We had the global EMC team (and some VMware folks who are on the EMC alliance) together for our 2010 planning meeting on Sunday - here's a quick shot of the crew.
They are a GREAT team - and represent people across the spectrum, and around the globe: sales, technical sales, channels/partners, alliances, engineering, marketing, services, etc....
BTW - I didn't call them "Chad's Army" - that would be really arrogant/prideful - and while it's a sin I'm sure I'm guilty of, it wasn't this time.... It's what they started calling themselves :-)
While our rules of engagement are clear (VMware and EMC are arms length strategic alliance partners), our goals are equally clear (be the best partner for VMware, for VMware partners, and in the VMware-related solution space the best choice for customers - all on our own merits) - and we are resourced as needed to approach that task.
Going into 2010, the field folks on the team are also tasked at focusing on the 3-way model – VMware/Cisco/EMC – as this seems to be more and more of the dialog with our customers.
EMC competitors - if you're a person focused on the VMware space - this is the collective team you compete against - and that's a challenge I wouldn't wish on anyone :-)
Then… a few hours of intense dialog….
… we get to Awards 2009: Specific folks got awards for their super-human efforts in 2009.
Marc-Phillip Kost (EMC/VMware/Cisco Field Sales Alliance – Germany) – he has done a great job in partnering up with VMware, and always is pushing for more – filled with creative ideas! I love it!
Craig Steel (EMC/VMware/Cisco Field Sales Alliance – Western Division Americas) – no one drives a program like Craig. What I particularly love about Craig is that when his technical support is out of pocket, he can do a pretty darn good job :-)
Darren McCullum (EMC/VMware/Cisco Field Sales Alliance – Australia New Zeland) – the whole ANZ team is a machine – Darren – you need to share your awesomeness and spread it across all APJ!
Mukesh Sharma (EMC/VMware/Cisco theatre leader for EMEA) – has done a fantastic job pulling things together in 2009. Lots of work in 2010 around channel, partnering, services and SRM – but together we’ll get it all done Mukesh!
Alex D’Anna (EMC/VMware/Cisco Technical Specialist – Bay Area). What can I say about AD? He’s a machine – works his tail off. Knows everything across the spectrum. And, is a new dad! Congrats, AD! Relax for a bit!
Bernie Baker (EMC/VMware/Cisco Technical Specialist – Boston). Bernie also has been instrumental this year – creating the SRM in a can docs that so many use (the Celerra VSA gets downloaded an ungodly amount each day, and his masterwork on using it all together is fantastic!). Bernie also collaborated on the upcoming book: vSphere 4.0 Quick Start guide along with other luminaries including Duncan Epping, Alan Renouf, Thomas Bryant, Stu Radnidge and David Mischenko. It’s GREAT!
The Celerra Solutions team in the Celerra engineering organization. These folks have worked really hard to drive Celerra and VMware integration – and while there’s always more to go, more do to – and more to come!!! I think it’s important to recognize the success and work they’ve done to drive things forward from docs, solutions testing, vCenter plugins and more.
Sheryl Chamberlain. Everyone knows Sheryl, and together we are a duo. Sheryl is responsible for the corp-to-corp alliances – and is plugged into everything and everyone, everywhere. Sheryl, don’t know what I would do without you!
Travers Nicholas (EMC/Cisco/VMware Technical Specialist – Australia New Zeland). Travers is just awesome – does so much, customers love him, and he’s so passionate about VMware – I love it!
Karen Agnew (Program Mgmt). The VMware/Cisco/EMC program has so many things in flight – and Karen is the glue that keeps it all together. Literally, she is the force of gravity in our little galaxy – without her, everything flys apart – ranging from engineering integration, go-to-market, marketing, solutions, services, metrics – you name it, she’s on it.
Wade O’Harrow (EMC/VMware/Cisco Sr. Mgr. Technical Specialists – Americas) Wade, who would have thought – way back when we started this whole thing and it was you and I at VMworld 2008 Europe that things would be where they are now! You have hired a fantastic team, and I love the approach you lead with!
Other award winners who were not present:
Nancy Wilga – for all the work that goes into pulling off an event like VMworld – which she has done with aplomb several times – each better than the last. Can’t wait until next year!
Giri Basava in Mid-Range Partner Engineering – for “innovation on the spot” – you folks wouldn’t believe how quickly Giri responds to the team and customer input on the MirrorView SRA, including the all-new MirrorView Insight tool that was shown at VMworld (will do a post on this later)
Alex Tanner (EMC/Cisco/VMware Technical Specialist – UK) – he has absolutely gone WAY above the call of duty, and does it each and every time. Alex – the world’s your oyster!
All – thanks for being there – I’m very lucky to have such a strong team. And thanks for the input on the agenda – a meeting like this, on the Sunday before an intense week could have gone VERY sideways. We got good interactive dialog, input, celebrated successes, and reflected on what we could do better. And… We finished on time so we could get to the beer!
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