Fitch brings over 30 years of financial experience to SMART
CALGARY, Alberta --- May 29, 2009 --- SMART Technologies announces the appointment of Drew Fitch as Vice President, Finance, and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the company. Reporting to CEO Nancy Knowlton, Fitch will lead the global financial operations of the company, including planning, financial reporting, accounting, tax and treasury. SMART’s current size and expected future growth require an experienced CFO with an impeccable track record, and Fitch’s extensive experience will make him a key contributor in bringing SMART to the next level. Fitch has held the position of CFO at three other Canadian companies, all of which were publicly traded. He comes to SMART from a technology holding company where he was originally senior vice president, finance, and CFO, and then appointed to the position of president and CEO. Prior to that, he worked for large air and truck transportation companies. Fitch is a chartered accountant and holds a master of business administration and bachelor of science degrees. He has been a member of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants for 31 years.
Fitch’s appointment marks the end of a rigorous two-year process to build a world-class executive team at SMART and scale the business for prolonged rapid growth globally. A number of new executives have replaced retiring or departing executives, while others have been appointed to lead new functions. With the executive team now at full strength, the company’s attention has turned to execution on a local, regional and global basis. In Q1 2009, the company continued to build its global category share to 50.2 percent for interactive whiteboards. The company has also opened its new headquarters and research center in Calgary and is building out its infrastructure in EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Asia) to better support customers in these regions. Other infrastructure enhancements have been made across the company.
“As the global leader in interactive whiteboards, SMART is in a great position strategically with tremendous opportunities for growth in the coming years,” says Fitch. “I am excited to be part of such a fast-growing company that is performing so well, despite the current economic climate.”
“We are very pleased to add Drew to our executive management team,” says Nancy Knowlton, SMART’s CEO. “As SMART continues on the path toward becoming a US$1-billion-a-year company, Drew’s experience managing the financial operations of large companies and his strong general business background will be invaluable assets.”
