For example, ceo alan wurtzel of circuit city was known for admitting that he didnt know the best strategy for his company and relentlessly questioning board members and executives in order to find out how best to proceed. Connecticut 1959, district of columbia 1960, virginia 1968. I was present at the creation, and i saw it through to the end. The book included a nice little exchange that apparently took place between walter bruckart and alan wurtzel at circuit city. Alan leon wurtzel born september 23, 1933, american. His newly published account gives the inside perspective, as only the ceo can provide, on the companys spectacular rise and fall. Excircuit city ceo talks strategic planning, hubris. Alan wurtzel wrote a book about the demise of the company his father started and he once led. On november 29, 2012, alan wurtzel discussed his book, good to great to gone. Wurtzel, who now lives in the washington area, has chronicled the rise and fall of circuit city in his new book, good to great to gone, which comes out this month. On october 9, 2012, wurtzel released his book on the history of circuit city, good to great to gone, with diversion books. Lessons from alan wurtzel circuit city part 3 steve. By 2000, circuit city employed more than 60,000 people at.
He followed the fortunes of circuit city for 35 years as son of the founder, ceo and finally board member. Alan leon wurtzel, american retail company executive. Alan wurtzel on why circuit city went bust marketplace. Dow jones, a news corp company news corp is a network of leading companies in the. Member virginia state board education, governors economics. Alan wurtzel, son of circuit city founder sam wurtzel, took over as ceo in 1972 and carried out a worthwhile long time interval method that simplified the company by unloading unsuccessful acquisitions, expanded the few worthwhile divisions, and preserved the distinct employee custom his. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Lessons from alan wurtzel circuit city part 3 steve on.
Technology and human life are inseparable, and society possesses a cyclical codependence towards technology. Alan wurtzel discusses good to great to gone youtube. I wanted to understand what happened to circuit city, wurtzel said. Circuit city corporation is an american consumer electronics retail company, established by ronny shmoel in 2016 as part of his acquisition of the brand name and trademark rights sold by systemax, which formerly operated the circuitcity. Wurtzel propelled the circuit city stores into a conglomerate specializing in consumer electronics, digital video programming, music software, and automobile sales. Alan wurtzel is a chief executive for broadcast standards and practices in nbc with four videos in the cspan video library. Alan, im really wearing down trying to find the exact right person to fill this position or that position. Former circuit city chief tells all richmond bizsense. The book is written by alan wurtzel, the son of the founder sam wurtzel, who also served years as ceo from 1973 to 1986 and as a board. Circuit city creator and ceo alan wurtzel captures the definitive history of the company in his new book, good to great to gone. Alan wurtzel, son of circuit city founder sam wurtzel, joined the company in 1966 as vice president of legal affairs and took over as ceo in six short years. Former ceo of circuit city stores, alan wurtzel led circuit city to be one of the nations largest retailers of consumer electronics and appliances. I also enjoyed the tieins to jim collins good to great, and found the habits of mind sections valuable, although a little repetitive at sometimes.
Circuit city was profiled as one of 11 companies in jim collins bestselling book, good to great. Wurtzel is a graduate of oberlin college and the yale law school. Alan wurtzel, the former ceo of circuit city, has written a new book, from good to great to gone. Published on jul 27, 2012 circuit city creator and ceo alan wurtzel captures the definitive history of the company in his new book, good to great to gone. Alan wurtzel is an american businessman, author, speaker, and philanthropist.
Circuit city the book the advent of information technology. The aspen wye fellows are joined by alan wurtzel, former chairman and ceo of circuit city, to discuss his book good to great to gone. The title of wurtzels book is inspired by jim collins 2001 book good to great. Undead circuit city wont rise if it forgets what killed it. Early on, much of his time was devoted to higher education and k12 educational reform. Since retiring, he has served on multiple corporate, governmental and not for profit boards, including office depot, dollar tree stores, oberlin college, the phillips. Circuit citys former ceo alan wurtzel explains his companys rise from a familyowned richmond, va tv store to a nationwide chain. The book is written by alan wurtzel, the son of the founder sam wurtzel, who also served years as ceo from 1973 to 1986 and as a. Alan wurtzel opens his book good to great to gone with this quote by william knudsen, in business, the competition will bite you if you keep. And, while that may be the most important lesson wurtzel teaches us about circuit city, he also leaves us with many more lessons and i am grateful.
