Michael's wife Mary and daughter Katy were close by, at home and many family and friends were able to assemble quickly to support and comfort them during the tragedy.
Michael was a well-known, larger-than-life character who loved to take everything to the extreme. Whether it was his work in the pro-audio business, his skill as a waterman, in cycling, in aviation, scuba diving, woodworking, photography or in music he would engage each one with great zeal. He was an avid cyclist who rode every week and loved to participate in long range cycling events known as Century Rides.
Michael MacDonald, President of ATK Audiotek, recalls Reeves as "the consummate salesman who loved to take on new projects and would spring into action and attack any challenge fearlessly. When it came to sales, Michael was best in class, a focused, relentless closer who loved every minute selling." MacDonald and Reeves had worked together in many companies over two decades and were working on a new venture at the time of the tragedy. "He was an extraordinary business partner, a fantastic athlete who was brilliant, always curious and a joy to spend time with. I have been fortunate to join Michael on adventures around the world and he was a loyal friend that I could always count on. I, along with our colleagues in the pro audio community, will miss him dearly."
Michael, who grew up in Southern California, attended Golden West College and the University of Miami and was a graduate of the California State University Fullerton. He also worked as a broadcast engineer at the Fullerton College radio station, KBPK. He began his professional audio career at Webber Sound and McCune Audio in Anaheim, California. Reeves designed and mixed events from the Orange County Fair to the Catholic Congress and many convention and tradeshow events at the Anaheim Convention Center. Michael also worked on many Disneyland Park and Hotel special events.
Later in his career, Reeves crossed over to the manufacturer side of the industry and was recruited by JBL Professional's International Division heading up sales in Asia and later transitioned to the Latin American market. Reeves also held sales and marketing positions with Mackie/ EAW, Gator Cases, Lake Technologies and Dolby Laboratories. Most recently Michael had launched his own consulting firm and was fully engaged with five clients under contract.
Industry icon, Mark Terry, Kaman Music President reflected "I first got to know Michael 24 years ago traveling with him throughout China and Southeast Asia doing JBL product demos and dealer visits long before it was fashionable to sell in that part of the world. His audio knowledge and sales skills were world class. But it was his passion for life and infectious enthusiasm that made him stand out as someone truly special. I was fortunate to know him personally, as well as professionally, and he was always a man of character, honesty, and integrity. He was a good man and I am proud to have known him. Michael loved life, he loved his family, and he loved the pro audio industry. We are all going to miss him."
Simon Jones, Vice president of Sales and Business Development at Line 6 and a long-time friend and colleague shared, "I believe Michael's biggest competitor in business and his personal life was himself. This gave him an insatiable drive that was truly infectious as anyone who spent time with him knows. He was a fantastic educator, mentor and above all exceptional friend. We lost him way too soon but I know he will always be there pushing us along to do our very best. "
Another industry veteran, Jerry Freed of Gator Cases enlisted Michael to help with OEM sales early on at Gator. "Michael was more than a salesman he was a terrific marketer, product
