AVAD Expands Offerings, Hires New Execs
By Colleen Bohen -- TWICE, 6/18/2007
VAN NUYS, CALIF. — AVAD, a network of home integration distributors, with 37 locations nationwide, has introduced initiatives for existing partners, widened the reach of existing programs with new partnerships and has expanded its management team.
AVAD introduced an initiative in April called Integration Partners, a move the group said was designed to improved interoperability among its roster of home technology manufacturers. The purpose of the program is to encourage its manufacturer partners to work together to create products that work well together to make for a more seamless installation process for its installers.
The organization also recently launched an initiative targeted at security installers that's designed to encourage them to grow their businesses by adding custom home electronics offerings to their suite of services.
According to a release, the group kicked off the initiative at the International Security Conference-West in Las Vegas earlier this year when Joe Piccirilli, AVAD's executive VP, taught a class called "Breaking Into Home Technology," outlining the basics of entering the home electronics marketplace.
AVAD has also expanded its existing Dealer 2 Builder (D2B) program, which it says links builders with certified electronics systems contractors (ESCs). Via a selection of new partnerships with dealers and builders, the distributor will now offer prepackaged home technology systems in and around Boise, Idaho, and Charlotte, N.C.
In Boise, the group has partnered with Essential Systems, an AVAD dealer and certified D2B ESC, and builders Zach Evans Construction and MarKar Design and Construction. In Charlotte, the group partnered with Simonini Builders and Digital Home Systems.
On the product side, the collective has begun to carry Chief mounts for flat-screen TVs and projectors.
Finally, AVAD, a unit of Ingram Micro, has recently added two new executives to its payroll. Mike Gleason, most recently of Fujitsu, joined the company in March as its sales VP, and last month the company also hired Rick Wigen, former merchandising director at Best Buy's Magnolia Audio Video subsidary, as its merchandising VP.
