Top Channel Executives 2005
Acer
Mark Hill, vice president of U.S. sales
No. Of Years At Company: 3
Reports To: Rudi Schmidleithner, president
Top Challenge For 2005: To provide products at prices so VARs can compete against direct vendors.
Best Element Of Channel Program: In 2004, Acer made it simpler for channel partners to purchase products from our distributors at a price that allows them to acquire and maintain customers at a profitable price.
Person In Business Most Admired:: The president of Acer, Gianfranco Lanci, has been able to evolve Acer into not only a dominant channel player in EMEA, but a dominant PC company in the region.
Fantasy Career:: Golf pro by day, sommelier by night. This would allow me to indulge in my two biggest passions.
Alcatel
Tom Eggemeier, vice president of North America channels
No. Of Years At Company: 2
Reports To: Hilary Mine, management senior vice president of marketing/communications and channel
Top Challenge For 2005: To develop and launch an integrated channel program offering strategic channel partners with access to Alcatel's broad portfolio of products.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Alcatel's solution and product offerings cover all verticals and many discrete product segments. This provides our partners with a new choice to compete for new growth areas.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Bill Gates. I admire his entrepreneurial spirit as well as his drive for continuing to broaden his vision throughout his career.
Fantasy Career:: Basketball head coach for the University of Dayton. Go, Flyers!
Altiris
Rob Wellman, vice president of strategic alliance sales
No. Of Years At Company: 5
Reports To: Greg Butterfield, president and CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To add the right mix of software OEM and regional business partners to help maintain our aggressive growth objectives while rounding out our channel value chain.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We have a healthy partner ecosystem that benefits our large hardware/software alliances and regional business partners alike.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Jerry Sloan, Utah Jazz head coach. As the longest tenured coach in the NBA, he demands excellence and gets the most out of what he has to work with.
Fantasy Career:: I am in contract negotiations with my 8-year-old son's basketball team to be the head coach.
AMD
Gary Bixler, director of North America channel marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 11
Reports To: Gustavo Arenas, vice president of sales of Americas
Top Challenge For 2005: To keep the channel energized, enabled and equipped to stay on the growth path with AMD as we lead the market into the era of 64-bit computing and multicore processors.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The relationships we build with our customers, the one-to-one elements of our programs that we experience on a daily basis through customer visits, calls, e-mails, events, etc.
Person In Business Most Admired:: The leaders of the companies we serve with our channel programs. Most of these people started their companies from scratch and have built them into substantial, profitable businesses against long odds.
Fantasy Career:: Professional baseball player (but the best I can hope for now is professional baseball watcher).
Asante
Philip Berkowitz, vice president of sales
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: Jeff Lin, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To increase customer awareness of our products and solutions.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our program is designed to help preserve margins for our partners.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Donald Trump for his assessment and management of risk, and my father, Norm Berkowitz, for his perseverance and determination.
Fantasy Career:: To own and run a major professional sports team.
Avaya
Todd Meister, vice president of indirect channels, North America
No. Of Years At Company: 2
Reports To: Kevin Cook, vice president of North America sales
Top Challenge For 2005: Midmarket penetration via best-in-class Avaya Business Partners.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Profitability. You cannot possibly have best-in-class business partners if you do not provide best-in-class partner compensation.
Person In Business Most Admired:: My Dad. He was honest, humble and fair, giving of himself and of his financial resources.
Fantasy Career:: My current job without the excessive travel.
Avocent
Dudley DeVore, vice president of commercial sales, Americas
No. Of Years At Company: 5
Reports To: Gary Johnson, senior vice president of branded worldwide sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To introduce new products and technologies into the channel, while not losing focus on the growth of the core business.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Registration program, because it rewards the resellers who initiated the opportunity.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Steve Thornton, one of our founders and former CEO. He risked everything he had time and again to build this business.
Fantasy Career:: I have it.
BEA Systems
Bobby Napiltonia, vice president and general manager of worldwide channels and alliances
No. Of Years At Company: 16 months
Reports To: Tom Ashburn, president of worldwide field organization
Top Challenge For 2005: To leverage our partner ecosystem to increase the number of opportunities in which we compete.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We do not compete with our partners for services, and we have flexible selling models and incentive programs. Where applicable, we have a tight co-selling alignment to ensure success in mutually selling to the enterprise.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Izzy Schwab and his company, D&H Distributing. I started in the industry about 17 years ago at D&H and experienced their ability to grow and evolve in an ever-changing environment.
Fantasy Career:: Pro basketball player like Steve Nash.
Best Software
Taylor Macdonald, executive vice president of channel and sales operations
No. Of Years At Company: 7
Reports To: Ron Verni, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To continue our focus on new customer growth.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our partner program ensures that partners have an economic model that works, marketing and lead-generation programs, industry-leading products with world-class support and business-development programs to help them grow their businesses.
Person In Business Most Admired:: My father. As a successful executive, he was able to balance family and work while providing exceptional leadership.
Fantasy Career:: Gemologist.
BMC
WillY Donahoo, director of worldwide channel development and marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 4
Reports To: Paige Erickson, vice president of worldwide channels and alliances
Top Challenge For 2005: To continue BMC's shift to a more partner-driven selling model focused on Business Service Management.
Best Element Of Channel Program: True business-centric solutions in which partners easily can step up their technical consulting and sales skills and grow their sales pipeline in a supported, measured way.
Person In Business Most Admired:: J. Willard Marriot Sr. and Armond Hammer. Both took early risks, had broad success, and integrated diplomacy and statesmanship in everything they did.
Fantasy Career:: High-school math teacher.
BMC Software
Paige P. Erickson, vice president of worldwide channels and alliances
No. Of Years At Company: 10
Reports To: Cosmo Santullo, senior vice president of worldwide sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To ensure the smooth integration of BMC and Remedy.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The implementation of our new Solutions Ladder program, which enables our partners to cross-sell and upsell complementary, integrated solutions to their customers.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Carly Fiorina. Carly charted new ground as an outsider at HP. She has been a role model for many, but especially for women in technology.
Fantasy Career:: Wildly successful outdoor/sports photographer who gets to travel to exotic places in the world, meet interesting people and work flexible hours.
Brother
Jason Johns, channel director of sales
No. Of Years At Company: 4
Reports To: Joe Ashcraft, vice president of sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To add quality partners to our partner program and find partners who will lead with Brother products.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our partnership with our VARs, who receive extensive field support and tech support. All sales go through the channel.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Donald Trump. He has done a masterful job of building his company and image.
Fantasy Career:: Pro surfer on the North Shore of Hawaii.
Captaris
Edward M. Pasatiempo, senior vice president of global sales and field operations
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: Matt Scheuing, COO
Top Challenge For 2005: To grow new products.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Lead generation/distribution. Our partners value this element of our partner-program offering.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Jack Welch—leadership.
Fantasy Career:: Rock and roll star.
Check Point Software Technologies
Kevin Maloney, vice president of worldwide sales
No. Of Years At Company: 6 months
Reports To: Jerry Ungerman, president
Top Challenge For 2005: To ensure our global channel base has the tools they need to sell Check Point's latest Perimeter, Internal and Web security solutions.
Best Element Of Channel Program: All sales are indirect, so there's no channel conflict. Companies relying on direct and indirect revenue streams don't always satisfy channel needs.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Lou Gerstner, former chairman and CEO of IBM, because he approached company struggles with a customer focus in mind.
Fantasy Career:: Charter sailboats in the Caribbean.
Cisco Systems
Paul Mountford, senior vice president of worldwide channels
No. Of Years At Company: 8
Reports To: Rick Justice, senior vice president of worldwide field operations
Top Challenge For 2005: To accelerate partner growth while at the same time improving customer satisfaction.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Its focus on value. We continue to reward partners for delivering value to our mutual customers.
Person In Business Most Admired:: John Chambers. He's a visionary thinker with tremendous leadership skills and integrity.
Fantasy Career:: Movie director.
Cisco Systems
Chuck Robbins, vice president of U.S. channels
No. Of Years At Company: 7
Reports To: Paul Mountford, senior vice president of worldwide channels
Top Challenge For 2005: To continue to execute against partner-profitability initiatives, with a particular focus on evaluating market-growth opportunities and understanding the partner issues related to those markets.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our belief that the partner is an essential member of the Cisco sales force. For example, partners are vigorously trained, enabled and compensated for hunting new business.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines. He started a hugely successful company that is in an incredibly unprofitable industry.
Fantasy Career:: The head basketball coach for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels.
Citrix
Ross Brown, vice president of worldwide channels and operations
No. Of Years At Company: 3
Reports To: John Burris, senior vice president of worldwide sales and services
Top Challenge For 2005: To help our existing partners expand their businesses while recruiting a targeted base of value-oriented partners to help drive our products.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We have managed to identify, nurture and reward partners who invest and drive customer demand.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Steve Raymund, for his focus on execution and capacity for key details that drive his business.
Fantasy Career:: Currently doing it, but later on I'm looking forward to bartending in Hanalei Bay, Hawaii.
Computer Associates
Gary Quinn, executive vice president of partner advocacy
No. Of Years At Company: 19
Reports To: Jeff Clarke, COO
Top Challenge For 2005: To drive the combination of a direct and indirect sales organization into a single sales organization that serves both partners and end users in the same geography with the same focus.
Best Element Of Channel Program: A partner's business model is our business model.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Jack Welch.
Fantasy Career:: Owning a golf course.
D-Link Systems
Keith A. Karlsen, executive vice president
No. Of Years At Company: 3
Reports To: Steven H. Joe, president and CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To continue to develop and grow the business channel in the U.S., leveraging our global brand and enterprise-class products.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our VAR program is uniquely and individually tailored for different sized VARs working in a variety of markets.
Person In Business Most Admired:: A founder of any company who can consistently grow the business profitably year after year.
Fantasy Career:: Sports agent.
EMC
Gregg Ambulos, vice president of Americas channels
No. Of Years At Company: 7
Reports To: Bill Scannell, senior vice president of Americas sales
Top Challenge For 2005: Flawless execution.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our channel team has been able to respond and adapt quickly to market changes, partner requirements and acquisitions.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Working with partners on a daily basis, I have come to respect and admire the independent entrepreneur. On a daily basis, they are risk takers, willing to invest and adapt, displaying the passion and desire to succeed.
Fantasy Career:: Professional baseball pitcher.
EMC
John P. Koury, vice president of global channel marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 1.5
Reports To: Mitch Breen, vice president of commercial
Top Challenge For 2005: The seamless, global integration of multiple programs into the EMC Velocity Partner Program.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Velocity rewards partners who invest in EMC solutions, and provides incentives to partners to become more competent across the entire EMC portfolio.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Paul Sollazzo, my maternal grandfather. He came to the U.S. with everything he owned in a cardboard suitcase, speaking only Italian, and started a small business that supported a large family.
Fantasy Career:: Major-league shortstop.
Enterasys Networks
Jim Harold, vice president of worldwide channels
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: Michael Rivers, executive vice president of worldwide sales and services
Top Challenge For 2005: To quickly ramp up training for our partners on the new Secure Networks solutions we are rolling out for 2005.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We have enhanced the ability to drive increased margin through both product segmentation and professional services.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Tom Dolan, who is truly one of the pioneers in the distribution of networking products...I don't believe that there is anyone who has had a longer run of success, and he continues.
Fantasy Career:: A top 50 player on the PGA tour.
Exabyte
Bill Hake, vice president of worldwide sales and marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 2
Reports To: Tom Ward, president and CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To grow channel engagement.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Superb margin opportunity in a seemingly mundane area of IT.
Person In Business Most Admired:: My father, who retired at 76 after 56 years as a commissioned sales rep.
Fantasy Career:: To manage a major-league baseball team.
FalconStor Software
Wendy Petty, vice president of sales
No. Of Years At Company: 5
Reports To: ReiJane Huai, chairman and CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To educate the channel.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Free training/channel-only strategy.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Carly Fiorina, a woman CEO and a woman in technology—two of the most difficult places for a woman to succeed.
Fantasy Career:: I am living it!
