*LEXMARK TAPS NEW CHANNEL VP

[Anonymous]

Lexmark Taps New Channel VP
Printer vendor Lexmark has tapped a longtime company and industry veteran to head up its channel efforts, and expects to add significantly to its spending on channel programs in 2006, executives said.
Sharon Brindley, who had been overseeing Lexmark’s public and health care sector sales operations, was tapped to become its vice president of U.S. channels as of Jan. 1. John Linton, Lexmark’s vice president of solution provider channels, will report to Brindley.
“I see my new job as one that’s focused on growing Lexmark installed, branded business, and working hard with the channel to do that,” Brindley said. “We can grow their business, as well as grow our business.”
Though details were still being hammered out, Linton said Lexmark is set to provide “double digit” increases for channel programs in 2006 compared with last year, and will pay close attention to the company’s managed service offerings launched in 2005. Linton said the company has increased its inside channel sales organization by 75 percent, including field representatives and solution provider support staff.
Brindley’s appointment was described as merely the addition of another, high-ranking channel executive who will advocate inside the company for its solution provider organization. She said that her first order of business on the job will be “to listen, to understand what the priorities of our channel partners are. What can we do to get ourselves to the next level?”
Last year, Lexmark twice disappointed Wall Street with quarterly financial performance and slower-than-expected sales in some areas. However, the company also rolled out new managed service offerings and support initiatives for the channel – which were generally well-received – as well as a series of new color and MFP products.

[Author]

January 10, 2006 at 10:22 AM