Acumen Management Group, Ltd. to Address Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference, Minneapolis, MN

Acumen Management Voted #1 Third-Party Service Provider by Tech Data’s TechSelect Conference Attendees

Cisco Systems Selects Acumen Management Group Ltd. to Enhance Channel-Partner Performance & Loyalty

Acumen Management Group Principal Thoresen to Design and Deliver Sales Management Webinars for Microsoft Sponsored Program

Acumen Management Group, Ltd. Fact Sheet

Acumen Management Group, Ltd. to Address
Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference, Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis, Minn., May 3rd, 2005—Ken Thoreson, founder and principal of The Acumen Management Group, Ltd. – an international sales management consulting firm – will share his 20-plus years of sales leadership and management experience at Microsoft’s World Wide Partner Conference to be held in Minneapolis July 8-12th. This will be the 6th year in a row that Acumen has presented at this Microsoft Worldwide Conference. This conference brings together technology partners and vendors from throughout the World to learn, share, coordinate, their business and technology sales and delivery capabilities. Acumen’s team will host four breakout sessions for participating Partners: topics to be covered include both business management as well as sales management concepts: “Learning to Partner, Leveraging Your Organization for Growth; Take Advantage of the Vertical Market Opportunity”; “Break Out and Grow, Build a Sustaining Business Model”;" Revenue is Good, Profit is Great, Value is Even Better!

These programs offer techniques for improving channel Partner revenue generation, profit management, Go To Market concepts, more accurate sales forecasting, aligning sales compensation plans to corporate goals, successful sales personnel recruitment and training programs and business management strategy and execution. In addition Acumen will introduce their financial analysis for sales organizations.

Prior to founding the Acumen Management Group, Ltd., he led development stage, entrepreneurial and $100-million-dollar national vertical software sales organization as the Vice President of Sales. A popular speaker and editorial contributor, Thoreson has had articles published in DestinationCRM.org, Personal Selling Power, Reseller Management, Business Products Professional, Dental Practice Success, Minnesota Technology, Minnesota Business & Opportunities, SmartReseller, and VARBusiness.

He has been a featured speaker at Worldwide Partner Conferences for; Microsoft, Cisco Systems, TechData, CA, SolidWorks, and at Ingram Micro VTN Conference, Arrow Electronics May Days, Sales and Marketing Executives International Conference (SMEI), CMP/VARBusiness XChange Conferences, Gartner IT Vision events Meetings, Minnesota High Tech Association Sales and Marketing Roundtables, and Tennessee Technology Association Conferences.

Most recently, Thoreson has launched a web-based sales-management tool, Interactive Sales ManagerTM, which fills the business planning and account strategy and tactical planning gaps left by traditional CRM/SFA software and Acumen has introduced a 5 set, 5-hour CD series titled: “The Business of Strategic Sales Management”. He founded the Sales Management Board of Advisors, led development stage, entrepreneurial and $120 million national, vertical software sales organization as the Vice President of Sales prior to founding the Acumen Management Group, Ltd.

MINNEAPOLIS, March 31, 2004- Acumen Management Group, Ltd. – an international sales management consulting firm with offices in Minneapolis, Minn., Knoxville, Tenn. and Toronto, Canada – was voted top third-party service provider by Tech Data’s TechSelect Conference attendees earlier this month in San Diego.

“In recognition of Acumen’s exceptional business-building concepts, TechSelect members voted the firm the conference’s top presenter,” said Annette Taber, director of sales for TechSelect. “TechSelect members found Acumen’s ideas, especially on recruitment, compensation and how to differentiate themselves, extremely helpful and relevant to their own business models.”

TechSelect members recognize a top presenter at each of its events, and Acumen was chosen from a prestigious group of participants during the March 17-20 conference. Acumen earned high praise for its keynote, "Sales Driven, Performance Measured." Acumen’s opening message focused on the need to design strategic objectives and measure the effectiveness of sales-management, sales and marketing efforts. In addition, Acumen’s Partner team presented workshops on “Developing Compensations that Work!”, “Building Sales Recruiting Systems for Top Performers and “Building a Value Proposition to Win!!! “ Additional breakout sessions focused on how TechSelect Members can effectively move into selected vertical markets in healthcare, professional services, and financial using the firm’s Marketing Planning Analysis Tool.

