Changes Afoot At GE Access And Beyond

As part of an ongoing evolution within the broader GE company, GE Access, the nation's largest distributor of Sun server products, is getting an overhaul. For example, its top executive, John Paget, has moved upstairs. He is now senior vice president and general manager of a business unit called GE Technology Financial Services (TFS), which includes GE Access, Sun Microsystems Finance, GE Refurbishment Services and technology-related portions of Commercial Distribution Finance and Trade Payables.

Stepping in to run GE Access day-to-day and serve as general manager of the business unit will be Anna McDermott, executive vice president at the company. McDermott has managed the company's relationship with Sun and has a complete grasp of GE Access business, Paget says. Although the distributor's charter is not expected to change -- Paget says it will continue to focus on the Unix market place -- expect some changes.

Already, the organization has moved quickly to offer new benefits to partners. For example, on April 1, the company unveiled extended, 90-day interest-free financing on security products from Check Point, Internet Security Systems (ISS), Nokia and RSA Security. The idea, of course, is to help VAR customers offer better terms to their customers who eagerly want to invest in security solutions.

As for Paget, he'll devote a sizable portion of his time focusing on financing issues for GE. GE TFS' charter is to provide a bevy of financing options for partners, including those who source equipment from a distributor other than GE Access.

Although the unit will have minimal overhead, it has broad goals, Paget says. Among other things, he'd like TFS to examine new ways to help distributors bring leasing solutions to their customers. He'll also look at ways to assist manufacturers, including those that do not necessarily sell through GE Access, with financing options, as well. One thing it won't do, however, is sell remanufactured Sun equipment on the retail market.

Some partners have been confused as to whether GE Refurbished Computer Systems would offer such equipment after receiving an e-mail soliciting them to purchase refurbished Sun equipment from the GE unit. When he caught wind of that, Paget stepped in and put an end to the idea. He even went so far as to send out an e-mail himself to solution providers informing them that the one sent by GE Refurbished Computer Systems was an error.

Satisfied that's now behind them, GE TFS, along with Sun, has moved on to explore new financing options.

"With GE's AAA credit rating, we believe we bring unique advantages to the marketplace," he says. "It will take some careful execution on our part because we will wind up, in certain cases, working with companies that compete in some sense with GE Access. But the opportunities around integrated offerings are very compelling to the market."