Azione Unlimited, a division of Nationwide Marketing Group, announced this week that its founder, president, and chief creative officer Richard Glikes has exited the custom integration buying group, effective February 1. Glikes has been running the show at Azione for twelve years now and the group says he will still be involved in providing “strategic guidance” on an ongoing basis as Chairman Emeritus, but has withdrawn from day-to-day operations.
See more on the exit of Richard Glikes from Azione Unlimited
This is one of those announcements I have been anticipating for quite some time, really ever since Nationwide Marketing Group acquired Azione Unlimited back in October 2021. It is quite common for the original owner to stay on board for a transition period, facilitating the integration to the new management and ownership, and then to leave the organization to its new owners.
At the time, I had asked Richard how long that “transition period’ would be, but he declined to answer saying he was happy to work with the Nationwide management and looked forward to further growing the group. Still, even though I anticipated the move, it still felt somewhat jarring when the announcement finally came through this week.
It’s All Good
But it appears to be all good for Mr. Glikes.
In 2011, after 43 years of management positions working for others in the electronics industry, I founded Azione Unlimited because I saw a void in the market. Buying groups were for electronics retailers – no group focused on custom integrators. My goal was to start an integrator-only group with a target of 250 dealer members, assemble the best-in-class vendor partners with equal status, and create the best buying group ever. My goals have been accomplished. With a love for hobbies like golfing, travel exploration and wine appreciation – I will relish the time. There is a whole new world out there with fun things to do and ideas to explore.
Richard Glikes
A Guiding Force in Consumer Electronics
The company notes that as Chairman Emeritus, Glikes will have an ongoing relationship with the group, but in an admittedly “reduced capacity.” He will operate more on a consulting basis, “including providing strategic insights, contributing to association success, and participating in industry events.”
Richard has been a guiding force in the consumer electronics industry for five decades, and we have benefited greatly from his experience, skill and leadership over the past two-and-a-half years. Although he will no longer be leading Azione’s day-to-day operations, Richard will continue to play a critical role in the growth of our custom integration ecosystem, including Oasys Residential Technology Group and Ellipsys Commercial Technology Group, and I look forward to the continued success of all three groups, especially with his ongoing support.
Tom Hickman, CEO of Nationwide Marketing Group
Richard Leaves Quite a Legacy
Richard leaves quite a legacy in Azione, a group that some predicted wouldn’t get off the ground initially. After parting with the approximately 100-member Home Technology Specialists of America (HTSA) where he was Executive Director for more than 15 years, many thought there weren’t enough good dealers left in the field to create yet another group.
But Richard created a new concept at the time, a custom integration-centric buying group and proceeded in a multi-year effort to find and recruit integrators for Azione Unlimited. He also set about encouraging a strong group of vendors to ally with the group. Now near 300 members strong, Azione is three times larger than HTSA and so successful that Nationwide Marketing Group reached out to acquire the organization.
Richard must feel a great sense of satisfaction in this successful venture.
Nationwide Search for a New Director
Now Nationwide is in the process of conducting a search for a new director for the group. The search is being run by Andy Orozco, Nationwide’s Senior Vice President of Custom Integration. The group says the best candidate is one “who fits the Azione Unlimited ideology.”
The group plans to hold a “Roast of Richard” at its next spring group meeting, titled Propagating Partnership, being held in Orlando on April 10-12.
To learn more about Azione, visit azioneunlimited.
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