— Aseem Datar, partner at Madrona Venture Group, is headed back to Microsoft in a new role as vice president.
Datar joined Madrona in 2021 after spending 17 years at Microsoft in various managerial roles, most recently as a COO on the Azure team.
Datar called his decision to leave Madrona “bittersweet.”
“This experience is undeniably transformative, one that deepened my appreciation for the ever-evolving tech landscape,” he wrote on LinkedIn.
As for his return to Microsoft, Datar said he’ll be working on the “next generation of computing.”
Datar tells GeekWire he’ll be part of the “Strategic Mission’s Leadership team working on the future of computing including AI and quantum computing.”
Datar will become an advisor in the Madrona Founder Advisory Network.
— Seattle tech exec Norbert Orth joined Dallas construction software company Beck Technology as CEO.
Orth tells GeekWire that he plans to split time between Seattle and Dallas, and over time plans to expand the company’s operations in the Pacific Northwest.
He previously served as CEO of Seattle-based Dexter & Chaney, which sold to private equity firm Pamlico Capital in 2015. Pamlico also is backing Beck Technology, announcing last week a strategic investment in the company.
Orth served in executive roles, including CEO, at Dexter & Chaney from 2011 to 2017. Before that, he served as CEO of MessageGate and vice president of sales at Attachmate.
— The Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Washington launched the Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Program, led by Winona Kantamaneni. The program has nine advisory board members, including: Dani Cone; Sara Mosiman; Sarah Studer; Minda Brusse; Elisa La Cava; Christy Johnson; Rosalinda Mendoza; Sara Weaver; and Jilyne Jarvis.
— Seattle-area health tech company Edifecs hired Stephen Ayers as chief financial officer. Ayers previously held exec roles at Lyric, Change Healthcare, and McKesson Corp.
— Renato F. Salas-Moreno joined Boeing as a chief AI architect. He previously was vice president of engineering at Forma Vision and CEO of Seattle-area startup Vtrus.
— Rich Paul, co-founder of sports agency Klutch Sports Group, resigned from the board of Everett, Wash.-based toy company Funko. He was replaced by Mike Kerns, co-founder and partner at The Chernin Group.
— Mike Schmid, former head of publishing at Seattle gaming startup Rec Room, joined mobile gaming startup Backbone as vice president of growth.
— Seattle tech vet Russ Mann joined the board of Flume Water, a residential water usage data and device company.
— Cisco exec Rodney Clark joined the board of Seattle-based employee insights startup Groopit.
