Tech Data sales restructure prompts senior level exodus

US distributor Tech Data has undergone a sales overhaul in a bid to improve communication among its sales organisation.

Previously, the distributor's internal sales and field sales teams operated as two units. They have now been merged under the control of Shawn Hughes, vice president and general manager of internal sales.

A Tech Data representative said the restructure will allow field sales staff more flexibility to react swiftly to problems and use the resources of the internal sales people.

But the move has caused the departure of two senior executives - Mitch Jacobson, vice president and general manager of national and major accounts and Terry Reavis, vice president and general manager of government sales and services. Both were offered different posts, but they chose to leave.

In a separate move, it was also revealed that three other vice presidents were planning to leave Tech Data. The first was Scott Maentz, vice president of software product marketing, who will join distributor Daisytek International as vice president of merchandising.

Also leaving was Ted Augustine, vice president of distribution and logistics and Mike Attinella, vice president of acquisitions. The latter played a key role in the recent merger with Computer 2000.

At Tech Data's annual company meeting last week, all the managing directors of the group's subsidiaries - including Graeme Watt, UK managing director of C2000 - planned for its 1999 strategy.