Mark Emery joins FTG as Vice President of Client Relations

Focus Technology Group Inc. recently welcomed Mark Emery to the company as vice president of client relations. Emery joins the growing Agricultural division of Focus Technology Group (FTG), which includes vice presidents Chuck Buie and Phil Lawler.

As an 18-year veteran of the agricultural media industry, Emery brings extensive knowledge and expertise in database marketing, CRM, and new media to Focus Technology Group. In his new position, Emery will service the needs of FTG’s existing clients, as well as develop new data-driven solutions for businesses in the agricultural and animal health industries.

Before joining Focus Technology Group, Mark Emery was employed at Farm Journal Media as director of operations for the Database Strategies Division. A graduate of Clemson University, Emery has spent the last two decades directing business operations in areas such as data strategy, data management and warehousing, and database/CRM applications. Emery’s professional accomplishments include the creation and development of custom and industry solutions for clients such as Pfizer, DuPont, New Holland, and the National Corn Growers Association.

“We are very pleased to welcome Mark Emery to the Focus Technology Group team,” said Jimmy Haverstick, CEO of Focus Technology Group. “Mark’s knowledge and high level of expertise in strategic data applications will greatly benefit our clients and FTG. Mark is an accomplished and innovative data quality professional with excellent skills and experience in business development and project management. We are excited to have Mark on board.”

11 Takeaways from the Commodity Classic

The annual Commodity Classic trade show was held Feb. 29-March 2 in Nashville, Tenn. at Opryland. It’s billed as “America’s largest farmer-led, farmer-focused convention & trade show.”

Attendance was over 5,400 making it the largest Commodity Classic in history, which set the tone for a bullish outlook on agriculture.

Two representatives from Focus Technology Group were on hand for the show—Chuck Buie, vice president of sales, and Mark Emery, vice president of client relations. Chuck and Mark spent four days visiting with growers, exhibitors, distributors, and other guests, while also attending educational seminars on industry trends, best practices, and new technology.

Below are 11 important takeaways from the 2012 Commodity Classic, courtesy of Mr. Buie and Mr. Emery.

1. Commodity prices are generally high, but manufactures and distributors feel comfortable about current prices and valuations on crops.

2. There is a general nervous feeling about a farmland real estate bubble. Some growers cautioned that land is getting too expensive, while rapid expansion continues. A market adjustment or crash may occur, warned some farmers.

3. The continued rise of petroleum and diesel prices hurts Ag margins, and puts extra strain on farmers.

4. The micronutrient/specialty fertilizer and fungicide segments of Ag are growing rapidly.

5. Adjuvants and surfactants are making a comeback because of high commodity prices.

6. Distributor/retail consolidation continues to take place as small independents continue to get gobbled up by regional and national companies.

7. All growers desire precision agriculture, but it requires the right technology and quality data solutions for merging and synching machinery, data sets, and computer systems.

Precision ag technology makes farming operations more efficient and productive.

8. Suppliers and manufacturers of Ag products want to know more information about their supply chain end users and buyers—the farmers.

9. Manufacturers and suppliers of Ag products desire better tools and technology to identify target customers and capture market opportunities.

10. Distributors of Ag products are interested in more online commerce and communication through a self-serve web portal where growers can go to shop and purchase products.

11. More Ag distributors and growers are using innovative tablet technology for accessing information and doing business.

About Focus Technology Group

Founded in 2001, Focus Technology Group Inc., based in Nashville, Tenn., provides data quality solutions to real business needs through its integrated data services, business intelligence applications, and supply chain marketing programs. FTG provides clients with technology solutions and services in areas such as data aggregation and cleansing, electronic data interchange (EDI), data analytics and reporting, CRM, marketing automation, and channel sales optimization. FTG serves four primary industries—animal health, pet specialty, agriculture, and health care.

Big Data Trends

Excellent article and research from McKinsey & Co. analyzing big data trends.

