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Debbie Abergel
Senior Vice President, Marketing, Sourcing
Natalie Azmitia
Manager, Sourcing & Compliance
Jack Nadel International
Los Angeles, California
Years At Jack Nadel International: 16 and two,
respectively
Nominated by Mark Miller and Ron Miller, Par One;
Melissa McCauley, Numo; Schlomo Cohen, ETS Express;
and Howard Berman, Pro Golf Premiums
How have Debbie and Natalie won your respect as partners?
“Debbie and Natalie work on the creative side of marketing and
vendor relations at Jack Nadel corporate office,” explains nominator
Melissa McCauley, color enthusiast for Numo. “I love the way they
think, and the clever way they support their sales folks as well as their
vendors. We have worked closely on several campaigns and they create
messages that don’t get ignored. They are passionate and their enthusi-
asm is contagious. The natural way that they partner with their suppli-
ers, versus the “What are you going to do for me?” attitude, keeps me
engaged and involved with what they have going on. They stay fresh
on my mind and they’re the type of distributor whom I can call and
say ... ‘Hey y'all, I have an idea ...’ and they will jump on board.”
Nominator Howard Berman, who handles sales at Pro Golf
Premiums, says, “Debbie and the crew at JNI have always gone out of
their way to show up on time for meetings and organize everything
well. When sending flyers to Debbie and the marketing team, they
always ensure that the whole JNI team receives copies of sales infor-
mation. I think it goes without saying that the growth JNI has had is
due to the structure and organization of the management team at
JNI.”
One-On-One With Debbie And Natalie
How important are these partnerships and how do they
benefit you and your company?
These relationships are vital to JNI. The time we spend with our
partners is invaluable. The connection of various communications
sends a strong signal to our partners of their role(s) in JNI’s long- and
short-term goals. It makes it easier for our sales force to sell more and
provides clarity and context for all support staff.
What do you do that sets you apart from other distributors
in terms of working with suppliers?
Our difference is rooted in our company culture and values. We
look to connect emotionally with our suppliers—to become as irre-
placeable to them as they are to us. We want to create lifelong rela-
tionships. It’s important that our partners fall in love with us as much
as we fall in love with them. We encourage engagement.
What advice do you have for others who want to achieve a
true partnership with their suppliers?
Share your company’s vision, be committed, collaborate and be
authentic. Those who seize every opportunity to develop meaningful
relationships sleep better at night.
50 •
PPB
• DECEMBER 2014
GROW
PPB
’s 2014
Powerful Partners
Debbie Abergel (right)
and Natalie Azmitia
201412_Powerful Partners Feature_PPB 2013 11/13/14 12:23 PM Page 50