We reported two weeks ago that David Kaplan, Director of the Digital Delivery Group (DDG) for the last seven and a half years, had left the organization. At that time, Kaplan gave no indication of his plans other than to let us know that something was in the works. Now we know that Kaplan has joined with industry notables Ed Brown and Fred Yando to become part of Sales Performance Management (SPM) – a consulting company formed by Brown three years ago.
Strategy
Very Late to the Headphone Party – Is Onkyo Better Late than Never?
Onkyo has finally jumped on the headphone bandwagon, although they are about the last major audio component brand to do so. The company will formally launch its new headphone line at the International CES opening Tuesday in Las Vegas, NV.
As we had reported previously, Onkyo had hinted it would be moving in this direction at last year’s CES.
Is the Onkyo headphone line too late to the game? Or is it better late than never? [Read more…] about Very Late to the Headphone Party – Is Onkyo Better Late than Never?
DDG Scrambles to Rebuild in Wake of Member Defections
The world of national distributor groups often resembles the ever-shifting sands of the desert – members change, vendors change, and its relative market position often changes. So it is a radically changed world in which the Digital Delivery Group (DDG) finds itself in the wake of last week’s announcement of the formation of a new national distributor group – Catalyst AV – an announcement that prominently featured the names of four DDG distributors who apparently defected to the new competitor.
But DDG denies that these defections spell its doom… [Read more…] about DDG Scrambles to Rebuild in Wake of Member Defections
Wally Whinna’s New Catalyst AV Distributor Group: AVAD Part Two?
The industry is abuzz about the recently announced launch of a new national distributor group known as Catalyst AV. While the emergence of a new distributor group has been rumored for months, the formal announcement came out just last week. The genesis of the group, according to our sources, was a triumvirate of Wally Whinna (Chicago’s Allnet Distributing), Glen O’Brien (California’s Electronic Stockroom), and Mike Hench (Florida & Southeast’s Electronics Source).
Wally Whinna was one of the original partners of the Alliance of Value Added Distributors (AVAD), the most successful of the national distributor groups that was ultimately purchased by Ingram Micro several years ago. We spoke to Whinna about his latest venture.
Is Catalyst AV really just AVAD, part two?… [Read more…] about Wally Whinna’s New Catalyst AV Distributor Group: AVAD Part Two?
Reps: Are They On the Right Track? Or Have They Run Off the Rails?
On Tuesday last week, much like any other day, after arriving at my office I powered up my computer and began wading through the usual 100-150 emails that greet me every morning. Some of these are client-related emails, some are personal, but most are press releases or announcements. On that day, however, one in particular caught my attention – it was from Richard Glikes of Azione and it included a link to a video which was…remarkable.
This press release caught my attention not because it was from Azione, that is an common occurrence. Rather it caught my attention because it was from Azione on a topic that I am not used to dealer buying groups concerning themselves with – sales representative companies.
Little did I suspect that this would be the beginning of a strange turn of events… [Read more…] about Reps: Are They On the Right Track? Or Have They Run Off the Rails?
Sharp Spike in Sharp’s Prospects – Said to Working with Hon Hai on Apple iTV
The Wall Street Journal is reporting today that unnamed sources are telling it that Apple has built and is testing a large screen, high definition television that it has worked closely with Asian suppliers to create. Most notably, these sources say that Apple worked closely with Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (Foxconn) – it’s leading iPhone/iPad supplier – and Sharp Corp. – the troubled Japanese television company.
Will Apple’s iTV save Sharp?… [Read more…] about Sharp Spike in Sharp’s Prospects – Said to Working with Hon Hai on Apple iTV
Belden to Acquire PPC
BREAKING NEWS
strata-GEE.com has learned that Belden, Inc., the large cable manufacturing company, has acquired Syracuse, New York-based PPC, a broadband and specialty cable manufacturer that also markets the Perfect Path cable brand to the custom integration industry. The deal is said to be worth $515.7 million.
See what PPC’s Eric Bodley told us about this surprising news… [Read more…] about Belden to Acquire PPC
Nortek’s Core Brands Appoints Chris Bundy Director of Marketing Communications
Core Brands, a division of Nortek, Inc.’s TECH segment, announced today that it has appointed Chris Bundy as its new Director of Marketing Communications. In this role, the company says that Bundy is responsible for “developing and delivering innovative branding, marketing strategies, and product launches across then brand lines…” Bundy’s most recent position was director of marketing for Atlona.
See more on this development below… [Read more…] about Nortek’s Core Brands Appoints Chris Bundy Director of Marketing Communications
New THIEL CEO Tells Us THIEL’s the Real Deal
“It’s really not that fancy,” new Thiel CEO Bill Thomas told us with a chuckle and a noticeable Southern drawl when we asked about his private equity company that was mentioned in a Thiel press release announcing its acquisition last week. [See our post on the acquisition here…] In a telephone interview with strata-GEE.com earlier this week, the 55-year old Thomas said it was simply he and two friends that came together to purchase Thiel Audio Products Company – not some high-powered M&A company.
This was just one of several surprises the CEO shared with us about the acquisition… [Read more…] about New THIEL CEO Tells Us THIEL’s the Real Deal
The Good News Just Keeps on Coming for Sharp
Just one day after Qualcomm, Inc. announced a technology pact and investment deal with Japan’s troubled Sharp Corp., word comes out of Taiwan that Hon Hai Precision Co. Ltd. may still be interested in taking a major position in the company. According to a Taiwanese newspaper, they have been told that Hon Hai may yet invest enough to own 9.9% of Sharp – making them Sharp’s single largest shareholder – to be decided by March 31, 2013.
