Thursday, June 18, 2015

Jim Estill Appointed as President and CEO of Danby

The big news for me is being appointed as the CEO of Danby.  I have been on the board for a few years so have high level familiarity with the company.  Now I need to get into the low level details.

Danby is a manufacturer of microwaves, compact refrigerators, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, freezers, ranges, washers and other small appliances.

From a recent Danby job posting:

Danby is a proudly Canadian company with a rich history spanning over 65 years.  We are currently a leader in the appliance market, producing innovative, quality products at competitive pricing.  Our products are marketed under seven brand names: Danby®, Danby Designer®, Danby Diplomat®, Danby Premiere®, Simplicity®, Arcticaire®, and Silhouette®, as well as some private brands like Sunbeam for major retail stores.


Danby’s goal of being the largest compact and specialty appliance company in North America is already being realized. Our strong leadership, creativity and innovation provide us with the tools to ensure future growth for many years to come.

This is not exactly what I did while I was with SYNNEX but there are many similarities - they both sell to large retailers like Walmart, Staples, Costco etc. as well as a large number of independent retailers.

Danby head office is in Guelph and has locations in Ohio and Massachusetts in the US as well as a location in China.

Danby is small enough that I feel I can make a difference and large enough that a small difference can be meaningful.  I like businesses that sell hundreds of millions.

Will be a fun and challenging gig.

My first 90 day plan is listen and learn as well as cement customer relations.  Of course nothing is that clear cut and I am impatient so will begin "doing" some things also.

My SEO/writing business - DDE Media will continue but will now be run by Paul, Lyle and Andrew.  The team of 14 people there are highly competent and able to continue that business well.

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And unrelated, I was interested to see the benefits of weightlifting even light weights as long as you lift to failure.  Now as a time management person, not sure I think it as efficient.  But as someone who has occasionally injured myself, I see the value/safety of more reps of lighter weights.