Fujitsu Computer Products of America
Victor Kan, vice president of sales and marketing, Imaging Products group
No. Of Years At Company: 5
Reports To: Shinichi Mori, senior vice president of Imaging Products Group
Top Challenge For 2005: To maintain a dominant market share while growing sales with increasing competition and ensuring our VARs' profitability also prospers.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We provide a low barrier to entry.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Carlos Ghosn, Nissan's president and CEO, took the company from multibillion-dollar losses to multibillion-dollar gains in roughly two years. I admire his dedication and focus.
Fantasy Career:: What's not to love about my current position!?
Fujitsu Computer Products of America
Lorne Wilson, vice president of channel sales and marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 7
Reports To: Yoshihiko Masuda, president and CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To support existing partners with their current business requirements while helping them identify and enter new markets.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our field-support team helps solution providers with all aspects of their business, from tech support to joint marketing programs, to increase their business.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Herb Kelleher, co-founder of Southwest Airlines. He had the vision to provide customers with the highest value, lowest price travel alternative, delivering great customer satisfaction while maintaining a corporate culture that made employees happy in their jobs.
Fantasy Career:: Restoring 18th century farm houses in New England, where I was born and raised.
Gateway
Tiffani Bova, senior director of indirect channel sales and programs
No. Of Years At Company: 9 months
Reports To: Jim Kaufold, vice president of sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To implement a successful sales channel program, getting the word out, and gaining acceptance and sales traction is the next step.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The flexibility to deal with Gateway in a number of ways. This allows our partners to determine, deal by deal, what is best, not only for their business, but for the customer.
Person In Business Most Admired:: I follow what the "Two Allisons" (Watson of Microsoft, and Seelinger of Symantec) are doing. They have been very effective in building and executing very focused and impactful programs to ensure partner satisfaction and value-add in the supply chain.
Fantasy Career:: Photographer, to travel the world and experience life through a lens and tell a story that otherwise may go untold.
Hewlett-Packard
John Thompson, vice president and general manager of solution partners organization
No. Of Years At Company: 15
Reports To: Mike Larson, senior vice president of Americas; and Jim McDonnell, senior vice president of worldwide solutions partner
Top Challenge For 2005: Double-digit growth and making 2005 the "Year of the Partner."
Best Element Of Channel Program: HP's PartnerOne program allows partners to leverage the entire portfolio to grow the top line or bottom line for partners.
Person In Business Most Admired:: I admire Bill Gates, who applies low-key style with a fierce competitive edge to win.
Fantasy Career:: Mountain climbing or CEO.
Hitachi Data Systems
Tom Valiante, vice president of Americas Reseller channel
No. Of Years At Company: 9
Reports To: Curt Wittich, vice president of Americas sales and services
Top Challenge For 2005: To increase the midrange volume business to critical market share.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The financial aspects of the TrueNorth Channel Partner Program, whether it's MDFs, stretch-target rebates or margin dollars.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Ron Conway, who defined and implemented a sales and marketing strategy at Altos in the '80s that focused on the channel increasing sales.
Fantasy Career:: Surf instructor in Maui.
Hyperion Solutions
Mercedes Ellison, vice president of global partner sales
No. Of Years At Company: 5 months
Reports To: Burton Goldfield, senior vice president of worldwide field operations
Top Challenge For 2005: To ensure that we continue our success in business-performance management with our global partners, while investing in and growing our business-intelligence channel.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The passion that our partners bring to business-performance management and business intelligence fuels our ecosystem.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Meg Whitman from eBay, because she overcame significant obstacles and has achieved tremendous success.
Fantasy Career:: Owner of the Oakland Raiders.
IBM
Frank J. Vitagliano, vice president of worldwide distribution channels, global Business Partners
No. Of Years At Company: 31
Reports To: Donn Atkins, general manager of Global Business Partners
Top Challenge For 2005: Business partner profitability.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Consistency.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Lou Gerstner. He reinvented IBM.
Fantasy Career:: Manager of Boston Red Sox from February through November, and professional poker player in off-season.
IBM
Donn Atkins, general manager of global Business Partners
No. Of Years At Company: 28
Reports To: Doug Elix, senior vice president and group executive of sales and distribution
Top Challenge For 2005: To deliver profitable growth for IBM and our partners.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The IBM Business Partner Charter, because it is the single, consistent focal point for our entire company and for all of our partners. It outlines our broad-based support for all types of partners across IBM and establishes guidelines for how we work with partners.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Warren Buffet. The qualities I admire the most are his honesty, his willingness to speak his mind, and the importance he places on having strong leaders on his team.
Fantasy Career:: A business I set up with my two daughters that builds on my experience and their enthusiasm, instincts and energy.
IBM
Mike Borman, vice president of worldwide software sales, IBM Software group
No. Of Years At Company: 27
Reports To: Steve Mills, senior vice president and group executive of IBM Software Group
Top Challenge For 2005: To help our partners close business faster and more profitably.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The best part of our program is that it rewards partners for the value they deliver to customers.
Person In Business Most Admired:: One executive I admire greatly was IBM's Ned Lautenbach. He was able to balance career and family, and respected people in all his endeavors.
Fantasy Career:: Golf pro.
Intel
Shirley Turner, director of North America channel marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 20
Reports To: Steve Dallman, senior director of channel sales and marketing
Top Challenge For 2005: To drive the ecosystem (products and programs) to support digital enterprise/home/health care and mobility into the channel for Intel.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Consistency and stability while staying flexible to change through some turbulent times in the industry.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Robert Noyce. A brilliant individual of great integrity and vision, he was also a true renaissance man who was simply good at everything he did.
Fantasy Career:: Playing in pit orchestras on Broadway.
Intel
Steve Dallman, senior director of channel sales and marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 25
Reports To: Tom Kilroy, president of Intel Americas
Top Challenge For 2005: Channel health, which is measured by how we can help increase its share of the business.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The consistency, purpose and commitment that we have for our channel customers, who we support and service. We can be counted on in both good times and bad.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Andy Grove. He changed the world and lives of all of us who have worked for him. I have learned excellence, saying the truth and acting on all of my commitments from him.
Fantasy Career:: Testing suntan oil and beer-tasting on a beach in Mexico.
Juniper Networks
Robert W. Bruce, vice president of Americas channel
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: Tushar Kothari, vice president of worldwide channels
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our value-based model, which characterizes partners along applicable technical capability vectors to ensure a high degree of partner and end-user satisfaction.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Terry Eger, Cisco's first vice president of sales. Arguably, he was the best field operations and sales executive in this industry who recognized, before most, the value that solution providers bring in solving thecomplexity of internetworking solutions in an emerging industry.
Fantasy Career:: I'm doing it!
Juniper Networks
Tushar Kothari, vice president of worldwide channels
No. Of Years At Company: 9 months
Reports To: Jim Dolce, executive vice president
Top Challenge For 2005: To drive capacity in our partners to keep up with growth rates.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our value-based program is designed from the ground up to ensure sustained, long-term partner profitability.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Lee Iacocca, because he led from the front when Chrysler was in deep trouble.
Fantasy Career:: My current role at Juniper. I am empowered to transform Juniper into the best channel company.
Konica Minolta Printing Solutions U.S.A.
Mark A. Coutts, executive director of commercial sales
No. Of Years At Company: 5
Reports To: Stephen Fletcher, president and COO
Top Challenge For 2005: To find new ways to deliver high-quality elements to our partner program that enhance our channel partners' ability to be profitable.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Providing incentives that make selling our product line the most profitable in the industry.
Fantasy Career:: Sports agent.
Lantronix
Brad Painter, vice president of worldwide channel sales
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: David Schafer, senior vice president of worldwide sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To increase awareness of machine-to-machine (M2M) and device networking, while also giving IT departments increased control of the data center.
Best Element Of Channel Program: This year, we are broadening relationships with our Premier Partners. We are also launching a number of new programs, including the recently launched managed service provider (MSP) Resource Center, designed to empower our partners to initiate their own MSP programs.
Person In Business Most Admired:: [Sir] Richard Branson of Virgin Atlantic fame for his unwavering resolve to do whatever it takes to produce the best long-term results for his companies.
Fantasy Career:: NFL linebacker.
Lexmark
Scott Dunsire, vice president of U.S. Business channels
No. Of Years At Company: 4
Reports To: Bruce Dahlgren, vice president and general manager of North America printing solutions and services
Top Challenge For 2005: To build brand awareness with our partners, especially in the SMB segment, and to grow market share in the printing industry.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Consistency. Since coming on board with Lexmark four years ago, we have kept the core program elements of the channel program consistent. In 2004, we increased program payouts and will continue to increase program investment throughout 2005.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Yasuhiro Tsubota. I met him at Canon, where he was really the driving force. Yasuhiro challenged me to think about the channel and relationships. He has been a driving influence in my career.
Fantasy Career:: As the current coach of my sons' hockey teams, it would be my dream job to one day be a coach of a U.S. hockey team they were playing on.
Maxtor
John Vossoughi, vice president of sales of Americas and worldwide distribution
No. Of Years At Company: 10
Reports To: Kurt Richarz, senior vice president of worldwide sales
Top Challenge For 2005: Channel integrity and profitability.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The MaxtorVIP program gives Maxtor the ability to directly touch smaller, indirect customers with real benefits.
Person In Business Most Admired:: The one who sticks out is Steve Jobs, because he is never content with the ordinary and is always looking for ways to reinvent his company.
Fantasy Career:: I think I'm doing it.
McAfee
David Roberts, senior vice president of North American channels
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: Jim Lewandowski, executive vice president of the Americas
Top Challenge For 2005: To increase channel breadth and depth.
Best Element Of Channel Program: McAfee SecurityAlliance is focused on ensuring that selling McAfee solutions is profitable for its partners.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Jeff Raikes of Microsoft. He taught me to think in terms of what the partner considers a win.
Fantasy Career:: Playing quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys.
Microsoft
Margo Day, vice president of U.S. partner group
No. Of Years At Company: 3.5
Reports To: Darren Huston, corporate vice president of SMS&P
Top Challenge For 2005: To ensure we have the most effective ways to assist partners to move up the services and solutions value chain.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We've completely integrated partners into the way we go to market; our "Winning with Partners" strategy is enabling many partners to grow their businesses.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Steve Ballmer, for strength of vision and passion, driving cultural change as well as double-digit growth in a big company, and his ability to synthesize feedback into critical insight.
Fantasy Career:: I'd live somewhere tropical and take people on underwater adventures, exploring new places and uncovering exciting new things they'd never seen before!
Microsoft
Don Nelson, general manager of worldwide partner sales and readiness
No. Of Years At Company: 4 with Microsoft, 20 with Great Plains/Microsoft
Reports To: Allison Watson, vice president of worldwide partner sales and marketing.
Top Challenge For 2005: To deliver more sales assistance to our partners; more value, such as competitive information, training and enablement tools; demonstrations and sales resources.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We provide partners with the ability to specialize on a particular type of customer or solution, and deliver supporting resources that align to their specialization or competency.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Doug Burgum, who has always believed that creating a win for both the customer and the partner is the best way to build a successful company.
Fantasy Career:: A PGA Tour golfer.
Microsoft
Allison Watson, vice president of worldwide partner sales and marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 11
Reports To: Orlando Ayala, group vice president of small and midmarket solutions and partners; MBS COO
Top Challenge For 2005: To bring back value to the solution-provider community in a way that helps raise profit potential, and develop specialized partner channels within our overall partner population.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The Microsoft Partner Program helps solution partners differentiate their capabilities to customers via 11 solution areas, or competencies, which help partners better align their businesses with Microsoft technology and marketing initiatives and form closer relationships with customers and other partners.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Steve Ballmer, for his energy, commitment and ability to focus on a particular issue and pour himself into understanding it from every imaginable angle.
Fantasy Career:: I'm doing it!
NEC Mitsubishi Electronics Display
Clark Brown, vice president of North American sales
No. Of Years At Company: 16
Reports To: Doug Albregts, vice president of sales and marketing
Top Challenge For 2005: To continue effectively communicating NMDA's total value proposition, differentiating our products and technologies to our current partners, while embarking on a VAR recruitment effort to grow our solution-provider base.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We do not deliver a one-size-fits-all program. We have built a portfolio of vertically focused programs, based on solution-provider feedback, that enables our partners to be successful in the markets they target.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Herb Kelleher, chairman of Southwest Airlines. Herb fosters a team concept while aligning Southwest's employees' interests with those of the company's shareholders.
