For the first time in 19 years Tech Data Canada will have a new leader come this summer. This morning Rick Reid, the longtime president of Tech Data Canada announced his retirement. Reid plans to continue to work at Tech Data Canada to help with the integration of Avnet Technology Solutions through fiscal year 2018.
When Reid officially leaves Tech Data for good it will signal the end of an era for two-tier distribution in this country. Reid dedicated more than 40 years of his career to the IT industry in Canada of which nearly half of that with Mississauga, Ont.-based distributor. Prior to joining Tech Data, he served as Senior Vice President and General Manager at SHL Systemhouse, Inc., an Ottawa-based systems integrator and value-added reseller. Reid began his career in 1975 at Unisys Canada, Inc.
The University of Waterloo graduate turned the Canadian operation of Tech Data into a market leader creating and maintaining numerous, successful vendor partnerships and solution provider alliances. He was instrumental in the development of the TechSelect community.
When Reid joined Tech Data, the talk in the industry concerning distribution was that they were not innovative. Reid put an end to that talk by investing in an Advanced Technology Solution Centre, featuring network-based solutions from Cisco and others. The centre cost more than half a million dollars and helped showcase solutions targeted at the small- to mid-sized business market for the solution provider channel.
The Advanced Technology Solution Centre was a first of a kind facility for the Canadian channel community; designed to provide a hands-on, interactive resource that can simulate different business environments and demonstrate specific networking solutions and applications.
Reid did not stop there. In 2012, Reid took distribution innovation nationwide by opening a 2,500 sq. ft. integration centre in Richmond, B.C. This facility augmented the distributor’s flagship 250,000 sq. ft. integration centre in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga. Both facilities feature more than 20 vendor-certified technicians who hold over 30 industry-recognized certifications.
“Rick represented not only the best interest of Tech Data Canada, but also the channel at large. He demonstrated great leadership and was a mentor to many of us. We wish him all the best. He will be missed,” said HP Inc. Canada channel chief John Cammalleri.
Joe Quaglia, President of Tech Data Americas, said new leadership for Tech Data Canada will be announced later on this year.
Quaglia thanked Reid for his 19-years of service for the company and wished him well in his retirement.
His leadership tenure is unmatched in the Canadian IT channel community and only rivals that of Harry Zarek, founder and CEO of Top 100 Solution Provider Compugen and the recently retired Dave MacDonald of Softchoice. Reid is the only executive to be featured in every CDN Top 25 Newsmakers issue.
In retirement, Reid plans on spending more time with his wife and his six grandchildren at the family’s cottage.
Reid spent 18 years at Unisys Canada holding a number of positions leading to Vice President and General Manager of the company’s Ontario region. He then jumped from Unisys to Crowntek Business Centres, Inc., and became a reseller executive. After Crowntek was acquired by GE Capital Technology Reid joined SHL subsidiary Computer Innovations, Inc. and after close to five years there where he became the vice president and GM of the central Canadian region he left for Tech Data Canada and he’s been there ever since.
CDN also wants to wish Reid the very best in his retirement.
Here are some more stories about Rick Reid from the CDN archives. Starting first with Reid accepting CDN’s Ice Bucket Challenge
CDN takes the Ice Bucket Challenge
The Top 25 Newsmakers of 2006 Number 3: Tech Data Rick Reid
Tech Data Canada’s Rick Reid sees slowing volumes in the next quarter
Cloud computing and Shared Services top concerns for Tech Data Canada
Tech Data Canada builds bikes for local youth