Hartley Peavey Named to Mississippi Innovators Hall of Fame
(Peavey | Posted 2008-05-21)
Peavey Electronics founder and CEO Hartley Peavey will be among the Mississippi Technology Alliance’s inaugural Mississippi Innovators Hall of Fame inductees.
In a gala scheduled for May 13 at the TelCom Center in Jackson, the Mississippi Technology Alliance will celebrate the achievements of the Meridian native who founded one of the world’s largest makers of musical instruments and professional sound equipment in his hometown in 1965.
Propelled by his innovative spirit, Peavey grew his one-man operation into the pioneer behind computerized systems that power and control audio in the Sydney Opera House, Great Hall of the People in China, U.S. Congress and the world’s largest theme parks, casinos and arenas.
“Early in my career as a manufacturer, I discovered that in order to be better, by definition I had to be different,” said Peavey. “That realization, combined with a lot of hard work by many folks here in Mississippi, has helped lead this company in directions I never dreamed we would go. I am excited to receive this honor in my home state, where Peavey Electronics continues to push the boundaries of conventional wisdom in pursuit of innovations in product design, performance and manufacturing processes.”
Dr. Randy Goldsmith, President and CEO of the Mississippi Technology Alliance, said that his organization established the Mississippi Innovators Hall of Fame to celebrate the accomplishments of the outstanding individuals and companies who put Mississippi on the map as a leader in innovation and entrepreneurship.
“Peavey’s worldwide success brings great credit to our state, and we are proud that Peavey calls Mississippi home,” said Goldsmith. “Any recognition of excellence and innovation in Mississippi must include Peavey Electronics.”
Gifted with a technical mind and a spirit for innovation, Hartley Peavey’s tenacity, ingenuity and self-determination are the roots of his success. As sole owner, visionary and catalyst of Peavey Electronics, Peavey is responsible for more than 180 patents in the way we hear and make music. Peavey also bridged the vintage and modern eras in guitars by adapting CNC computer-controlled machinery to the guitar-manufacturing process.
Peavey is a member of the Rock Walk of Fame, Vintage Guitar Hall of Fame and Mississippi Musician’s Hall of Fame, and has received multiple Presidential “E” Star Awards, the Senatorial Medal of Freedom, the National Literacy Honors Award and the inaugural manufacturer’s Lifetime Achievement Award from Guitar Player. Peavey is also the subject of The Peavey Revolution: The Gear, the Company and the All-American Success Story, published by Backbeat Books.
The Mississippi Technology Alliance is a non-profit organization whose mission is to drive innovation and technology-based economic development for the State of Mississippi. More information is available online at www.technologyalliance.ms.
