It takes smart people to grow a strong business. That’s why new hires, especially in key executive and leadership positions, are so important in the Austin tech startup community.
We track many of those hires, promotions and departures in the Austin Inno Beat newsletter, along with insights on how personnel moves may impact a startup’s future. Sign up for the Beat to get it each day in your inbox.
Now, here are the most important hires, promotions, departures and layoffs from September 2017.
Epicor Software Corporation, an enterprise software company in Austin, announced it has appointed Stephen Murphy as the company's new CEO. Murphy was previously president of OpenText. He replaces Joe Cowan, who plans to retire from his role as CEO and step down from the board of directors at the end of October. Cowan had been CEO for four years.
Kasasa, an Austin fintech and marketing technology startup with about 350 employees, added Michael Davis as its chief sales officer. Davis was previously the chief revenue officer at YourMembership, a Tampa-based software company.
CynergisTek, a healthcare cybersecurity startup, announced it appointed David Finn as its first executive vice president of strategic innovation. Finn was previously a health information technology officer at Symantec Corporation. Prior to that, he was vice president and CIO at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston.
Dell announced it has hired Brian Reaves, a former head of diversity and inclusion at SAP, as its chief diversity and inclusion officer. His new job includes overseeing Dell's 34K-person Employee Resource Group that fosters discussion about gender and diversity at work and working on external programs that invest billions in women- and minority-led businesses.
Certain Affinity, an Austin video game developer, hired Rich Vogel as vice president of technology and services. Vogel was formerly general manager and executive producer at Battlecry Studios, which he founded. Before that, he was co-founder and VP of Production at BioWare Austin, where he led production of "Star Wars: The Old Republic."
The Zebra, an Austin insurance tech startup, hired former KAYAK President Keith Melnick as its new CEO. The Zebra's original CEO and co-founder, Adam Lyons, is stepping aside from his role as CEO to become the startup's chairman. That came along with news that the startup raised a new $40M Series B round led by Accel Partners.
OneSpot, a branded content marketing startup, appointed David Brown as chief strategy officer. Brown, who was previously head of The Content Catalysts, will lead OneSpot's New York office.
Austin Electric Vehicles hired Tony Saxton, a cleantech investor who founded Terra Global Solutions in New York and is the former CEO of FTL Solar, as its new CEO.
Hayes Software Systems, an Austin edtech software company, promoted Anna Maxin to chief operating officer.
SpyCloud, a cybersecurity startup that recently emerged from stealth mode, added two high-level executives to its board of directors. The company announced Cisco's senior vice president and chief security and trust officer, John N. Stewart, would join the SpyCloud board along with Alan Kessler, president and CEO of Thales eSecurity.
EverlyWell, an Austin-based DNA startup, announced several key hires that have happened over the summer. Theresa Tribble joined the team as chief business officer, and Sarah Rankin joined as chief operating officer and chief financial officer. Tribble, who previously co-founded Beacon Genomics and founded Nebula Industries, will be located in Boston. Rankin was previously CFO at Woodruff-Sawyer & Company and, before that, was CFO at Cantaloupe Systems.
Jask, a San Francisco-based cybersecurity startup, is opening an Austin office in January, and it plans to hire about 50 people. The company emerged from stealth last spring with a $12M Series A. Along with that came news that Jask hired Carbon Black founding team member J.J. Guy, who is now based in Austin, as its CTO.
