APC Channel Chief Leaves For MSP Player SilverBack

APC this week confirmed the departure of Peter Klanian, its director of North American channels. Klanian, who had been at APC for 12 years and was selected by VARBusiness as a "Channel Executive To Watch" this year, left the West Kingston, R.I., company to take over channel duties at SilverBack Technologies in Billerica, Mass., according to officials. Klanian officially left the company in March.

At APC, Klanian's position is being taken over, in part, by channel veteran Rob McKernan, who had previously led APC's reseller programs before leaving the company in 2004 to become director of U.S. channnel sales for Oki Data Americas.

Officials at Oki Data indicated that since McKernan's recent departure, the vendor's channel initiatives were being led by Chris Froman, senior vice president of U.S. sales, and McKernan's boss, Greg Van Acker, vice president of U.S. channel sales.

The moves come while most eyes at the power protection vendor have been on the corner office. APC last month announced that long-time president and CEO Rodger Dowdell was stepping down. Dowdell, who led the company for 21 years, has been replaced by APC vice president Rob Johnson, who is now serving as interim CEO. APC's board has formed a search committee to find a permanent replacement for Dowdell, company officials said.

Insiders have pointed to the company's recent poor performance and withering stock price as probable factors in the changes, including Dowdell's "retirement."

APC's second-quarter earnings, announced last month, fell some 40 percent from the previous year, marking the third straight quarter of losses. The company's stock is down more than 23 percent this year as well, and APC this summer was forced to lay off 250 employees at its Galway, Ireland, facility and 66 workers at its Rhode Island headquarters.

Also last week, APC named its Americas vice president Dave Johnson (no relation to interim CEO Rob) to the newly created role of vice president of worldwide sales, marketing and service. In this role, Johnson will lead regional and global teams responsible for sales, marketing and service delivery.

Dave Johnson has been with APC for more than 10 years, and in his previous post was responsible for $1 billion in revenue annually. In former positions, he served as general manager for APC Rack Systems, according to the company.

Editors note: The story has been updated to clarify when Peter Klanian departed APC