Mark Mathews
Why any of us are surprised anymore with the annual personnel changes in the office technology space is beyond me, but the e-mail that press and analysts received on May 1 from Toshiba President & CEO Mark Mathews stating that he was leaving Toshiba on May 3 after 20 years with the company was a big surprise.
In the e-mail he noted that “After lengthy discussions with my family and for a wide variety of reasons, personal and professional, we feel now is the appropriate time to transition to the next chapter in our lives. I leave TABS knowing the organization is in solid shape and on a trajectory of continued success.”
I spoke with Mark on Thursday afternoon May 2 and he offered some additional insights into his departure although most underscored his e-mail.
“I don’t know exactly what I’ll do, but I’m not going to show up at a competitor or open up a dealership,” he said while adding that this was a personal and family decision.
Mark underscored his e-mail comments that he will remain in Orange County, primarily for family reasons, which pretty much precludes other options on the OEM side of the business since those companies are concentrated on the East Coast.
In his e-mail, Mark outlined a number of accomplishments and current initiatives that any CEO would be proud to leave as a legacy:
- TABS finished FY12 with revenue growth and increased profitability.
- TABS’ dealer sales finished FY12 up dramatically versus the previous year.
- This summer TABS will launch a new generation of A4, high-speed color, and digital signage products.
- FY12 marks another year of double-digit growth in TABS’ MPS and professional services businesses. The company’s investment in MPS continues with the next generation of Encompass launching the first half of the year. TABS is also embarking on a major initiative to enhance its MPS back office.
- TABS has been acknowledged as the BTA “Manufacturer of the Year” and with MRC’s “First in Class” award.
Besides those recent accomplishments and initiatives, I asked Mark about the accomplishments he was most proud of over the course of his 20-year career at Toshiba, going back to the days when he was a product manager. One of those was being closely involved in the transition from analog to digital. “That was a 10-year transition,” recalled Mark.
He’s also proud of the company’s transition to color and the growth of the Toshiba Business Solutions (TBS) channel, which came about mostly through acquisition as well as the team that is now in place to carry on the many initiatives that began under his helm.
It’s a bittersweet decision and he acknowledges that he’s going to miss his co-workers as well as the many dealers in the Toshiba dealer network that he worked so closely with over the years. As one might expect since the announcement of his departure he’s been receiving volumes of e-mails and phone calls wishing him well.
Taking over for Mark as interim CEO until a permanent CEO is named is Noboru Sawada.
In the meantime, Mark plans on taking a much needed break and spending more time with his family while emphasizing that this is not a retirement.
Personally, Mark was a terrific source for me during his tenure at TABS going back to his time as a product manager. He was one of the most personable and accommodating executives in the industry and it was always a pleasure to speak with him. His candor and insights will be missed…for now…however, I look forward to reconnecting with Mark should he decide to return to the industry. I wish him luck, whatever direction he takes.