Ken Thoreson, Acumen president, said, “Tech Data is making a long-term commitment to help TechSelect members improve performance, profitability and potential through Acumen's expertise in building technology-based Partner organizations. We are looking forward to sharing our sales-management thought leadership with Tech Data and their TechSelect Members.”

Launched in 1999, Tech Data's TechSelect program is a membership-based alliance of value-added resellers (VAR's) focused on the small-to-mid-size business market. The program, which is supported by a dedicated business unit, provides additional services and outsourcing support to VAR's looking to broaden their U.S. market coverage while reducing costs and enhancing their business management and technology expertise. Members of the network form alliances with other technology resellers across the United States and receive access to certification and training programs, special credit options, and other incentives. For more information on TechSelect, visit www.mytechselect.com.

About Tech Data Corporation
Tech Data Corporation (NASDAQ/NMS: TECD), founded in 1974, is a leading global provider of IT products, logistics management and other value-added services. Ranked 111th on the Fortune 500, the company and its subsidiaries serve more than 100,000 technology resellers in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East. Tech Data’s extensive service offering includes technical support, financing options and custom configuration as well as a full range of electronic commerce solutions. The company generated sales of $17.4 billion for its most recent fiscal year, which ended January 31, 2004.

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Minneapolis, September 2, 2003—Acumen Management Group, Ltd. – an international sales management consulting firm with offices in Minneapolis, Knoxville, Tenn. and Toronto – announced today that it is providing sales management resources to Cisco Systems’ channel partners through their partner portal, which serves as a learning facility and knowledge base. The portal is offering Acumen’s Sales Manager’s Tool Kit, which is part of Acumen’s sales management planning system, Interactive Sales ManagerTM. In addition, to enhance partners’ sales-management learning process, Cisco will offer five online webinars facilitated by Acumen, including: Understanding the Role of Sales Management and Leadership, Building Sales Compensation Programs that Work, Building a High Performance Sales Recruiting Program, Creating Sales Management and Coaching Systems to Build Predicable Revenues, Build Predictable Revenues, and Building a Value Proposition to Win.

Webinar topics are also available through Acumen in a five-hour five-CD series titled “The Business of Strategic Sales Management.”

Mark J. Evans Vice President of Sales for Computer Solutions, a Cisco Partner, explained his enthusiasm for the new programs. “;Cisco has demonstrated its commitment to Partner development by licensing Acumen's programs. We have participated in Acumen's workshops and utilized their sales management systems during the past year. I am impressed with their expertise and “real world” approach to improving Partner organizations.”

Thoreson praised Cisco for their foresight in providing channel partners with sales management solutions. “We’re excited to assist Cisco in enhancing their channel strategy programs by offering this approach to build stronger partner loyalty and added-value programming. Today’s reluctant economy requires a strong tactical focus to accelerate revenues vs. marketing programs that temporarily inflate activity. Inability to build predictable revenue, to hire the right personnel, and to build strong sales teams limits the growth of most companies.”

Thoreson, a sales management thought leader, is a popular speaker and editorial contributor, having published in Selling Power, VARBusiness, Reseller Management, Business Products Professional, Dental Practice Success, SmartReseller, and numerous industry newsletters. He has presented at Sales and Marketing Executives International Conference (SMEI), Microsoft International Partner Programs (Fusion), Ingram Micro VTN Conference, Arrow Electronics Support-Net Conference, regional solution partners meetings, and many state technology association meetings.

