Tony Bazan, CEO of Online Tech Stores
Online Tech Stores (OTS), a distributor of aftermarket imaging supplies, including laser printer toner cartridges, ink cartridges, toner, copier toner, ribbon and thermal fax consumables, announced the appointment of e-commerce veteran Tony Bazan as Chief Executive Officer.
Founded in 2009 and representing over 100 years of combined management industry experience, Reno, Nevada-based OTS is one of the largest importer of toner products in the United States.
Bazan succeeds Dave Mathews, who has left the company for personal reasons.
Bazan, who has developed and executed strategic plans at several companies that have supercharged sales through e-commerce growth, brings this expertise and industry experience to OTS. Bazan will also maintain oversight for all aspects of OTS’s two business units, SuppliesOutlet.com (SO) and SuppliesWholesalers (SW).
“Tony brings a wealth of experience to the business, including having previously worked in the industry with Nu-kote, one of the world’s leading suppliers of imaging products,” Martin Stein, Managing Director of Blackford Capital and Chairman of the Board for OTS said. “Blackford Capital has had a lot of success in the aftermarket imaging supplies space, and we have a great amount of faith in what OTS and its employees are capable of achieving.”
Bazan has driven growth through strategic e-commerce, traditional sales, marketing, channel management plans at companies like TM International, where he grew revenue 36% and boosted earnings by 25% in three years. MegaBrands, where he led a restructuring plan that drove growth by $200 million (€169 million) and helped company’s share price rise from 47 cents (€39 cents) per share to $9.75 (€8.22) per share; and Picketts Health, where he grew revenue by $41 million (€35 million) over four years with $7 million (€5.9 million) in earnings.
“I have led many organisations through restructuring and periods of expansion and growth. There are enormous opportunities to achieve a similar trajectory at OTS,” Bazan said. “I am looking forward to working with the entire team at OTS and with the Board of Directors at Blackford Capital as we develop and execute a new strategic plan with the goal of delivering value to all of our stakeholders. The extensive knowledge I gained from my time at Nu-kote and other companies allows me to bring a level of insight to OTS that it has been lacking.”
Blackford Capital said it selected Bazan after an extensive search for the right leader.
“It is our priority alongside Tony to ensure that our customers and employees have the most positive experience possible,” Stein said. “We are continuing our goal of becoming the largest supplier of new build compatible imaging products in North America. With the knowledge that the nation has begun to rebound post-COVID, we look to make a series of exciting announcements for Online Tech Stores.”
Blackford Capital operating partner Rob Leonard, a well-known business veteran in the imaging supplies industry, who helped Nu-kote execute several acquisitions and eventually go public in 1999, said, “After meeting with Tony, it became clear to us that he brings a unique blend of decisive and disciplined leadership skills and operational talent to OTS. We are confident that the company has a bright future with Tony leading the way.”
