It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our longtime colleague and friend, Milton Rivera, who passed away at the end of last month.
Milton was part of the Dale Pro Audio family for more than 20 years, managing our parts department with a level of knowledge, patience, and detail that was unmatched. For many of our customers, especially those trying to track down a specific replacement part, solve a service issue, or keep an older piece of professional audio gear running, Milton was the person who could somehow always find the answer.
His understanding of parts for professional audio applications came from decades of real-world experience. Before joining Dale, Milton worked at Martin Audio and Sam Ash Professional, building a large and loyal customer base spanning numerous parts of the New York audio industry.
To all of us at Dale, Milton was much more than the person who managed parts. He was a steady presence, a trusted resource, and a colleague who helped all of us do our jobs better. His depth of knowledge made him invaluable, but it was his reliability, kindness, and willingness to help that made him such an important part of our team.
For over two decades, Milton embodied the service, support, and relationships that define Dale Pro Audio. We are grateful for the years we were able to work alongside him, and we will miss him greatly.
Our thoughts are with Milton’s family, friends, customers, and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
Some words of remembrance from the Dale family:
My fondest memory of Milton is talking about old TV shows with him. The last was I Dream of Jeannie, and it will always be a cherished memory. He loved talking about music, too; it was always great to hear him talk about various artists he liked or met. Working with him was always easy, even if he thought he was being a pain for me. He never was. He will be missed greatly.
~Jenn Fogarazzo
Milton wasn't just a coworker; he was a friend and a brother. So sad. A loved one is gone from this life, but living a better life in heaven.
~Luis Rivera
I'm so sad to hear this. Milton was a great guy. God bless him and his family.
~Nina Weiss
Milton Rivera was a kind, thoughtful, and genuinely good person. He was not only a dedicated and hardworking member of our team, but also someone who brought intelligence, care, and a natural talent for connecting with people. He knew how to sell, and in the words of my father, he knew how to "charge." His presence made our workplace better, and his absence will be deeply felt.
~Valerie Lager
There are few things in this industry that foster longevity of a career like finding your little niche and excelling at it. Milton did that in spades over four decades, becoming what we referred to as the "Parts Master". I'll miss his unique sense of humor, his fun catchphrases, and watching the steady stream of loyal customers come back to him, again and again. Milton, you are gone way too soon.
~Eric Eldredge
By my math, Milton worked at Dale Pro Audio for around 20 years. For all of those who worked with him here at Dale, we have our collective and individual memories of and experiences with him. I know that I have been reflecting on lots of those since hearing of his passing.
I am pretty sure I am the one here at Dale who has known Milton the longest. I have worked with him consistently for over forty years. I mention this only because I feel uniquely qualified to share what I know of Milton Rivera, the co-worker, and the person. For all that he has contributed to the NYC (and beyond) music/post/broadcast/installation professional audio world, he deserves this recognition.
Milton was at Martin Audio in NYC when I started there around 1981. At that time, he was the assistant and purchasing agent to the Parts Dept. Manager, Frank Lannen. He was young; we all were then.
Milton was pretty mild-mannered. He was also our “Radar.” Like Radar from MASH, Milton knew EVERYTHING about pro audio parts. AND, he knew the PART NUMBERS!!! And, he knew it all instantly, accurately, and thoroughly.
During his time at Martin Audio, Milton became a very reliable and successful salesperson in the Parts Dept. It was also then that he showed his total cooperation by helping other salespeople who might not have been as well-versed in the nuances of these often esoteric items. It was fun to witness the awe and appreciation from customers for his talents, many of whom were the cream of the NYC studios.
From there, a few of us left Martin Audio to join what was then Sam Ash Professional. Again, Milton excelled at our Parts Dept. It was a time of so many Pro Tools suites being built. It was a VERY busy time for us, and Milton stayed on top of it all.
Eleven years later, Milton and I joined Dale Pro Audio, where many of us have spent the past 20 or more years together. It was, to a large extent, Milton who brought Dale’s parts department up to date with a much more complete and relevant product offering. He also became somewhat less mild-mannered, but always helpful and professional. To Milton's credit, he learned about wireless, Dante, and other technologies to further his sales.
I think we will all remember his smile, his laugh, his humor, and his helpfulness. Some of us will also remember being quite shocked at his dancing prowess. In all seriousness, Milton was an amazing dancer.
Milton faced serious health challenges over the past many years. He managed them with bravery, grace, and determination. He never let on how difficult (as I am sure) some of his days were. He moved to Florida around 15 years ago to be near and help his mother. I will forever remember and miss our friend, Milton Rivera.
~Tim Finnegan
“Ain’t gonna happen” is one of Milton’s many beloved catchphrases. He was always lovely and helpful to customers and coworkers. I was fortunate enough to serve as his apprentice, where on the 9th floor of 19th street, it was just Milton and me in the shop day in and day out. He was a mentor, a friend, and so much more.
~Dan Francia
Milton was a very kind person and extremely knowledgeable in audio. I worked by his side in the parts department when I started at Dale in 2013. My favorite thing about him was his straight-up honesty with customers. When someone came in with an elaborate parts configuration for a project, he wouldn't just sell the pieces. Milton would analyze it, and if needed, simply tell them, "It ain't gonna happen". He'd then come up with the best solution for their order. He will be missed.
~Victor Ortega
Milton was a quiet yet very funny guy. He used to crack me up regularly and didn’t even
realize it. He was always willing to help out and was extremely smart. It was a pleasure to
know and work with him. He will no doubt be missed by many. Rest easy Milli Mil.
“Suddenly, you were gone from all the lives you left your mark upon.”
~Dave Thomas
Some fond rememberance from valued clientele and vendors:
I met Milton Rivera way back in 1978. He was my longest relationship in this business, and consistently one of the best. His professionalism and his friendship made a difference in my life. He will be missed.
~David Soto, Sony Music Entertainment
I’ve known Milton since he was the counter man in Manhattan. He always had a smile, the time and patience to work with others, and brought a little joy to every purchase. As time went on, he became my go-to salesman, despite his moving to Florida. He always found what I needed. I considered us to be friends. I’ll warmly remember him.
~Paul Bell, PBell Sound
Milton was the greatest pro audio parts specialist ever. He was never wrong on a patchbay, connector, etc. model number. Stumping him was a rarity and felt like I experienced an event. A proper NY sense of humor and the professionalism to match. "Que se jodan con queso!"
~David Roman, Universal Audio
If you ever needed parts or electronic tools in NY, odds are you knew Milton (and his encyclopedic knowledge of obscure part numbers!) I bought my first proper soldering station from him long enough ago that the iron can legally drink now, and then so, so many tools and parts over the years. He will be dearly missed by so, so many of us in the audio industry.
~Andy Leviss, Signal To Noise / Yamaha / Freelance RF Coordinator
Milton and I go back to when he worked at Harvey Radio where they had everything in stock from XLR to EDAC and Milton made sure we had everything needed right down to the shrink tubing. Saddened by the news; my condolences to his family and his co workers at Dale.
~Glenn Polly, VideoSonic
Milton was always so kind, helpful and knowledgeable.I used to work at a recording studio called "Jarvis" and it was very common, whenever we encountered any kind of problem, for someone to say, "we gotta call Milton." My sincere condolences for the loss of your friend and colleague.
~Noah Simon, NYU
Milton put the Pro in Dale Pro Audio. He will be missed but not forgotten. RIP Milton!
~John Conard, Adaptive Technologies
Loved Milton; such a kind soul and a wealth of knowledge. He will be missed. Thank you for honoring his legacy.
~Kevin Brubaker, Eleven Audio
