Indianapolis – Rick Calacci, former Toshiba and Sharp sales executive and most-recently Moxell Technology president, joins Thomson as part of the company’s newly-organized Connectivity Business Unit.
Mike O’Hara, executive VP of Thomson appointed Calacci and three company veterans to top management positions for the new unit, which is responsible for Thomson’s home networking accessories business, audio/video products and telephony businesses along with sales and marketing services.
The new department heads are as follows: Pierre Mureau, home networking accessories VP; Dan Collishaw, consumer audio/video products VP; Calacci, VP, U.S., Canada & Latin America sales and trade development; and Doug Lankford, VP/chief technology officer.
Mureau joined Thomson’s TV/Video group in 1999 to oversee the restructuring of manufacturing and supply chain activities. Following the implementation of a new business model that included the repositioning of the Thomson brand in Europe, he was promoted to head worldwide marketing activities in 2001. In his new position, Mureau assumes worldwide responsibility for realigning the accessories product strategy toward IP Device Connectivity, network clients, wireless solutions and home networking devices.
Collishaw, a Thomson employee since 1988, most recently served as head of business development for the audio/video and consumer telephones businesses and prior to that headed up the advanced audio and video business development activities. While directing the business development segment of the audio business, Collishaw shaped the plan for globalizing the business, then assumed responsibility for all aspects of global product development, product management, industrial design, engineering, quality and procurement, the company said.
Calacci joins Thomson from Moxell, where he served as president, responsible for launching Motorola branded consumer electronics products in the categories of display, recording media, connectivity, IT and related accessories products for the Americas and Europe.He has more than 25 years of experience in consumer electronics sales, merchandising, marketing and product development product growth and profitability. At Thomson, he is responsible for generating revenue growth, account program development, and account relationship management for the U.S. and Latin America sales regions.
Lankford, formerly head of the company’s Americas direct broadcast satellite (DBS) business, came to Thomson in 1991 as product designer and later manager of satellite broadcast network integration. He played key roles in DBS business development and program execution in Latin America and Asia as well as commercial and development director of the company’s European satellite business, Thomson said. As chief technology officer, Lankford will work with profit centers and clients to develop future technology and product strategies designed to assure continued growth within the company’s various business units.
