Core Brands Promotes Gordon Isaac to National Director of CI Channel Sales

In recognition of the outstanding contributions he has made to building CI channel sales throughout the southwest, Core Brands, LLC today announced the immediate promotion of Gordon Isaac from Southwest Region Sales Manager to National Director of CI Channel Sales, reporting directly to Core Brands Vice President of Sales Jeff Costello. 

Effective immediately, Isaac assumes responsibility for the development and implementation of all regional and national sales programs for all brands sold through custom installation dealers.  “Gordon is an outstanding sales professional who has the skills and experience that will help our nationwide network of CI dealers grow their businesses for many years to come,” Costello said today.  “Core Brands is now bringing to market the broadest range of control and audio solutions in our history, and Gordon’s 20 years of experience in the CE and CI channel makes him the right sales leader to launch of these products in the channel.”

Since first becoming involved in the CE and CI industries in 1994, Isaac has held a number of industry-specific retailer, manufacturer, sales rep, and systems integrator sales and management positions, resulting in a uniquely broad perspective that promises to be of great value to dealers and the company’s sales rep partners, according to Costello. 

Prior to serving as Southwest Region Sales Manager at Core Brands, Gordon Isaac was West Coast Sales Manager for SpeakerCraft.  Other previous positions include Regional Sales Manager for Crestron Electronics, Southwest Territory Manager for rep firm Sound-Tech Marketing, Market Representative for Bose Corporation, Store Manager for Ultimate Electronics, and the Director of Finance, Marketing, and Vendor Relations for R2W, a $20-million residential and commercial systems integrator. 

“I have been deeply involved with selling, specifying, and installing the Core Brands portfolio of best-in-class brands since 1996, and I understand the business needs of our dealers and our rep partners,” Isaac said today.  “I believe in creating real business partner relationships with our customers and our reps, and becoming more than just another vendor to the people we do business with. I’ve spent the past 10 years in the field meeting with all types of dealers and love working closely to help them further their success.  For me there is no better feeling than being in front of our customers, and I look forward to working face to face with them, understanding their needs and challenges, and doing whatever we can do to improve their businesses.”

NanoLumens Appoints Riesterer And Promotes Bortles To Strengthen Sales Management Team

Fueled by record-setting North AND South American sales, and expanded product marketing programs throughout the EMEA region, NanoLumens, the world’s leading manufacturer and marketer of indoor LED displays, today announced the appointment of Lee Riesterer to the newly created position of Vice President of Strategic Alliances and the promotion of Rick Bortles to the position of Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales, according to an announcement made today by NanoLumens President and CEO Rick Cope.

“2014 is turning out to be the single biggest year in NanoLumens’ history,” Cope said today.  “We are rapidly expanding sales throughout North and South America and quickly establishing a significant foothold in the critically important EMEA region.  This growth is creating the need for us to expand our sales and business development management team.  The appointment of Lee Riesterer and the promotion of Rick Bortles are going to help us to better meet the demands that growth is placing on all of us.”

Lee Reisterer brings more than 25 years of tech sector experience to his new position at NanoLumens.  He began his career in sales at Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in Boston, MA.  Prior to joining NanoLumens he was the Global Vice President of Mobility Channels at SAP, where he established the mobility channel as the fastest growing segment of the business and added over 100 pure-play mobility partners to the SAP ecosystem.  Prior to this, Reisterer served as Senior Vice President at CDC Software, where he had full P&L responsibility for approximately 40 percent of the company’s revenue, more than doubled his operating units profitability, and was a key contributor to CDC’s successful IPO on the NASDAQ in August of 2009.  

“As NanoLumens extends it reach into key vertical markets, Lee will lead our activities in identifying and partnering with organizations that can influence and drive strategic initiatives in these markets and help position NanoLumens as an innovative solutions provider that delivers significant business impact for our customers and partners.  Our objective is simple – by leveraging these strategic alliances we expect to increase both awareness and mindshare in the marketplace.  As a result we expect to increase ‘top of the funnel’ opportunities that will lead to more sales.   Lee will report to Karen Robinson in this new role,” Cope explained.

