INTRODUCTION
The evolution of Trent Partners & Associates to its’ current status has been a long and arduous climb. Stephen Trentacoste started his career in 1973 at Audiovox Corporation and left the company in 1980 as vice president of the Hi-Comp division. He immediately formed a representative company S&E Marketing. In 1985 S&E Marketing merged with one of New York’s oldest and most prestigious representative firms, J.H. Thal Associates, and renamed the firm Thal-Trent Associates. Trent Partners & Associates was established in 1990 when Stephen Trentacoste purchased all remaining shares from the Thal family.
Frank Lombardo started his career with Litton Microwave Cooking Products in 1972 and left in 1984 after serving in a number of sales management positions. In 1984 Frank joined NEC Home Electronics and left in 1990 as region vice president of sales. In 1990 Frank started his rep firm, Frank Lombardo & Associates and eventually merged with Stephen Trentacoste at Trent Partners & Associates.
What is significant about our name is the word partners. Each employee has a vested interest in the success of the company. What separates Trent Partners & Associates from other rep firms is its’ people. Each and every employee has worked as either a factory executive, in the retail business or at the distributor level.
WE KNOW THE BUSINESS
Peter Huggins has been with Trent Partners & Associates for over twenty years and prior to that he was a sales manager with Pioneer Electronics and has been rewarded with a percentage of the company.
David Berry started his career with Brick Church Appliance and left as assistant to the president. He has worked in various sales management positions with Frigidare, Fedders, Litton Microwave and NEC Home Electronics before joining Frank Lombardo & Associates in 1990.
William Carabott comes to us with manufacturing, retailing and repping experience. Most recently with DEI, William also represented Kenwood for JBA and worked in retail with Cartunes, Sound Trax and Movin’ on Sound.
Maria Sorrentino, our office administrator and a seasoned professional has been with the company for over nineteen years.
Joan Kane, our newest member, is a talented addition to our inside sales staff.
We are also very proud that we have longevity with our manufacturers and have been recognized numerous times for our sales excellence.
CORPORATE PROFILE
The Market
The New York/New Jersey market place presents a huge and complex opportunity. Sheer size, population, media costs, as well as distribution idiosyncrasies make the New York/New Jersey market place the toughest to sell in the U.S. . . . . . . .however, potentially the most rewarding.
The Territory
New York/New Jersey is overwhelming in terms of the number of distribution outlets and potential customers. It is a conglomeration of eight mini-markets - Metro New York, Northern New Jersey, Westchester/Rockland Counties, five boroughs, Long Island, Fairfield County, CT. Some of these areas are larger than other major markets in the United States.
The Sales Force
How do you effectively service the metropolitan area? Our experience, at Trent Partners &Associates, has shown us the following:
- The sales staff must be strategically positioned in the territory.
- The rep principals must have an active role in the day to day activities of the organization.
- The line of communication must remain constant and always open with Trent Partners& Associates, our manufacturers, our sales managers and our customers.
We, at Trent Partners & Associates, pride ourselves on the relationships we have developed with our customers and manufacturers. But don’t take our word for it - we welcome calls to our customers and sales managers.
A professional account executive is made up of several key ingredients:
- They must have a professional approach to the market.
- They must be knowledgeable of the products, pricing and programs.
- They must be enthusiastic in every call and always get the order.
- They must be streetwise.
- They must relate to the customer.
- They must enjoy their job.
- We believe that our organization meets these requirements:
Stephen Trentacoste • Principal
Frank Lombardo • Principal
Peter Huggins • Principal
David Berry • Vice President
William Carabott • Senior Account Executive
Maria Sorrentino • Operations Manager
Joan Kane • Inside Sales
SERVICE IS #1 . . .
“In store where the battle is won or lost”
A strong sell-in with all the ingredients, i.e.: proper price points, advertising support and strong product will all be meaningless without the proper in-store attention. We, at Trent Partners & Associates , truly believe our job begins when we receive the order.
THE BUSINESS IS PEOPLE . . .
“Trent Partners, the best people in the business”
The product is not the business, the people are and nothing beats strong interpersonal relationships. Such relationships must be nurtured and developed over time. It’s the backbone of any successful sales and marketing organization.
CONCLUSION:
We, at Trent Partners & Associates, are the best representation in the business. It is as simple as that. Experience, aggressiveness and knowledge add up to success.
Most of all, what separates Trent Partners from our competitors are two words:
COMMITMENT AND RESPECT
Commitment to the continuing day-to-day service and maintenance of accounts to insure the highest performance levels.
Respect from the trade, most importantly the retailers. Respect as an outgrowth of personal relationships nurtured through years of service and friendships with the key New York/New Jersey customers. You cannot put a price on that.