Longtime Nintendo Executive Announces Retirement
20-Year Veteran Randy Peretzman Helped Launch Every Nintendo Game System
REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 12, 2005 - Nintendo of America Inc. today announced Randy Peretzman, vice president of sales, will retire at the end of this year. After 20 years of dedicated service, Peretzman has decided to step down due to health reasons.
"From the launch of the original NES to our latest software phenomenon, Nintendogs, Randy has made significant contributions to the success of every new hardware and software launch," said Tatsumi Kimishima, Nintendo of America's president. "He will be greatly missed, and we wish him well."
"Randy's dedication to this company and enthusiasm for our products are unwavering," said Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of sales & marketing. "We have him to thank for so many of our successful sales initiatives and product launches."
Peretzman joined Nintendo as the company's first regional sales manager in New York. His first project was the launch of the NES® at a time when retailers had little interest in video games. After hand-carrying NES prototypes from one New York retailer to another, he effectively helped re-launch the video game industry into the $10 billion industry it is today.
Peretzman relocated to the state of Washington in 1992 to take on the role of director of sales. In 1996, he was promoted to vice president of sales. In his current role, he has overall responsibility for the entire Nintendo of America sales department, including establishing the strategic direction and objectives for the division.
Prior to joining Nintendo, Peretzman spent several years as a vice president at a consumer electronics firm. He began his career in New York retail, working his way up from buyer to VP general merchandise manager over the course of 15 years. A native of New York, he is a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey.
Upon his retirement, Peretzman plans to travel and spend time with his family.
The worldwide leader and innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its popular home and portable video game systems. Each year, hundreds of all-new titles for the best-selling Game Boy® Advance SP, Nintendo DSTM and Nintendo GameCubeTM systems extend Nintendo's vast game library and continue the tradition of delivering a rich, diverse mix of quality video games for players of all ages. Since the release of its first home video game system in 1983, Nintendo has sold more than 2 billion video games and more than 353 million hardware units globally, creating enduring industry icons such as MarioTM and Donkey Kong® and launching popular culture franchise phenomena such as Metroid®, ZeldaTM and Pokémon®. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere.
For more information about Nintendo, visit the company's Web site at www.nintendo.com.