40 Under 40 2013 Profiles: Al-Saadi, Berry, Chiou, Clark, Cohen, Dickerson, DiTullo, Fleury

Sami Al-Saadi, 39, Vice President, Progressive Automated Distributing. Key Account Manager, The Progressive Group, Grand Rapids, Mich. Digital Delivery Group Board of Directors member.

Background: Grew up in Ann Arbor, Mich., and now lives in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Career: Twenty-four years in the industry. Al-Saadi manages dealers and staff and forges relationships.

Industry accomplishments and awards: Multiple nominations for Monster Cable Rep of the Year

What you like best about your job: “Interfacing with dealers and manufacturers. Perspective is the key to life, and being able to present the best solutions for both.”

What you like least: Overhead

Favorite pastime: Cooking, music, wine, two-channel audio

Last book read: “Ninja Innovation: The Ten Killer Strategies of the World’s Most Successful Businesses” by Gary Shapiro

Favorite movie: “Pulp Fiction”

Best concert: Pearl Jam’s Versus tour.

Favorite CE product of the year: “JVC DLAX55. It never ceases to amaze me how good projectors have become, but this one really takes the cake. I haven’t ever seen anything look this good for $5,000.

If you could be anyplace else right now, it would be: “Running a winery in Napa, Calif., and employing a personal chef.”

Nick Berry, 29, Director of Sales, Soundcast, San Diego, Calif.