Fantasy Career:: Athletic director of Florida State University.
NEC Solutions
Larry Sheffield, senior vice president of Solutions Platform Group
No. Of Years At Company: 20 months
Reports To: Toshimitsu Iwanami, president and CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Short term, to continue the fantastic rate of growth for NEC Solution America's Solutions Platforms Group and break through the $100 revenue barrier. A bigger challenge is to create a reputation for NEC in the U.S. that reflects the innovation and history of this company.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our channel program is successful because we work together as a team to make it successfulMy management philosophy revolves around teamwork, integrity and trust to succeed.
Person In Business Most Admired:: My younger sister for her achievements in the business world. After earning her MBA from Stanford University, she has gone on to be president of Soft Sheen/Carson, a division of L'Oreal. On her own, she created a new definition of success for our family.
Fantasy Career:: I wanted to be the first black president, but I also come from a generation where I saw people who were involved in social change--President John F. Kennedy, presidential candidate Robert Kennedy and civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.--getting killed. If that were the price I'd have to pay to help change America, I wasn't willing to pay that.
NetGear
Michael Werdann, vice president of Americas sales
No. Of Years At Company: 5
Reports To: David Soares, senior vice president of worldwide sales and support
Top Challenge For 2005: To keep up with small-and-midsize-business demand.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The ability to meet the different needs of small VARs and bigger VARs alike.
Person In Business Most Admired:: The small VARs who make it happen every day, no matter how big the obstacles.
Fantasy Career:: New York Yankees owner.
NetIQ
Michael Ragusa, vice president of worldwide channel sales
No. Of Years At Company: 1.5
Reports To: Mark Marron, senior vice president of worldwide sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To recruit go-to enterprise partners across NetIQ's core solutions in each geography.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The CAM model—Channel Account Managers provide direct links to our direct sales, technical, services and marketing teams. We have sales tools to help partners create demand and drive higher-margin opportunities.
Person In Business Most Admired:: I admire John Chambers' leadership skills and steadfast commitment to the channel.
Fantasy Career:: High school football coach.
Network Appliance
leonard Iventosch, vice president of americas channel sales
No. Of Years At Company: 4.5
Reports To: George Bennett, vice president of sales, Americas
Top Challenge For 2005: To maintain partner margins, and to create and establish a lead-generation engine that drives high-quality leads to our partners.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our commitment to maintain the best partner margins is what keeps them loyal to NetApp.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Tom Mendoza. Tom could have retired years ago, but his passion for NetApp and desire to win keeps him a driving force behind our success. Tom is the best motivational speaker I have heard in 25 years in the industry, and is also is the best salesman I've ever seen.
Fantasy Career:: To establish a basketball academy to teach young children basketball fundamentals, teamwork and sportsmanship.
Network Appliance
Rob Salmon, executive vice president of sales
No. Of Years At Company: 11
Reports To: Tom Mendoza, president
Top Challenge For 2005: Market awareness. Many customers still aren't entirely sure what differentiates us from our competitors.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our sales channel is an extension of our sales force, and we know they are critical to our success. We establish clear lines of demarcation for our channel and direct sales teams and partners to ensure there is no conflict.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Dan Warmenhoven, Tom Mendoza, Dave Hitz and James Lau. They have vision, passion and execution. But they also have unique skills and backgrounds and use their differences synergistically for the good of NetApp.
Fantasy Career:: I have a Fantasy Career: today. I travel the world meeting interesting customers and partners who I learn from, and other NetApp employees who make work fun.
Nortel Networks
Perry McDonald, senior director of global channel marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 9
Reports To: Peter Kelly, vice president of global solutions marketing
Top Challenge For 2005: To continue building the most compelling and profitable channel model in the industry.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The Partner Advantage focus on CSAT. Good business is about satisfied customers, and a satisfied customer base equates to a growing, profitable business.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Steve Jobs for his vision, tenacity and passion.
Fantasy Career:: CEO of a firm that specializes in deploying clean energy solutions that harness fuel from the sun, wind and water.
Novell
Ladd Timpson, worldwide director of channels marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 18
Reports To: Troy Monney, vice president of corporate marketing services
Top Challenge For 2005: To ensure we have a strong partner ecosystem that can offer true alternatives to our joint customers.
Best Element Of Channel Program: What's important is how your go-to-market strategy fosters the proper relationships between you and your partners. I think that is one of our key strengths.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Jack Welch. His loyalty to GE and its employees, his gutsy approach to dealing with the company's challenges and his disdain for bureaucracy are all qualities that make him one of the great business leaders.
Fantasy Career:: Outdoor life reporter for a local TV station, while giving private ski lessons on the weekend.
Novell
Mark Hardardt, vice president and general manager of worldwide partners and channels
No. Of Years At Company: 2.5
Reports To: Ron Hovsepian, president, Novell North America; Jack Messman, CEO for worldwide channel strategies
Top Challenge For 2005: To deliver our channel partners everything they need to help make Novell's Linux strategy a success.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The combination of moving to a partner-led territory and midmarket model, combined with our successful demand-agent program, has created great incentives for partners to work with Novell.
Person In Business Most Admired:: My deepest admiration has always been for people who have started out with an idea and built that idea into a successful and vibrant business. It doesn't much matter whether it's a multinational or small local business.
Fantasy Career:: An industrial architect—building bridges and skyscrapers would be a thrill.
Oculan Systems
Shane O'Donnell, vice president of marketing and business development
No. Of Years At Company: 5
Reports To: Mac Lewis, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To treat every relationship like it's a new one, and rebuild the trusts that are necessary in successfully executing a channel-centric strategy.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Unlimited, free Web-based training. I want our partners making money, not paying me to learn about my product.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Jack Welch. Few people have a real grasp as to just how complicated a beast GE really is, and Jack could readily identify the elements that required his attention.
Fantasy Career:: Banjo player for Alison Krauss and Union Station.
Oki Data
Christopher Froman, senior vice president of U.S. sales
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: Stewart Krentzman, president and CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To continue introducing leading-edge technologies that deliver dependable, feature-rich printing solutions.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The loyalty Oki Data demonstrates to solution providers. Any opportunities for direct sales are fulfilled back through the channel.
Person In Business Most Admired:: My father, the late John Froman. His ability to balance family and business made an impact on my life. In everything he did in his career, he focused on people and ethical business practices.
Fantasy Career:: I'd love to be a starter on a top golf course.
Oki Data
Greg Van Acker, vice president of U.S. channel sales
No. Of Years At Company: 12
Reports To: Christopher Froman, senior vice president of U.S. sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To continue introducing leading-edge technologies that deliver dependable, feature-rich printing solutions.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The loyalty Oki Data demonstrates to solution providers. That loyalty is the driving force of the way the company does business, by not selling direct, for example.
Person In Business Most Admired:: I always have admired General Electric's Jack Welch, since I started my business career there 25 years ago. Jack defined results-oriented and led with a mixture of instinct and strategy.
Fantasy Career:: Being 6' 6" and having played college basketball, my dream career would be playing in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers (going into the stands with Ron Artest).
Oracle
Bronwyn Hastings, vice president of worldwide alliances and channels
No. Of Years At Company: 8
Reports To: Charles Phillips, president
Top Challenge For 2005: To keep focused on support and incremental-growth opportunities for the partners, who are essential to the growth of Oracle's economy.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The strength of our channel program comes from the framework that supports the global-partner community. This framework allows Oracle to enable multiple product areas and successfully grow partners' businesses in-country and cross-border.
Person In Business Most Admired:: While perhaps a bit unorthodox in his business approach, Richard Branson is electrically innovative and incredibly successful. He has tremendous business acumen and a desire to continually push the limits of traditional practices, while enjoying every minute along the path to his success.
Fantasy Career:: To apply the skills gained through my business experiences to secure government and investor commitments to further medical research.
Oracle
Rauline Ochs, group vice president of North American alliances and channels
No. Of Years At Company: 1.5
Reports To: Keith Block, executive vice president of North American sales and consulting
Top Challenge For 2005: To integrate the Oracle PartnerNetwork and PeopleSoft Partner Connection programs.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The ability to sell and install a product line that is relevant from the enterprise to the small and medium business customer.
Person In Business Most Admired:: I admire Mr. Jobs and Mr. Case, who gave me Apple's iPod and AOL's Instant Messenger, respectively. These two technologies have changed my relationship with my 13-year-old nephew. Our ability to swap iPod files is one more common interest we share, and Instant Message keeps us in touch daily.
Fantasy Career:: A run as the official photographer for the University of Southern California Trojan Marching Band.
Overland Storage
Chet Baffa, vice president of worldwide sales
No. Of Years At Company: 4
Reports To: Christopher Calisi, president and CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To build a new disk-to-disk backup products business from scratch.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Predicable and healthy profit opportunities for channel partners based on a foundation of no direct sales to end users.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Dick Eagan, principal founder of EMC. He built a hugely successful business in a market dominated by IBM for many years, from very modest beginnings.
Fantasy Career:: Successful horse trainer.
Quest
Jeff Clark, vice president of Qwest Business Partner Program
No. Of Years At Company: 6
Reports To: Cliff Holtz, business markets group
Top Challenge For 2005: To enable our existing partners and recruit new partners to sell converged services.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our partners and support team. We have an outstanding team of partners who understand the value of Qwest.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Dick Notebaert, chairman and CEO of Qwest. Dick has done an outstanding job strengthening Qwest by focusing on delivering industry-leading customer service and value-based solutions.
Fantasy Career:: CEO of a midsize company.
Ricoh
Anne Moser, vice president of Printing Solutions Division
No. Of Years At Company: 4
Reports To: Tom Salierno, president of Ricoh U.S.
Top Challenge For 2005: To stand out among so many competitors, old and new.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Financial incentives, including new margin-enhancing rebates at both the front end and the back end. Also, we have a new demo-see program that offers as much as 75 percent of demo units for partners.
Person In Business Most Admired:: IBM's David Boucher has been the most influential mentor I have ever had.
Fantasy Career:: Something in education that combines learning and technology in a way that gives back to the community.
RSA Security
Richard Turner, vice president of worldwide channels
No. Of Years At Company: 8
Reports To: Scott Schnell, senior vice president of sales, marketing and professional services
Top Challenge For 2005: To lift our current RSA SecurWorld partner program from "best in class" to "best in industry."
Best Element Of Channel Program: Its simplicity, because it enables us to spend most of our time with partners driving opportunity, not administering the partnership.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Chris Gent, former CEO of Vodafone Airtouch, for his business style, results and attitude toward business risk.
Fantasy Career:: Professional motorcycle racer.
Samsung Electronics America
Rey Roque, Vice President of marketing, Information Technology division
No. Of Years At Company: 3.5
Reports To: J.Y. Park, president of ITD
Top Challenge For 2005: To continue vigorous expansion of our channel business.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Flexibility and ability to serve, support and incent channel partners of different types, sizes, segments and markets, not a one-size-fits-all program.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Larry Bossidy. While it is critical to understand how to build and maintain the right channel-support infrastructure, at the end of the day, success comes from execution.
Fantasy Career:: College professor.
SAP
Donna Troy, senior vice president, of global small and medium business
No. Of Years At Company: 8 months
Reports To: Lo Apotheker, executive board member and president of global field operations
Top Challenge For 2005: To rapidly grow the capacity and capabilities of our sales channel in key regions around the world.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Aggressive education and business-development funding for mutual investment enables our sales channel to expand marketing and sales capabilities.
Person In Business Most Admired:: My sister, Deb Erickson. She is civic-minded and truly believes that small-business owners have a responsibility to give back to the community they operate in. She's a great role model for aspiring women entrepreneurs.
Fantasy Career:: Astronaut or space explorer. I love the whole notion of space exploration, the excitement and adventure of it all.
