Exit Stage Left... Elvis has left the building and the sinking ship....

I thought that this was already old news but people seem to keep asking about it so here it is:

From: M.Espe

Sent: Friday, June 25, 2010 7:21 AM
To: DL-All US Users
Subject: Thank you


It is with mixed emotions that I am announcing my departure from Ricoh. It was an extremely difficult decision for many reasons, particularly because of all the momentum we have built and the strong opportunities in front of us. Most of all, I am going to miss the dedicated and energized employees that make up our great team. I have forged many close working and personal relationships with many of you over the years, and I will always look back fondly at the time I have spent at IKON and Ricoh. I am very grateful for all that you have done to position Ricoh as a leader, and the work I know that you will continue to do in the future to create an even stronger organization.


The opportunity to take on the CEO role at Armstrong, a publicly traded NYSE company headquartered in Pennsylvania, was a great fit for me both personally and professionally, and one that I could not ignore. Knowing that we have a strong leadership team in place with Kevin Togashi and the Ricoh Americas staff, and that our leaders in Ricoh U.S. now have the vision, strategies and support to carry our integration planning in the U.S. forward, made the decision easier. I leave knowing that you have a strong leadership team, the best employees in the industry, and by far the strongest portfolio of technology and solutions to offer our customers and dealer partners.


You should all be proud of the work you are doing and the company that you all help shape. The past eight years at IKON and more recently as part of Ricoh have been extremely satisfying for me, and I remain energized by your commitment to Ricoh’s continued success and the opportunities you have to create something great. I know you will build on the foundation you have to strengthen the company, grow revenue and increase market share. Most of all, I know that you will continue your intense focus on the customer and dedication to Ricoh’s success.

I want to thank all of you for your support over the years, and for the privilege of working with this great team. I wish you all the best in the future and know that Ricoh’s best days are ahead.


Thanks,


Matt Espe

So really what does this mean? Why would Matt leave a pretty solid position with Ricoh Americas to move along to well I had never heard of Armstrong so I have no idea what his motivation is. What I will say is that quite a few of Ricoh's leadership have popped up at places that I have been and they were all pretty tight lipped but have all left the building. Matt on the other hand has left the building and the industry. Probably a good move. I have no other qualifications but to stay and wait for the next round of acquisitions and mergers.
 
So what is going on out there? Things have gotten very quite about Canon and the Oce... Not much on the home front as I still am struggling to get my arms around my next steps. What I can say is that I have gone from Champagne to a glass of water with lemon please...
 
So tell me what is a pirate without his ship?