Name: Joe Feregrino
Age: 38
Job: Title Buyer
Company: NFM
Years in the Industry: 15
Education: Bellevue University, Bellevue, Neb.(B.S. in Business Management)
Dealerscope’s 40 Under 40 Honoree 2021
Describe your current role.
In my role I am responsible for the Home and Portable Audio categories at NFM. I manage the merchandising and buying decisions, store presentations and marketing strategy for all locations, including the web.
What accomplishment(s) are you most proud of?
Being a member of the ProSource Audio Committee, a board member on the CTA Audio Division Board, and collaborating with vendors on bringing new items to market has been very rewarding. I enjoy working with my vendor partners and NFM’s Merchandising and Visual teams to create unique in-store displays. I also like to work with our Marketing teams on innovative campaigns to drive sales and brand awareness.
What do you like best about your job?
I really enjoy the relationships I have formed working with a very talented group of NFM teammates as well as the training and mentoring from my management team. There also are so many great vendor partners that share my passion for the audio industry. The success we have had collaborating on new products, displays, marketing plans and merchandising gives me great satisfaction. Together, we help customers improve their lifestyles, and that’s really what it is all about.
What career advice would you give to people just getting started in the CE or technology industry?
Talk to as many people as you can about the industry. Take the opportunities that can help you get where you want to go and where you can learn the most. Stay focused on the customer. It’s about the people and relationships as much as the products.
What, in your opinion, is necessary for the CE/technology industry to thrive in the next five years?
The growth of 5G will really create a lot of new CE/technology opportunities as well as work-at-home lifestyle changes. Artificial Intelligence, Smart Home, and Health and Wellness all have great potential. Wireless and Bluetooth technology continues to improve as well. Audio will always create a very emotional connection for so many people, and consumers will continually demand more products to meet the needs of their ever-changing lifestyles.
