CA Names New Channel Chief

W.B. “Bill” Lipsin, who has worked in the IT field for 30 years, has been named CA’s senior vice president of worldwide channels, according to a Nov. 1 statement from CEO Michael Christenson.

Lipsin replaces Gary Quinn, who left the company Sept. 7 after taking over the top channel spot in July. In the two months since Quinn’s departure, George Kafkarkou, a longtime CA channel manager, has served as the channel chief.

Quinn, who had been with the enterprise software firm for 20 years, took control of CA’s channel program at a time when the company decided to reorganize its relationship with its partners and streamline its approach.

Lipsin joined CA in 2005 as the area general manager for the west. Prior to CA, Lipsin led a pair of enterprise software companies, SEEC of Pittsburg and Ironside Technologies of Pleasanton, Calif.

In addition, Lipsin has held positions at Bay Networks Canada, Crowntek, based in Canada. He also worked with IBM’s Canadian channel division.

Click here to read more about changes in CA’s channel administration.

“Growth in the channel business is a top priority for CA,” Christenson said in his statement. “We will continue to develop our relationships with channel partners worldwide by empowering them with best-in-class management technologies needed to solve customers’ most pressing IT challenges.”

In a letter to partners, which was also posted on CA’s Web site, Lipsin reaffirmed the company’s commitment to its partners.

“As CA’s new channel leader, one of my goals is to help CA partners strengthen their businesses by finding new customers and providing additional solutions to existing ones,” Lipsin wrote.

Lipsin went on to write: “This means that CA will be offering its considerable marketing resources to drive demand for solutions through the channel.”

In a memo to employees, Christenson wrote that under the revamped channel program, CA’s direct sales program will focus on targeted enterprise accounts, while the company will help partners make profits by finding partners and pushing services.

Click here to read more about which products CA will focus its channel resources on.

Earlier in 2006, CA, which is based in Islandia, N.Y., reorganized its channel program and brought its small and midsize business and enterprise units under one roof.

In addition to Lipsin’s appointment as channel chief, CA announced that Kafkarkou would continue to “play a leadership role” in the channel division.