BRENHAM, TX — Jeff Alexander of Essex, CT, a longtime sales and marketing executive with Sennheiser and Neumann USA, passed away on Monday, December 17, 2018, while visiting his parents. A popular and well-known figure in pro audio — both in live and studio circles — he was 56.
Jeff was born June 9, 1962 in Houston, TX and attended Bellaire High School in his hometown. He later moved on to Texas A&M, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Science. Eventually he settled in the Northeast U.S. taking an engineering job in the Nuclear Engineering department of General Dynamics’ Electric Boat division in Groton, CT, where he was the lead engineer for three engine room fluid systems for the Seawolf Class attack submarines.
A lifelong musician — going back to playing drums in marching band and jazz ensembles in middle and high schools, he always had a love of music and audio production. Once, while in Caruso’s Music, he saw a posting from guitarist seeking a drummer for a rock band. Jeff met Joe Ciaudelli and became friends for life. Besides playing together in their band Pleasure Crush, the two also formed a small company providing sound system rentals. Joe worked for Sennheiser and convinced the company’s then-president that a nuclear fluids system engineer might make a good product manager.
Jeff began as product manager for the Neumann brand, then became national sales manager and eventually, the sales and marketing director for all third-party brands distributed by Sennheiser, including Turbosound, InnovaSON, HHB, DAS Audio, True Systems, K-Array, Chevin Research and Australian Monitor.
In 2012, Jeff celebrated his 50th birthday by buying a motor scooter for exploring the Connecticut countryside. A few months later, he was broadsided by an automobile and was thrown 75 feet by the impact, which broke his hip and shattered his left leg, knee and right wrist. He also lost hearing in one ear. Seven months of hospitalization, years of physical therapy and 27 surgeries saved his life but left him in constant pain and three years later, his left leg was amputated. His life was never the same.
Jeff Alexander passed away on Monday, December 17, 2018, leaving behind countless friends throughout the industry. He is survived by his wife Samantha Pink and sons Ethan and Trevor. Rest well, old friend. You will never be forgotten.
Services were held on Saturday, December 22, 2018 at Brenham Memorial Chapel, Brenham, TX 77833.
Tributes may be shared at www.BrenhamMemorialChapel.com.
–George Petersen
