Consumer >> CEO Interviews >> January 18, 1999
JAMES E. ILLSON, President and Chief Operating Officer oversees all of
Merisel's day'to'day operations. He is responsible for the U.S., Canadian
and MOCA businesses, as well as operations and distribution. He oversees
the development and implementation of strategies to drive sales and
profitability, increase customer satisfaction, maintain control of
operating expenses and advance Merisel's competitive position in the
industry. In addition, he is responsible for driving the company's
initiatives in areas such as channel assembly and electronic commerce.
Mr. Illson is highly respected within the business community, having
earned significant recognition for his role in Merisel's 1997 debt
restructuring and contributions to the company's turnaround and positive
momentum. He brought over 17 years of experience to Merisel when he
joined the company in August 1996 as Senior Vice President of Finance and
CFO. In this role, he was charged with overseeing Merisel's finance
organization and driving the company's financial turnaround. He is
credited for his hands-on, cross-functional leadership style, which
resulted in the enhancement of operational efficiency and productivity in
numerous areas of the company. In early 1998, he was promoted to
Executive Vice President of Operations and Finance. In August 1998, Mr.
Illson was appointed President and Chief Operating Officer in recognition
of his outstanding contributions to the company. Prior to joining Merisel
in August 1996, Mr. Illson served as Senior Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer for Bristol Farms, a closely held Southern California
grocery company. He was responsible for managing all financial
operations, which included implementing business plans, overseeing
reporting and control systems, and developing short-and long-term capital
strategies. In addition, Mr. Illson was instrumental in the design and
implementation of initiatives resulting in significant annual cost
savings. Prior to joining Bristol Farms, Mr. Illson served as a partner
at Kidd, Kamm & Company, a privately held investment firm, where he was
responsible for activities relating to the acquisition and expansion of
portfolio companies. Mr. Illson's experience also includes 13 years with
Deloitte & Touche, where he was a partner in Deloitte's Reorganization
Advisory Services Group and actively involved in both operational and
financial efforts to return companies to profitability. Mr. Illson
graduated from Drexel University in Philadelphia with a Bachelor of
Science degree in Business Administration. He earned his Master's degree
in Management from Purdue University. Profile
services, customers, those kinds of things?
Mr. Illson: Merisel is a $4.5 billion distributor of computer
