Mike “Sparky” Detmer, the former president of Niles Audio who earlier this year moved to New Hampshire to join Russound as VP of sales and marketing, is leaving that role to “return to a life, with [his] wife, in Florida.”
Mike “Sparky” Detmer
Detmer told Residential Systems that while he loved his time at Russound, at his age he found that spending 90 percent of his time away from his wife Leann was not how he wanted to live.
He will still be working with Russound on a consulting basis to help drive the company’s success.
Detmer was hired in May to help transform the Russound’s business, equipping it better for a new growth phase. Since that time the company has refocused its product offering, sales force effectiveness, and processes.
In a letter to Russound employees, Detmer noted that “the product line is laser-focused on the three groupings that custom integrators expect most from Russound: Sound Integration Electronics, Speakers and Connectivity and Control Solutions.”
“Our sales force is now united under one sales leader with the best field representatives, inside sales associates, and trainers in place to drive our supply chain selling process like no other,” Detmer stated. “Additionally, our business processes now have clear procedures in place for launching a stream of new products while maintaining a constant in-stock state.
Detmer said that with these areas functioning at elevated levels, his job at Russound is complete and it’s time for him to leave his full-time role.
“I do so with a heavy heart as the relationships and accomplishments I share with the dedicated Russound team are dear to me,” he wrote in his email to the company.
Detmer’s last day in the office will be Friday, November 14. After that, he will be working with Russound from his Florida home office as needed.
