People

posted on 19 February 2008 18:56

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Wasabi Systems, suppliers of iSCSI Storage area network (SAN) gear, has appointed Kirk Roller as its SVP for world-wide sales and marketing.

Roller joins from Emulex where he was president and COO. During his Emulex tenure that company's Fibre Channel HBA revenues went from $3 million a year to over $400 million. In the same time Emulex market capitalization grew 5,130 percent.

I somehow think it doubtful that Wasabi is hoping for the same pattern of events during Roller's tenure with it. But it is a heck of a CV nonetheless.

In the appointment release Wasabi president and CEO, Frank G. Logan III, stated: "Kirk has been a mover and shaker in the Fibre Channel segment of the storage market and helped drive that technology into mainstream market acceptance. Kirk is well-known for his team-building prowess and his creative approach to marketing and selling technical products in both the enterprise and SME channels. I feel strongly that he will bring the same level of results to Wasabi as we roll out our very exciting new iSCSI SAN road map."

Roller himself offered this comment: "I was impressed with the strategic vision, highly skilled and innovative engineering team and the product plans for 2008 and 2009. Wasabi has clearly established itself as an innovator and supplier to leading OEMs like Apple, Brocade, Equallogic (now Dell), Intel and Sun Microsystems and now we are applying that same expertise to our own branded product line - the first elements of which we will announce within the next few weeks."

Ah. There is a good OEM business already and Wasabi wants to increase sales of its own branded line of products.

There's a thought that suggests a move from being president and COO to being a mere (!) SVP is a tad downwards. Perhaps there's something more senior in the offing?