Scott Maccabe, Toshiba
When Scott Maccabe was first cutting his teeth during a journey that would see him reach the upper echelons of the executive hierarchy at Toshiba America Business Solutions (TABS) and Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions (TGCS), he was challenged by a number of pivotal mentors who showed Maccabe the path toward realizing his professional potential. In doing so, these mentors also underscored the need for Maccabe to be a similar catalyst for future generations of Toshiba neophytes in need of guidance.
As he has ascended the ranks of the multiple U.S.-based Toshiba organizations, Maccabe has done just that, helping lay the groundwork as a success enabler.
“I really enjoy being a proactive mentor and investing in folks who I see have a lot of skills and potential, but maybe not yet achieving their potential,” said Maccabe, a 2018 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “In mentoring and interacting with them, I’m helping them understand what they could possibly do or how they can grow beyond where they are. That was a game changer in my own career. I had people at different companies who invested in my future. In doing so, they imparted to me the importance of paying it forward by doing the same for other people. It’s incredible to see people grow, be challenged and do something they never contemplated doing. It’s very gratifying.”
Maccabe, the president and CEO of both TABS and TGCS, has crafted an approach that invites interaction and collaboration, in stark contrast to the traditional portrayal of the ivory tower chief executive. Maccabe, as his son Michael (a major account rep for Toshiba) astutely observed, is a “man of the people.” The elder Maccabe was flattered by the description but has long followed the belief that accessibility and an open door policy are cornerstones to effective management.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re dealing with a senior executive or anyone else in our organization—you have to be approachable and genuine,” Maccabe said. “You have to care. It sounds simplistic, but that’s the crux of who I am.”
In one of his initial town hall meetings with the TGCS retail business, a former IBM company, Maccabe emphasized the notion that he didn’t have the market cornered on all the best ideas, and invited employees to reach out to him if they had any questions or suggestions. One woman actually visited Maccabe’s office afterward to see if he was in earnest. The top exec satisfied her curiosity, and subsequent town halls were highly engaging.
Maccabe has benefitted greatly from a number of mentors who aren’t bashful about shooting from the hip. Industry analyst Frank Cannata, a former Marine and longtime copier salesman who later founded The Cannata Report, has been honest and open in sharing his insights with Maccabe. The same can be said of Larry Weiss, the architect behind Atlantic, Tomorrow’s Office, who is an intense but also an astute, and supportive businessman willing to provide perspective on the machinations of the industry.
One of the biggest influencers for Maccabe is his father, the late John Maccabe, who spent 22 years in the Air Force and was a World War II fighter pilot. John Maccabe followed the “plan your work and work your plan” mantra, and also offered a humorous nugget that his son took to heart: “An ego is a funny thing. You can’t eat it, but you sure can choke on it.”
In an age where many industry-serving OEMs have dealt with significant challenges, Maccabe is proud to note that 2017 saw TABS celebrate six and a half years of consistent profitability and business growth, while TGCS emerged from the year as a profitable venture. Toshiba Corporation endured its own issues in 2015, but has righted its ship, and TABS and TGCS continue to flourish under Toshiba Tec Corporation—which has remained prosperous.
“Our focus in 2018 is to continue to show people this is who we are and we continue to remain stable, and continue to expand our business,” he said. “We’re growing our market share, which I’m very proud of, and we’re going to focus on continuing to do that. We’ll keep growing our MPS business, which has continually done well, and the same can be said for our digital signage business. We’re looking to stay the course.”
Maccabe also notes that Toshiba is expanding its investment strategy to include M&A as a growth vehicle while focusing on enhancing its core competencies as opposed to shifting into offerings such as managed IT. “We want to refine what our core competencies have been,” he added.
Scott and Barb Maccabe have been married for 33 years and have two sons, Mike and Colin. Mike has worked in sales at TABS for the past year and a half while Colin is pursuing his master’s degree. The Maccabes enjoy traveling abroad and share a love for history and culture. Maccabe is an avowed car enthusiast who has completely restored a 1966 Chevy Corvette Stingray with matching numbers that he shows. He loves to attend car rallies and shows and meet other enthusiasts.
