michaelkohlsdorfWatchguard, a Seattle-based network security company, announced today that Joe Wang as stepped down after serving as CEO for the past seven years.

Wang, who previously founded 20/20 Software (sold to Symantec in 1999), took over as CEO in 2006 and helped revitalize Watchguard, which was originally founded in 1996.

“Under the leadership of Joe Wang, WatchGuard has risen to be a leader in Gartner’s Unified Threat Management Magic Quadrant four years in a row. He has led the charge to introduce new technologies onto the company’s security platforms, including a data visualization tool called WatchGuard Dimension™, and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) services,” WatchGuard board member Alex Slusky said in a statement.

Watchguard’s Board of Directors appointed Michael Kohlsdorf as interim CEO. Kohlsdorf is an operating partner with Francisco Partners, the private equity firm that acquired Watchguard in 2006 for $151 million, and was previously CEO of Aderant Holdings and T/R Systems.

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