Where Did Joe Go?
Where Did Joe Go? by Dave Michels
Keeping up with Joe Vitalone isn’t easy. Though he has worked at several UC firms, including Polycom, I met him as VP of NA sales at ShoreTel. He left that gig in 2009 and headed over to LifeSize. He realized how much he loved ShoreTel and returned as VP of Channel Management last April. Of course, that was a different ShoreTel with a different CEO. Also, former colleague Don Girskis, ShoreTel’s SVP WW Sales, left the month prior to Joe’s return in March 2012.
Joe seemed happy to be back at ShoreTel. He was well featured at the last ShoreTel Champions conference. Just a few weeks ago, Joe was named one of UBM Tech Channel’s CRN 2013 Channel Chiefs. “It’s an honor to be included among this impressive list of channel executives in our industry today,” said Vitalone just prior to resigning. “This recognition highlights ShoreTel’s devotion to the technology channel and commitment to driving initiatives that benefit our partners and customers.”
For over 10 years, Channel Chiefs were selected by the CRN editorial team based on channel experience, program innovations, channel-driven revenue, and public support for the importance of IT Channel Sales. In the second half of FY12, ShoreTel and its resellers earned a Net Promoter Score of 62, an impressive “world class” score and new high for ShoreTel.
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We don’t know where Joe is headed, but an internal memo by David Petts, senior vice president of worldwide sales at ShoreTel, stated Joe Vitalone is leaving ShoreTel immediately to join one of the company's competitors (reported by CRN).
"Joe Vitalone has decided to leave ShoreTel [again] and join one of our competitors. Due to the competitive aspect his departure from ShoreTel will be with immediate effect," Petts wrote. "I will be working quickly to adjust to this change and appoint the leadership for this very important part of our Go To Market organization. In the interim I have asked Chuck Krogman to assume the role. Please support Chuck and the team as I complete this change.”
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Neither Joe nor ShoreTel has disclosed his new employer, so which competitor Joe moved to is unknown. However, it was reported here two weeks ago that Mitel has a sales leadership position open.
Update March 12: Mitel announced the appointment of Joe Vitalone as Executive Vice President of Sales in the Americas, reporting to CEO Rich McBee.