Seagate Technology
Desa Zraick, Director of Global Channel Programs and Operation
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: Jeff Loebbaka, vice president of global marketing
Top Challenge For 2005: To sustain partner loyalty and ensure that the Seagate business proposition remains strong in the minds of all partner tiers in an increasingly competitive industry.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We added quarterly profit-sharing to deliver additional profits directly to our distribution partners' bottom lines.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Meg Whitman of eBay, for her ability to maintain compassion, warmth and empathy while building one of the most successful companies of the decade.
Fantasy Career:: Intergallatic Channel Programs Commander, doing what I am at Seagate to build value for our channel partners, but on a slightly broader scale.
Silicon Graphics
Nancy P. Pierce, director of North America channels
No. Of Years At Company: 5
Reports To: Janet Matsuda, senior director of North America marketing and channel sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To grow our business through our channel partners.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The opportunity to capitalize on SGI's strengths in technical computing, which is now applicable to smaller organizations and broader markets at a very promising and competitive cost of ownership.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Bob Bishop, CEO of SGI. Bob has the vision and leadership expertise to awaken the sleeping giant we call SGI. He knows how to inspire people to contribute their best.
Fantasy Career:: To teach speech and drama at the collegiate level.
SonicWALL
Marvin Blough, vice president of North America sales
No. Of Years At Company: 5
Reports To: Matt Medeiros, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To increase profitability of value partners
Best Element Of Channel Program: We have a 100 percent channel-delivery model—we do not compete against our VARs.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Steve Jobs. He has remade Apple not through technology, but by using technology to deliver solutions.
Fantasy Career:: Tiger Woods' caddie.
Sony Electronics
Joe Natale, general manager of channel development
No. Of Years At Company: 18
Reports To: Greg Taylor, senior vice president of commercial IT sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To align and expand our valuable channel resources with the most qualified and committed resellers, and increase business development and demand for our qualified resellers.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Program support for public sector and registered-deal opportunities, efficient product-demo program, and efficient end-user support to qualified resellers.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Ken Burns produces fascinating documentaries on his passions—jazz, baseball, the Civil War, etc.—and he seems to be doing quite well.
Fantasy Career:: What Ken Burns does.
Sony Electronics
Greg Taylor, senior vice president of commercial IT sales
No. Of Years At Company: 12
Reports To: Stan Glasgow, president of AV/IT sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To maximize mutual sales-revenue growth and profitability with selected channel partners.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Online tools, which have greatly enhanced our partners' access to information, improving their selling profitability and ability to support our products.
Person In Business Most Admired:: My father, who throughout his business career as a sales rep, manager or entrepreneur believed relationships and partnerships were the foundations of success.
Fantasy Career:: Race-car driver.
Sprint
Randy Bryson, vice president of indirect sales
No. Of Years At Company: 17
Reports To: Harry Campbell, president of emerging markets and midmarkets
Top Challenge For 2005: To make sure Sprint is the easiest to do business with.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Sprint brought together the wireless, wireline and local partner programs under one umbrella in 2004. Partners can now access all of these services under one contract and with only one Sprint contact.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Bernie Madden, a small-business owner in Kansas City who differentiates his products and services not on price, but instead by relationships with customers and suppliers.
Fantasy Career:: A high-school football coach. Being able to coach and educate adolescents every day would be a great experience and one that can have a positive impact on many individuals to benefit them throughout their lives.
StorageTek
George Karabatsos, vice president of reseller sales and marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 4
Reports To: Michael McGuire, executive vice president of Americas sales, service and marketing, VAR enablement/certification
Best Element Of Channel Program: We have a very comprehensive list of program elements that reward our partners for 100 percent STK engagement.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Donald Waite, ex-CFO at Seagate. He is the most intelligent, hard-driving and compassionate person I've ever worked with.
Fantasy Career:: Coaching the Women's U19 U.S National Soccer team.
Sun Microsystems
Greg Stroud, vice president of iforce partner sales
No. Of Years At Company: 22
Reports To: Richard Napolitano, president of USA GEM
Top Challenge For 2005: To build on the positive momentum that Sun has built into the channel, providing incremental opportunity for the partner community.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We looked at great partner behavior and built our programs around what our partners are already doing.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Scott McNealy, who consistently remains one of the industry's top visionaries, exhibiting strength in conviction, consistency and high business integrity. He also shows great calm under pressure.
Fantasy Career:: Owner and general manager for the San Francisco 49ers. Lots of room for improvement and only one way to go—up!
Symantec
Allyson Seelinger, vice president of global channel sales and strategy
No. Of Years At Company: 18
Reports To: Tom Kendra, senior vice president of worldwide sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To raise the bar for our global partner program as we plan and then execute on the integration of Symantec's and Veritas' two programs.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The Partner Opportunity Registration Program provides a cash rebate to eligible partners who actively identify, develop and close incremental sales opportunities on qualifying products and services.
Person In Business Most Admired:: John W. Thompson. He is an incredible visionary and is very articulate about painting the picture around that vision. Additionally, he is a great business leader with solid values.
Fantasy Career:: Dive master on a Caribbean island, maybe Montserrat.
Symantec
Randy Cochran, vice president of channel sales, Americas
No. Of Years At Company: In second year
Reports To: Steven B. Messick, vice president of Americas sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To increase the amount of mindshare that Symantec has with our partners and make sure they have the tools, resources and information necessary to successfully interact with their customers.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Symantec's and its employees' genuine commitment to doing what is right for our partners and customers every day.
Person In Business Most Admired:: I've always believed that you want a CEO who has a viable strategic vision for the company, who has a passion for excellence, who you would feel comfortable bringing into your best customer and partner meetings at any time, and one who adds value to every interaction. We have that at Symantec in John Thompson.
Fantasy Career:: I would love to be a good enough golfer to be on the PGA tour.
Symbol Technologies
Jan Burton, vice president of worldwide channels
No. Of Years At Company: 1.5
Reports To: Todd Abbott, senior vice president of worldwide operations
Top Challenge For 2005: To ensure comprehensive geographic channel coverage throughout the world while continuously improving overall partner satisfaction.
Best Element Of Channel Program: An independent third-party company "tested" PartnerSelect for financial impact to the channels, and we received excellent scores for the impact to a channel partner's financials.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Linda Dillman, CIO of Wal-Mart, because of her vision and leadership, and ability to lead change while driving significant results for the world's largest retail company.
Fantasy Career:: Artist.
Toshiba
Patrick Mani, vice president and general manager of the digital products division
No. Of Years At Company: 10+
Reports To: Mark Simons, vice president and general manager for Toshiba's digital products division
Top Challenge For 2005: To strengthen the current program initiatives already in place, as well as place more emphasis on the channel by strategically engaging in recruitment and effectively communicating our message to appropriate audiences.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Program flexibility. We want to work with our resellers and assist them in growing their businesses. With this in mind, our channel programs can be customized to meet the specific needs or business model of any reseller, including the way a reseller can use our rebate or MDF programs.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Jack Welch. His philosophies include concepts like, "If you're not No. 1 or No. 2 in your business, then get out."
Fantasy Career:: Honestly, I'm living it. It is a tremendous opportunity to impact business via channel sales—it makes you enjoy the challenge placed in front of you.
Trend Micro
Nancy Reynolds, director of North America channel sales and marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 2
Reports To: Lane Bess, president of North American operations
Top Challenge For 2005: To capitalize and execute on our FY '05 plan.
Best Element Of Channel Program: "Pay for Performance" elements, which pays our premier VARs to sell and influence sales opportunities, no matter where the customer places the order.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Lee Iacocca for his ability to inspire individuals around him; General George S. Patton for his view on teamwork; and Katie Couric, NBC Today news anchor. She is very professional, sincere and has a great sense of humor.
Fantasy Career:: Wimbledon tennis champion.
Veritas Software
Julie Parrish, vice president of Americas field and channel marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 2.5
Reports To: Art Matin, executive vice president of worldwide sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To maintain an open line of communication with our partner community.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our product portfolio, which gives partners best-in-class technology to solve data management and information availability issues.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Carly Fiorina. She had the perseverance, vision and leadership to execute on the HP/Compaq merger in the face of countless critics.
Fantasy Career:: To be a photojournalist sent around the world to document the festivals that celebrate the most pivotal moments in our history.
ViewSonic
Jeff Volpe, vice President of Marketing, ViewSonic Americas
No. Of Years At Company: 9
Reports To: Matt Milne, president of ViewSonic Americas
Top Challenge For 2005: Focus on growing ViewSonic's core display business through the channel by enhancing our programs and products to meet the needs of our solution providers.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Flexibility and scalability. From our promotions, to our MAP program to our trade-in program, the solution provider has a wide variety of options that cater to their diverse needs. I believe that this is a major strength of ViewSonic's approach to the channel.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Billy Bean, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics baseball team. Bean changed the business of baseball by using solid business tactics and strategies in his approach to building a winning baseball team. Along the way, he has maximized value for the A's franchise, maintained outstanding results and changed the way many of his peers and colleagues approach the sport.
Fantasy Career:: Hockey coach. I enjoy sports immensely, and would relish the opportunity to use that and my life's experiences to positively impact young men and women on a more regular basis.
VMware
Amaury Gallisa, vice president of worldwide channels
No. Of Years At Company: 6 months
Reports To: Alan Fudge, executive vice president of worldwide field operations
Top Challenge For 2005: To enable our partners to be profitable and successful in the fast-growth virtualization environment.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The tremendous amount of investment and passion in VMware caused by partners perceiving a valuable business opportunity.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Apple/Pixar CEO Steve Jobs for his raw ability to perceive business opportunities and convert into the next "cool" business wave.
Fantasy Career:: Sailboat racing.
Xerox
Gary Gillam, vice president of North America channel operations
No. Of Years At Company: 15
Reports To: Jerry Farmer, vice president and general manager of North American resellers
Top Challenge For 2005: Accelerate the growth of color in the office.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our nonretail strategy creates a superior business proposition for the value channel.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Anne Mulcahy, Xerox chairman and CEO, whose leadership, integrity and perseverance have been instrumental to Xerox's turnaround.
Fantasy Career:: To replace Rick Steves, the television travel guide on PBS.
3com
Nick Tidd, Vice President, Americas Channel Sales And Business Compliance
No. Of Years At Company: 12
Reports To: Jim Williams, Vp And General Manager, North America
Top Challenge For 2005: To demonstrate credibility and consistency.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Ease of use -- reporting capabilities and tools.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Alexander Graham Bell for his diversity.
Fantasy Career: Goaltender in the NHL (Toronto maple Leafs).
9 g comunications
Ron Templeman, Executive Director, National VAR Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 3+
Reports To: Rich Hanley, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To continue to improve upon the quality of our products and services. Educate and build awareness for our nationally acclaimed mobile data solutions program.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The ability to package together a fully integrated suite of mobile voice and data services aimed at meeting a broad scope of wireless initiatives. It's all about the bundle.
Person In Business Most Admired:: The accomplishments of the likes of Bill Gates or Donald Trump are quite impressive. However, there are other companies or groups that stand out to me as representing excellence and leadership in their respective industries. Companies like Barcardi-Martini, Electronic Arts, EMI and Disney just to name a few.
Fantasy Career: Anything in the front office for the Philadelphia Eagles.
9 g comunications
Andy Rosic, Director of Data Solutions
No. Of Years At Company: <1 year
Reports To: Ron Templeman, Executive Director - National Sub Dealer Division
Top Challenge For 2005: To maintain our competitive lead in the industry for mobile data solutions, while continuing to forge ahead and break new ground in corporate and enterprise wireless data distribution.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The Mobile Data Solutions Program. 9G is a master distributor/dealer for 23 software and/or service companies nationwide. The program currently represents three continents, five countries and more than 100 distinct applications or services.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Michael Dell. He is creative, entrepreneurial, business minded, a self-made success and he continues to pursue change and innovation even though his company has reached a size where many companies rely on their size and success rather than innovation.
Fantasy Career: An alternative rock musician (guitarist, singer, songwriter). It would be more reality and less fantasy if only the chances of success were slightly better than the odds of winning the lottery
Actelis Networks
Tom Reynolds, Senior Vice President Worldwide Sales and Customer Support
No. Of Years At Company: 2.25
Reports To: Tuvia Barlev, President, Chief Executive Officer
Top Challenge For 2005: To expand global participation in the program.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Opportunity Registration: This program is designed to recognize and appropriately compensate the partner who provides additional value-add that helped to generate, sell and support an opportunity.
