American distributor Stampede opens a UK office, headed by Stampede founder and CEO Mark Wilkins.
Before founding Stampede nearly 20 years ago, Wilkins served as the Managing Director of UK-based Maverick Presentation Products, Ltd. In 1997, Wilkins saw the opportunity to bring the Maverick business model to the United States and he formed Stampede, which is today the oldest and largest value-added distributor of pro AV solutions in No. America, serving customers throughout the United States, Canada, and Latin America.
“Thus, in a very literal way, this new expansion by Stampede marks my return home. I’m looking forward to making the third act of my career the biggest and best yet for our partners in the region.”
Stampede is highlighting growth opportunities available from the increased use of drone video systems (DVS) and other Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and has hosted the Drone Arena at InfoComm. It will continue to promote these opportunities when it hosts a Drone Arena at the ISE show.
Wilkins said: “The adoption rate of drone technology and the regulatory environment in the UK and western Europe is very different than in the United States. And, as a result, the emerging vertical market business opportunities are an order of magnitude greater here. Our pioneering leadership of this category, our established vendor relationships, and our strategic alliance with Unmanned Vehicle University combines to present us with an extraordinary opportunity to meet UK and European reseller and customer DVS needs better than any other distributor.”
Stampede president and COO Kevin Kelly added that while drones and DVS solutions are the driver of the expansion, the company’s goal is to replicate Stampede’s entire business culture and philosophy in the region.
“We intend to be for UK and western European resellers and customers what we are now for resellers and customers throughout the Americas — a single, one-stop source of smart, profitable high value added pro AV and IT integration solutions that exceed customer expectations in ways that generate long-term repeat business for our partners,” he said.
“We are open for business in Europe,” Kelly stressed, “and we are looking for experienced sales professionals who share our values to join our team and we are actively recruiting manufacturers in the region for our manufacturer portfolio. If you want to always stay ahead of the herd in offering the market fresh new thinking, new technologies, new revenue generating business opportunities, we want to meet with you.”
Well, that invite should cause a real “stampede.”
Go Stampede