The Team

Vita Audio is brought to you by a team who are dedicated to design and build the best small audio products available.

Alan O’Rourke

Alan is the founding member of Vita Audio and also the Managing Director of Ruark Acoustics a Company which has become highly respected by audio enthusiasts for the High Fidelity loudspeakers it designs and produces. Alan inherited his love of music and audio from his Father Brian, a gifted craftsman who also spent his life working within the British Audio Industry from its fledgling days in the 50’s to the high’s of the 80’s and 90’s. As a Father and Son with such entwined interests it was inevitable that one day they would work together and so it was in 1986 they formed Ruark Acoustics. Alan’s experience as a musician and a loudspeaker designer has given him a vast insight into how sound works and what makes a product sound ‘right’. To him most radios and small audio products available offered a level of sound quality and design that was just not acceptable. It was the belief that he could do something better that led to Alan and his business partner Neil Adams to form Vita Audio.

Neil Adams

Neil was working in retail management when his Father-in-Law Brian started Ruark Acoustics with Alan. Having previously worked as an Electronic Engineer he joined the fledgling company and worked with Alan and Brian looking after production. The early years were spent attending Hi-Fi shows and spending many hours in listening rooms helping to develop the unique Ruark sound. When Alan’s father retired from the business Neil became a director and is now responsible for the day to day running of the company. Neil is a keen windsurfer and when not at work can usually be found down at the local beach with Alan trying to perfect their carve gybes.

Jan Paoli

Although not a direct member of Vita Audio we are thankful to Jan Paoli and his team at INFORM for taking our concept designs and with the aid of advanced 3D software transforming them into photo realistic images and models, which allow us to fully visualise, discuss and refine prior to prototyping and production.

Born in England in 1970, Jan is part industrial designer, part engineer and part graphic designer. Since setting up INFORM in 2002 he has worked on an eclectic mix of projects ranging from audio equipment and domestic appliances to marine navigation aids. Never shy of a challenge, he thrives in both technical and creative environments and with his enthusiasm and strong hands-on approach we consider him a vital part of our growing success. He holds a first-class Master of Engineering degree from the University of Bristol and a Master of Arts degree from the Royal College of Art.

Paul Bird

Paul’s love of audio and music started at an early age when he would spend hours reading electronic books and magazines gathering all the information he could on the latest developments and technologies. As a DJ in the 1970’s he proudly relates how he designed and built his own sound and light equipment from scratch and toured with it around the pubs and clubs of Essex. Soon after he designed and developed a powerful PA system for a well known local band who he toured with as their sound engineer. It was his enquiring mind and resourcefulness that led him to spend much of his formative years working within the professional music industry as a Sound and Electronics Engineer. This has given him a considerable knowledge of audio and electronic processes, but most of all Paul prides himself on his eye for detail and unwillingness to compromise when only the best will do.

Richard McKinney

Richard’s experience gives him the right credentials as the force behind our UK sales. Born in Northern Ireland in 1979, after finishing his college education Richard moved to England in 1999 to follow his dream, signing for Manchester City as a professional footballer. He later played for Swindon Town and Colchester United, before his career came to an unfortunate end through injury, whilst playing for Walsall.

With this abrupt change to his career plans, Richard moved down to Southend to be with his girlfriend Fliss (now his fiancé) and found employment in London working with a leading marketing company. Here he gained a wealth of knowledge and experience, dealing with varied blue chip clients. Early in 2006, Richard's ambition and search for a new challenge led him to apply for a sales position with Ruark where his ‘team player’ and easy going abilities have quickly made him a core part of our tightly knit operation.

Out of work, Richard plays football at a semi professional level for a local team and in the past few years has also taken up Kite Surfing. Much to Neil's discontent, he has also recently persuaded Alan to join the ‘dark side’ to take up Kite Surfing, rather than Neil's adoration for Wind Surfing.