Person In Business Most Admired:: There are a number of companies that have remade themselves to address or create new markets, respond to changes in the environment, etc. They have taken different paths to get there, but this list includes leaders like Steve Jobs, John Chambers, Lou Gerstner and Bill Gates.
Fantasy Career: This one is not bad.
Allot Communications
Larry Schmidt, Vice-President, Channel Sales
No. Of Years At Company: <1 year
Reports To: PG Narayanan, CEO-Americas
Top Challenge For 2005: To increase exposure with high-end system integrators.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our products, because of the many innovative new service opportunities they enable for VARs and integrators, and the margin opportunities they represent.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Arnold Schwarzenegger, because he is the ultimate example of what you can achieve if you are willing to commit yourself totally to overcoming all obstacles and handicaps in your way.
Fantasy Career: Lead product tester for Harley-Davidson.
ants
Patrick Moore, Vice President, Channel Development
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: Steven Messino, SVP Sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To build on ANTs Software's initial channel program launch in Q4, 2004, and recognition of channel value the ANTs Data Server (ADS) as evidenced by the ADS being chosen one of CRN's 2004 Products of the year.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Simple, direct program in which the ANTs Software Alliance Program partners become part of the ANTs Sales team, and become our implementation arms--no channel conflict.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Scott McNealy. He sticks to his guns.
Fantasy Career: Executive in charge of deploying new technology to even the playing field between developed and developing nations. Making technology available to increase literacy and to identify and distribute already sufficient food supplies directly to those in hunger, bypassing inefficient and often corrupt channels dominant today.
AnythingIT Inc.
David Bernstein, President
No. Of Years At Company: 13
Reports To: ,
Top Challenge For 2005: To continue with industry-leading programs, teaching channel organizations the importance of offering IT asset disposition/trade-in/disposal services as an additional source of service revenue and value-add.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Flexibility with a strong focus on helping our partners win business.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Tom Ridge, director of Homeland Security, accomplished the unprecedented job of building an organization at one of the most critical and uncertain times in our nation's history.
Fantasy Career: First baseman for the New York Yankees.
Applied Voice and Speech Technologies, Inc. (AVST)
Denny Michael, Vice President of Marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 1 1/2
Reports To: Hardy Myers, President and CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Educating our channel partners to use AVST's company-sponsored sales and marketing tools to communicate to their installed base and to increase potential sales pipelines for new customers.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our lead-generation program has increased the potential sales pipeline dramatically. It is also getting many of our partners into accounts that they would not have had an opportunity to work with prior to the program being launched.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Hobie Alter. He was a mastermind of creating brand licensing opportunities in an industry that previously never knew of the concept.
Fantasy Career: It's what I do today. I find that the fast-paced, changing landscape of business today suits my lifestyle very well.
Astaro Corporation
Kamal Arafeh, Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Services
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: Jan Hichert, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: One-hundred percent revenue growth.
Best Element Of Channel Program: High margins/robust products.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Jack Welch
Fantasy Career: I already have it.
B3 Computers Inc
Fred Schlaffer, President
No. Of Years At Company: 3
Reports To: Board of Directors,
Top Challenge For 2005: To grow reseller base in SMB market.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Loyalty--we do not sell to end users, only resellers.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Bill Gates, for his power to change.
Fantasy Career: Charter boat captain.
B3 Computers Inc
Fred Schlaffer, President
No. Of Years At Company: 3
Reports To: Board of Directors,
Top Challenge For 2005: To grow our reseller base in the SMB market
Best Element Of Channel Program: Loyalty - we do not sell to end users, only resellers.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Bill Gates for his power to change.
Fantasy Career: Charter boat captain.
Barbedwire Technologies
Steve Behrens, VP Sales and Marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 2
Reports To: Zia Iqbal, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Growing the North America channel.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our 30-day demo program allows resellers to install a system at their customers' sites for 30 days. The close ratio for this is almost 100 percent for our partners--you can't beat that.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Greg Tommassian--he is a personal friend and small business owner in San Jose, Calif., in a non-technical field that is incredibly creative, caring and successful.
Fantasy Career: Owning a small resort and bait shop at Lake Tahoe that runs itself, so that I can stand around the pickle barrel and exchange stories with my customers.
Blackbaud
Steve Dettor, Director, Channel Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 2.5
Reports To: Ed Roshitsh, VP, Sales
Top Challenge For 2005: Our key initiative for 2005 is to improve our partners' skills in product demonstration skills, sales process skills and marketing/prospecting skills.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We have a fairly small program (100 partners) that allows us to have a high touch channel program. Our channel sales managers (CSMs) are 100 percent dedicated to the success of our partners--they don't have any direct selling responsibilities. Our CSMs are in touch with their partners every week and really dedicated to their success.
Person In Business Most Admired:: My father. He has built a successful contracting business from the ground up and really knows what's important when it comes to running a business.
Fantasy Career: I would love to return to my undergrad alma mater, Wake Forest University, to teach entry-level business courses and take in every home basketball game.
Borland
John Deegan, Vice President - Channel Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: Matt Thompson, Sr. Vice President - WW Sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To deliver a global partner sales engagement model that results in incremental business opportunities with our partners in enterprise and midmarket customers.
Best Element Of Channel Program: To deliver a global partner sales-engagement model that results in incremental business opportunities with our partners in enterprise and midmarket customers.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Bill Gates, for his vision and contribution in building an industry and his unprecedented philanthropic generosity.
Fantasy Career: Leader on the PGA Tour.
BridgeWave Communications
Kyle Freitas, VP - Channel Management and Marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: Amir Makleff, President and CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To increase sales through distributors.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Equitable.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Joe Zell-honest, open and supportive of all his employees.
Fantasy Career: TBD
Cisco Systems Inc.
Edison Peres, Vice President, Advanced and Core Technologies, Worldwide Channels
No. Of Years At Company: 3
Reports To: Paul Mountford, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Channels
Top Challenge For 2005: Driving sales focus around each advanced technology and building a strong commercial channel.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our value incentive program and opportunity incentive program because these incentive programs absolutely demonstrate Cisco's commitment to channel partner profitability and growth.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Henry Ford because he was a clear innovator and industry trend-setter.
Fantasy Career: Golf professional.
Citrix Online
Brett Caine , President
No. Of Years At Company: 2
Reports To: ,
Top Challenge For 2005: To significantly improve our partners' profitability in selling Citrix Online products.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The single best element of our channel program is the ability for our partners to earn never-ending, annuity-based revenue for every license sold.
Person In Business Most Admired::
Fantasy Career:
Computer Lab Solutions
Christian Hayes, Business Manager
No. Of Years At Company: Under 2
Reports To: Shareholders., n/a
Top Challenge For 2005: To grow the new partner program.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Simple, because why complicate things?
Person In Business Most Admired:: No comment.
Fantasy Career: No comment.
Corel Corporation
Chad Hoke, Vice President, Channel Sales
No. Of Years At Company: Joined Corel in October 2004 from Best Software
Reports To: Amish Mehta, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Corel's No. 1 challenge in 2005 is to identify new and better ways to motivate our partners. We need to provide them with the best tools to build their business by proactively communicating the benefits of Corel's solutions to their customers.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Corel is determined to offer our partners the best possible margins in addition to the highest level of support and service. While Corel is a globally established brand, we're also small enough to respond very quickly to the specific needs of our partners.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer, for his proven ability to consistently develop and launch innovative products.
Fantasy Career: Apart from what I'm doing today, it would have to be running my own ski resort in Vail, Colo.
Corel Corporation
Blaine Mathieu , Vice President, Channel Marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 2 - Joined Corel in November 2002 from Adobe Systems
Reports To: Amish Mehta, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Corel's No. 1 challenge in 2005 is to gain deeper insights into the specific programs, incentives and resources that are going to be most relevant in helping our partners achieve their business objectives.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Corel's keen desire to better understand and respond to the specific needs of our partners faster and more effectively than our major competitors can.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Meg Whitman of eBay. She is leading a company that is constantly innovating and inventing new ways to meet the needs of its customers.
Fantasy Career: I'm there already. At Corel, I'm able to use my skills to better serve our partners while driving Corel toward becoming a top-3 global packaged software company.
Defense Group Inc
Neil A. Cohen, Director of Business Development
No. Of Years At Company: 3
Reports To: John Featherstone, Group VP, Business Development
Top Challenge For 2005: Getting our message out to the channel reps that we are here to support them.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Small channel with a targeted focus.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Donald Trump--he is a shameless self-promoter, as am I.
Fantasy Career: Stand-up comic.
Diligent Technologies
Mike Parise, VP Sales/Marketing and CSS
No. Of Years At Company: 2 1/2
Reports To: Doron Kempel,, Chairman and CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Helping our current partners achieve success.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The ability of our partners to generate incremental revenue and margin (vs. replacement revenue and margin).
Person In Business Most Admired:: Anyone that has the ability to blend drive, business skill and success with personality, people skills and understanding. I've been fortunate to work for several of those people.
Fantasy Career: Sports play-by-play broadcaster. I do it as a hobby and I almost can't believe they have to pay people to do it.
Eaton Corporation
Mark A. Ascolese, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Eaton's Power Quality Solutions Operation
No. Of Years At Company: 20
Reports To: Tom Gross, Vice President, Power Quality Solutions Operations, Eaton Corporation
Top Challenge For 2005: Building and delivering the combined value of Eaton's traditional electrical business and its Powerware-branded power quality solutions
Best Element Of Channel Program: Partnership. We built a strong support organization with inside sales, field sales management and dedicated technical and marketing teams for the channel partners. We tailor our programs to individual partner's needs to help them grow the power quality business.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Steve Jobs. Steve has continued to develop and evolve his company into a truly solutions business as opposed to a seller of hardware and software. Ipod and Ipics areexamples of this transition that is paying off for Apple.
Fantasy Career: Movie Producer
Edify Corporation
Gamiel Gran, Vice President, Worldwide Channels
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: Jim Wambach, Vice President of Sales Operations
Top Challenge For 2005: Creating customer awareness and demand for speech solutions.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Low entry threshold into exploding market opportunity
Person In Business Most Admired:: Warren Buffet because he has both extraordinary talent (unmatched strategic vision and execution skills) and equally extraordinary personal integrity (uncompromising ethics and genuine humanity).
Fantasy Career: Designing the next Central Park or Chicago Exposition (both of which were designed by landscape architect Frederick Olmstead Law).
Emulex Corporation
Steve Marconi, Senior Director, Worldwide Channel Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 4
Reports To: Fred Gill, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To continue to grow the Emulex VAR customer base.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Emulex Authorized Reseller Network (EARN) participants gain access to a variety of training options such as E-learning (web-based training), classroom, hands-on lab, live remote Web casts or custom classes. EARN VARs receive rebates based on their HBA sales through the Emulex Rewards Program.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold succeeded in business and then went on to become a successful politician, overcoming numerous obstacles.
Fantasy Career: The one I'm currently in!
EqualLogic, Inc.
Tom Barrett, Director of Channels
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: John Joseph, VP of Marketing
Top Challenge For 2005: Ensuring EqualLogic solution providers are positioned to capitalize on the opportunities in the iSCSI SAN market.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Product--simplest SAN in the market to sell and support.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Bill Gates. How many company founders grow their business to $35 billion?
Fantasy Career: Host of This Old House.
F5
Lee Finck, Director, North American Channels
No. Of Years At Company: 1.5
Reports To: Mark Anderson, Vice President North American Sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To increase mind, wallet and market share with F5's security products and programs.
Best Element Of Channel Program: F5's new Secure Advantage Program. The combination of deal registration and rewards/points program elements are creating more incremental opportunities in the channel than at any time in F5's history.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Bill Campbell, chairman of the board, Intuit. Bill has an unmatched ability to fuse charismatic leadership with operational excellence. His depth of understanding and investment in channel relationships catapulted every company in which he was in a leadership role.
Fantasy Career: Chef.
Four J's Development Tools Inc.
Bryn Jenkins, Chief Operating Officer
No. Of Years At Company: 4
Reports To: Jean Georges Schwartz, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To overcome OOP bigotry.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Excellent margins and segmentation equate to decent profits on the resale of our products.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Steve Jobs, for his vision, determination and perfectionism.
