The People Behind String Cases

Our Mission

At String Cases™, we're driven by a simple mission: to create innovative products that inspire musicians. We believe the best ideas come from musicians solving real problems, and we're committed to building products that combine thoughtful design, premium craftsmanship, and meaningful innovation.

Behind that mission is a team of musicians, entrepreneurs, designers, and industry professionals who share a passion for creating products that elevate the playing experience. Together, we're building more than a company—we're building a new category of guitar accessories.

Executive Leadership

Cord Pereira — Founder & President

Cord combines a lifelong passion for guitar with decades of experience building innovative companies, brands, and entertainment ventures. A lead guitarist with the Santa Barbara-based Doublewide Kings, Pereira developed String Cases from firsthand experience as a guitarist seeking a better way to protect instruments that spend far more time on stands, walls, and in storage than in use.

Throughout his career, Pereira has founded and led companies spanning sports, entertainment, marketing, media, and technology. As Co-Founder and President of Diamond Sports & Entertainment, he oversaw a diverse portfolio that included professional sports franchises, arenas, concerts, media production, hospitality, and major live events. He later served as President of SISCOM, a pioneering sports technology company whose digital video and analytics solutions were adopted by organizations including ESPN, the NBA, NHL, IMG, the New York Yankees, and the San Francisco Giants.

An entrepreneur and innovator, Pereira has also produced nationally televised events and breakthrough media concepts, including The Great Skate Debate, recognized as the first prime-time sports competition (CBS) to incorporate live internet audience judging.

Today, Pereira leads String Cases with a vision to create a new category of premium guitar accessories—combining thoughtful design, patent-pending innovation, and distinctive style to help musicians and collectors protect, preserve, and enjoy their instruments.

Hugo Knef — Research & Development & Co-Inventor

Hugo leads product development, prototyping, and the continued evolution of the company's patent-pending technology platform. Combining creativity with hands-on engineering, Knef played a pivotal role in transforming the original concept into a functional product and developing the innovations that formed the foundation of the String Cases patent application.

A gifted multi-instrumentalist, Knef is known among fellow musicians as the "Swiss Army knife" of the stage, capable of playing virtually any instrument. Whether performing pedal steel, drums, guitar, bass or other instruments, his versatility and deep understanding of musicians' needs have been instrumental in shaping the design and functionality of String Cases. His unique musicianship has even seen him share the stage with Cord and the Doublewide Kings, performing both pedal steel and drums within the same song.

Outside of music, Knef is an accomplished mariner and serves as Captain of the iconic Blue & Gold Fleet in San Francisco, where he has safely transported hundreds of thousands of passengers across San Francisco Bay over more than two decades. His disciplined approach to problem-solving, attention to detail, and passion for thoughtful design continue to drive the expansion of the String Cases platform into new materials, product applications, and future innovations.

Mason Pereira — Brand Advisor

Mason shaped the company's market positioning, brand identity, and go-to-market strategy. Drawing on his experience in global brand strategy, creative development, and consulting, Mason played a pivotal role in defining String Cases as a Dual Mode™ product—a premium guitar strap that seamlessly transforms into a protective String Case. That strategic positioning established the foundation for the brand's unique place within the guitar accessory market.

Throughout his career, Mason has worked with leading brands and organizations to develop customer-centered strategies that translate insights into meaningful brand experiences. His background spans major advertising agencies, independent strategic consulting, and emerging technology ventures, where he has helped organizations navigate innovation, category development, and market transformation. Today, he continues to apply that strategic perspective while pioneering new applications in the rapidly evolving drone technology industry.

Operations & Leadership Team

While our executive leadership provides strategic direction, String Cases™ is supported by an experienced team of professionals whose expertise spans finance, manufacturing, operations, logistics, and legal counsel. Together, they help transform our vision into reality while ensuring that every String Case reflects our commitment to innovation, quality, operational excellence, and responsible business practices.

Virginia Dirschl — Chief Financial Officer

Provides financial leadership, strategic planning, corporate governance, and oversight to support the company's long-term growth.

Stuart Nichols— Production & Logistics Director

Leads production planning, supply chain coordination, decorating & printing, inventory management, and fulfillment operations to deliver exceptional quality and customer satisfaction.

Art Martinez— Manufacturing Director

Oversees manufacturing operations, product assembly, quality assurance, and continuous process improvement to ensure every String Case meets the company's exacting standards.

Jonathan Blinderman — Corporate Counsel

Advises the company on corporate governance, commercial transactions, contracts, licensing, regulatory compliance, and general business matters.

William Fitzpatrick — Intellectual Property Counsel

Leads String Cases' intellectual property strategy, providing legal counsel on patents, trademarks, trade secrets, licensing, and innovation protection. He works closely with the leadership team to secure, strengthen, and enforce the company's intellectual property portfolio while supporting the continued development and commercialization of new technologies and product innovations.

Strategic Advisors & Industry Partners 

Innovation is rarely the work of one individual or one company. String Cases is fortunate to collaborate with an expanding network of advisors, musicians, manufacturers, designers, retailers, technology partners, and industry professionals who contribute their expertise to the continued growth of our products and brand. Their experience, insight, and shared passion for music help shape the future of String Cases as we continue building a new category of premium guitar accessories.

Additional strategic advisors and industry partners will be announced as the company continues to grow.