Big data: The next frontier for innovation, competition, and productivity

The amount of data in our world has been exploding, and analyzing large data sets—so-called big data—will become a key basis of competition, underpinning new waves of productivity growth, innovation, and consumer surplus, according to research by MGI and McKinsey's Business Technology Office. Leaders in every sector will have to grapple with the implications of big data, not just a few data-oriented managers. The increasing volume and detail of information captured by enterprises, the rise of multimedia, social media, and the Internet of Things will fuel exponential growth in data for the foreseeable future. 

In the research article, McKinsey presents 7 insights about data's impact on business and the world economy. Some highlights:

>> Data has swept into every industry and all business function and is now an important factor of production, alongside labor and capital.

>> The use of big data will become a key basis of competition and growth for individual firms.

>> The use of big data will underpin new waves of productivity growth and consumer surplus.

>> While the use of big data will matter across sectors, some sectors are set for greater gains.

>> There are five broad ways in which using big data can create value.

Read the entire report

Whirlwind at NAVC!

It was great to see everyone in Orlando last week. NAVC had record attendance this year! Could this be an indication of an improving economy? We hope so.

Update on Astro

We had an overwhelmingly positive response to Astro, our new compliance and loyalty software platform for pet owners. Astro is an innovative web-based platform that enables manufacturers to share marketing programs with veterinary hospitals and clinics, which in turn are offered to pet clients. 

Astro delivers a platform and useful tools for launching marketing programs, tracking and reporting by pet owner, delivering and tracking fulfillment, mitigating fraud, and providing mobile apps for pet owners. 

Questions from you surfaced regarding Astro and the brand MyVet. Astro is the software platform. MyVet is the Astro brand name for the veterinary industry. We have similar Astro products and brands in the works for other industries that we serve. For example, MyPet is the Astro brand name for the pet specialty industry.

Look for more updates from the Astro team coming soon.

Best regards,

Chris Glaser
COO, Focus Technology Group

Salutation to Innovation

Happy New Year and welcome to FTG Insights, our new blog for clients, potential clients, business partners, and friends.

Jimmy Haverstick

It seems like yesterday that Chris Glaser and I sketched out a plan to provide a new business intelligence platform for the animal health industry. A decade later, Focus Technology Group is going strong providing dynamic solutions to real business needs for more than 50 clients in four industries—animal health, pet specialty, agriculture, and healthcare. We are grateful for your business and the opportunity to help you grow!

Innovation. That is why it is fun to work at FTG. We have great people, great ideas, and great clients, and we enjoy creating new tools to solve problems. At FTG we demand innovation from our people and require it for our clients. We will always challenge the status quo, provide new ways to do old things, and present solutions to problems previously unsolved.

To that end, 2012 will be a very exciting year for innovation at FTG. We plan to launch new products like:

• Astro Loyalty, a mobile app loyalty program for pet owners. 
• Geotastic, a GIS data analytics and mapping solution for better business decision-making.

Plus, we will release enhanced versions of current products such as ChannelLink, our versatile marketing automation system for optimizing channel sales performance.

Our success at FTG is measured by your success. As a client of FTG, you can always rely on us for services and solutions that will constantly help you adapt to challenges and elevate your business to new heights.

Please take a moment to read through our blog and see if anything captures your attention. Thank you for your business and we hope to see you at the upcoming trade shows in 2012.

Best regards,

Jimmy Haverstick

CEO, Focus Technology Group

Music City Blogging and Beyond

FTG Insights is a blog published by Focus Technology Group (FTG), an information technology and business intelligence firm based in Nashville, Tenn. Founded in 2001, FTG delivers data-driven technology products and sales and marketing solutions to clients in four industries—animal health, pet specialty, agriculture, and health care.


