Savant founder Robert Madonna is back at the home automation company as CEO, replacing William Lynch who joined the company in that role more than two years ago. Lynch remains an advisor to the company (read press release).
Before joining Savant in 2014, Lynch was the architect of the Nook e-book platform for Barnes & Noble. Savant, launched in 2006 as a premium solution for professional integrators, wanted to parlay that retail experience into a broad-market play for its smart-home technology.
And it did.
Lynch led Savant’s foray into the retail market with the Savant Remote, a DIY product that sells for less than $499 and is sold online and in Magnolia stores.
“William did a great job positioning us in a new channel – retail,” says Madonna in an interview with CE Pro. “That’s what he came in for.”
Savant will continue to pursue that market under Madonna’s leadership, with assistance from Lynch.
Serving as chairman of the board since Lynch's arrival, Madonna has been fairly active with the company all along, “working hand in hand with William,” he says. “So this is really just a continuation.”
Madonna notes it takes years to build a channel. It took a good decade to win over the CEDIA channel from concept to product to support and, ultimately, loyalty.
Now Lynch has laid the groundwork in retail.
“Now that we have the channel primed,” Madonna says, it’s time to focus on products. “My background is very strong in products.”
The new CEO says he’s looking forward to getting his hands dirty again in product development, but also in re-engaging the pro channel.
“Now that I’m back in the day-to-day,” he says, “I’m doing a lot of visits with integrators, reintroducing myself. I know so many of them. It was fun hanging out with them at CEDIA.”