In this new and updated edition, alan wurtzel chronicles years as ceo of circuit city during the height of its success and shares his insightful analysis of its downfall. Alan wurtzel, son of the stores founder, details the transformation of the company over the years in his new book, good to great to gone. But with the subsequent decline and ultimate demise of circuit city in 2009, wurtzel had the rare perspective of a former company insider in the role of an outsider looking in. Since retiring from circuit city, wurtzel has split his time between commercial and nonprofit activities. In his story of the rise and fall of circuit cityfounded by his father, samwurtzel recounts the strategy he implemented when he took over as ceo in 1972, looks at which decisions worked, and assesses why the corporation failed in 2009. Wurtzel writes that circuit city s own plan that year spent more time rationalizing and discounting best buys market share than fixing what was wrong at circuit city. Alan wurtzels good to great to gone adds color and context to many of the compelling business strategy principles outlined in the pursuit of excellence. Its a great achievement for a company to reach fortune 500 statusbut it doesnt guarantee lasting success. Circuit city scion tears into former ceo schoonover.
Alan wurtzel was the creator and first chief executive officer of the company. The 60 year rise and fall of circuit city by alan l. That accomplishment is recognized and analyzed in jim collins bestselling book, good to great. Lessons from the death of circuit city bankruptcy beat wsj. The book now describes the full story from the founding in the 1960s to the fall in 2009.
Aspen wye fellows with alan wurtzel the aspen institute. Broken circuit cover story style weekly richmond, va. Under wurtzels leadership the circuit city we knew was structured and the inertia from its flywheel generated healthy. On october 9, 2012, wurtzel released his book on the history of circuit city, good to great to. He dedicated it to the former employees of circuit city. Alan wurtzel, son of circuit city founder sam wurtzel and a former year ceo of the nowdefunct consumer electronics retailer, is critical of a lot of things that happened over the years at the. He was chairman of the board from 1984 to 1994 and vicechairman from 1994 to 2001. The book is a complement to the documentary, a tale of two cities.
Good to great to gone illustrates the vital importance of. To wurtzel, the demise of circuit city, the pride of his family, is a bitter pill. What happened to circuit city part 2 businessblogs hub. He joined the company in 1966 as vice president of legal affairs, served as ceo from 1972 to 1986. The son of company founder samuel wurtzel, alan wurtzel joined the company in 1966 as vice president of legal affairs, served as ceo from 1972 to 1986, acted as chairman of the board from 1984 to 1994 and vice chairman of the board from 1994 to 2001. When the 1997 plan was written circuit city seemed proud that it was in more markets and had more stores than best buy 419 and 251, respectively, but didnt mention best buy was the market leader in the markets they shared. For the decade of the 80s and beyond, it was among the best performing companies on the new york stock exchange. From that modest beginning, founder sam wurtzel quickly built the company into a national chain, and his son alan turned it into a household name. In part 1 of this blog post i wrote about the rise of circuit city and introduced you to their highly regarded, second generation leader, alan wurtzel.
Alan wurtzel became circuit citys chief executive officer in 1973. Wurtzel provided a refreshingly open and honest recounting of circuit citys rise and fall, and he did a great job of relating key leadership lessons along the way. In this interview clip, alan discusses the differences in. Former circuit city ceo and chairman talks of companys. It is written have as a company biography and have as a business manual book, with learnings and insights. Alan wurtzel discusses leadership at circuit city youtube. In it he recounts what went right and what went wrong at the company, with a. Wurtzel, the former chairman and ceo of circuit city stores inc. He is the author of a new book, good to great to gone. Believing that there is no singular formula for strategy, wurtzel emphasizes the habits of mind that influence critical management decisions.
Alan wurtzel good to great to gone politics and prose. Collins links this kind of questioning and debate to the socratic style of learning, with understanding rather than. Robert waterman coauthor of in search of excellence circuit city, founded when the souths first tv station opened in richmond in 1949, went on to become an iconic virginia company. Alan wurtzel, son of the founder, details the transformation of the company over the years in his new book, good to great to gone. Circuit city creator and first ceo alan wurtzel discusses his new book, good to great to gone the definitive history of the company. Alan wurtzel opens his book good to great to gone with this quote by william knudsen, in business, the competition will bite you if you keep running. The 60 year rise and fall of circuit city 9781682302439. I feel terrible for both the people who have lost their jobs and will, he says, and for the legacy of my. Not many years ago, circuit city stood out as perhaps the premier name in the highly competitive sector of consumer electronics and a prominent corporate presence in virginia. He spent years as ceo of circuit city before retiring in 1986. Alan wurtzel, son of circuit city founder sam wurtzel, took over as ceo in 1972 and implemented a successful longterm strategy that simplified the company by unloading unsuccessful acquisitions, expanded the few winning divisions, and preserved the distinct employee culture his father created, positioning the company for unprecedented success. The 60 year rise and fall of circuit city by alan wurtzel 145 ratings, 3.
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