Armadillo Enterprises, parent company of Dean Guitars, ddrum, and Luna Guitars, reorganized their executive team in 2023 and, under the leadership of owner and CEO Pam Rubinson, have successfully navigated through some rough waters of the previous year and emerged stronger than ever. Revitalized and with a renewed dedication to honoring the legacy and spirit of founder Elliot Rubinson, as well as bringing all three brands to even greater heights, the organization is well positioned for 2024 and beyond.
We recently touched base with Pam Rubinson to clear up some rumors and misconceptions related to the recent corporate restructuring, as well as reviewing Armadillo’s evolution and previewing the exciting new models being introduced by the iconic Dean Guitars in the coming months.
Without getting too deeply into any tabloid details of what exactly transpired in the summer of 2022 at Armadillo Enterprises, can you briefly outline – for any MMR readers who remain confused – what happened with the company’s upper-management and, in broad stroke terms, how things have progressed in the year since?
Well first off, thanks for taking the time to reach out to us. MMR has been a very important part of our family’s musical history, from Thoroughbred Music up to Armadillo. For the readers that do not know, my husband Elliott Rubinson founded Thoroughbred Music in 1976 and grew it into one of the leading retailers in the MI space. After selling it in 1999, Elliott went on to found Armadillo Enterprises, the parent company of Dean Guitars, ddrum, and Luna Guitars. For 30 years I was with my husband every step of the way, whether using my skills as a lawyer to assist in various matters of business at Thoroughbred, or simply offering an honest ear to help grow Armadillo Enterprises by acquiring new brands, or just listening and solving the problems of the day. This collaborative approach to solving problems was a key to our success, and for me remains the best approach in business. Fast forward to June of 2022, I took over as CEO of Armadillo Enterprises to get us back to that collaborative management structure. It was clear to me that the company had moved away from the original vision Elliott and I created, and I wanted to preserve and build upon the legacy these great brands offer. In the past year I have solidified the corporate structure and management team, and operationally we are better across the board. I am in a unique position to utilize the combination of my legal and business backgrounds to ensure the prosperity and longevity of Armadillo Enterprises.
In July of this year, many media outlets were speculating about the impending “death” of Dean Guitars due to the ongoing Armadillo/Kapok et cetera upheaval. Can you briefly just bring our readers up to speed?
Certainly – let me start by clarifying for the readers that Armadillo Enterprises and Kapok are two separate and distinct businesses. They have absolutely no ability to affect one another positively or negatively. There is no impending “death” of Armadillo. Certain management and financial decisions made by the previous management team were not in Armadillo’s best interest. Those issues have been addressed and we are moving forward.
Ok, last question regarding the above “static” and moving on to Dean Guitars, specifically: more recently (very recently, in fact — September of this year) two separate suits claimed Armadillo is liable for $10 million, give or take, in debt. To what degree is the future of Dean Guitars inexorably linked to the future health of Armadillo?
I am assuming you are referencing the lawsuits filed by Valley National Bank. This issue did not actually arise in September, but began when I took over as CEO of Armadillo. The bank made certain assumptions that were incorrect and filed lawsuits. Unfortunately, this action by the bank has prevented an amicable resolution and will now have to be dealt with through the legal system. While Armadillo is the parent company of Dean Guitars, its viability is not in question.
I understand new Dean models are on the way. What specifically can dealers and players look forward to and when will these new guitars start shipping?
We are very excited to announce that the new Dean Zero and Dean Vengeance models are in stock and shipping now – and were in time for the holidays. We had an excellent social media launch and promotion on these models, and the new Dean Acoustic Saint Augustine Elite models are also in stock and shipping now.
Will Dean/Armadillo be exhibiting at the upcoming 2024 NAMM Show?
YES! Like last year, our brands will be in the upstairs mezzanine offices C1-C2-C3 located above the concession stands between Hall C and B. We will have new products from Dean, ddrum, and Luna. At NAMM, Dean and ddrum are sponsors for the Metal Allegiance show at the House of Blues on the 25th. We would love to have our valued dealers stop by – you never know who you will see!
Any other upcoming events, product introductions, or developments you’d like to draw MMR readers’ attention to?
We are very proud to be partners with The Music Experience. As an opportunity to interact with young musicians at the hottest festivals out there, we have found this to be a great fit for our brands on so many levels. Coming out of the COVID era we are refocusing our efforts on Artist Relations and will have news to share at NAMM with new models and artists.
We also plan on rolling out new products every month as part of our new go to market strategy, instead of trying to fit everything into trade shows. This allows for better efficiencies across the entirety of our business and always gives us something new to show to dealers.
Expectations and hopes for the coming months?
I have two main expectations and hopes for Armadillo. First that we continue our upward trajectory financially and achieve our lofty brand goals for Dean, ddrum, and Luna. They are such wonderful brands to market and sell, and I am surrounded by an amazing team at Armadillo. Second, and equally important to me, is to continue Elliott Rubinson’s legacy. Elliott was a fun loving, honorable, and ethical man who loved both music and business. He wanted his company to reflect a family operation, where everyone has each other’s back and trust is implicit. I want my entire team at Armadillo to love working here, and know how important each person is to the operation as a whole, just like a family.
