Justin Ware
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Store Manager
I started in the audio department of our Tampa store in early 2004 and worked alongside a couple of our company’s best managers, John Franzelas and Randy Rumore. There I learned the skills of how to become a solid sales associate, DSM, and Sr. DSM. I was promoted to the Sales Manager position in our Charlotte store. There I was able to work with John Pereksta and Clay Rigdon who were instrumental in teaching me what it is to be a Sam Ash senior store manager. I worked in the Charlotte store for the next 13 years and was promoted to GM of the store a year and a half ago. Although I am sad to be leaving our Charlotte store I am incredibly honored and excited to be taking on the GM position of our flagship store in NYC. I'm ready to take on the challenges of that store, and can't wait to work with the store’s staff and management to make Sam Ash Manhattan an even bigger force in the industry to be reckoned with.
Take a video tour of our store!
Luis Infantas & Rocco Paolino
:
Sales Managers
Luis Infantas
Music has been my life. Even though I went to the Air Force Academy and played semi-pro soccer; music was my biggest attraction. As a teenager, I remember buying my first drum set at the Sam Ash Brooklyn location back in 1983. It was a wonderful experience that changed my life. I loved their frank and honest approach to needs of a beginning drummer. I quickly became a loyal customer and I continued shopping at Ash through my music career. One fateful afternoon in April 1995, I walked into the newly constructed 48th street drum shop and there I figured it out - this place had all the elements I was looking for! I got the job and quickly became the best-selling associate there. Years later in the aftermath of mentoring by the aforementioned Rich, I became an assistant manager and scaled the progress ladder. I've sold and created more drummers that I can remember. By 2005, I became the General Manager of the store and led the electronic drum revolution. I made the place a "Drummer’s Paradise" and a place of legend. Now at the brand new 34th street Super Store, my challenge is still the same which is to provide the same outstanding service I'm famous for. I’m truly onstage and ready for the show when I'm here at the store. Come by and say hello.
Rocco Paolino
Rocco has been working in musical instrument retail for over 8 years. As a guitar player, he has played in some of New Jersey's best bands. Most recently, he played in No Code - The Pearl Jam Tribute, which was the country's longest running PJ tribute through 2013. He has also played in numerous other original and cover bands over the years. It was his passion in playing the guitar that led him to working in music stores. Now, his passion is helping others find their dream guitar and helping keep music alive and well in the Garden State in Edison, NJ. Some of his favorite bands include: Pearl Jam, U2, The Beatles, The Grateful Dead, Phish, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, Neil Young, CSN, Jason Aldean, Prince, Michael Jackson, R.E.M., Zac Brown Band, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Queen, Rolling Stones, Oasis, and The Police, just to name a few. He is an avid music collector and has almost a full terabyte of music in his iTunes!