Universal Audio Expands Leadership Team: Names New Chief
Operating Officer and Chief Digital Officer
As COO, Dana Ruzicka will oversee UA's engineering, product management, and program management
efforts
Universal Audio Inc. (UA), one of the worldwide leaders in audio production tools, welcomed
seasoned
leaders Dana Ruzicka and Ethan Kaplan to its executive team, both reporting to founder
and CEO, Bill
Putnam Jr.
Dana Ruzicka joins UA as a lifelong musician and accomplished leader with nearly 30 years of
industry experience, most notably at Avid Technology where he held critical roles including
Vice
President of Strategic Alliances, Vice President of Product Management, Vice President of Market
Solutions, Senior Vice President and General Manager, and Chief Product Officer.
"There's no other industry I'd rather be in. Music creation has been my life's creative passion,"
says Ruzicka. "It's an honor to be joining UA, where this same passion is shared by so many. There's
such a rich heritage here - and a very bright future ahead."
As CDO, Ethan Kaplan will oversee UA's artificial intelligence, cloud services, business
applications, and information technology efforts
Ethan Kaplan joins UA as a longtime leader in digital music technology, with 25 years creating
digital transformations at Fender Music, Live Nation Labs, Warner Music Group, and most recently
leading AI investments at Smash Capital.
"Music changed my life, and continues to do so every day," says Kaplan. "UA has always stood for the
power of music to move people - a true enabler of joyful noise. To be part of a team fostering
something so powerful is humbling and exciting."
"Dana and Ethan are both experienced leaders with music industry success that speaks for itself,"
says Bill Putnam Jr., CEO of Universal Audio. "We have some big things coming at UA, and I'm
thrilled to have them onboard to support our next phase of growth."