Ibarguen Dropped Out Of Insight CEO Consideration Last Month

Ibarguen, who has been serving as interim CEO since September, was widely believed by many observers to be a shoo-in to take the reins of the $4.9 billion VAR. Instead, Insight appointed Ken Lamneck, Tech Data's president of the Americas, to take the reins as of Jan. 1, 2010, surprising many investors and channel watchers.

"Tony was never going to move from Philadelphia. There's not enough money in the world," said one channel executive, who asked not to be named.

Insight's board did not publicly announce Ibarguen's decision to remove himself from consideration because it did not want it to appear that whomever was eventually hired would be perceived as a second choice, according to the executive.

In addition, Insight's board did not want Ibarguen to appear to be a lame duck while the search for the permanent CEO was ongoing, according to a second executive.

"I don't believe Tony was a final candidate under any circumstances because he's not moving. I think Ken was the first choice because there was no other choice," said the first executive.

Ibarguen plans to continue as an Insight board member, according to another executive, indicating that he wasn't passed over for the CEO job, according to the second executive.