CEO Jeff Gau has officially announced his retirement from Marco, the company he helped build into the preeminent empire among office technology dealerships across the United States. Gau, 62, will take on the role of non-executive board chairman when his term ends March 31. Doug Albregts, who was hired in October of 2019, will become CEO.
Gau, an Air Force veteran, joined the St. Cloud, Minnesota-based dealership in a sales role in 1984. For the next 20 years, he climbed through the organization in a managerial capacity before being named president at the beginning of 2004. Two years later, he was elevated to CEO.
According to Gau, his transition planning began back in 2017. When Albregts was brought on board in 2019, the company appeared to have secured his heir apparent. Albregts’ strong performance during the past 18 months, mirrored by the company itself, confirmed to Gau that the time was right to pass the torch.
Albregts, 53, is certainly no newcomer to the space, having served as the president and CEO of Sharp Electronics and Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. Previously, he had industry stints with Samsung Electronics America and NEC Display Solutions. Prior to joining Marco, Albregts served as Group CEO for Scientific Games.
“Doug’s the right guy with his experience in publicly-traded companies, private equity-owned firms, global entities and foreign-owned businesses,” Gau told ENX Magazine. “He’s got a good run ahead of him—age and energy are in his favor, and the team has really pulled together well.
“I’ve known Doug for a long time and he’s absolutely the right leader at the right time for Marco. He brings a valuable perspective from his prior roles and already has helped make us a better company. I am looking forward to how Marco will thrive under his leadership.”
Gau’s track record at Marco is one marked by massive and consistent growth, buoyed by acquisitions as well as organic expansion. He took the helm when Marco was a mid-sized company struggling with growth and profitability. Under his guidance, the dealership notched double-digit annual growth. The firm has added more than 1,000 employees during that time and expanded to 54 locations, spanning from the Dakotas to the East Coast. At $408 million, Marco is the largest dealership in the country.
Scott Roeder, Marco’s vice president of operations and one of Gau’s best friends, also announced his retirement on Monday. With a number of key executives in their 30s, 40s and 50s, Gau believes Marco is set for the long haul.
“I think it’s important for every company to not let themselves lose their contemporary edge and the enthusiasm they had when they were starting and running the business,” Gau remarked. “Dealers really need to bring in people that are looking forward to a career and looking forward to growing the business. That’s the kind of feel we have now, and it was the kind we had that brought us to where we’re at now. It really worked well.”
Next week: Jeff Gau reflects on his career and what lies ahead for him.