The mission of FTG Insights is to publish information, news, and content that is relevant to our clients and the markets that we serve. Our goal is to produce a quality blog full of compelling content that is useful, informative, resourceful, thought-provoking, entertaining, and easy to read. Fully integrated with our FTG website, FTG Insights serves as a hub and entry point for access to the company's online content, external communications, and social media.

Blog content for FTG Insights is mostly written by FTG executives in Nashville and Atlanta. Topics include best practices, market observations, data technology, marketing automation, supply chain, data analytics, sales strategy, industry solution, case studies, predictive analytics, cloud-hosted applications, data warehousing, EDI, online product training, industry trends, surveys, lessons learned, and more.

Blog content is delivered in multiple ways via articles, briefs, commentary, analysis, tips, lists, white papers, press releases, industry news, photographs, graphics, videos, slide shows, and polls. As a valued customer of FTG, follow our blog and add to the conversation, intelligence, and stream of content.

FTG By The Numbers

3,000,000 — POS transactions that we process monthly

$5.5 billion — Volume of sales data that we manage annually

25,000 — Product SKUs that we manage and organize

1 terabyte — Amount of data on our secure servers

A Call for Channel Interdependency in Ag

"The "middlemen" (dealers and distributors) can no longer be as independent as they once were. They must become more "interdependent" with their suppliers, working closely with their partners to meet the demands of the growingly sophisticated farm business and provide critical information about customers into the supply chain."

Dr. W. David Downey, Purdue University, Executive Director of Center for Food and Agricultural Business

Published in AgriMarketing. July-August 2011. Article title: "Farm Consolidation Challenges Traditional Distribution"

FTG empowers Independent Pet Retailers

Is it David vs. Goliath? Mass retailers in all industries serve a purpose, and yes, I do shop at many of these outlets from time to time. But I also frequent my local hardware store and independent pet retailer, Highland Pet Supply.

Why? It’s more convenient, they know me, and I believe it’s a good thing to have these stores thriving in my neighborhood.


What does it mean to the industry? Consumers spend more than $10 billion annually on pet supplies and over-the-counter pet medicines, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA). Industry sales are roughly distributed 70% to big box retailers, such as Wal-Mart and Target, and 30% to niche pet retailers, specialty chains, and mom-and-pop stores.

Most manufacturers understand that independent pet retail remains a critical sales channel for pushing products to pet owners. Distributor partners are counting on it. At the independent pet retailer, margins are generally better. Plus, independents are not as fickle as buyers at mass retailers and they really appreciate your efforts to help them provide great products and service to their customers.

What is the strategy? We at FTG have a suite of products and services that bring clarity and actionable information to an otherwise chaotic independent pet retail supply chain. FTG provides access to distributor sales data that helps manufacturers understand their customers and make better decisions for attaining operational efficiencies and growing the business.

Also, FTG’s marketing automation suite, ChannelLink, allows manufacturers to easily connect with their channel partners for administering marketing and incentive programs, providing dynamic online product training, and measuring results—all from a user-friendly, cloud-based web platform.

With the right tools and technology, pet specialty products manufacturers can cost-effectively drive sales through the independents, while still serving the mass retailers.

Jimmy Haverstick
CEO, Focus Technology Group

FTG Solutions

Focus Technology Group provides customers with leading edge cloud-based products, tools and solutions for managing data, driving sales revenue, and streamlining operations.

FocusEDI ➤ Quality Data Management & Exchange

FocusAnalytics ➤ Business Intelligence Tools, Data Mining

FocusCRM ➤ Salesforce Automation System

"FocusCRM is very valuable and helpful for Dechra as our main sales contact management and reporting tool. As always, top notch from your FTG group!"
--  Will Valentine, Western Regional Manager,                                       DECHRA VETERINARY PRODUCTS

FocusGIS ➤ Mapping Analytics

Market Research ➤ Market Intelligence & Analysis

AstroLoyalty ➤ Mobile App Loyalty Program for Pet Owners

ChannelLink ➤ Marketing Automation System & B2B Email Platform