An excellent explanation, and one that I thoroughly understand and buy into. I really hope it turns out the way you've planned it.
Kurt On Wed, Jul 14, 2010 at 12:57, Alex Eckelberry <al...@sunbelt-software.com>wrote: > Like Stu said, we needed to do this. Three big reasons: a) access to > capital and resources, b) technology and c) new markets. > > > > Running Sunbelt was like holding a tiger by the tail -- the growth was > phenomenal, but the stress on the business is sometimes very intense. > Remember a few months back when our support went to hell because our > antiquated phone system couldn't handle the load? That was all related to > not enough investment in our the right phone system. Little things like > this cause constant headaches. I needed the find a partner with deep > pockets -- and GFI has very deep pockets. I could have gone with a venture > capitalist, but there is a whole lot of other risk that comes with that... > And the first thing they did coming in here was start the process of buying > a new phone system. I like that. > > > > On the technology side, you don't sit still in this business and last > long. VIPRE is top of class, but there is a lot to be done, still. I need > better integration with MSP platforms, DLP technology, integrated patch and > vulnerability assessment -- and much more. GFI already has a lot of these > technologies. Another example is our mail strategy. Many people are moving > to a SaaS model for email security. I was being left out of the party, but > now GFI has their own SaaS platform. > > > > Their access to new markets is also a major part of the transaction. 95% > of our sales were in North America. That's not sustainable, as we needed to > move into international markets to sustain and grow the business. Over 50% > of GFI's sales are international, and that's a big pickup for us. > > > > Finally, the issue of culture: GFI's culture is very similar to ours. > While they have certainly had their issues in the past, the current CEO, > Walter Scott, has the same attitudes that I have about customer support, > product quality and taking care of the customer. I have been very impressed > with how they run this business (and it's certainly a world different than > what it was 2 years ago, before Scott and the new management team came in). > > > > For our employees, it's a good thing. Out of 240 employees, there were only > a handful of redundant positions (less than 10). The vast majority of > employees are here and continuing with the new organization. The Tampa Bay > location is going to be growing into an even larger operation. > > > > Stu is retiring, but as he'll tell you, he had already moved on prior to > the acquisition to focusing on writing his newsletters and had turned the > majority of his tasks over. This gives him the opportunity to focus on what > he really enjoys -- writing and interacting with fellow admins. He now gets > to write full time and will still happily kill any thread he doesn't like on > the forum. He's happy, I can tell you :-) > > > > We had a number of suitors but chose GFI because we felt they would respect > the technology, our support and our culture. And all of the key Sunbelt > executives are still here, myself included. I am running the security > business for GFI. I expect things will get better, not worse. > > > > Alex > > > > Alex Eckelberry, CEO > Sunbelt Software, a GFI company > 33 N. Garden Avenue, Clearwater, FL 33755 p: 727-562-0101 x220 > e: a...@sunbeltsoftware.com MSN: alex...@hotmail.com > > Skype: alexeckelberry oovoo: alexeck > w: www.sunbeltsoftware.com b: www.sunbeltblog.com > > > > > > > > > > > > *From:* Cameron Cooper [mailto:ccoo...@aurico.com] > *Sent:* Wednesday, July 14, 2010 12:07 PM > > *To:* MS-Exchange Admin Issues > *Subject:* RE: Letter from Sunbelt CEO: GFI Acquires Sunbelt Software > > > > That too > > > > _____________________________ > > *Cameron Cooper* > > *Network Administrator | CompTIA A+ Certified* > > Aurico Reports, Inc > > Phone: 847-890-4021 | Fax: 847-255-1896 > > ccoo...@aurico.com | www.aurico.com > > > > *From:* David Mazzaccaro [mailto:david.mazzacc...@hudsonhhc.com] > *Sent:* Wednesday, July 14, 2010 11:00 AM > *To:* MS-Exchange Admin Issues > *Subject:* RE: Letter from Sunbelt CEO: GFI Acquires Sunbelt Software > > > > Guess so! > LOL > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Cameron Cooper [mailto:ccoo...@aurico.com <ccoo...@aurico.com>] > Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 9:59 AM > To: MS-Exchange Admin Issues > Subject: RE: Letter from Sunbelt CEO: GFI Acquires Sunbelt Software > > Oops... should have read *Let's hope Sunbelt's products/support don't end > up worse* > > Need. More. Coffe. > > _____________________________ > Cameron Cooper > Network Administrator | CompTIA A+ Certified Aurico Reports, Inc > Phone: 847-890-4021 | Fax: 847-255-1896 > ccoo...@aurico.com | www.aurico.com > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Cameron Cooper [mailto:ccoo...@aurico.com <ccoo...@aurico.com>] > Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 8:55 AM > To: MS-Exchange Admin Issues > Subject: RE: Letter from Sunbelt CEO: GFI Acquires Sunbelt Software > > Let's hope Sunbelt's products/support end up worse due to this. Could this > become another Symancrap scenario? > > _____________________________ > Cameron Cooper > Network Administrator | CompTIA A+ Certified Aurico Reports, Inc > Phone: 847-890-4021 | Fax: 847-255-1896 > ccoo...