VAR 500 Company Closes Following CEO's Death

Sysix, based in Lombard, Ill., reported $100.4 million in revenue in 2008, earning the 286 slot on the VAR 500 list this summer, but its telephone number now is disconnected and its Web site is no longer working. A source close to the company confirmed that Sysix recently released all its employees and shut its doors in August.

It is not clear whether Sheaffer's death was a contributing factor to the decision to close the company.

Channelweb.com found working phone numbers for Roland Chavez, CFO and executive vice president of Sysix Technologies, and Ned Covic, president of Sysix Financial, a leasing and financing arm of Sysix Technologies, but voice-mails were not returned.

Sheaffer, 44, had more than 25 years of experience in the technology industry, working in consulting services and project management as well as sales, marketing and operations.

Sheaffer began his career at Control Data Institute and held various leadership positions in other technology firms, including PC Quote, Service Land and Micro-America. In 1991, he joined Forsythe MacArthur and founded The Systems Group, its reselling and consulting arm, the following year. The Systems Group evolved into Forsythe Solutions Group in 1995. Sheaffer served as vice president of Forsythe Solutions Group, managing multiple business units that included hardware reselling, consulting services and marketing, as well as lease portfolio management. In seven years, he built Forsythe into a $300 million business unit from scratch.

In 2001, he left Forsythe at the peak of his success to join Sysix. Early that year, he executed a management buyout of the company. Under Sheaffer, the company grew 6.4 percent between 2007 and 2008.

Sheaffer is survived by his wife, Michele, three daughters, Sarah, Amanda and Olivia, his mother Mary, two sisters and two brothers.