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Since joining Dolby Laboratories in 1969 Ioan Allen has been directly involved in the origination and development of all the major audio advancements emanating from the Dolby film program. During his tenure at the company Ioan has spearheaded the introduction of many of Dolby's breakthrough audio formats from Dolby Stereo in 1974 to Dolby SR in 1986 and Dolby Digital in 1992 each representing another step forward in the company's successful transition from analog audio pioneer to digital entertainment leader.
Ioan holds several patents and has authored many technical papers in numerous journals. He is a Fellow of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) the Audio Engineering Society (AES) and the British Kinematograph Sound and Television Society (BKSTS) and is active in world standards organizations. A past President of the International Theatre Equipment Association (ITEA) and past Engineering Director Motion Pictures for SMPTE he is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television. Ioan has received much recognition for his work over the years; he is a recipient of SMPTE's Samuel L. Warner Award for contributions to motion picture sound (1985) and of several Scientific and Engineering Awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (1979 1987 and 2001). In 1989 Ioan and Ray Dolby were awarded Oscars for continuous contributions to motion picture sound through the research and development programs at Dolby Laboratories. He received the BV Sturdivant Award for extraordinary service to the exhibition industry (1998) from the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) and the Moving Image Society in Britain gave him the BKSTS Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Industry (1999). Ioan has also been honored for his contributions to the film industry with the Ken Mason Award from the Intersociety for the Enhancement of Theatrical Presentation (2002).
Currently Ioan is the Chairman of the Dye Track Committee which promotes the use of environmentally friendly analog film soundtracks. He also serves as Technical Chairman of the Trailer Audio Standards Association (TASA). In July 2005 Ioan was also invited to join San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's Digital Media Advisory Council (DMAC). The council is designed to take a leading role in developing new cutting-edge digital media companies in San Francisco with the goal of transforming the city into a global leader in digital media technologies. | 