Jeff Gau wrote this blog for more than a decade, sharing his experiences, challenges and insights in over 250 posts. Jeff told me recently that when he started, he never expected to write that many. But you kept reading and reaching out, so he continued.
After a successful 37-year career at Marco, Jeff is now stepping back to serve as chairman of our board of directors. Today marks his first official day in retirement – and my first official day as the new CEO of Marco. My goal is to continue his legacy of sharing thought-provoking topics on this blog and his track record of success and adaptability at Marco.
I have had the privilege of serving as president of Marco for the past 18 months and working as a vendor partner for 10 years before then. In both cases, I have recognized the unique value proposition that Marco offers to its employees, customers, partners and communities.
I see a future of more opportunity for Marco, as the convergence of technology and markets accelerate. While there are some new tech start-ups emerging, much of the change is coming in the form of consolidation. One of the latest examples announced last week was Synnex combining with Tech Data to create a $57 billion mega-distributor – a size that no one would have expected just a few years ago.
Executing on relevance
Every industry is experiencing significant change right now, as we all prepare to emerge from the pandemic. The paths forward for each are not that different. We all have an opportunity to foster future success by focusing on creating relevance – for the good of our employees, customers, communities and investors – in that order. Here’s how I see that playing out at Marco:
- With our employees as we seek to become a destination workplace across the markets we serve. That means providing a hip (yes, I still use that word) and vibrant workplace with motivating careers that give them purpose.
- With our customers as we seek to provide best-in-class services, solutions and security in a way that makes it easier for organizations to leverage technology to solve problems. We want to stand out because of the way we serve our customers and make them feel valued and supported.
- With our communities by being a good corporate citizen that gives back to the communities we serve and mobilizes our employees to volunteer to meet needs in their backyards.
- With our investors because if we are not financially performing with a sustainable business model, the equation doesn’t work; and we cannot deliver on anything else. Our job is to continue to take care of Marco and grow it, so it can serve future generations.
As the industry convergence intensifies, Marco is well-positioned for growth as the only scaled company in North America with an integrated solution set – voice, print, document management, Managed IT and security. Marco breaks down the complexity of the marketplace to bring customers simplified offerings like Stax – making it easy for organizations to bundle these technology solutions and gain additional efficiencies.
Next steps
I recently read an article about the key moves all organizations need to make, as we emerge from the pandemic. I felt like they were exactly what I have been thinking about for a while, as I assume the role of CEO here at Marco and encourage our teams to create relevance.
First, we need to transform and increase our understanding of our higher purpose as companies. This includes boldly deciding to let go of past successes and re-defining what success means moving forward.
Second, we need to reinvent ourselves in this new world by focusing on what we do best as the market continues to change.
Finally, we need to leverage new business tools and platforms for all parts of our business and make innovation a part of our DNA.
So, how will you create relevance in this changing world?
Learning from an FBI INSIDER
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with an FBI insider to hear how the pandemic is impacting cyber security and how we all need to protect our supply chain and organizations. Listen in now.
