O’Hara Exits Thomson
By TWICE Staff -- TWICE, 9/28/2006
Indianapolis – Long-time Thomson executive VP Michael O’Hara has announced his resignation from the company, effective Sept. 29, to start up a new consulting firm called Summus Ventures Ltd., based here.
O’Hara, a 24-year Thomson veteran who helped direct the retail rollout of DirecTV equipment and services under the RCA brand, said in a letter to TWICE that “I will be joining and spending a substantial portion of my time as a senior advisor to [EchoStar chairman] Charlie Ergen and the Echostar team.”
O’Hara added that he will also “maintain a direct relationship with [Thomson chairman] Frank Dangeard and Thomson beyond September.”
O’Hara said he agreed with Dangeard about a year ago to “step away from my operational duties at Thomson,” with the expectation that the sale of certain Thomson CE assets would be completed by then.
In the interim he was helping to coordinate the acquisition of a partner or buyer for various remaining Thomson consumer electronics companies, including A/V equipment and accessories marketing operations.
According to a company spokesman Thomson continues to look for a partner or buyer of those remaining CE units, as Thomson moves away from retail distribution and into more business-to-business oriented activities.
The company plans to keep its telephony segment, which includes GE-brand phones as well as the home networking products included in its accessories offering.
