New Promotion

So this actually came as a total surprise to me that I have officially been promoted to Sr. Product Line Technical Marketing Manager.  Okay, so what does that mean?  Well first I need to explain my last six years here at VMware since 99% of it was spent in the field in some capacity.  Since joining in 2007 I have been known in the field as a:

  • Senior Consultant
  • Consulting Architect
  • Solutions Architect

These were the “field” titles I went by and prior to joining the vCloud Airs business unit I was actually on track to present to the Principal review board this year.  I’ve really never known anything but the roles that we had in the field.  Had I passed the board I would have been known as a Principal Architect in the field, one of the highest honors an individual contributor in VMware.  When i decided to move to the Business Unit, I actually gave up that opportunity to present to the board even though all my materials were prepped and ready to go.  This was because the BU process and the field process are different to reach the equivalent level as Principal.  All news to me as I went through the transition process into the business unit.

So at VMware when you change groups you always make a “lateral” move, which is the case in many companies.  Therefore I moved over with no expectation of promotion, and giving up the Principal process in which some very good people I know made it through.  As part of my role change I actually forwarded to my new manager all the materials I gathered for the Principal process just so he had them.  As it turns out, much of that was reviewed by my new management and I was informed that I was going to be given a surprise promotion which took effect October 1st.

Although my title is not “Principal”, within VMware my new designation is the same “level” as Principal.  Regardless, I am extremely happy and I wanted to say that sometimes when you least expect it, good things can sometimes happen.

I look forward to continuing to help more people adopt and use the VMware Hybrid Cloud Service in the coming months.  As always as you want to learn more about ways to use it, things you can do with it, or even crazy ideas around it, let me know.  I’m willing to explore anything really.

About Chris Colotti

Chris is active on the VMUG and event speaking circuit and is available for many events if you want to reach out and ask. Previously to this he spent close to a decade working for VMware as a Principal Architect. Previous to his nine plus years at VMware, Chris was a System Administrator that evolved his career into a data center architect. Chris spends a lot of time mentoring co-workers and friends on the benefits of personal growth and professional development. Chris is also amongst the first VMware Certified Design Experts (VCDX#37), and author of multiple white papers. In his spare time he helps his wife Julie run her promotional products as the accountant, book keeper, and IT Support. Chris also believes in both a healthy body and healthy mind, and has become heavily involved with fitness as a Diamond Team Beachbody Coach using P90X and other Beachbody Programs. Although Technology is his day job, Chris is passionate about fitness after losing 60 pounds himself in the last few years.

7 comments

  1. Congrats brother! This is well deserved. Knowing the level of effort coupled you put in with the knowledge you have certainly fits the role. Kudos!

  2. Congrats Chris, well deserved. Looking forward to you rattling that title off in our sessions. You will no longer be known as Chris Consulting, you will be known as Chris Longest Title 🙂

  3. Congrats Chris. Well deserved!

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