Fantasy Career: Hollywood screenwriter.
Fujitsu Computer Products of Amercia
Don F. McMahan, Vice President of Sales, Imaging Products Group
No. Of Years At Company: 8
Reports To: Shinichi Mori, Sr.Vice President-Imaging Products Group
Top Challenge For 2005: Continuing to hit the aggressive growth targets we have made over the past several years.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We have a Design Registration program that has continued to give our best partners the competitive edge they need in this market. The DR has proven itself to be a significant competitive advantage for the loyal partners who continue to spec in our scanners.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Steve Raymond from Tech Data gets my vote as the most consistent advocate of the channel and the reseller community over an entire career. You have to respect and appreciate what he has done, especially when it has not always been the popular path to pursue.
Fantasy Career: Dive boat captain in a warm, tropical place with no access to cell phones or the Internet.
IBM
Buell Duncan, GM, ISV and Developer Relations, IBM
No. Of Years At Company: 29
Reports To: Steve Mills, SR VP, IBM SW Group
Top Challenge For 2005: To continue to expand the broad ecosystem of ISV and systems integrators that lead with IBM in the marketplace and are committed to open standards.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Strong go-to-market benefits associated with IBM's PartnerWorld Industry Networks Program reaching 1000's of IBM ISV and SI partners.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Lou Gerstner-- his leadership established an obsession with satisfying our clients' needs and he recognized the importance of partners to deliver value in the world of e-business.
Fantasy Career: Major League Baseball infielder for the New York Mets!
Imprivata, Inc.
Eric Blatte, Director, Channel Sales and Programs
No. Of Years At Company: Less than 1
Reports To: Steve Lesser, VP Worldwide Sales and Services
Top Challenge For 2005: Building the first comprehensive channel program at this new company and recruiting key partners in each major metropolitan area.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We're a 100 percent partner-driven company. Thus, the best element of our partner is that we develop a customized business plan with each partner that encompasses all sales, marketing, training, and support activities necessary to achieve our mutual business objectives.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Bill Gates, for having the unique combination of entrepreneurial vision and management talent to build from scratch one of the most influential companies in the world.
Fantasy Career: Owner of the Boston Red Sox (but the current ones aren't doing a bad job, so I'm going to put this fantasy on hold).
Info Tech
Bill Walker, VAR Program Manager
No. Of Years At Company: 2
Reports To: Joseph F. Phelan, Director Sales and Customer Support
Top Challenge For 2005: Releasing a new product while increasing our VAR recruitment in new territories.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our VARs. In order for our strategic partnerships to be successful, our VAR executives take an active part in the promotion of Info Tech and our solutions within their ranks. This relationship is a priority for them, hence it is by default the priority for their staff.
Person In Business Most Admired:: My father. He became the second VAR in the world in 1983 for an ERP solution provider. He has continually reinvented himself and his firm to stay ahead of the technology curve to better anticipate and meet the needs of his clients. He has oftentimes reminded me to set the objective of our channel program to do more than we are compensated to do, and give better service and support than we are compensated to give.
Fantasy Career: The first Pulitzer winning-author to also have won the British Open at St. Andrews.
Ipswitch, Inc.
Anthony Luzza, Director of Worldwide Channel Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 6
Reports To: Brian Landrigan, VP of Worldwide Sales
Top Challenge For 2005: Recruiting qualified solution providers that will grow the business.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The interaction solution providers receive from Channel Development mManagers. They're the conduit between Ipswitch and the solution providers and provide a hands-on approach to solid relationship building.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Roger Greene, CEO of Ipswitch. He started a private company and turned it into successful, profitable software company 14 years ago. He's very philanthropic--both on a local and global scale.
Fantasy Career: To share the experiences I've obtained throughout my career by teaching International Business and Marketing to students in University.
Jalasoft Corporation
Mickey McIntire, Director, Worldwide Channel Partner Program
No. Of Years At Company: 7 Months
Reports To: Jorge Lopez, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Establishing a reputation within the channel as a proactive and responsive vendor that delivers measurable value to our partners' bottom line.
Best Element Of Channel Program: A program designed and developed from the Channel's perspective by someone (me) who has spent 20-plus years on that side of the table.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Mort Rosenthal, founder of Corporate Software, because Mort was always willing to challenge the norms and do things differently.
Fantasy Career: Antiques dealer and expert appearing on Antiques Roadshow.
Konica Minolta Printing Solutions U.S.A., Inc.
Melvin L. Evans, Director of Channel Marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 18
Reports To: Tom Taiko, V.P. of Strategic Planning and Marketing
Top Challenge For 2005: To develop a stronger relationship with our partners, to help them capitalize on an improving business climate and to increase their profitability with our brand of printing solutions.
Best Element Of Channel Program: There are two equally important elements: No severe restrictions or limitations on participating, thereby giving all partners, regardless of their business size, an equal opportunity to be profitable and successful selling our products. And we give all partners personal attention and dedicated reps to work with on an ongoing basis.
Person In Business Most Admired:: I would have to say Renard Johnson, CEO of Management and Engineering Technologies International (METI), in El Paso, Texas. He and his brother have developed a very solid and profitable business that provides a valuable service in so many ways to the entire country.
Fantasy Career: I guess my answer ties back to the previous question. I want to own/manage a business that provides a product and/or service that people need in their everyday lives, but also allows me, my co-workers and employees to be creative and imaginative in providing that solution. In other words, having fun helping people.
Liebert Corporation, an Emerson Network Power company
Jerry Patton, Vice President of Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 21
Reports To: Bob Bauer,, president, Liebert Corporation
Top Challenge For 2005: Our primary challenge is to help customers understand the role of mission-critical power and cooling in their quest for always on availability, and for our solutions partners to benefit and profit from customer demand for our products and services.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We are unique in our industry in having a nationwide network of local Liebert experts who are available to help our Solutions Partners assess their customer needs, recommend appropriate solutions and ensure post-installation support.
Person In Business Most Admired:: I admire Chuck Knight, former chairman and CEO of Emerson, for his ability to plan for success and limit the bureaucracy that stifles creativity.
Fantasy Career: Vice president of sales for Liebert. This career has been everything I ever hoped for, and continues to be challenging and rewarding. Loving what you do matters.
MailFrontier
Bobbi K. Frioli, Vice President, Channel Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: Anne Bonaparte, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To broaden our market footprint by extending solutions using our channel and recruiting partners.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Flexibility: We don't try to make channel partners work our way, we work with our partners to grow business...it is all about the partner, not all about us, and that philosophy flows through our entire organization
Person In Business Most Admired:: Carly Fiorina. She has worked hard and against odds to continually improve HP, even with many naysayers.
Fantasy Career: I'm working it! Actually, owning a business in Maui, Hawaii, would be great!
Maximizer Software Inc.
Peter Callaghan, Vice President Sales and Marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 2
Reports To: John Caputo, Co-President and CFO
Top Challenge For 2005: Ensuring quality while managing the dramatic expansion of our channel.
Best Element Of Channel Program: A dedicated selling team, which significantly reduces the cost of sales for our partners.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Ron Zambonini, chairman of Cognos. Ron has always been an inspirational leader. His keen insight and partner-friendly approach make him an executive that all executives in this business should strive to be like.
Fantasy Career: To be the CEO of a high-growth, high-tech organization that enables businesses to overcome obstacles and succeed against all competition.
Meridian Systems, Inc.
Marty Listberger, Director of Channel and Inside Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: Mark Carrington, Senior VP of Global Sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To increase incremental software license sales through Meridian's VAR channel.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Many channel partners have been general contractors or project managers for large construction companies, resulting in practical experience and domain expertise to be more than a software sales channel to customers of Meridian's products.
Person In Business Most Admired:: President George W. Bush. The true character of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort, but rather during times of conflict.
Fantasy Career: Work 50 percent of the year for me and my family and 50 percent of the year for Shelter Our World, a faith-based nonprofit helping to bring shelter to the homeless, in which I serve.
Methodware Ltd
Richard Taylor, VP North America
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: Chris Moxon, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To further increase the Methodware partner network.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Methodware partners have undergone a rigorous selection program before they are certified to sell and provide training in Methodware software.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Elliott Spitzer, attorney general of New York State. He has been hugely influential in the reform of the United States' financial services industry.
Fantasy Career: Wine buyer for a golf resort.
Mitel
John Uehling, VP, US Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 8
Reports To: Paul Butcher, President, Mitel
Top Challenge For 2005: To help new and existing Mitel Solution Providers leverage Mitel's leadership position in IP Telephony.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The hands-on support offered by Mitel to our Solutions Providers to ensure their success. Whether you're talking about our account executive structure, sales training, product roadmaps, channel communications, marketing tools, product promotions or sales incentives, Mitel's commitment to our Solution Providers' success is reflected in everything we do.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Bill Gates for his creativity, vision and the sheer size and impact of the business he built. And I've always admired Henry Ford's attitude that Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.
Fantasy Career: Professional cyclist.
net suite
Susan Gallagher, Director, Channel Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 16 months
Reports To: Mike Williams, Executive VP
Top Challenge For 2005: Recruiting top-notch partners in regions where we currently do not have adequate coverage.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our recurring revenue share program. It allows our partners to plan their growth based on revenues from renewal business as well as new business.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Myrtle Potter of Genentech would be my selection. She is the epitome of setting one's sights high, reaching for the top and achieving it.
Fantasy Career: My fantasy career would be to become the conductor of the Boston Pops Symphony.
NetGear
David Soares , Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Support
No. Of Years At Company: 6
Reports To: Patrick Lo, , Chairman and CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Matching the growth in the number of channel partners in the Powershift Partner program, in particular small VARs, to meet the increasing needs of small and medium business customers for networking solutions.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The channel team that services and supports NetGear Powershift program partners--high-quality people who are passionate about the success of our partners.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Richard Branson for his ability to inspire the entrepreneurial spirit in his colleagues and partners.
Fantasy Career: Current career.
NetGear
Michael Werdann, Vice President of America Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 5
Reports To: David Soares, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Support
Top Challenge For 2005: Keeping up with small and medium business demand--the fast growth of our market segment means we are always looking for more and more small VARs to provide the services that complement our networking solutions.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The ability to meet the different needs of small VARs and bigger VARs alike--the NetGear Powershift Partner program is structured around the success of our partners no matter what their size.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Too numerous to single out anyone--the small VARs who make it happen every day, no matter how big the obstacles.
Fantasy Career: New York Yankees' owner.
NetScout Systems
Bruce Dew, Director, Worldwide Channel Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 5
Reports To: John Downing, EVP Worldwide Sales
Top Challenge For 2005: To execute on the many joint sales engagements we're working on with our global channel partners.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Access to our technical pre-sales resources, including dedicated channel SEs, who support our VAR clients locally to help them wow their end-users with our solutions.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Steve Jobs--he has taken Apple from near extinction to incredible revenue and earnings success, grown a strong brand and created products that have true market acceptance with extremely loyal customers. His passion and commitment to give customers what they desire, while making healthy profits, is a great example for all business leaders to emulate.
Fantasy Career: Owning a conglomerate of 5-star ski resorts all over the world.
NetSupport, Inc.
Armand F. Lange, Director of Channel Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: David Auwarter, President and CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To recruit new reselling partners to the NetSupport channel program. These prospective partners are VARs and system integrators that provide a complete network management solution to their end users.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The best element of our channel program is the ease of use. It is easy to do business with NetSupport.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Hugh Hefner is one of the people in business that I admire the most. Hugh is a successful entrepreneur who has a passion for his business. He doesn't take business too seriously and truly enjoys what he does. He is highly esteemed by the business community, and he was able to pull it all off, all the while wearing pajamas in the comfort of his own home.
Fantasy Career: My fantasy career is to become the Global Channel director and take our channel program internationally.
