New CXO Positions Emerge in the IT Channel
As the economy emerges from deep recession, channel-centric technology companies have started to hire and/or create new positions at the CXO level. Three prime examples: N-able has recruited a Chief Operating Officer, OnForce is expected to announce a COO hire this week and Autotask is seeking a Chief Financial Officer. In all three cases, the positions are newly created, The VAR Guy believes. Here’s the scoop.
First up, N-able — the remote management and monitoring specialist — has hired JP Jauvin as COO, reporting to N-able President and CEO Gavin Garbutt. In the newly created position, Jauvin is responsible for N-able’s worldwide strategy and operations, including the internal and external processes and procedures that drive global growth and improve operational efficiencies, N-able says.
Jauvin is a channel veteran who previously served as VP of sales for NetPro Computing Inc. and Fastlane Technologies Inc., both of whom were acquired by Quest Software. Quest’s PacketTrap division, by the way, competes with N-able on some fronts.
With those factoids in mind, The VAR Guy asked Garbutt if Jauvin was hired to help bolster N-able for a possible company sale.
Garbutt politely dismissed the speculation, stating that N-able is cash-flow positive and enjoying “hockey stick” momentum with a freemium software strategy. With Jauvin on board, Garbutt says he’ll be able to spend more time meeting with partners and customers and accelerating the freemium effort. Also of note: The rest of the N-able management team remains in place.
OnForce Hires Intuit Veteran
Meanwhile, OnForce — the online marketplace for VARs and MSPs — has hired Intuit veteran Bill Lucchini as chief operating officer. An official announcement is expected sometime this week, but OnForce CEO Peter Cannone has confirmed the move to The VAR Guy.
Lucchini oversees OnForce’s development, product and marketing organizations, and focuses on aligning strategic goals with operational activities. Prior to joining OnForce, Lucchini was VP and General Manager for the Intuit Platform as a Service Group, according to OnForce.
Lucchini has extensive channel experience. He previously launched the Intuit Partner Platform. Plus, he had been VP and GM for the Intuit Mid Market Group, where he launched Intuit’s first channel, the Intuit Solution Provider Program, OnForce says.
Lucchini arrives as OnForce attempts to more effectively communicate its value proposition to channel partners. Cannone says the OnForce marketplace is growing and cash-flow positive. But a few months ago, The VAR Guy noted, OnForce’s former head of marketing as well as the former head of product development left the company.
Now, Lucchini is on board to help define some strategic business moves. Moreover, he arrives as OnForce founder and former CEO Jeff Leventhal launches Work Market — a new B2B community that will apparently serve solutions providers.
Will Work Market compete with OnForce? It’s far too early for The VAR Guy to say for sure.
More Moves Coming
Additional channel-centric positions continue to open up. Two prime examples:
Autotask, the professional services automation (PSA) specialist, is currently seeking a CFO to work with the company’s established financial department. Autotask has been busy promoting a two-platform strategy, with the flagship Autotask offering designed to automate services, and the recent VARStreet acquisition designed to automate and streamline IT product acquisition.
And Ingram Micro is seeking a VP of North American Services to replace Justin Crotty, who is leaving the company July 2 and will join NetEnrich as Senior VP and GM sometime in mid-2010.
Meanwhile, The VAR Guy is hearing chatter about additional channel-centric career moves. Our resident blogger hopes to share more details in the days ahead.
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