ConnectWise, a provider of cybersecurity and business management solutions for the IT industry, is starting the new year with an almost entirely new leadership team. The Tampa tech firm has named Geoffrey Willison as its new COO; Brad Surminsky, its CFO; Clint Maddox, its chief revenue officer; and Steve Cochran, its chief technology officer.
Some of its new C-suite have emerged out of significant changes ConnectWise made over the last year while others are new additions. In February 2019, the Florida-based software firm agreed to be acquired by private equity firm Thoma Bravo for approximately $1.5 billion. They moved quickly and merged with two main competitors – Continuum and ITBoost – in October.
Before becoming chief operating officer in November, Geoffrey Willison served as Continuum's CFO until ConnectWise acquired it. He has also worked for the Boston Consulting Group and was CEO of Valore, an e-commerce and digital textbook publisher.
ConnectWise’s previous CFO, Michael Power, left his position before December to work with SharpSpring, a Gainseville-based marketing automation platform provider. The search for his replacement came to an end after Brad Surminsky stepped into the role shortly after. Surminsky has held similar senior leadership roles at D+H, ADP, ACNielsen Canada, and CentralSquare Technologies.
Clint Maddox came on as the company’s chief revenue officer from Broadcom Inc, where he served as senior vice president, responsible for its global service partnerships. He also spent sixteen years in various leadership roles with CA Technologies, a New York-based software provider.
Steve Cochran has become ConnectWise’s first CTO and brings more than 30 years’ experience with the tech industry to the role. He most recently served as CTO at Global Healthcare Exchange – a former Thoma Bravo portfolio company.
“This is an extraordinary team, one that represents the legacy ConnectWise and Continuum businesses, as well as respected leaders from outside who bring a fresh perspective,” said Jason Magee, CEO of ConnectWise. “With these updates to the team, I am incredibly optimistic about our company going into 2020 and beyond.”
ConnectWise was founded by Arnie Bellini in 1982 and operated as a full-service IT solution provider to small and mid-sized businesses in the Tampa Bay area. Bellini realized there was potential in offering software that streamlined and automated business processes after struggling to manage these aspects in his tech firm. The company came out with its ConnectWise business management platform that integrated all core functions of running a technology company into one comprehensive solution. The firm helps more than 5,000 technology organizations achieve greater accountability, efficiency, and profitability.
Thoma Bravo is a private equity firm specializing in the software and technology-service sectors. They have acquired more than 200 companies representing approximately $50 billion in value over their forty-year history and pioneered the “buy and build” investment approach they practice today.
