Palen Music Center introduces new CEO

Palen Music Center Inc. is keeping leadership in the family with the installation of Alec Palen as CEO.

Palen said he became CEO on Jan. 1, and the company is now promoting the leadership change. Palen succeeds his dad, Brett Palen, in the role; Brett's father was CEO before him.

"I am very excited, of course," said Alec Palen, who previously served as director of marketing for the company. "I'm just extremely passionate about the company and always have been. It's just kind of in the blood."

Palen said his dad remains owner of Palen Music.

With the leadership change, Palen will oversee a company that he said would surpass $25 million in revenue this year. The company has 250 employees and 10 locations in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma.

"We switched over Jan. 1, and we've had our best year ever every single month this whole year," Palen said.

Palen Music Center last summer announced Seth Swafford as the company's president, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.