Bob Samson Wins GovernmentVAR's Lifetime Achievement Award

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Just because Bob Samson received a lifetime achievement award from GovernmentVAR this month doesn't mean he's without his flaws. Take, for example, the fact that the man refuses to talk about himself. Ask about his greatest achievement and he'll tell you how Stockholm, Sweden, reduced congestion on its roadways with an IBM traffic solution; ask him about his market influence and hear how honored IBM was to be one of four companies chosen by the federal government to lead the development of a national health IT network. It's like pulling teeth.

But try as he may, there's no downplaying Samson's astute understanding of the government market. That's why news of his departure from the government post--as general manager of IBM's global public-sector business--came as quite a blow. Samson's very first sale with IBM, when he was just out of college, was to the State of New York. As time rolled on, he worked his way up, heading the state and local government business and, soon after, the federal biz as well. And now Samson, 33 years later, has left IBM's government, education, health-care and pharmaceuticals business, having led a team that consistently wins multimillion-dollar contracts.

In swapping posts with Emilie McCabe, former vice president of worldwide system sales in IBM's System Technology Group (STG), Samson returns to a familiar spot. He held that role for six years before returning to the public-sector side of the house in January 2005. But Samson has always found it hard to stay away from government. Even during his previous tenure at STG, he had what he calls "a side job" working in the public sector.

"To me, [that] sector is the most exciting area you can work in the IT industry," Samson says. "The challenges they face and the innovative way they solve problems are different than anything else out there. All of us look for that little sparkle that gets us up in the morning and gets us motivated; for me, it's the thrill of helping these customers change the world."

NEXT: Samson the Idealist