Catalyst AV, the newest national distributor group, announced yesterday that it has added IC Realtime Security to their vendor line-up. Catalyst AV is made up of eleven regionally based rep/distribution companies. The group launched officially at last month’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Distributors
IC Realtime to Become ProSource Vendor at Upcoming HES Summit
ProSource, which bills itself as the country’s largest specialty and consumer-electronics merchandising group, announced today that IC Realtime would become a vendor for the organization at their upcoming HES Summit taking place February 17-20, 2013 at the Orlando Marriott World Center.
See more on this new vendor for the group here… [Read more…] about IC Realtime to Become ProSource Vendor at Upcoming HES Summit
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?
Sandy Thrashes Thunderball Marketing
Thunderball Marketing, Inc., an Avenel, NJ-based distributor of consumer electronics and pro-DJ equipment was hit hard by hurricane Sandy last week, with facilities losing power and two co-located warehouses subjected to a shocking level of water damage. Thunderball’s Alan Henslovitz told strata-GEE.com that his rough estimate is that the company has been hit with somewhere between $10-$15 million in losses based on destroyed & damaged inventory and lost business.
Learn more about the impact of Sandy on Thunderball Marketing below…
Energy Squad Wants to Help Integrators to Catch the Green Wave
Sometimes the best ideas are the simplest. When I ask business owners and executives to tell me why they started their business, you’d be surprised at the mushy gobbledy-gook I’m often offered in response. So when strata-GEE.com readers at the CEDIA Expo pointed me in the direction of the Energy Squad booth – I was skeptical. Was this another tech head playing with toys who’ll be here-today and gone-tomorrow?
Boy was I in for a surprise… [Read more…] about Energy Squad Wants to Help Integrators to Catch the Green Wave
Grace Motif’s John Caldwell to Handle U.S. Sales for Indy Audio Labs’ Acurus & Aragon Brands
In an association that is somewhat unique in our industry, Indy Audio Labs, LLC, (IAL) the company that manufacturers the Acurus & Aragon high-end brands, has hired John Caldwell, founder and CEO of Grace Motif to handle sales for the IAL brands. Interestingly, they have awarded Caldwell the title of Vice President of Sales for IAL while he retains his title and functions at Grace Motif. [Read more…] about Grace Motif’s John Caldwell to Handle U.S. Sales for Indy Audio Labs’ Acurus & Aragon Brands
After 62 Years, New Jersey’s M. Rothman & Company Sold to Z. Reiss
>BREAKING NEWS<
In news that is likely yet another indicator of the depths of the struggles of the consumer electronics industry, M. Rothman & Company, Inc. – a large consumer electronics distributor based in Ramsey, New Jersey and a one-time powerhouse supplier of a wide variety of electronics and appliances for the entire New York Metropolitan marketplace, has been sold to Z. Reiss & Associates. While rumors have been circulating about Rothman for some weeks – we have only now been able to confirm the company is in fact been sold to another New York-based distributor. [Read more…] about After 62 Years, New Jersey’s M. Rothman & Company Sold to Z. Reiss
Jeff Kussard Leaves Capitol Sales
BREAKING NEWS
We have learned that Jeff Kussard, a top executive involved in strategic business development at Capitol Sales, Corp., reached a mutual agreement with the company resulting in his exit from the business on June 1, 2012. Kussard, a well-known and well-respected industry luminary, shared his new plans with us in a telephone interview.
See Kussard’s plans for his next move… [Read more…] about Jeff Kussard Leaves Capitol Sales
D&M Holdings Announces Sweeping Changes – Starting with Their Name
Even by late-May’s standards, it was an unusually hot and humid day this week as a major contingent of the tech press gathered up in Mahwah, New Jersey at the weirdest looking Sheraton you’ve ever seen – more rocket ship than hotel. We were summoned to a press presentation by D&M Holdings that promised to be more significant than those in the past. Little did we know that the heat of the day was presaging the hot presentation that was the subject of our gathering!
[Read more…] about D&M Holdings Announces Sweeping Changes – Starting with Their Name
