The Bell
Alumni Awardee: Bob Weil ’85
Frustrated by the lack of visual cues offered by conventional electric guitar volume pedals, Bob Weil set out to create the solution he assumed other guitar players like him would want. He taught himself electronics, mechanical engineering, and patent law.
His first product, Visual Volume, which featured a 10 LED scale to indicate volume level, led to the launch of a new company: Visual Sound. After 20 years of innovation in the music products industry, Visual Sound became Truetone in 2015, with Bob remaining at the helm as CEO. Throughout this time, Bob’s instruments have pioneered a new standard in the industry and are used by many leading artists (from Aerosmith to U2).
Truetone is a growing, family-run business—but it’s not the only one the Weils have developed. Bob along with his wife, Julie, and daughter, Bethany, also run Southern Blues Denim Co., which offers stylish jeans with an innovative phone pocket. Bob holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Gordon.
At Homecoming and Family Weekend this year, Bob was named the Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year for exemplifying vision, charisma, courage, determination, resourcefulness, hard work, creativity and innovation.