Former Microsoft general manager David McCann has been named the new CEO of Varolii, a 224-person Seattle company that provides automated text-message, phone call and email alerts to customers on behalf of airlines, banks and utilities. The 51-year-old technology executive replaces Nicholas Tiliacos who announced his plans to resign from the company late last year after more than a decade on the job.
Varolii has hit some headwinds in the past 18 months, experiencing at least two rounds of layoffs. But McCann, the former general manager of Mirosoft’s Windows Server Product Management unit, said he’s excited about the prospects at the 11-year-old company.
“The opportunity is appealing to me for many reasons,” McCann tells GeekWire. “First, Varolii is at an exciting junction of two emerging trends: personalized consumer communications and cloud computing services – both of these markets are primed for growth.”
The technology executive also cited Varolii’s strong customer base, which includes companies like Alaska Airlines, SunTrust Bank and Puget Sound Energy.
McCann downplayed any potential hurdles in the business, noting that the company has positioned itself for growth.
“We’re financially stable, we haven’t had to raise money in over eight years, we have a great culture and talented employees, and we see a great market opportunity ahead,” he said.
At one point, Varolii was considered an IPO candidate, even going so far as to file papers with the SEC.
Could the company get back to that spot under McCann’s leadership?
Well, he isn’t going that far just yet, noting that an IPO is “not an endpoint we’re specifically targeting.”
“What I’m focusing on is creating a high value company that captures the market opportunity we’re presented with,” he said.
Prior to Microsoft, McCann worked as CEO of Electronic Evidence and CarParts Technologies. He also previously worked in executive positions at FileNet Software and Unisys Corporation.
John Cook is co-founder of GeekWire. Follow on Twitter: @geekwirenews.
