Press Release (UNEDITED): LONG BEACH, CA– KENWOOD USA announced its rep of the year awards for both individual sales reps, as well as sales rep firms for the East, Midwest, and Western territories at their recent annual sales rep meeting, held at their corporate office in Long Beach, CA.
Western Region Sales Rep of the Year: Ryan Christie, N&S Marketing
Midwest Region Sales Rep of the Year: Tim Hill, Pinnacle Sales
Eastern Region Sales Rep of the Year: Greg Wallace, Audio Video Representatives (AVR)
Ryan Christie represents N & S Marketing in the Pacific Northwest, and has been a part of the company for 12 years. “Ryan prides himself in putting his dealers first, making sure they are getting the best service regardless of how much volume they do,” stated Rob Sutton, KENWOOD Western Regional Sales Manager. “All of my dealers matter equally to me,” stated Christie. “Whenever there’s a need, it’s important to me to be able to respond or get an answer as quickly as possible. I’m truly humbled and honored to have received this award for the second consecutive year.”
As the independent owner/operator of Pinnacle Sales in Michigan since 2003, Tim Hill has actually been a KENWOOD sales rep since 1987. “I couldn’t be happier with Tim’s level of performance and commitment to his dealers,” stated Mike Roberts, KENWOOD VP of Sales and Marketing. “He constantly strives to be of service whenever and in whatever fashion his dealers need. He really lives up to his standards of never saying no to them. They are truly lucky to have him.”
From Marietta, GA, Greg Wallace has been a part of distribution sales with AVR since 2006. In 2015, he was promoted to also handle direct accounts. “Greg’s candor is undeniable with his dealers,” stated Kelly McDaniel, KENWOOD Eastern Regional Sales Manager. “Through his remarkable organizational skills and ability to be efficient, he continuously strives to communicate with and provide the best in information and service to his dealers”.
Western Region Sales Rep Company of the Year: Oliver Marketing Norcal, Inc.
Midwest Region Sales Rep Company of the Year: River City Sales
Eastern Region Sales Rep Company of the Year: Audio Video Representatives (AVR)
Oliver Marketing NorCal, Inc. was founded in 1986 and consists of Bob Oliver (President), Dave Furness (VP), Dennis Medeiros (Sales), Paul Francia (Sales), and Peggy Harvey (Sales Support/Customer Service).
“Even when unpreventable troubles present themselves, the Oliver Marketing NorCal crew has managed to turn setbacks into triumphs.” stated Rob Sutton. “They continuously outperform to ensure their dealers receive nothing but the best.”
River City Sales has been proudly representing KENWOOD from the St. Louis, MO area since 2004, with team member Brett Phelps serving as a KENWOOD rep since 2000. Their team consists of Gary Cooley (Owner), Brett Phelps (Sales), Ray Smith (Sales), and Lori Beyer (Inside Sales). “The River City Sales team is always working it, always communicating, always taking phone calls… the little things” stated Mike Roberts. “We provide weekly updates to our dealers to ensure they have accurate numbers, knowledge of rebates, etc., always finding ways to put money back in our dealers pockets,” stated Phelps. “Communicating with our dealers is crucial to us. If they are far away, we still try to at least talk to them as much as possible. Our rep company’s success is 100% based on their success.”
Commanding both of the Eastern region territory awards, AVR, owned by Joe and Teri Hanson, has served as both a KENWOOD distribution center and as sales representative firm for 18 years. In fact, Joe has even served as a KENWOOD rep personally since 1982. Their outside sales team consists of Brian Cargile and Greg Wallace, with Jacob Gromovsky and Christie Crook on the inside. “We try to give our customers excellent customer service and provide constant communication, always keeping them informed to ensure that they stay successful,” stated Joe. “AVR thinks outside of the box on ways to always be improving their level of service to their dealers,” stated Kelly McDaniel. “Their level of commitment to these efforts is one of the many reasons they earned the rep of year award for 2019.”
“When deciding on these awards, we look at several key criteria, including Territory Leadership, Maintaining a Strong Dealer Base, Being Solution Oriented, Having a Positive Attitude, and Driving Sales,” stated Mike Roberts. “Since all of our sales reps are incredible and exhibit these attributes, these awards are tough to nail down, and we are truly grateful for all that was accomplished in 2019”.
For more information on KENWOOD, visit http:// www.kenwood.com/usa/car
