing for a continued 3G workflow. It was a simple decision for both Utah Scientific and the City of San José to extend this partnership of nine-plus years. And we’d also like to add that working with Craig was fantastic!
SALT LAKE CITY — Feb. 23 , 2021— At Utah Scientific, we like to say: “There are two types of broadcast engineers. Those who love Utah Scientific, and those who haven’t installed us yet”. The City of San José has used a Utah Series 2 router since 2011. In December 2020, when it was time to upgrade to a 12G single-link system the City of San José renewed with Utah Scientific. Craig Jutson, Broadcast Engineering & Operations Manager states, “The first and most important element in our decision to renew with Utah Scientific was our current routers dependability. It ran 24/7, 365 for nine years, with no failures: whether power supply failures or control failures. There was never a need to reboot the router.”
“Utah Scientific doesn’t play games. They don’t even charge an annual maintenance fee, which over the life of the router can be extremely expensive,” he added.
For Jutson, the choice to stay with Utah, while upgrading to 12G signal flow, was easy, and made easier by Utah Scientific. “The transition from a Utah-to-Utah router is quite simple, and the sales staff made the trade-in process trouble-free.”
Barry Singer, Western Regional Sales Manager, says, “Working with Craig Jutson was fantastic. The UHD is a perfect solution for their growing 12G requirements as well as allowing for a continued 3G workflow. It was an easy decision for both Utah Scientific and the City of San José to extend our 9+ year partnership.”
Utah Scientific Congratulates George Wicker on His Retirement and Welcomes Return of Michelle Maurice as Southeast Regional Sales Manager
SALT LAKE CITY — Oct. 29, 2020 — Utah Scientific, a world leader in providing mission-critical equipment to content creators, distributors, and broadcasters, today announced the retirement of George Wicker after an illustrious career in the broadcast industry spanning 30+ years. Wicker has served as a territory manager for Utah Scientific for 11 years, most recently as Southeast territory manager. Michelle Maurice is returning to Utah Scientific as Southeast regional sales manager.
“Working with the outstanding Utah Scientific team and selling state-of-the-art products made my experience here an absolute pleasure,” said Wicker. “I know I am going to miss the daily activity, but Michelle is the ideal professional to take over, and she will do a great job taking care of our customers.”
Dave Burland, Utah Scientific’s president and CEO, commented, “George has been instrumental in revitalizing the Southeast territory. It is tough to lose a prized member of our team, but his time here was valuable and greatly appreciated. We’re looking forward to a smooth transition between two excellent salespeople, both of whom care deeply about their customers.”
Brett Benson, vice president of sales for Utah Scientific, added, “We consider ourselves lucky to have worked with George, and now to have the opportunity to work with Michelle again. In her prior time at Utah Scientific, she advanced from technician to one of the most successful salespeople in our company’s history. I believe customers in North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas will appreciate Michelle’s professionalism and deep experience with our products and the marketplace.”
Reporting to Benson, Maurice will be based in the Salt Lake City office and will participate in industry-related events in the Southeast region.
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About Utah Scientific
Utah Scientific is the world’s leading specialist in routing switchers, master control switchers, and related control software, and it set the benchmark for the broadcast industry with the first no-fee, 10-year product warranty. Since 1977, the company has provided industry-leading products and best-in-class service and support as recognized three times by Frost & Sullivan with its Global Customer Service Leadership Award. Additional information about the company can be found at www.utahscientific.com.
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Utah Scientific Announces New Director of Product Development and Technical Marketing
SALT LAKE CITY —Jan 3, 2019 — Utah Scientific, a world leader in providing mission critical equipment to content creators, distributors, and broadcasters, announced the appointment of John Schilberg to the position of director of product development and technical marketing.
In this role, Schilberg’s main focus will be product development by working with industry professionals, the in-house engineering team, and current and potential customers. He will help in the design and release of Utah Scientific products and serve as the company’s technical spokesperson. In addition to his product management responsibilities, he will develop and deliver engineering presentations, consult on improvements to Utah Scientific’s web presence, and lead other marketing efforts.
Dave Burland, Utah Scientific president and CEO said, “John brings extensive system design, customer engagement experience, and many years of engineering project management to the table at the perfect time for Utah Scientific.”
Schilberg has been with Utah Scientific for two years as a regional sales manager. He has a diverse work history and solid understanding of current and future broadcast technology. Schilberg’s experience as both a vendor and end user gives him the right mix of skills to help lead Utah Scientific in its continuous product portfolio development.
“This is a dream-come-true position and it comes at a truly amazing time in our industry,” Schilberg said. “The combination of technology and the joy of working with such diversely talented people in content creation, distribution, and equipment design brings all of the things I love under one umbrella.”
Schilberg will report to Brett Benson, Utah Scientific vice president of strategic accounts, and will continue to work out of his Dallas area office with frequent travel to meet customers, work with factory personnel in Salt Lake City, and attend local, regional, and nationwide industry related events.
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About Utah Scientific
Utah Scientific is the world’s leading specialist in routing switchers, master control switchers, and related control software, and it set the benchmark for the broadcast industry with the first no-fee, 10-year product warranty. Since 1977, the company has provided industry-leading products and best-in-class service and support as recognized three times by Frost & Sullivan with its Global Customer Service Leadership Award. Additional information about the company can be found at www.utahscientific.com.
Promotion of Three Longtime Employees Signals Ongoing Business Growth
SALT LAKE CITY — Aug. 27, 2019 — Utah Scientific has promoted longtime employees Randy Rose, John Bell, and Jim Barnhurst, and welcomed Mario Moreno to the team as a field service engineer. Rose has been named the new director of sales engineering, Bell will serve as customer service manager, and Barnhurst will act as the company’s new field and technical service manager.
“I am thrilled to be offered this new position in a company where there are supportive people and continued growth,” said Rose. “I look forward to bettering relationships with our integrators and external dealers, as well as to helping the sales team create more streamlined tools and functionality that will help them become more successful.”
As the new director of sales engineering, Rose will act as the technical interface between sales and customers. He began his career at Utah Scientific in 1988, serving as a technician for 10 years and more recently holding the position of customer service manager.
Bell is replacing Rose in the role of customer service manager. In his previous position as the customer support manager, Bell provided award-winning customer assistance for 14 years, and he looks forward to continuing this success in his new role. “It’s great to be part of Utah Scientific’s high-level customer service, which we have become known for over the years,” said Bell. He also plays a major role in representing Utah Scientific at the industry’s largest technology trade show, the annual NAB Show in Las Vegas, as the booth manager.
Barnhurst is in his 29th year as a Utah Scientific employee. He spent more than three decades as a broadcast industry professional and is well-qualified to take on the role of field and technical service manager. His professional efforts will be focused on service calls, troubleshooting equipment, training customers, commissioning/implementing systems, and overseeing day-to-day technical operations in customer service.
Moreno, the company’s new field service engineer, will be headquartered in Utah Scientific’s Houston, Texas, office and report to Barnhurst. Moreno’s background with broadcast began in 1991, and over his career he has worked in a variety of positions at television stations.
“Mario’s experience at TV stations gives him a unique perspective as he extends his skills to the supplier side,” Barnhurst commented. “He is well-positioned to make an immediate impact in his new role at Utah Scientific.”
“At Utah Scientific, our customers are the priority, so we are proud to have a highly skilled team supporting them,” said Dave Burland, Utah Scientific president and CEO. “Our success over the years is made possible by dedicated individuals who uphold the company values. We are pleased to have experienced talent to promote within, which allows us to welcome strong new team members.”