Exertis Almo executive vice president and COO Sam Taylor is set to retire later this year, and the company has named Dan Smith as his successor. Smith will assume the position on Jan. 17. Taylor will remain involved in the business and lead the transition until his official retirement in June.
“Sam has made a tremendous impact on the Pro AV industry as a well-respected distribution expert who has brought immeasurable opportunities to his staff, vendor partners and the reseller/integrator community,” said Warren Chaiken, president and CEO of Almo Corporation. “In 2009, Sam was instrumental in the formation of Almo Pro A/V, which quickly grew to become the largest Pro AV distributor, then following Exertis’ 2021 acquisition of Almo Corporation, Sam successfully led the integration of two major Pro AV businesses to become Exertis Almo.”
“After more than 35 years in the Pro AV industry, I have had the opportunity to experience more than I could’ve ever imagined, with the ultimate goal of growing the essential role of distribution," said Taylor. "I am now looking forward to spending time giving back both inside and out of the Pro AV industry.”
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Smith is an industry veteran with more than 30 years of AV experience in roles that have encompassed the manufacturing, distribution, and systems integration sides of the industry. He’s held positions in sales, product management, product marketing, supply chain procurement, and business process improvement at companies including Magenta Research, Samsung, Tech Data, and Inacom Corporation. Most recently, Smith spent nearly 13 years as U.S. vice president of sales, IT and commercial large format displays, at LG.
“I am both humbled and honored to step into the role of EVP/COO for Exertis Almo,” said Smith. “I have nothing but the utmost respect for Sam, and look forward to working with him to ensure that our staff and our channel relationships continue to thrive.”
“Dan Smith is the ideal successor for EVP/COO at Exertis Almo having served in leadership positions for manufacturer, distributor, and integrator companies, which gives him a diverse perspective," Taylor added. "We will work together through the transition to ensure that business remains as per usual, and that growth continues for our employees and partners.”
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Taylor has been in charge of more than 250 employees, with annual revenues of approximately $1 billion. Prior to Exertis Almo, Taylor served as executive vice president and COO of Almo Professional A/V, which was formed in 2009. Previously, he was president of Electrograph Systems and has held various other sales, engineering, technical, and management positions in the Pro AV industry. Taylor is a pioneer of the “value added” distribution model, having built the first AVIXA-trained outbound distribution sales team, the first business development management team for technical and expert support, as well as the first set of AV managed services to create a path for resellers to expand their reach and earn recurring revenue.