Coincident with the appointment of Reisterer, NanoLumens today announced the promotion of Rick Bortles to the position of Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales.  According to Cope, ever since Bortles joined the company in May 2013 as Vice President of Global Channel Sales he has made tremendous contributions to virtually every part of the company’s worldwide sales organization’s growth.  “And now he is getting the recognition he deserves for the many, many contributions he has made to our growing worldwide success,” Cope emphasized today.  “Reporting directly to me, Rick now is responsible for guiding and managing all of our direct, distributor, and channel sales programs around the world.”

Rick Bortles is a growth centric sales leader that helped to build a sales and service company with over 15,000 OEM’s across North America, Europe, Japan and Asia. He brings 30 years of senior sales and executive leadership in the technology industry to NanoLumens, including serving for 22 years as President and CEO of ELCOM Inc., a leading semiconductor sales firm, and Southeast Regional Sales Manager at Sprague Semiconductor.

NanoLumens displays are extremely slim, ultra-lightweight, energy efficient, and feature a bright, seamless, high resolution picture quality that can be viewed from any angle throughout the display horizon without color shift or image distortion. The company’s patented display technology, promises to transform the way marketers engage their customers in every type of trade show, retail, hospitality, stadium, arena, transportation and public event environment.

All NanoLumens displays accept input from nearly any device or content management system. There is no need for special software, hardware or special personnel to display content beautifully. With a profile of only a few inches, NanoSlim displays can be installed on virtually any surface without being obtrusive, adding the ‘WOW’ factor to any environment without taking up precious space. NanoLumens’ patented display technology is optimized for indoor use, operating with virtually zero heat or noise while producing bright, rich, consistent color as well as superior off-axis viewing with no color shift or image distortion throughout the display horizon.

James Koenig Promoted to Director of Sales for the CI Channel at Core Brands

Core Brands, a Nortek company (NASDAQ: NTK), today announced the promotion of James Koenig to the position of Director of Sales - CI Channel in recognition of his outstanding ability to develop brands on both a regional and national level. 

Effective immediately, Koenig assumes responsibility for the development and implementation of all regional and national sales and business development programs for the Core Brands’ brands sold through custom installation dealers.  He reports directly to Core Brands Senior Vice President of Sales Dave Keller, who today said, “Jim is a true sales professional who has demonstrated over the last 16 years a remarkable ability to grow brands in both challenging and expanding economies. He builds trust-based relationships with dealers and shares my belief that our top priority is delivering our dealers great service to match our innovative products.”

Koenig has held a number of positions within Core Brands and its predecessor companies since 2002 when he first joined ELAN Home Systems as a Regional Sales Associate.  In 2005 he was promoted to the position of ELAN National Distribution Accounts Manager.  In 2007, as National Sales Manager, he successfully launched the ELAN distribution brand ATON.  In 2010, The AVC Group was formed and he took on the role of Western US & Canada Regional Sales Manager for ELAN, ATON, and Sunfire brands.  In 2012 The AVC Group was merged into Core Brands where he became the South Central Regional Sales Manager, a position he held until becoming National Sales Manager for the CI Channel in February of this year.

Before beginning his successful career at ELAN and Core Brands, Koenig grew up in a family security business and possesses extensive knowledge of burglary, fire, CCTV, and access control systems.  After mastering those challenges, he moved into the Audio, Video and Automation side of the CI industry with positions including retrofit installation, retail and custom sales.

A native of Ohio, Koenig studied Computer Information Systems from 1989 through 1993 at Ohio State University and Management Information Systems from 2000 until 2002 at Franklin University. 

“I’m honored to be leading a great sales team and serving our amazing group of dealers,” James Koenig said today.  “And I’m excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. We’re getting ready to bring to market a new generation of products for our key brands, all of which will create amazing new business opportunities for our dealers in the CI channel.”