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Acumen Management Group Principal Thoreson to Design and Deliver Program

Minneapolis, July 10, 2001—Ken Thoreson, founder and principal of The Acumen Management Group, Ltd. – an international sales management consulting firm with offices in Minneapolis, Minn., Knoxville, Tenn. and Toronto, Ontario – announced today that Microsoft has engaged him to share his 20-plus years of sales leadership and management experience in a series of webinars and on-site regional workshops for the company’s US Certified Partners. Designed to enhance the success of Microsoft’s US Certified Partner Program in the wake of a maturing technology market, the program focuses on a sales/marketing management methodology laden with successful techniques that may be easily implemented. Topics include: Building a Successful Recruiting Program, Building Successful Sales Compensation Plans, Building Predicable Revenues, Creating a LOB Sales/Marketing Programs, Building Sales Management Systems, Learning to Coach, Mentor and Manage Sales Teams.

According to Christina Hart, Microsoft Manager for U.S. Gold and Certified Partners, "Sales management is critical in developing channel partners who consistently build sustainable revenues under a variety of market conditions. Over the past five years, we have been impressed with how quickly Mr. Thoreson’s real-world techniques have generated positive results for the channel partners with whom he has worked. We have received outstanding response to his messages, which he has presented at our last three International Fusion conferences.”

The sales management thought leader is a popular speaker and editorial contributor, having published in Personal Selling Power, Reseller Management, Business Products Professional, Dental Practice Success, SmartReseller, VARBusiness, and various industry newsletters. He has presented at Sales and Marketing Executives International Conference (SMEI), Microsoft Solution Partners Meetings, and several state technology association meetings.

Thoreson praises Microsoft for their foresight in providing its partners sales management solutions that build predictable revenue instead of limiting their focus strictly on marketing programs that temporarily inflate activity. “The economy is now forcing most organizations – both Certified Partners and most distribution organizations – out of their demand-driven business environment into a more strategic and tactical one. The focus must be on what tends to be the "weakest link" in most partner organizations, sales management. The inability to build predictable revenue, to hire the right personnel, and to build strong sales teams limit the growth of most companies. Successful sales management is the critical element in accelerating revenues today. Sales must drive revenues and profits and focus on less opportunistic actions, planning and execution. Some master distribution organizations have focused on sales training, but without the right people, and the right sales management strategies and tactics, sales training is a short term fix.”

About Acumen Management Group, Ltd
Minneapolis, Minn.-based Acumen Management Group, Ltd. is a sales management consulting firm focused on building successful companies through tactical execution and accelerating revenue through strategic sales management. Through additional offices in Toronto and Knoxville, Tenn., Acumen also offers sales management software applications, speaking services, a sales management mentoring network, and sales certification programs.

Most recently, Acumen launched a web-based sales-management tool, Interactive Sales Manager™, which fills the business planning, account strategy and tactical-planning gaps left by traditional CRM/SFA software. He also introduced a five-CD, series, “The Business of Strategic Sales Management,” founded the Sales Management Board of Advisors, led development stage, entrepreneurial and national, vertical software sales organization as the Vice President of Sales prior to founding the Acumen Management Group, Ltd.

For more information about Acumen Management Group, Ltd. call 952-944-7438, or E-mail ken@acumenmgmt.com.

