Annihilator frontman / founder Jeff Waters has posted the following message:

"Well, it's some time after his retirement announcement, but I wanted to thank now former Epiphone president, Jim Rosenberg, for the many years of treating me like a king! Well... realistically described, taking me - a sorta-known guitar player - and backing me up with not only signature lines of guitars, but taking my calls and emails personally (he was the president of one of the biggest companies in the world, people!), putting up with some of the nagging 'artist' requests and panics that usually are passed on to the A&R person assigned to the case, but also for treating me like I fit in to that corporate thing! Usually, when you meet people that are that high up in the world, business-wise, it can feel a bit uncomfortable. Not with Jim. Jim is a great guitar player, super nice guy, and I am betting great father, too (Dylan can comment haha!). His wife is awesome. 

Okay... scattered thoughts now turn to focused. Jim probably thinks he just helped me get signature guitars out, jumped on his buses to do guitar clinic tours, conventions, etc... he did that, but he also brought my name higher up in this biz, put up with nagging email requests, felt like a friend and introduced me to a world I thought was stuffy and inhuman. Cheesy, but it makes sense to me. 

Enjoy your retirement, Jim. You and family clearly deserve all the best! It was and is an honor to have known you and been a small piece of your business life! Honored!"