@aurico.com | www.aurico.com > > > -----Original Message----- > From: John Cook [mailto:john.c...@pfsf.org <john.c...@pfsf.org>] > Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 8:05 AM > To: MS-Exchange Admin Issues > Subject: RE: Letter from Sunbelt CEO: GFI Acquires Sunbelt Software > > To be quite honest my heart sank when I read the message this AM. Having > several installations of their products and doing some selling of it as well > I am pretty nervous about the possibilities, I've never experienced a buyout > that was a totally positive experience for the end users. I hope and pray > GFI has the sense to leave well enough alone...... > > John W. Cook > Systems Administrator > Partnership For Strong Families > 315 SE 2nd Ave > Gainesville, Fl 32601 > Office (352) 393-2741 x320 > Cell (352) 215-6944 > Fax (352) 393-2746 > MCSE, MCTS, MCP+I, A+, N+, VSP4, VTSP4 > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Michael B. Smith [mailto:mich...@smithcons.com<mich...@smithcons.com> > ] > Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 8:02 AM > To: MS-Exchange Admin Issues > Subject: RE: Letter from Sunbelt CEO: GFI Acquires Sunbelt Software > > Well, I wish them the best; but can't help but feel "that's too bad". > > It'll be interesting to see how the competing product lines shake out. > > Regards, > > Michael B. Smith > Consultant and Exchange MVP > http://TheEssentialExchange.com > > -----Original Message----- > From: Webster [mailto:webs...@carlwebster.com <webs...@carlwebster.com>] > Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 7:26 AM > To: MS-Exchange Admin Issues > Subject: FW: Letter from Sunbelt CEO: GFI Acquires Sunbelt Software > > > Today, it was announced that Sunbelt Software has been acquired by GFI > > Software. The new combined entity will provide a wide range of > > security > and > > infrastructure software solutions, both on-premise and in the cloud. > > View the press release here: > > http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Press/Releases/?id=362 > > > > This Wednesday, July 14th, GFI's CEO, Walter Scott and I will be > > holding a webinar to discuss the transaction, which we invite you to > > attend. The > details > > of the webinar are as follows: > > > > CEO webinar for Partners: GFI's new acquisition > > Date: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 > > Time: 11:30am Eastern Time > > Register here to attend > > https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/294875025 > > > > First, let me say that we're thrilled to be part of the GFI team. > Throughout > > our discussions and interactions with GFI, we have been continually > > impressed with their dedication to quality, customer service and > > superior performance throughout the company. Both companies are > > similar in their attitudes and practices with regard to customer > > service, product quality, strategic vision, organizational styles and > culture. > > > > On the technology side, the acquisition allows us to expand into > > several areas, which we believe are essential for us to grow as a > > company and continue to provide leading-edge technologies to our > > partners. These areas include vulnerability assessment, patch > > management, data leakage prevention, hosted/cloud-based technologies, > and MSP solutions. > > > > No specific plans have been made yet in terms of product integration > > strategies, but we are working with the GFI team to identify areas > > where their technologies would complement our offerings. > > > > In addition to the technology side, GFI provides additional resources > > in > terms > > of capital, management expertise, systems and new markets that will > > continue to propel our products and our teams to the highest level of > > achievement possible. > > > > For the time being, both companies are hard at work, integrating the > various > > sales, marketing, finance, and technology teams. Our goal is to make > > the combination of the companies as seamless as possible to you, and > > we will continue to provide you with updates and information as we > > work to combine the organizations. For now, nothing changes in how you > > do business with Sunbelt. > > > > We appreciate your trust in us as a partner and will continue to work > > hard > to > > keep your loyalty and support. Please don't hesitate to reach out to > > your Sunbelt representative or me personally if you have any questions > > or comments. > > > > Kind regards, > > > > Alex Eckelberry > > CEO > > > > > > CONFIDENTIALITY STATEMENT: The information transmitted, or contained or > attached to or with this Notice is intended only for the person or entity to > which it is addressed and may contain Protected Health Information (PHI), > confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, transmission, > dissemination, or other use of, and taking any action in reliance upon this > information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient without > the express written consent of the sender are prohibited. This information > may be protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act > of 1996 (HIPAA), and other Federal and Florida laws. Improper or > unauthorized use or disclosure of this information could result in civil > and/or criminal penalties. > Consider the environment. Please don't print this e-mail unless you really > need to. > > > > > > . >
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