Curran Leaves Tech Data

"I got to the point where I wanted a new set of challenges," said Curran, who resigned from Tech Data this week. "I'm looking for something new."

Curran--who helped build Tech Data's emerging technologies strategic business units, VAR business and TechSelect group of SMB solution providers--said he hopes to land a job at a wireless vendor within the next few months. He and Tech Data executives said he left the distributor to spend more time with his family and to seek out new business opportunities. Curran said he realized it was time to take some time off after he missed his son place fourth in the Laser radial class world championship sailboat races recently held in Canada.

"I couldn't make it, so I was thinking, these are precious years and I hope to be taking part in more things like that," said Curran, who doesn't sail but is happy to drive his son to the races. Curran also has a 13-year-old daughter and lives with his family in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Terry Bazzone, a Tech Data veteran and former vice president and general manager of Tech Data Enterprise, will assume Curran's role immediately. Tech Data will conduct a search for Bazzone's replacement, said Nestor Cano, Tech Data's president of worldwide operations, in a companywide e-mail.

The distributor will use Bazzone's enterprise experience to boost sales in that area, Curran said. Despite the soft enterprise market, he believes there are still some sweet spots.

"The enterprise market for desktop hardware is stagnant, but the market is there for new technologies like wireless and security," Curran said, adding that Bazzone at the same time intends to maintain a strong focus on the SMB market. "New technologies still pose significant growth potential in the enterprise."

If Curran ends up at a vendor, he promised to carry the channel religion with him. Despite manufacturers' direct-sales efforts over the past five years, he still believes the solution provider channel is the most efficient and effective way to move technology into the corporate market. "The link between the vendor, the distributor, the reseller and customer is still absolutely critical to serving the IT market," he said.

Several solution providers said that wherever Curran winds up, he will be missed in the world of two-tier distribution. "I think it's a huge loss for Tech Data," said one industry executive. "Tim was a natural leader and a charismatic guy. I'd work for him anywhere, I don't care what the hours are."