Telarus Buys Master Agent, Hires ScanSource Exec, Says Goodbye to Blohm

Telarus, the Utah-based master agent is expanding its reach and resources with the purchase of Chorus Communications.

Telarus has acquired Chorus, which bills itself as a consultancy and master agent. Chorus operates out of Philadelphia.

Chorus vice president Rob Molinaro will now serve as Telarus’ senior partner development manager for Pennsylvania. Molinaro said his team chose Telarus over other buyers.

Telarus’ Robert Molinaro

“In business, it’s essential to connect with the right partner to progress in an ever-changing industry. Chorus had many options regarding the future, and Telarus stood out from the crowd in terms of resources and support,” Molinaro said.

Dan Cronin served as president during his 26-year tenure at Chorus. He’ll also work as a Telarus senior partner development manager, focusing on “South Jersey”; Maryland; Washington, D.C.; and Virginia.

The Chorus team already was working with Telarus. Cronin said he already had a relationship with Telarus CEO Adam Edwards, COO Richard Murray, chief product officer Patrick Oborn and other members of Telarus leadership.

Telarus’ Dan Cronin

“Having worked directly with all the master agents, we have experienced a unique focal point,” Cronin said. “We found a partnership that was super responsive and could deeply penetrate the needs of our partners.”

Telarus’ Adam Edwards

Edwards praised the “high-touch master agency” and credited Cronin and Molinaro for their leadership.

“Rob and Dan have the integrity and the passion that made us want to work more with them over the last two years, and we are thrilled to have them officially join as a part of the Telarus team,” Edwards said.

Background

Telarus last December announced a growth investment from Columbia Capital. Edwards at the time cited “market dynamics of M&A” as a driver for the funding.

“The market is changing,” Edwards said in December. “This move firmly cements Telarus at the front of the pack and gives us the opportunity to provide even better support to our partners through additional hires and more tools.”

Evergreen’s Seth Penland

Seth Penland, managing director of Evergreen Technology Partners, advises firms in the agent channel about M&A. He said the Telarus acquisition helps it compete with rivals like Intelisys and AppSmart. AppSmart accounted for one of multiple acquisitions in the agent space last year, as did TCG and Bridgepoint Technologies.

Penland predicted that Telarus will buy more companies as consolidation ramps up in the master agent channel.

“For a variety of reasons, I think it is safe to say that within a few short years we are going to see the master agency landscape dramatically change to just a few key players dominating the market, and my prediction is that Telarus will emerge as one of them,” Penland said.

Telarus’ Meghan Hambacher Wilkinson

Meghan Hambacher Wilkinson, Telarus’ chief revenue officer, said the timing lined up well for Telarus to buy Chorus.

“It strengthens our ability to strategically care for our partners and continue to deliver a differentiated experience. We are extremely excited about this next chapter,” Hambacher Wilkinson said.

Chorus has been around since 1994. Its supplier portfolio boasts more than 100 companies.

A Farewell

Roger Blohm

Meantime, Telarus executive vice president of strategy Roger Blohm announced his …… departure from the company. He joined Telarus in 2015, following the master agent’s purchase of LVM.  He thanked the team for his experiences over the years.

Source: LinkedIn

In other personnel news, Telarus announced Christie Hamberis as its new vice president of supplier management. She most recently worked at rival ScanSource as senior vice president of its supplier organization. She worked at the distributor for 23 years.

Richard Murray described Hamberis as a perfect fit.

Telarus’ Christie Hamberis

“Christie brings with her over 28 years of supplier management experience with the most dynamic and high-tech brands in the industry. Her knowledge of their products, in addition to her ability to strategically align financial, technical and field sales resources, will help Telarus continue our decade of double-digit growth and create value for everyone working with Telarus,” Murray said.