Tech Data's Sales Chief Resigns
Tom Ducatelli resigned Monday, effective immediately, as senior vice president of U.S. sales, according to Tech Data. Ducatalli "has decided to pursue new opportunities outside Tech Data," the Clearwater, Fla., distributor said in a statement.
Last Friday, Tamra Muir, Tech Data's vice president of software product marketing announced she was leaving the company Aug. 9 to take a position with an unnamed vendor.
When Muir resigned, she granted interviews to discuss her departure, accompanied by Bob O'Malley, senior vice president of marketing. Tech Data executives declined interview requests regarding Ducatelli's exit.
The distributor issued a statement that included: "We wish [Ducatelli] all the best. We will soon begin a search for his replacement, including both internal and external candidates. In the meantime, the sales organization will report directly to Ken Lamneck, Tech Data's president, the Americas."
Ducatelli, a former senior vice president of business development at CompuCom Systems, a $1.7 billion solution provider in Dallas, joined Tech Data in Feburary 2005 when he replaced Terry Bazzone, who retired.
Tech Data closes its fiscal quarter Monday and one channel executive, who asked not to be named, said Ducatelli's departure could be performance related.
"In the last quarter, Ingram Micro and Synnex both grew double digits in the Americas, while Tech Data grew 4 percent," the executive said. "As Tech Data's growth and profitability in the Americas has recently begun to lag its major competitors, that could have led to [the departure.]"
Synnex and Ingram Micro have been more aggressive than Tech Data in the last year, said Bob Parsons, president of Automated Office Solutions, an Evansville, Ind., solution provider and member of Tech Data's TechSelect organization.
"I get actual calls from them saying 'Can we get you something?' And they know my involvement with [TechSelect]," Parsons said. "I'm still very pleased with Tech Data and they're my go-to distributor, but [Ingram Micro and Synnex] are out there trying [to win business]."
It's unclear whether the departures could be related to any upcoming announcement regarding a new CEO to replace Steve Raymund. In late January, Raymund, who is staying on as Tech Data's chairman, said he intended to hire a new CEO after a three- to six-month search.
"If people leave [because of a new CEO], they usually don't leave before. Usually they find out who will be in charge and let that individual assess the situation before making any changes," said the channel executive."
This story was updated on July 31 to include additional comment from a solution provider.