Buffet Crampon USA president and CEO François Kloc has been elected to the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Board of Directors to serve a three-year term, along with seven other newly elected board members. The objective of the NAMM Board is to provide oversight, input, and direction to the organization. When asked about his election to this new position François said, “I am honored and privileged to be able to serve on the NAMM Board. Part of the NAMM Mission Statement is to ‘promote the pleasures and benefits of making music’ and one of my priorities as a Board member is to ensure that every child in America has access to a well-rounded education that includes music and the arts.”
François Kloc, a native of Beauvais, France, realized his interest in musical instrument production at a young age and began playing oboe at age seven and French bassoon at age 11. He started his career in the music industry in 1983 as an instrument maker for Mignot oboes and then for Rigoutat and F. Loree Oboes. He joined Buffet Crampon in 1995, working in Research and Development under René Lesieux. François “landed” in the United States of America in December 1996, to work as Woodwind Product Specialist at Boosey & Hawkes Musical Instruments, Inc.
In 2000, François became Manager of Woodwinds, North America, for The Music Group (previously Boosey & Hawkes), was promoted to Director of Marketing for Buffet Crampon USA, Inc. in 2005 and Director of Sales & Marketing in 2007. François was named Vice President of Buffet Group USA in 2011 and continues to lead the North American division of Buffet Crampon and its woodwind and brass brands. Francois was named President and CEO in January 2014 and became Board member of Buffet Crampon Group the same year.
In 2016, Buffet Crampon acquired world-renowned Verne Q. Powell flutes and François was named President of Powell with the acquisition.
Along with his responsibilities for Buffet Crampon, Francois is also the Honorary Consul of France in Jacksonville, the President of the Alliance Française de Jacksonville, and a member of the Sister Cities Associations (Nantes-Jacksonville committee). In December 2019, Francois Kloc became a Chevalier dans l’Ordre National du Mérite (Knight in the French National Order of Merit) this honor was awarded to him by the President of the French Republic Mr. Emmanuel Macron.
Francois is married to Sheila, and they have three children, Felix, Lucy and Charlotte.
Buffet Crampon USA, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is the North American distributor of Buffet
