New York, NY (April 2, 2026)—Pro audio and Pro AV are entering an era where success requires both craft and scale,” says Curtis Heath, president of Guitar Center Business Solutions. “Craft matters because sound is emotional and human. There is no substitute for taste, tuning and knowing what ‘great’ feels like in a room. Scale matters because enterprise clients demand reliability and repeatable delivery.”
Heath’s division aims to bring both to the table. Guitar Center Business Solutions includes GC Pro, which tackles B2B audio solutions for studios and touring pros; Audio Visual Design Group (AVDG), the company’s integration brand, designing and installing AV systems for corporate and performance environments; and Custom House, which supports recording projects, live performances and studio design.
To lead that portfolio, Heath draws on skills he first developed in the armed forces. “My background as a Navy veteran and executive shaped a practical leadership style built on clarity, the cadence I set for the organization, accountability and care for the team,” he says. “My job isn’t just strategy and execution. It’s developing leaders, building repeatable habits and creating an environment where talented people can do their best work.”
That said, Heath is very aware that he’s talking about pragmatically using discipline to create environments where people can have emotional, deeply felt experiences—but that’s what brought him to Guitar Center Business Solutions in the first place. After starting out in telecom, he says, “That foundation led me into Pro AV, and Pro AV ultimately pulled me into pro audio because audio is where the passion is. The music side of the business is emotional. When the system is right, people feel it. When it’s wrong, everyone knows immediately.”
One of pro AV’s biggest stumbling blocks isn’t technological, however; it’s the fact that systems require an ever-changing hodgepodge of vendors both during and after a project is completed. Heath’s three-pronged division, then, replaces that patchwork with a unified whole. “Customers don’t have to stitch together multiple vendors and hope the seams hold,” he says. “We provide a single accountable team across strategy, design, equipment, integration, commissioning and lifecycle support, which reduces risk and improves outcomes.
“AVDG is the integration engine, covering design, engineering, project management, implementation and commissioning,” he explains. “GC Pro is our enterprise pro audio and B2B solutions arm, focused on customer relationships, solution design and scalable delivery. And Custom House is our high-end pro audio and artist experience hub, centered on premium gear, high-touch support and creator credibility.”
Heath’s approach to leading his national organization is to build and fortify its ability to deliver regionally, responding to the unique needs of each area it operates in. With that in mind, the division is “leaning into enterprise-scale integration, performance environments that combine AV, audio, networking and workflow, and programmatic relationships where success can be replicated across sites and seasons.”
• Guitar Center, AVDG to Tackle Nashville’s New Nissan Stadium
Pro audio is a key part of where Heath sees pro AV demand headed: “Growth is accelerating in venues and entertainment destinations such as stadiums, arenas and mixed-use environments. We’re also seeing strong momentum in enterprise performance environments, including multi-site corporate and networked AV systems.”
Audio is important everywhere, but in Nashville, world-class sound is a baseline expectation. The division is making itself known to the region with events like Resonate Expo on April 9, intended for “brands, integrators, and decision-makers across music, education, venues and enterprise,” he says, noting it will offer demonstrations, interactive showcases and sessions on networked audio, collaboration platforms, video and LED display, control and automation systems, and integrated distribution workflows.
Illustrating how the division is integrating, well, itself into Nashville is its partnership with the Tennessee Titans and the new Nissan Stadium, scheduled to open next year. Guitar Center has been named Official Music Gear Retailer of the Tennessee Tians, and AVDG is an Official AV Integrator for the new facility. The 60,000-seat venue will feature the NFL’s first permanent, in-bowl, live performance stage, where Guitar Center will provide instruments and backline, while Heath’s division will support the surrounding performance and technology environments. “We are also involved in the connected performance ecosystem, including green room technology and premium activation spaces,” he adds.
Discover more great stories—get a free Mix SmartBrief subscription!
Of course, an NFL stadium only hosts nine games a season, so the venue will spend most of the year being used for concerts and events— two items that are right in Heath’s wheelhouse. “Nashville is uniquely positioned for them, and Guitar Center naturally sits at the center of that ecosystem,” he says. Giving back to the music community in other ways, Heath is also the newly appointed board president and chair of the Guitar Center Music Foundation, which works to expand access to music education and deepen its impact in communities across the country.
As the demands on pro AV have grown, so has the industry—and Heath sees Guitar Center Business Solutions as emblematic of what can be achieved by approaching that growth with disciplined focus and follow through. “I’m proud of what we are building—not just projects, but teams and leaders,” he says. “The market doesn’t reward potential. It rewards execution.”