"Even in the perfect world where everyone was equal
I still would own the portal and be working on the SQL."
-- Elvis Costello, "Every Day I Write the Book," with geek liberties taken
I'm excited to announce a new chapter in the direction of the team I've have the good fortune to work with for the last several (nearly six) years, and in my career: KMA has sold its SharePoint practice to Sentri, Inc.
Starting today, Monday 13 February 2012, I'll be Sentri's General Manager of Strategic Services, with responsibility for Sentri's SharePoint and CRM practice areas. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to build upon what I've spent the past twelve years doing: helping business decision makers improve organizational performance using Microsoft business productivity technologies.
In addition to a strong existing SharePoint practice, Sentri has world-class capabilities around Microsoft core infrastructure and application platform technologies, so the combination of breadth and depth from Sentri and KMA is truly exciting.
When I take stock of where we are and how we've gotten here, I am thankful for the following:
- the time, capital, and wisdom invested in the SharePoint practice by KMA's founders Jorge Rodriguez and David Goldstein. I've learned an incredible amount from them over our time working together.
- the counsel, ideas and support of my business partner Jean Tufts and former colleagues such as Chris McNulty, Sadie Van Buren, Florin Muntean, James Henry, Sean Megley, Liz Hatch, and many others. Their ability to generate great ideas and execute on them with clients was the foundation for much of what we currently are, and they all pushed me to be better than I would have been otherwise.
- the clients and community members who provided constructive accountability as they learned alongside us over several generations of SharePoint product releases.
- the Managed Partner team at Microsoft, including world-class PAM Barrie Mirman, who now has one less partner to manage, and whose insight, energy, focus and commitment are unparalleled anywhere I've seen in Microsoft in my twelve years as a partner.
- the SharePoint community, who has embraced our thought leadership and given us a stage on which to tell our story.
- last but not least, I am thankful for the passion, commitment. and collegiality of KMA's SharePoint team, with whom I look forward to writing the next chapters in this story.
Expect to see more frequent updates via this medium now that the deal is done. It's early in this book, and there are many more chapters to be written.
Congrats to the entire KMA crew! This should let you continue the great work that you do at an even larger scale. Well done, Mike and team!
Posted by: Larry Hawes | February 13, 2012 at 09:11 PM
You're too kind, Larry. Thanks for all the insight you've provided over the years. I look forward to continuing to see you in the Boston KM community for a long time to come. As Dan Keldsen suggested earlier: bigger, better, bolder! :-)
Posted by: Mike Gil | February 13, 2012 at 10:28 PM
Congratulations to the KMA crew and to you, Mike. It will be interesting to see where this goes. Next time we are in the same place, I'd love to hear more.
Posted by: Jack Vinson | February 14, 2012 at 03:25 PM
Thanks, Jack, I'm interested to see where this goes as well. I hope to catch up soon at a local KM event.
Posted by: Mike Gil | February 14, 2012 at 04:56 PM
CONGRATULATIONS!!! I have thoroughly enjoyed the privilege to work closely with your team as we joined our efforts to further grow your KMA SharePoint practice. I have come to recognize the KMA brand: thought leader, trusted advisor, and high-integrity business partner. Mike, I'm so excited for you! Celebrate this moment and congratulations, Mike, for your vision, crafting the strategy and buildling the execution plan to achieve all of this. Wishing you continued success with your new chapter at Sentri!!!!
Posted by: Barrie_ | February 17, 2012 at 08:26 AM
Congrats, Mike! Sounds like exciting times lie ahead. -Tom
Posted by: Tomcatalini | February 17, 2012 at 02:48 PM
Barrie and Tom, thank you! I hope it's sufficiently clear from my post that we stand on the shoulders of giants. Lots of very talented people helped get us to where we are, and I'm thrilled to continue to work with a sizable subset of them on the other side of this transition/integration to get to the next level!
Posted by: Mike Gil | February 17, 2012 at 02:59 PM