Westco Educational Products, a business-to-business wholesaler under the West Music Company umbrella — the largest distributor of elementary general music products — has acquired Wisconsin-based ZZee Productions.
Westco purchased the business after years of partnership with Margaret Jerz, founder of ZZee Productions. Jerz’s son-in-law, Evan Schultz, is the designer for the company’s products, creating colorful and educational posters and chart supplements for music classrooms. The company also designed recorders, drums, barred instruments and a curriculum book as part of their offerings.
After 15 years in business, Jerz decided to retire from ZZee Products, a successful – but accidental – company. “Evan made these posters for my own classroom,” Jerz remembered, “and then I started getting requests from colleagues for sets for their classrooms. From there, the business just took off, and ended up being a viable business from which to retire.”
In considering retirement, Jerz looked for a company that could continue her business’ legacy, and found it a natural progression to offer the sale of ZZee Products to Westco Educational Products, given her relationship with West Music and the widespread reputation of the company’s divisions.
“Margaret and I have been colleagues as members of the World Music Drumming Curriculum teaching staff for over a decade, and West Music has sold ZZee’s products since their inception,” said West Music’s senior vice president of national sales, Melissa Blum. “When she came to me with her happy news, we both recognized the natural fit of ZZee Products for the Westco Wholesale division to offer to its retailers across the country.”
“We were happy to officially acquire the company in October 2019,” added Susie Hoffman Beahm, director of Westco educational products. “The full product line is already available through Westco. Margaret, Evan, and I wanted to make the transition as seamless as possible for their current customers and to quickly start reaching out to new markets. It is a very inspiring line of products and we look forward to carrying on their legacy.”
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