Over 20 years marketing experience at large companies and startups including Lenovo (networking), IBM (system networking), BLADE Network Technologies (enterprise networking), NETGEAR (home networking) and Hewlett-Packard (enterprise systems, networking and storage). Successful at communications, building brands, content development, strategic and product planning and process improvement. Proven track record of expanding sales and improving margins by leading cross-functional teams to build awareness, enable sales channels and generate demand.
Successful exit of two startups: NETGEAR IPO and BLADE Network Technologies acquisition by IBM.
Built marketing organization from 2 people and $250K to full team and multi-million dollar budget.
Led marketing team increase product portfolio from 3 products in 2006 to 32 products in 2010. Lifetime product shipments increased from 44,000 in 2006 to 380,000 in 2010.
Inaugurated web site and grew from zero to over 740,000 hits/year.
Implemented marketing automation system to manage and nurture leads. Increased prospect & customer list from 12,000 to 112,000 email addresses in 1 year.
Won over 20 company awards, including Network World Clear Choice, IEEE Ace, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year National Finalist, Frost & Sullivan's Product Innovation of the Year, Red Herring 100 Global, CRN Emerging Tech Dynamos and AlwaysOn GoingGreen.
Managed transition to new home industrial design, packaging and new user interface that improved customer satisfaction and margins while reducing costs.
Reduced support and RMA costs by two-thirds saving $5M in first year on home routers alone. Doubled market share in the same year.
Co-inventor of patent (pending) for technology to automatically setup routers.
Received awards such as CNET and ZDNet Editors’ Choice, CNET Top 100 Products, Computer Shopper, Industrial Design magazine and CES Innovations.
Managed #1 revenue generating product line for company (Cable/DSL home routers) and achieved #1 retail market share for printer server.
Delivered new product with customized packaging to Costco in less than 10 weeks to win place on shelves over competitive product.
Reduced product manufacturing cost to deliver higher margins by negotiating with ODMs.
Led new product introductions for 100s of products generating billions of dollars in revenue.
Product and Marketing Manager, Networking
Led marketing's team integration into Lenovo with web presence, sales education and analyst interaction
Assumed product management responsibilities with team of 4 product managers
Developed strategy for open, cloud and Software Defined Networking (SDN) with extended team
WW Marketing Manager, System Networking
Met all growth, revenue and margin objectives within budget for integration with IBM.
Led team to build the new System Networking brand, increase awareness, enable sales and channels and generate demand.
Traditional & social media and analyst relations.
Asset creation (web, data sheets, white papers, client and seller presentations).
Seller and channel enablement and education.
WW demand generation guidance and activities such as events, asset syndication and webinars.
Delivered product documentation (technical publications) on schedule.
VP Marketing
Marketing lead for acquisition by IBM in October 2010.
Built Marketing department from the ground up.
Managed team responsible for planning and delivery of a family of blade server switches for HP, IBM, NEC & others, the top suppliers of blade servers, and for BLADE-branded "top-of-rack" Ethernet switches and virtualization & management software.
Created and implemented strategies for inbound and outbound marketing.
Developed collateral for worldwide sales, OEMs, channels (such as Avnet), and customers, including product documentation.
Created corporate identity and web site when company was formed after sale of assets from Nortel.
Managed worldwide media and analyst relations and online/social marketing activities to build brand and awareness.
Implemented lead generation programs such as telemarketing, white paper syndication, advertising and lead nurturing.
Teamed with partners such as Broadcom, Emulex, NetApp, Intel and others to co-market joint solutions.
Co-Founder and VP Marketing
Co-developed concept and strategy for truly intelligent home automation system.
Created solutions for demonstration of adaptive home technology.
Director, Solutions Marketing, Product Management, Customer Experience
Grew with company from 60 to 250 people and successful IPO in July 2003
Managed overall product life cycle with P&L responsibility for $50M product line.
Focused on total customer experience across all product lines including task automation, user interface, industrial design, packaging, documentation and beta testing. Achieved major impact on margins, positive reviews and satisfied customers due to plug-and-play setup, ease-of-use improvements and added features.
Managed and improved relationships with technology and solutions partners such as Vonage, Net2Phone (VoIP), Philips, ReplayTV (clients), Microsoft (OS/drivers, Xbox, games), McAfee (security), DecisionOne (installation services) and Real Networks Rhapsody (content).
