We reevaluated what we have today with AVB/BrandSource and decided along with our board of directors and members that we would get a much higher level of service as a division of Nationwide so decided to join their organization.
Tom Jessup, President of BrandSource Florida

Photo/Nationwide Marketing Group

Tom Jessup, Nationwide Florida.

WINSTON-SALEM, NC [May 25, 2011] Today it was officially announced that on June 1, BrandSource Florida, a division of AVB (parent of TRIB The Rental Industry Buying Group), will be moving its membership over to Nationwide Marketing Group (NMG) and will continue operations under the new name, Nationwide Florida. This decision was made at a meeting held last week in Orlando attended by the group’s board of directors and a majority of their membership.

Nationwide Marketing Group, parent company of RentDirect Nationwide, America’s largest buying and marketing organization for appliance, electronics, furniture and rent to own dealers, will now have the power of six regional divisions servicing the independent channel across the country including NECO, Nationwide Southwest, Nationwide West, Nation’s BrandDirect, United Stores and Nationwide Florida.

“We are very pleased and proud to have such a large group of successful dealers join us to form our new Nationwide Florida division,” said Robert Weisner, CEO of NMG. “We believe this will make our group a dominating force in the state of Florida’s retail marketplace.”

For 15 years, Tom Jessup has led the BrandSource Florida group as President. Their membership represents the majority of independent appliance buying group dealers in Florida. However, the group has a much longer history in the region as one of the original buying organizations started nearly 30 years ago under the Key America Group. When the breakup of Key America Group occurred nearly a decade ago regions affiliated themselves with other buying groups including Nationwide Marketing Group.

“We have been watching the direction and focus of Nationwide over the past 7 years and like what we have seen,” said Tom Jessup, President of BrandSource Florida. “We reevaluated what we have today with AVB/BrandSource and decided along with our board of directors and members that we would get a much higher level of service as a division of Nationwide so decided to join their organization.”

Lisa Atkinson, Executive Director of BrandSource Florida also commented, “I’m excited at the opportunity to attract new members with the additional assets now at our disposal through Nationwide. The organization provides independents with top notch services that our members just can’t afford on their own. This merger will definitely help take us into the next decade.”

Nationwide Marketing Group’s extensive list of member benefits include a state of the art training facility and TV production studio, web development programs, custom in-store digital signage, financial services and hundreds of targeted marketing and promotional programs with major manufacturers.

“We feel that the autonomy we will now have running our division will only enhance our services and translate into more opportunities for profit and sales for our membership,” said Jessup.

NMG has been making the necessary moves to grow and advance their organization. Just this year, NMG introduced new Executive Vice President, David Bilas, former Vice President of Appliance Sales with GE Appliances and Lighting; instituted a successful Business and Leadership Management Conference; and has now announced their new division, Nationwide Florida.

“We have been doing this for 40 years and plan to be here another 40 with one goal in mind, to do whatever it takes to service the independent and ensure their survival and profitability amidst the national chains,” said Weisner.

Nationwide Marketing Group along with their vendor partners will be celebrating 40 years of service at their biannual Nationwide PrimeTime! buying show and strategic conference on August 21-24, 2011 at the Gaylord Texan in Dallas www.nationwideprimetime.com. For more information on Nationwide Marketing Group call 336-722-4681 or visit www.nationwidegroup.org.