Title: Vice President of Services
Company: Exertis Almo
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Overtime: He loves playing hockey, working on cars, watching Formula racing, and savoring a good cigar. But above all, he cherishes spending time with his wife and daughter. He also swam with sharks miles out in the open ocean off the coast of Oahu.
Why You Need to Know Him: Driven and ambitious, Cory Allen is not comfortable just standing still and never settles for good enough. He always strives to push through, no matter what’s in the way, and constantly looks for ways to level up and adjust his approach. “Roadblocks don’t throw me off—they’re just the next challenge to figure out,” he added.
Allen recalled a day when he worked as a part-time warehouse associate for C2G, a brand of Legrand, and noticed the sales team gathered in the conference room receiving chair massages. He was taking a break from the 103-degree warehouse, where he had just finished unloading two 40-foot containers. “I couldn't help but think If anyone deserves a massage, it’s us sweating it out in the back,” he added. That’s where his desire to move into sales started.
After a few more years in the warehouse, the company president allowed him to participate in the new hire training program without guaranteeing a role at the end. However, he was offered a full-time position on the first day of the two-week program, and his career in sales was off.
After working in various sales and management roles at C2G, he was eventually approached regarding an opportunity with Almo Pro A/V, a client he had engaged with since the launch of its Pro A/V division. While having drinks with Steve Stacy, VP of the Midwest, Allen was interviewed for a position and apparently accepted the offer.
“I say ‘apparently’ because I didn’t quite remember agreeing, but when Steve reminded me the next morning, I told him, 'If you say I did, then I did,’” he recalled. “I'm a man of my word. I'm in.” Ten years later, he feels grateful and fortunate to be a part of it all.
"From a professional standpoint, Cory brings a dynamic blend of competence, confidence, courtesy, and positivity—fueling both visionary strategy and impactful day-to-day execution," said Dan Smith, EVP of Exertis Almo. "On a personal note, Cory's sense of humor is refreshing, and he definitely has the best hair in the business!"
Allen also feels fortunate to be working with one of the hardest-working teams in the business, and is most proud of their energy and commitment to delivering top-notch results for their customers. “The way I see it, any recognition I get is really just a reflection of their effort and passion,” he said. “I’m just the lucky one who gets to lead them.”
After 20 years in the industry, the incredible people he has led and met along the way have truly been his favorite part of working in this field. He even mentions that those in the AV industry are a bit unconventional, but he means that in the best possible way.
“We’re basically a bunch of misfits who somehow made commercial AV our own,” Allen added. “The uniqueness of each person makes the collective that much more fascinating, and honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
