Sun's new US channel chief talks channel plans

Sun Microsystems executives have for the first time discussed its company's channel organization in the wake of the imminent retirement of Greg Stroud, the company's current channel chief.

The vendor's new channel chief said he has already started reaching out to channel partners, and will present details of Sun's new Sun Partner Advantage program next month online and in person at Access Distribution's New Frontiers conference.

Greg Stroud, vice president of Sun's U.S partner and alliance sales organization, is planning on leaving Sun by the end of the month.

His successor, Sun's new Vice President of partner sales Tom Wagner, has been serving as area vice president for telecommunications for Sun.

Stroud was listed as one of the IT industry's top 50 channel chiefs by CRN in February.

Wagner worked at Sun from 1994 to 1998 as a sales manager and sales director before taking five years off to work with a couple of startups, including US-based voice and data communications provider Covad Communications, where he worked to help that company set up its indirect sales model.

That indirect experience served Wagner when he moved back to Sun about three years ago to handle the vendor's communications market, which he said heavily leverages an indirect sales model. "It's a very partner-centric play," he said. "I am excited about leveraging my experience [in my new role]."

Wagner's immediate goals including ramping up to Sun's channel organization as soon as possible. "I'm a quick learner," he said. "I promised Greg I wouldn't sit on my ass."

Wagner also plans to spend the next couple months on the road and on the phone meeting with Sun solution providers. The company has moved its regularly-scheduled VAR advisory council meeting up a month to next week, and is also moving its next face-to-face council meeting ahead a month to September. "I have this incredible urgency to get up on the state of the union," he said. "So I asked Bill Cates, director of Sun's US partner programs] to move the meetings up as soon as possible."

Wagner will also meet with Sun's channel partners on a webinar on August 8, and plans to attend Access Distribution's New Frontiers conference during the week of August 14.

Program-wise, Wagner is getting tossed the roll-out of Sun's new Sun Partner Advantage (SPA) program. Cates said that details of the program, which will offer solution providers enhanced clarity about where and what products Sun partners can sell and their rewards for growing Sun's business, will be unveiled to Sun's channel partners in a few weeks, and a deeper understanding will be presented at the New Frontiers conference.

In the meantime, Stroud, who has been at Sun for 24 of that company's 25 years of existence, is looking forward to taking a year away from the technology business to spend time with his four children, including two who are looking at attending college soon.

"No one can accuse me of job hopping," Stroud said. "I've had 24 years in a very fulfilling career, something I can be proud of."

Wagner, who on Wednesday night welcomed his second grandchild into the world, said that he knows he can count on help from Stroud even after the transition period if needed. "Greg's not getting an unlisted number," he said. "I can tap into his wisdom."

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