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Summary		Since 1995 Acumen Management Group, Ltd. (AMGL) has provided business and sales management expertise and programs to organizations for generating revenue growth. Through its headquarters in Knoxville, TN. and offices in Minneapolis, MN, San Francisco, CA and Toronto, Canada, the firm creates strategic sales management programs – from assessment through implementation and evaluation – that build positive, predictable revenue for early-stage, high growth, and turnaround corporations throughout North America.
Market		At every stage of a company’s growth, effective and systematic sales management is a critical factor in building the organization and guaranteeing its business success. An early-stage company entering new markets with new products must establish comprehensive sales management systems to attract, build and manage a direct or indirect distribution channel. High-growth companies that are launching new products require more sophisticated strategy and sales management for outpacing product penetration and distribution channel development. Sales management systems must be established to attract, build and manage appropriate sales channels. An organization’s declining or flat revenues are a clear indication that sales management has failed to meet the organization’s critical objectives. Sales Leaders face many challenges in helping their organizations attain revenue goals. Since their people, time and money resources are limited, it is imperative that they arm their sales organizations with tools and techniques for identifying and maximizing every opportunity. In addition, they must modify sales plans and performance measurements to integrate the continuous flow of management decisions and communications and marketing strategies and tactics. And they must cope with the competition, product/service life cycle, and timing issues that affect market acceptance of their company’s products and services.
Products & Services		AMGL’s sales management offerings include sales management planning, organizational design, recruitment strategies, compensation planning, market and territory analysis, strategic alliance program development, salesperson development programs, distribution/channel management strategies, and account management strategies. The firm also sponsors The Sales Management Board of Advisors™, groups of ten to fifthteen non-competitive sales management professionals that meet monthly to gain insight into resolving common challenges. The Sales Management Board of Advisors facilitates problem sharing within the groups and hosts recognized speakers. AMGL delivers seminars and presentations to various professional groups, and delivers and sponsors corporate sales certification programs. Acumen shares its proven sales management system in a Web-based strategic sales planning, account and sales management software application that builds predictable revenue. Interactive Sales Manager Tool KitTM (ISM) is an electronic robust content library that contains many of the tools Acumen has developed for their clients. These documents/tools aid Sales Leaders with many of the everyday tools to achieve the tasks required of a high performance sales organization. ISM features online tools and techniques that help sales managers maximize trade show opportunities, recruit and hire quality sales professionals, enhance sales performance, improve compensation, increase sales activity, enhance motivation, plan and build predictable revenue, conduct productive sales meetings, and tips on coaching for success. AMGL frequently updates these online resources with concepts and tools that have been successfully used.
Management		Ken Thoreson, Acumen president, has more than 20 years of software/technology solutions sales management experience, including 17 in niche market distribution with emerging and high-growth national companies. The sales management thought leader is well known for his expertise in sales execution, channel management, revenue generation, sales analysis, forecasting, recruitment, and training within the sales function. Prior to founding AMGL, he led development-stage, entrepreneurial, and $100-million national vertical software sales organizations as vice president of sales. Ken is frequently invited to speak at major technology and sales industry conferences, including Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conferences, Cisco Systems Worldwide Partner Conference, Sales and Marketing Executives International Conference (SMEI), CA World, TechData/TechSelect Member Conferences, Microsoft Solution Partners Meeting, Microsoft Business Solutions Stampede, Ingram Micro’s Venture Tech, CMP/VARBusiness XChange Conferences, SAP Partner Conference, SolidWorks World, Gartner IT Visionshare, CompTIA BreakAway, NASBA Management Academy, He has authored many articles spanning a variety of sales management topics, which have appeared in Personal Selling Power, Reseller Management, Business Products Professional, Dental Practice Success, Minnesota Technology, Minnesota Business & Opportunities, SmartReseller, and VARBusiness and is currently a columnist for Redmond Magazine. Geoff Owen, manager, Toronto office, has more than 20 years of international sales, sales management and marketing experience in the financial services and software markets of New York, London, Toronto and other centers in Europe, Asia and Latin America. As a corporate team member, mentor and external consultant in large and small organizations, Geoff has shared his experience in planning, recruiting, sales training, pipeline development and negotiation, and developing productive relationships with systems integrators and value added resellers (VARs). Prior to his association with Acumen Management Group, Geoff held a number of vice president sales and marketing positions at early stage and mature software/solution delivery companies, including a $100-million international organization. Joe Shea , manager, Western Region, brings almost 30 years of experience in Sales Leadership and Sales Management within the high tech and related arena. As a former VP Sales for several high tech companies in the Bay Area of San Francisco, Shea is known for his ability to discover, recruit, train and maintain excellent teams throughout his career. For the past 9 years, Shea has run a successful recruiting, consulting and training firm, placing many key sales executives and other technical and non-technical positions. The sales and other training performed by Shea have resulted in additional revenue for his Clients as well as a solid portfolio of satisfied attendees.
Contact		Jennifer Schwegman, 651-423-4466, jennifer@kc-associates.com, or Ken Thoreson, 423-884-6328, ken@acumenmgmt.com.

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