Nuvio
Brandon W Fuhr, Director of Business Development
No. Of Years At Company: 2
Reports To: Jason Talley, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Building up and training Nuvio's United States channel partner network to make the NuvioCentrex (VoIP) Hosted PBX solution the telecom solution of choice in the minds of the small business market.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Industry-leading residual revenue-sharing for our partners--Nuvio's focus is partners, not direct sales. We are a channel-focused organization, and we pay industry-leading revenue sharing, backing up that focus. Nuvio's target market is the underserved small business market.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Herb Kelleher/CEO and president/Southwest Airlines. While I've never met Herb, I greatly respect the integrity and values he holds that have led to the success of Southwest Airlines. He is an employee- and customer-focused leader. Employees within his organization are instilled with a sense of ownership and empowered to make customers happy. Other CEOs could greatly benefit their shareholders by following the selfless example he sets. Kelleher's advice to entrepreneurs: Ask your employees what's important to them. Ask your customers what is important to them. Then do it. It should be that simple.
Fantasy Career: General manager of the Kansas City Chiefs. If that doesn't happen, I would like to be CEO of a technology-focused company that sells its products primarily through the channel.
On Garde!
Phil Salemi, P.Eng., Director, Channel Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 2
Reports To: David Phillips CISSP, President
Top Challenge For 2005: Exceeding last year's achievements in helping resellers increase profits through our new affiliate program that streamlines referrals and speeds up commissions.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The ability for the reseller to re-brand under their name and make the vendor (On Garde!) invisible to the end-user. We make the reseller out to be the Managed Security hero, while On Garde! does the unglamorous monotonous data analysis and administration.
Person In Business Most Admired:: There was a street vendor I would see every day while in Viet Nam, Mrs. Trang we called her. Every day she would tug her cart with at least 200 pounds of produce by pedal-bike about 3 miles from a small farm, up a half-mile hill and park it in a small, noisy alley. Not the nicest place to do business, but location was everything--right across the street from where the daily bus would drop off the tourist crowd. She taught me that you don't have to be the next Bill Gates, but you must find a niche, stake it out, and defend it daily. Do this with new (in her case seasonal) products, and understand who your customers are and how and when they buy. Only then will you have a sustainable business model.
Fantasy Career: To manage a North American pro-sports team.
Oncontact Software
Tim Vertz, Director of Business Development
No. Of Years At Company: 10
Reports To: Jon Zimmerman, President
Top Challenge For 2005: To properly execute our business plan so our existing channel will have the proper education and expertise on our new .Net CRM product line.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We offer the highest margins and lowest start-up costs in the CRM marketplace. It's important to show a solid commitment to our business partners.
Person In Business Most Admired:: No one specific person. Instead, the group I admire most are all the people in business who generously donate their time and money for philanthropy.
Fantasy Career: Political strategist.
Open Systems, Inc.
Michael Bertini, CEO
No. Of Years At Company: 15
Reports To: n/a,
Top Challenge For 2005: Keeping the pace of growth.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We offer an affordable all inclusive VAR programs with no additional cost. The VARS are not seen as a revenue source.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Richard Branson. He's a very transformational leader.
Fantasy Career: What I'm doing.
Orthogon Systems
Kirk Byles, Director, Worldwide Channels
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: Ken Dubuque, VP Worldwide Sales and Marketing
Top Challenge For 2005: Growing our global footprint in the broadband wireless sector.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our channel plan is geared to reward our partners who focus the most on our product through channel rebates, sales contests and lead generation.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Glenn Smith, president of GTRI.
Fantasy Career: Ski bum.
Packeteer, Inc
John Fomook, Director, Worldwide Field Marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 1 year
Reports To: David Puglia, Vice President of Marketing
Top Challenge For 2005: To continue to augment our partner program with resources and programs that further enhance our partners' capabilities to serve our enterprise customers and increase global brand reach.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We have a steady focus on controlled growth, not over-saturating our partner base and maintaining very healthy partner margins.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Lou Gerstner, for not confusing vision with execution.
Fantasy Career: Architect. After being in technology for 20 years, it'd be nice to work with more physical constructs.
pandora networks
Jay Brooks, VP Sales North America
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: Walter Snell, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Executing flawlessly our launch into the global marketplace.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We offer a platform and products to the SME segment that no other company offers. We have barriers to entry for any competitors and therefore anticipate maintaining a clear market advantage for some time.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Sue Swenson, COO of T-Mobile. She is a suburb leader of organizations and a visionary of the telecom future.
Fantasy Career: This is it. Bringing products to the marketplace that change the way people communicate, enabling people and organizations to operate more profitably and competitively.
Peregrine Systems, Inc
Russ Mann, SVP Strategic Initiatives
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: , CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Raising the level of value driven to and through our channel partners.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We're flexible enough to accommodate all kinds of partners around the world and focused enough to align appropriate benefits and requirements for each partner type.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Steve Jobs (even though Apple is recently less partner-friendly): Innovative, risk-taking, futurist,
Fantasy Career: Texas rancher.
Progress
David Ireland, Senior Vice President of Progress Software Corporation and President of the Progress OpenEdge Division
No. Of Years At Company: 7
Reports To: Joseph W. Alsop, CEO Progress Software Corporation
Top Challenge For 2005: To help our partners continue to maximize their growth through targeted programs, partnership and collaboration.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The Progress partner program is available to all partners and is not based on revenue, rather on growth stage and maturity, ensuring each partner gets the right support.
Person In Business Most Admired:: While I can't point to one person in particular, it would not be your typical industry giants. I meet a lot of people in my position and always admire the unassuming, successful leader who gets it all done and makes it look easy.
Fantasy Career: My fantasy career would be a role where I can travel freely, use my right and left brain, have time to read and continue to learn, while adding value to every endeavor.
Proofpoint, Inc.
Christian Nall , Vice President, Worldwide Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 2
Reports To: Gary Steele, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To gain recognition as the most channel-friendly vendor in messaging security.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Excellent margins and recurring revenue opportunities in the hottest industry segment in IT.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Bill Hewlett and David Packard, because they built a very successful high-tech company based on a moral foundation that became the H-P Way, and went on to become important community leaders and philanthropists. These two showed us doing good and doing well can be one and the same.
Fantasy Career: I think I could have been the next Joe Montana if I hadn't been so successful in sales.
Q1 Labs
Robert Wescott, Director Worldwide Channels
No. Of Years At Company: 2
Reports To: Jim Charlton, SVP Worldwide Sales
Top Challenge For 2005: Training for my channel partners.
Best Element Of Channel Program: It is our sales team--a savvy bunch of security sales experts who know they cannot get the job done without heavy involvement from our channel.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Shaun McConnon, CEO of Q1 Labs, for his uncanny knack for keeping his finger on the pulse of the business and executing on a strategy with maniacal focus.
Fantasy Career: A best selling comedic business writer--there are so many funny situations in business today that it would be really funny to write about them and have the public laugh out loud at some of our funniest business idiosyncrasies.
Quintum Technologies Inc.
Quintum Technologies., Director of Business and Channel Development
No. Of Years At Company: 3 and 1/2
Reports To: Chuck Rutledge, VP of Marketing.
Top Challenge For 2005: To effectively manage our rapid growth rate while increasing Quintum's resellers' margins and sales volume.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our complete approach to the training of partners in sales, engineering and marketing of Quintum's VoIP products.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Geoffrey A. Moore--by providing us with Crossing the Chasm and subsequent volumes, he provides a blueprint for success that all high-tech companies can benefit from. If you are in high tech, his books are a must read.
Fantasy Career: Venture capitalist in high tech.
Research In Motion (RIM)
Donald H. Morrison, Chief Operating Officer, BlackBerry
No. Of Years At Company: 4
Reports To: Jim Balsillie, Chairman and Co-CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Globalization. RIM is supporting almost 100 carriers around the world with relationships that have been established over the last seven years. RIM's goal is to dramatically increase that number as BlackBerry becomes a worldwide phenomenon.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our business carrier model. This model provides a dedicated team of sales, marketing, service and technical support to RIM's carrier partners. The success of RIM is significantly impacted on our ability to provide knowledge transfer of our technology and marketing/sales best practices to our partners.
Person In Business Most Admired:: I greatly admire Roger Martin, current dean of Rotman Business School at the University of Toronto, and a previous founding partner of Monitor along with Michael Porter. Roger's willingness to put a high-flying career at Monitor on hold while he transforms business education at the University of Toronto is a real-life example of someone who puts action and results ahead of just words. Roger is a thoughtful visionary who will achieve his goals through hard work and perseverance.
Fantasy Career: A monk.
script logic
Ryan Thomas, Vice President of Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 1
Reports To: Jason Judge, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To ensure that we strive to provide a level playing field for all of our partners. In order to accomplish this goal, we must continue to develop high quality training and make investments in resources that will focus on enabling our partners' successes.
Best Element Of Channel Program: All of our resellers have access to our industry-leading systems engineering staff to assist with product demonstrations and deployment of ScriptLogic products.
Person In Business Most Admired:: My father. He has shown me that hard work and focus lead to success. Early on in my life, my father constantly reminded me of the importance of the basic fundamentals of life: treat people with respect, work hard and stay honest. I've done my best to stick to these fundamentals. I'd have to say that so far, Dad was right.
Fantasy Career: Formula One race car driver.
Seagate Technology
Jeff Loebbaka, Vice President, Global Marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 1 year
Reports To: Brian Dexheimer, Executive Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Customer Support
Top Challenge For 2005: To continue to build brand loyalty/equity with small/medium channel partners.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our industry leading 5-year product warranty backed by superior service/support.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Richard Branson breaks the rules while taking major risks to redefine existing industries and establish successful businesses.
Fantasy Career: Head coach of a successful football program.
Secure Computing Corporation
Chris Peterson, Vice President, Global Channel and Alliance Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 4
Reports To: Vince Schiavo, Sr. VP, Sales and Marketing
Top Challenge For 2005: I want our program to always stay in step with the changes our channel partners are experiencing. Keeping VAR Business' 5 star rating next to the Secure Computing name is paramount to our daily activities.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The best element of our channel program is Peace of Mind for our Channel partners. We offer high quality products that add real value to a VAR security offering. Our program provides a VAR the ability to sell with confidence, as we provide high security products that perform as advertised.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Ross Cooley, VP of sales at Compaq Computer (retired). Ross provided me with solid on-the-job training during the early years of my career at Compaq in the early 80s. He set the example for what a committed company can do with a solid channel program. I think Ross lived the definition of integrity. I try to emulate his example today.
Fantasy Career: I am experiencing it now. I have been privileged to be a part of this dynamic industry since starting at Compaq Computer in 1982. The always changing, never the same thing tomorrow attitude of the people in this industry keeps me moving at breakneck speed. I would not have it any other way.
silverback tech
Jim Hare, Vice President of Worldwide Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 3+
Reports To: Dan Phillips, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To get product-focused companies to understand the services model.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our ServiceAccelerator Franchise Model. Our expertise lies in helping typical product-focused resellers transform their business into a services-focused company, providing them with new revenue streams in this fast growing category. SilverBack has designed and perfected a franchise approach that accelerates the transition from a low margin, one-time sale to a high margin, recurring revenue model.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Donald Trump. Making it is one thing; enjoying it is the key to success. No one enjoys their success more than the Donald.
Fantasy Career: To own, design and run a 1,000-plus acre, high-end executive resort, catering to the rich and famous.
silverback tech
Dan Phillips, CEO
No. Of Years At Company: 4
Reports To: Board of Directors, n/a
Top Challenge For 2005: Migration to OEM relationships.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our ServiceAccelerator Franchise Model. Our expertise lies in helping typical product-focused resellers transform their business into a services-focused company, providing them with new revenue streams in this fast growing category. SilverBack has designed and perfected a franchise approach that accelerates the transition from a low margin, one-time sale to a high margin, recurring revenue model.
Person In Business Most Admired:: John Chambers. He's able to buy a company like NetSolve, essentially compete directly with his managed service partners and still keep them happy.
Fantasy Career: Building a Web-hosting service for musicians who want to record with other musicians in real time, all around the world.
Sophos Inc.
deMarie Malnar, Director of Americas Channel Marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 3
Reports To: Chris Kraft, VP of Americas Marketing
Top Challenge For 2005: Helping our partners increase their profitability by providing better product, resources, sales and marketing support.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Offering full margin on all new and renewal business.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Pierre Omidyar, founder of eBay, for bringing high tech to the concept of one man's trash is another's treasure.
