Joe Tucci, CEO / EMC

“Joe is starting to get the recognition he deserves as one of the best CEOs in America,” says Bill Teuber, EMC executive vice president and CFO, who has seen firsthand the shift at the Hopkinton, Mass.-based company from what some have called an arrogant, hard-to-do-business-with direct sales hardware giant to a fleet-footed information life-cycle solutions company.

Today more than 50 percent of EMC&'s sales are touched by the channel and 37 percent of revenue comes from software licensing and maintenance. In the past two years, Tucci has spent some $4.5 billion to acquire seven software-related companies.

Buying companies is one thing. Executing is another. Tucci&'s steady hand has delivered 12 consecutive quarters in which EMC has met or exceeded quarterly targets. “Make no mistake about it,” Teuber says. “This is Joe&'s strategy, and he drives that strategy.”

Driving hard and fast is something Tucci enjoys. Tucci has a Ferrari 360 Modena Spider and a 2003 Saab. And when he is kicking back on ski or scuba diving trips, he may be seen driving a 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe.

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The biggest accolades for Tucci are coming from partners who have seen a channel about-face. Cliff Rucker, eastern regional president of MTM Technologies, Stamford, Conn., was skeptical when he made his big EMC bet three years ago because of the company&'s direct history. Now he expects his EMC sales to soar to $18 million this year.

“EMC has done an incredible job with the channel,” Rucker says. “They are absolutely, unequivocally committed to the channel, and that commitment starts at the top with Joe Tucci.”

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