McIntosh VP of sales and marketing Linda Passaro has abruptly left the company after 17 months.
Linda Passaro has left McIntosh after 17 months as VP of sales and marketing.
In a letter from Charlie Randall, McIntosh president, to dealers and reps obtained by the Stratecon Group, Randall said Passaro was leaving “to pursue other career opportunities.”
Randall commented that there will be no change in direction at McIntosh, including its initiative to introduce the brand to consumers unfamiliar with it or unfamiliar with quality audio systems.
Passaro came to McIntosh without any audio industry experience but with a thick resume of sales and marketing for various luxury brands, including De Beers, Montblanc, Baume and Mercier, and Longines. Randall expects to fill the position with another person experienced in marketing luxury brands.
In the letter, Randall went on to list Passaro’s contributions during her short tenure “upgrading the sales and marketing team, improving our advertising quality, dealer and customer communication effectiveness and reinforcing our brand positioning as the leading audio brand in the luxury lifestyle marketing space.”
Passaro oversaw the luxury audio brand’s elimination of 10 of 18 independent rep companies in lieu of an expanded in-house sales team.
Existing sales and marketing staff will report to Randall for the interim. “Her exit will not affect our commitment to continuing to provide our dealer and customer network with the highest levels of customer service and in striving to improve the trust we have earned with you over many years,” Randall stated.
Passaro is the sixth recent high-profile exit from parent group D&M Holdings.
Joseph Palenchar of TWICE contributed reporting.
