Exemplary Dedication and Support Are Recognized
Van Nuys, Calif. — September 7, 2007 — AVAD, LLC, America’s leading distributor of custom home electronics products, named Blake Richetta from Lutron Electronics as Vendor Representative of the Year. The announcement was made at AVAD’s Annual Vendor Party on September 6 during the 2007 CEDIA EXPO in Denver, Colorado. Richetta is Lutron’s home theater distributor sales channel supervisor — US and Canada and is now also the first-ever recipient of AVAD’s prestigious Vendor Representative of the Year Award.
“Blake Richetta has worked tirelessly every day to ensure the continued success between AVAD and Lutron,” said Bob Gartland, president of AVAD. “No one has been more dedicated to AVAD’s success over the past year. He is the Gold Standard for a vendor sales person. I want to thank him personally and on behalf of AVAD for his hard work. This is the first time we have ever presented a Vendor Representative of the Year award, and Blake really deserves this honor.”
“This is the biggest honor I have ever received,” said Richetta. “It was incredible to be recognized by AVAD in this way, and Bob Gartland’s surprise speech at the reception was very special.”
At the reception, Gartland honored Richetta with a surprise speech to announce the award. In his speech, Gartland complimented Richetta by saying that he has been the most supportive AVAD vendor of all time. He noted Richetta’s dedication to training, his help with lighting control systems and his enthusiasm for innovative programs. Gartland presented Richetta with a custom made, engraved electric guitar as part of his award.
In Brief: Release Summary
• AVAD names Blake Richetta from Lutron first-ever Vendor Representative of the Year.
• The announcement was made at AVAD’s Annual Vendor Party on September 6 during the 2007 CEDIA EXPO in Denver, Colorado.
• Bob Gartland, president of AVAD, complimented Richetta as being the most supportive AVAD vendor of all time.
About AVAD, LLC
AVAD, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ingram Micro, Inc., is the most complete home integration solutions provider in the United States. Its in-depth technology offering of the most trusted names and progressive continuing education programs provide all the support necessary to design and implement complete home solutions. AVAD stocks products for home theater, lighting controls, distributed audio/video, central vacuum, and more for just-in-time delivery from each of its 37+ locations nationwide and in Canada. With complete technical training and certification for industry hallmarks like CEDIA’s Installer Level I and Level II Certification, AVAD is unparalleled in its commitment to expanding dealers’ bottom line.
AVAD exemplifies this concept with the Dealer to Builder (D2B) program, which links members of its 10,000+ dealer corps with homebuilders across the United States to outfit new homes with in-demand, cutting-edge electronic systems.
AVAD is dedicated to dealer education, training and skill advancement, as evident by AVAD University’s over 450 online and classroom continuing education classes held each year.
Product lines that AVAD distributes and supports include: Acme Brackets, APC, Aprilaire, Artison, Atlantic Technology, Belden, Bose, Carlon, ChannelPlus, Coleman Cable, H-P Products/Dirt Devil, Central Vacuum Systems, D-Link, Draper, Encore!, Fujitsu, Gefen, Goo Systems, Harman Kardon, InFocus ScreenPlay, iPort, JVC Professional Products Company, Key Digital, Lutron, Marantz, Midlite, Middle Atlantic Products, Inc., NetStreams, Niles Audio, Niveus Media, OmniMount, OnQ Technologies, OpenHouse, Optoma, Panamax, Panasonic Phones, Peerless, Philips, Polk Audio, PROconnect, ProFlex, Rockustics, RTI, Samsung, Sharp, SharpVision, Spaun USA, Terk, Toshiba, Universal Electronics, Universal Remote Control and more.
In July 2005, AVAD was acquired by Ingram Micro, Inc., making its parent company the leading distributor for solution providers and custom integrators serving the fast-growing consumer electronics and home automation markets in the United States.
For more information about AVAD and its services, visit its website at www.avad.com.
