Yesterday, I spent the day at Team Tek’s annual customer conference. Now, there were plenty of customers. In fact the Richmond Hill, Ont.-based wholesale distributor of data media storage and consumable supplies boasts more than 150. But not a lot of business discussions took place at this conference, held at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
The event was a baseball game featuring the home town Toronto Blue Jays verses their arch rivals from Boston. After the game, Team Tek divided up all the guests, including your’s truly, into six squads and took to the Rogers Centre turf for a game of pick-up softball.
I have to tell you, it was a thrill taking centre field and making a few plays in the same area great players such as Devon White and Vernon Wells patrolled.
Company GM Wes Pollock told me that this event is more about relationship building than actual business. He said this is a fun event for everyone and their families.
I have to commend a company like Team Tek that continues to say thanks in special ways to customers even in hard economic times. It’s easy to put on these events and give yourself a collective pat on the back when the economy is rolling. It’s hard to do it when things are tight in every market segment.
Vikash Ambwani, founder and president of Communication Connections Canada (CCCanada), an IP Communications solutions provider based in Mississauga, Ont., agreed. He took his wife and daughter to the Team Tek event and said that what makes this event so great is that families are involved. Ambwani added, he appreciates this event more because it shows that Team Tek cares just as much for his family as they do his business.
I want to thank Michael Sheinfeld of Team Tek for inviting me to share a day with the Team Tek group. It was a blast.
Two quick hits before I go. Looks like there is a lot of activity at Ingram Micro these days. Brent McCarty, an up-and-coming VP at the Canadian subsidiary, has been promoted to VP and GM of DBL Distributing. DBL is a top CE accessories distributor and also a subsidiary of Ingram Micro. At the same time, DBL announced the departures of Henry Chiarelli, president and Bruce Kuperman, senior vice-president of sales.
I’ve known Brent for a while now and interviewed him many times. He will be a tremendous asset to DBL. I’m Sorry to see him leave Ingram, but like I said he is an up-and-coming executive in this industry.
David Mason has been appointed Ingram Micro Canada’s new vice president of sales for Canada. Mason will report to Mark Snider, the president. Mason served as senior director of sales for Ingram Micro Canada’s Major Accounts, Direct Marketers, and Communications Service Provider Divisions.