Fantasy Career: Lion tamer.
Stellent Inc.
Greg D. Cooke, Vice President of North American Channel Operations
No. Of Years At Company: 11
Reports To: Mark Ruport, EVP of Global Operations
Top Challenge For 2005: 1) Partner coverage in North America; 2) Getting existing partners trained and certified on the full breadth of Stellent products so they can maximize revenues and take advantage of all we can offer them.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The long-standing relationships with members of our partner community. We have worked with some of our partners over 15 years--you really get to know someone in that amount of time. The best relationships are built on mutual trust.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Small business owners because of the courage it takes to strike out on their own to pursue their vision of success, and the entrepreneurial spirit they exemplify.
Fantasy Career: NFL team owner.
Storix, Inc.
Michael Michalik, Directorof Sales and Marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 2
Reports To: Anthony Johnson, President
Top Challenge For 2005: To create a more prominent position in the channel and fully develop our channel program.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We have two, communication and relationship building. The key to good relationships is the flow of information.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Marvin Alpert of CSC. He's a straightforward, honest individual who has done well for himself and others.
Fantasy Career: I have it!
StreamServe, Inc.
Steve Bridge, Vice President, Alliances
No. Of Years At Company: 2
Reports To: Hans Otterling, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Ensuring we have the processes, resources and partners in place to reach the objective of having 90 percent of StreamServe's license revenue being generated through or with partners in 2005.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our ability to accommodate partners of all types, depending on their needs and operational requirements.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Lou Gerstner, for turning around a huge organization like IBM.
Fantasy Career: England rugby player (age and lack of ability allowing).
Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Steve Furniss, Global Head of channel Strategy and programs
No. Of Years At Company: 8
Reports To: Anil Gadre, Chief Marketing officer
Top Challenge For 2005: Enhancing the current programs to further enhance partner profitability.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Flexibility for partners to establish their value-add on top of our products and services to deliver customer benefits.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Jack Walsh, for leadership.
Fantasy Career: Professional cyclist.
SurfControl
Steve Purdham, CEO
No. Of Years At Company: 7
Reports To: Shareholders, N/a
Top Challenge For 2005: Continued global growth.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Total support of our partners.
Person In Business Most Admired:: John Harvey-Jones--he just cuts through the crap.
Fantasy Career: Legendary musician.
SYSPRO
Jeff Arbuckle, Title: Director - Channel Development Manager
No. Of Years At Company: 10+
Reports To: Joey Benadretti, VP of Operations
Top Challenge For 2005: To expand brand exposure and develop existing partners' abilities.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Relationships, because that is what it is all about.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Bill Gates--He seems to keep his ego in check and knows when to let others have their time.
Fantasy Career: To be CEO of a company.
The SCO Group
Alan Raymond, VP, Americas Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 5
Reports To: Jeff Hunsaker, SVP and GM, SCO Unix Division
Top Challenge For 2005: Educating our channel partners on the true cost of Linux and Windows vs. Unix.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Exceptional loyalty. It is difficult in today's world to find a product that becomes so reliable and stable. Yet that is what our channel finds most attractive about SCO.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Darl McBride, because he is willing to stand up for SCO and the company's property rights.
Fantasy Career: A high school basketball coach or a pro surfer.
The SCO Group
Jeff Hunsaker, Senior Vice President and General Manager, SCO UNIX Division
No. Of Years At Company: 5
Reports To: Darl McBride, President and CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Clearly articulating to customers and partners the value and TCO of SCO Unix vs. other competitive offerings in light of SCO's challenging business environment.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our single best element or characteristic is our exposure to more than 2 million server base and a loyal partner program with thousands of customers who rely on SCO products.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Meg Whitman, CEO of eBay, created a multibillion dollar business in 7 years and they keep getting stronger and stronger. Also, she is very customer driven.
Fantasy Career: President of Disney Corporation.
Trend Micro
Lane M. Bess, President, North American Operations
No. Of Years At Company: 3
Reports To: Eva Chen, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: To build the Trend Micro Brand in North America such that the average consumer and small business owners stop saying "Trend who?"
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our new channel incentive program which richly rewards and protects our partners for bringing key business to Trend .
Person In Business Most Admired:: Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines. He changed an entire industry based on the simple concept of understanding his customers' buying behavior and giving them exactly what they want, and not what they don't want or need.
Fantasy Career: Luxury yacht captain.
UGS
Stephen P. Brown, VP, Indirect Channels, Americas
No. Of Years At Company: 15
Reports To: John Graham, SVP and Managing Director, Americas
Top Challenge For 2005: To grow as fast as we did in 2004.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We have a flexible channel program, designed to allow our partners to leverage their strengths. We can customize a set of product offerings, and a business model, to meet the unique needs of any partner, leveraging both partner and UGS to maximum advantage.
Person In Business Most Admired:: I admire those leaders who can consistently set accurate expectations, then consistently beat them.
Fantasy Career: To run an organization like DARPA--to have visibility to the key problems we expect to face in coming years, and to organize a network of teams to solve them.
USA.NET
Cathie Frazzini, Sr. Vice President, Sales and Marketing
No. Of Years At Company: Started 9/03
Reports To: David Ramon, President and CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Making the market aware of the Hosted Exchange solution.
Best Element Of Channel Program: The single best element/characteristic of our program is the combination of minimal start-up costs along with the high margins generated from a monthly recurring revenue stream. Because of the low-cost of entry, channel partners can immediately increase revenues reselling our portfolio of services either bundled or individually. Included in those minimal start-up costs are marketing collateral, pre-sales support, sales support, and migration services support.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Carly Fiorina, chairman and CEO of Hewlett-Packard. Carly understands where she wants to go in life. As the first woman to head up a DOW 30 company, she focuses on the possible and believes in people realizing that anyone can have a positive impact, given the opportunity.
Fantasy Career: ESPN sports announcer.
Venali Internet Fax Services
David Forsch, Vice President and General Manager
No. Of Years At Company: Two
Reports To: Uwe Hinderer,, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: We need to shorten our channel partners' sales cycles and efforts by delivering tools and training that help them articulate the Venali ROI story from the following perspectives: strategic, IT management, business process and financial savings.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Venali is absolutely 100 percent committed to selling only through our channel partners in the vast majority of the market space. This is not common in our industry and I am proud of the channel reputation Venali is building and earning every day. Furthermore, the customers benefit; while some will initially want a more direct relationship, they soon realize the greater value they get with our channel partners.
Person In Business Most Admired:: I just can't respond to this question with only one person. Roger Roberts, former CEO of Citrix, is one of the most brilliant business and channel minds I've ever had the privilege to work with. I also admire Mark Templeton, current CEO of Citrix, because I have never met anyone who takes on challenges with such endless positive energy. Last but not least, I will never forget Ross Cooley, who has pioneered some of the channel support and loyalty that we see in the industry, even to this day.
Fantasy Career: I know it seems trite but I am living my fantasy career. I grew up in the channel--it's my one true passion. OK, if I had to give you a different answer, I guess I'd have to say I would be a pro golferbut with my game the word fantasy truly applies!
VERITAS Software
Art Matin, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 1 year
Reports To: Gary Bloom, Chairman, President and CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Customer satisfaction. As the chief customer advocate at Veritas, I want to make sure everything is focused around our customers. This is where we have a chance to distinguish ourselves from the pack.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our ongoing commitment to partners. We are always refining our partner programs with initiatives like deal registration, allowing premier and elite partners to sell renewals, enhancing the lead management system and ongoing partner training. We continually work to keep the partner community motivated.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Lou Gerstner--he reinvigorated IBM, my "alma mater," by relentlessly putting customers first and driving the team to come up with solutions that helped customers with their biggest business challenges and in the process re-built a strong and vital IBM. We're driving hard at putting our customers and partners first at Veritas.
Fantasy Career: Chasing (and hopefully catching) fly balls in centerfield in Yankee Stadium.
Verizon Communications
Anthony C. Price, Vice President - Sales Business Solutions Group
No. Of Years At Company: 31
Reports To: Kathy Koelle, Senior Vice President Business Solutions Group
Top Challenge For 2005: Revenue growth is our greatest challenge in 2005.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Verizon is the first-choice provider of voice communications, data communications, broadband and information services. As such, the Verizon brand is an asset for our partners.
Person In Business Most Admired:: I am biased but I select Ivan Seidenberg. He was instrumental in reshaping the communications industry through two of the largest mergers in its history. Through his leadership and vision, Verizon is in the forefront of the telecommunications industry.
Fantasy Career: My fantasy career would to be a CIA agent.
Vernier Networks Inc.
Bethany Mayer, Vice President, Marketing
No. Of Years At Company: 1 year
Reports To: Simon Khalaf, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Gaining security market presence and share with our newly launched network access management appliance, EdgeWall.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Quarterly partner feedback sessions from our VARs. They give me insight into what is working in all aspects of my product, marketing and sales issues.
Person In Business Most Admired:: My former boss, Judy Estrin, who is direct and honest, scary smart, has strong common sense and is respected as a serial entrepreneur.
Fantasy Career: Secretary of State--I have such respect for Madeleine Albright, who had a late start in an extraordinary career.
WatchGuard Technologies
Dale Bastian, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales
No. Of Years At Company: 1.5
Reports To: Ed Borey, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Making sure that we support our solution providers with the tools and programs that they need to become the indispensable resource to their customers.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Solution providers can easily capture recurring product and service revenue streams with WatchGuard solutions. Our Firebox X product line features full model upgrade capability. VARs can easily add more performance, capacity and functionality/services to existing Firebox X hardware through a license key upgrade. This enables them to support customer growth or address emerging security needs without expensive and time-consuming hardware replacement.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Lou Gerstner, former CEO and chairman of IBM. I read his book, "Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? Inside IBM's Historic Turnaround," and it made a great impact on me that even the most complex and cumbersome organizations can change and evolve to meet the market needs while holding on to their core values.
Fantasy Career: Golf pro, plain and simple.
Xerox Corporation
Jim Firestone, President, Xerox North America
No. Of Years At Company: 6
Reports To: Anne M. Mulcahy, Chairman and CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Participating in more buying decisions, particularly in the SMB market.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Access to unparalleled Xerox solid ink color printing technology. Because no one else has it, resellers can profit from it and customers love it.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Steve Jobs, a visionary who sees and creates a future others can't see.
Fantasy Career: Time-traveling tour guide.
Xerox Corporation
Jerry Farmer, Vice President and General Manager, North American Resellers (NARS)
No. Of Years At Company: 9
Reports To: Jim Firestone, President, Xerox North America
Top Challenge For 2005: Vendors and solution providers must work together to build the requisite skills and knowledge, as well as a suite of integrated customer solutions to effectively serve their common customer base.
Best Element Of Channel Program: We invest significant effort to ensure that we solicit input from our solution provider partners and tune the program to their input.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Warren Buffet, not just because Mr. Buffet and I are fellow Nebraskans. He has built a financial empire while keeping his ego in check and maintaining a balanced perspective in his personal life.
Fantasy Career: A field archeologist. When I have free time, I love to read history books, the more ancient the era, the better. Archeologists find history in the ground.
Zebra Technologies
Juliann Larimer, Director, Channel Strategy and Operations
No. Of Years At Company: 3
Reports To: David Crist, Vice President of Sales
Top Challenge For 2005: International channel launches.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Fulfillment neutral gives our program partners the ability to aggregate their solution purchases through a single source, which we hope leads to happier end users; it provides incremental revenue opportunity for our distribution partners and, gives Zebra operational efficiencies.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Lou Gerstner--he was an outsider who came in and was able to change the culture of IBM.
Fantasy Career: Vineyard owner in Sonoma, Calif.
ZSL Inc
Shiv Kumar, Vice President - Business Development
No. Of Years At Company: 9+
Reports To: Sudarshan Venkatramani, CEO
Top Challenge For 2005: Reaching out to the maximum possible prospects.
Best Element Of Channel Program: Our program creates a relationship that is mutually beneficial.
Person In Business Most Admired:: Sam Palmisano, CEO of IBM, because of his vision about the e-business (on demand computing specifically) and IT services. He is taking IBM in the right direction.
Fantasy Career: To be head of a global IT services company.
