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Workman Leaves MARTA

Scottsdale, Ariz. — David Workman has left the MARTA Cooperative of America, the 93-member buying group he joined last month as president/CEO.

According to Workman and John Rice, chairman of MARTA’s board of directors and president/CEO of DeSears Appliance & TV, the departure was prompted by the group’s new alliance with the larger AVB/Brand Source buying organization, and newfound redundancies between its services and the role of MARTA’s chief executive.

“After assessing the capabilities and services AVB provides its membership, the remaining responsibilities available to me by MARTA do not fit my personal goals at this point in my career. I have nothing but the utmost of respect for AVB and its alliance with MARTA and believe that this union is a positive for both entities both now and into the future.”

“We weren’t aware of the full strengths that AVB brought to the table when we joined,” added Rice.

Accordingly, no successor to Workman will be named and the position of MARTA president/CEO will be discontinued. Instead, MARTA’s general manager Bill Bursley will take on greater operational responsibility as managing director, and MARTA’s board and merchandising committee will assume more active roles.

Both personnel changes were effective last Friday, Feb. 3.

Workman’s departure dovetails with that of Roger Heuberger, who left the Progressive Retailers Organization (PRO Group) last week as president, executive director, COO and CEO in a contract dispute. Workman is a former director of PRO Group, having served on its board during his tenure as chief executive of Ultimate Electronics.

At MARTA, Workman succeeded Warren Mann, the group’s executive director for six years. Mann is currently laying the groundwork for a new buying organization called the World Merchants Buying Group.

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