Posted in: Comics, Current News | Tagged: AENT, diamond

Seven Senior Diamond Comics Staffers Hired By Alliance Entertainment

Seven senior Diamond Comics staffers have been hired by Alliance Entertainment (AENT), announced today... more to come?

It is all go in comics distribution news today. We looked at where some employees at Diamond Comic Distributors had found new jobs recently, but just hit the motherlode. With seven senior Diamond Comics staffers now at Alliance Entertainment or AENT.

• Matthew Demory, who had been at Diamond Comic Distributors for thirteen years, moving from Comics Brand Manager to Print team Assistant Manager, has just announced that he is now Product Manager/Buyer at AENT.
• Joe Lunday, formerly Director of E-commerce Sales at Diamond Comic Distributors, and had been at Diamond since 1998 with a brief 8-month sojourn at Amazon in 2022, is now Director of Collectable Sales at AENT.
• Ryan Shelkett, two years as Executive Director of Vendor Development at Diamond Comic Distributors, seven years at Bandai, and another ten years at Diamond as a National Sales Manager before that, is now Vice President of Purchasing at AENT.
• Lee Butman, over twenty-five years at Diamond Comic Distributors, as Merchandise Purchasing Manager, and Toys Brand Manager before that, is now Product Manager/Buyer at AENT.
• UPDATE: And Mike Schimmel, former Vice President of Sales at Diamond Comic Distributors, at Diamond for 21 years, and Capital City Distribution for over three years before that,  now Senior Vice President of Sales at Alliance Entertainment
• Trista Peterson, former National and Outreach Sales Manager at Diamond since 2023 is now AENT's Collectibles Sales Director
• Brennan West, former Diamond Purchasing Brand Manager, at Diamond since 2017, is now AENT Product Manager.

Alliance Entertainment is, of course, the company that successful won the auction to buy Diamond Comic Distributors as part of their Chapter 11 bankruptcy process, saw Diamond reject that deal, only for the bankruptcy courts to reinstate it, and then for AENT to pull out again, alleging fraud over the way the Wizard Of The Coasts contracts were presented. And is now suing Diamond over these allegations.

So, yes, Alliance Entertainment, AENT, the company that is suing Diamond for millions after having tried very hard to acquire the distributor, has just hired seven of Diamond's longest-standing staff members, and given them senior positions within the company. AENT boss Bruce Ogilvie is looking smarter by the day. Just as long as he doesn't go on any podcasts to talk about it all.

You can use these Diamond, Ad Populum, Penguin Random House, AENT and bankruptcy tags to keep up with the latest on Bleeding Cool. Here's a timeline if you want to catch up…

• On the announcement of Chapter 11 on the 14th of January, Diamond started a 13-week bankruptcy process run by financial firm Raymond James, got financing to operate, and announced an auction for its assets.
• Those assets included Diamond Comic Distribution, Alliance Gaming Distribution, Diamond Select Toys, CGA and Diamond UK
• Universal Distribution was named the Stalking Horse bidder for Alliance Games and Diamond UK, which required a purchase commitment of thirty-nine million dollars, but with certain discounts and privileges for taking that position.
• The auction took place, and it went late. There was food and breakfast billed for.
• And Alliance Entertainment, or AENT, was named the top bidder for the assets of $72,245,000, though not for Diamond UK. This was widely announced, including by Diamond themselves.
• Then we learned that a joint bid by Universal Distribution and Ad Populum came second and was named the back-up bid, with a bid of $69,130,000. With Universal getting Alliance and Diamond UK, and Ad Populum getting Diamond Comics, Diamond Select Toys and everything else. Basic Fun was third with fifty million.
• A court hearing with the Honorable Judge Rice in Courtroom 9-D at the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland at 10 am was intended to ensure the legality of the bid and the process.
• But instead, over that weekend, the debtors declared that they had chosen the back-up bid from Universal and Ad Populum instead of AENT, despite AENT having bid more. No reason was given.
• AENT filed a lawsuit regarding this decision.
• It took the bankruptcy court to reverse that decision and state that AENT, with the higher bid, had won, though they would have to withdraw their lawsuit.
• AENT has terminated their winning bid and purchase.
• Universal Distribution and Ad Populum were back in the running
• Diamond declared "business as usual" but the courts threatened Chapter 7 over late paperwork.
• AENT sued Diamond, claiming fraud
• Diamond says it's all in hand and went back to court, wanting to be owned by Universal and Ad Populum.
• Sale of Diamond to Universal and Ad Populum was approved by the courts.
• Though Ad Populum paid more than we thought.
• Podcast blamed/credited with the current state of affairs
• Diamond tells Skyrush to stop claiming they won CGA.
• As part of court filings, Diamond released details for every comic store on account.
• We have some finality.
• Ad Populum and Universal Distribution officially acquire Diamond and related assets.
• The layoffs have begun.
• And continue.
• Diamond Select Toys has closed
• Diamond try and reassure retailers over ComicSuite
• Courts withdraw Chapter 7 bankruptcy threat
• We look at the future of Diamond Previews again
• PRH pulls out of Diamond entirely
• Well, not entirely, the UK can stay.
• Hermes Press says Diamond doesn't want to distribute their comics anymore… or anyone's.
• But Diamond pushes back on that, as they publish a new Previews.
• And they assure comic book stores that everything is going to be fine. Honest.
• Then send a letter to publishers which looks like it isn't
• Now they are looking for more money and longer to pay it back.
• Dynamite would like half a million now, please.
• Udon and Manga Classic have now cancelled all Diamond orders.
• Then so did Drem Productions
• PRH starts to close their special retailer joining offer
• Philbo announced a new distribution company.

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