Evaluated and selected technology (chip/platform) and OEM/ODM vendors for wired (LAN) and wireless (WLAN) firewall routers, gateways, adapters and print servers.
Reduced product manufacturing cost to deliver higher margins by negotiating with ODMs.
Planned product strategies, requirements, positioning and future product roadmaps based on extensive market research and competitive analysis.
Led cross-functional team (sales, marketing, engineering, operations, support and finance) to deliver the right products at the target cost and on schedule.
Drove pricing and forecasts to achieve margin and market share objectives while minimizing product transition issues.
Developed and delivered marketing communication (including tradeshows, collateral and educational material) to press, industry analysts, retailers, channels and customers.
Assisted sales team with product sell-in to major retail accounts (Best Buy, Fry’s, Staples, Costco, Amazon, Buy.com, Computer Warehouse) and Service Providers (BellSouth, AOL, Comcast, Time-Warner Cable)
Served on CEA Home Networking and Information Technology and HomePlug Powerline Alliance committees and obtained certifications (Wi-Fi and others) for products.
Developed concept, specifications and selected partners for wireless Digital Music Player to stream music from a PC to the home entertainment center.
Expert knowledge of Ethernet, wireless (802.11), security and networked multimedia market for home and SMB
Director, Multimedia Marketing
Planned and developed product requirements for wireless multimedia server to deliver a complete networked solution for whole-house video (MPEG), photo (JPEG), music (MP3/WMA) and Internet access.
Evaluated and selected technology vendors and content providers.
Director, Enterprise Product Marketing, Asia/Pacific
Directed team of 30, including regional and in-country product managers responsible for pricing, forecasting, product launches and channel readiness for HP Enterprise Servers, Linux, HP-UX, HP Storage, Technical Workstations, Intel-based servers, OpenView management, HP Finance and HP Service and Support.
Managed team of five Solutions and Industry Specialists (Mainframe Alternative, Supply Chain, EDA/MDA, Telecom, Finance) for the Asia/Pacific region.
Launched enterprise UNIX, Linux and Microsoft Windows products 2-3 times per year with multiple country road shows for account managers, support engineers, channel partners, press and customers. Managed international, cross-divisional and cross-functional team along with external resources such as industry consultants and partners.
Led quarterly pricing process for region – approving and adjusting each country’s inputs.
Developed and approved special pricing, order expedites, RFI/RFQ responses and other special requirements for large deals with key accounts (NTT, Telstra, Samsung, SingTel, Hong Kong and Singapore Governments, Shanghai Stock Exchange and many more).
Managed team of six project managers and engineers to internationalize and localize operating system and other software products for Asian countries.
Championed Asia/Pacific customer requirements into division planning process.
Networking Senior Specialist
Motivated and managed team of Sales Response Center engineers to improve call quality and coverage. Resulted in significant reduction in call hold times and improved customer satisfaction.
Recommended solutions for urgent networking problems and gave customer feedback on networking products to systems and technology divisions.
Presented strategy and product plans to visiting senior executives.
Supported sales representatives in winning deals using business development skills.
Program Manager
Managed relationship with Cambridge Technology Group to win customers over to open systems (x86, Linux) and networks (TCP/IP).
Wrote portions of the Computer Systems Operation’s tactical marketing plan.
Researched and wrote competitive white papers and consulted with sales to successfully position the HP solution to win deals.
Presented and demonstrated HP's networking strategy, products and technologies to customers during executive visits.
Consulted with HP field personnel and VARs on multi-vendor networking solutions for all HP systems.
Support Engineer
Developed, taught and recorded modules of field and customer courses.
Solved problems and answered customer service calls.
Wrote and updated operating system support plans and reviewed documentation.
Consulted on supportability with OS development engineers.
Master of Science, Computer Science
Bachelor of Science, Computer Science with minors in Management and Psychology
Geoffrey Moore, The Chasm Group: Crossing the Chasm, Inside the Tornado
HP: Product Planning and Management, Partnering for Market Success, Situational Negotiation Skills, Consultive Selling, Managing at HP, Communication Catalyst, Media and Crisis Communications
IBM: Leadership Insights
NETGEAR: Retail University
ProMatch: Facilitation Workshop I & II
Top performance rating at IBM in first 2 years
Consistently ranked in top 5% in annual performance reviews at HP
HP Star and stock options awarded 11 times
© Timothy J. Shaughnessy, 2023, Updated: March 15, 2023