President | The Marion Group

Vicki Marion leads The Marion Group, a team of highly experienced professionals who each bring rich experience in their operational fields earned while functioning in senior executive roles in consumer product and technology companies.  Ms. Marion operates as a hands-on CEO for hire, management advisor and executive mentor-coach.  She brings to those assignments 30 years of experience across sales and marketing, finance, operations and general management and over 15 years of building strong teams and growing profitable companies as President/GM/CEO.  Specializing in building great consumer brand companies, she leads efforts to develop and source new products, expand sales distribution worldwide and develop effective marketing, branding and channel programs to enhance sell-through.

Ms. Marion is best known for her success as CEO of JABRA Corporation, a company she led from a stalled start-up through a fast growth spurt over a four year period, earning it the 100th place in the Deloitte & Touche Fast 500 in 2000, the year that she sold the company to GN Netcom, a world leader in headsets.  JABRA developed a renowned commercial brand creating a new retail category for hands-free devices for mobile phones and introducing Bluetooth wireless headsets.

Ms. Marion’s also executed a return to profitability for the Altec Lansing group of public company Plantronics, Inc. The company had operations in the US, China, Australia and Europe, with products manufactured in China and distributed in 22 countries.  The business was then positioned for growth allowing for its spinoff sale to private equity in 2009.  Ms. Marion led the effort to sell the division and continued as its President until 2011.

Ms. Marion’s initial turnaround training and operating experience was gained at IRT Corporation, a public company engaged in the development of x-ray inspection equipment for printed circuit boards and government R&D.  She served in a series of executive roles including CFO, Division GM, COO and acted as President at the time of its sale.  Ms. Marion also led Viadux, Inc, a privately-held company in DSL and IP Networking with sales to telecom and cable companies and the private enterprise market through strategic distribution partnerships with Motorola and Scientific Atlanta.

Ms. Marion holds a BA in Economics from Stanford University.  Ms. Marion has been an active member of the business community.  She has served on many industry association and business development organization boards including CONNECT, San Diego Venture Group, San Diego Economic Development Corporation and chaired the San Diego Mayor’s Commission on Science & Technology.  She was the founding President and Chairman of the San Diego Telecom Council, now CommNexus and a past Director of the Consumer Electronics Association – Wireless Division.

She is a strong supporter of executive development for women and served as the Vice President of Athena (2001) as well as a Director (1999-2005) of the organization for executive women.  She led the effort to develop the mentoring initiative and training for mentors and served on the FEW and programs committees as well as several of the committees formed to develop and update its brand and mission.  She was a judge for the Athena Pinnacle Awards and continues as an Emeritus member.  Ms. Marion is a featured speaker on the subject of turnaround management, financing, team development and mentoring, brand development and angel investing.