New CA Channel Marketing Exec Assesses Partner Resources, Promises Stepped-Up Communications

Tricia Atchison

Tricia Atchison has spent the first weeks in her new channel marketing post at CA Technologies "really digging into" the company's global partner strategy and programs, understanding where it stands and what kinds of marketing assistance and tools it provides channel partners.

Now she's ready to take the next step of determining how those efforts can be taken to the next level.

"If we want to drive demand with our partners, if we want them to be successful, what tools do we have today that are helping [partners] do that?" Atchison said, outlining in a recent interview with CRN the questions she's been asking since joining the company. "Are there other things that we need to provide them with that would help them engage more with us and help them in terms of go-to-market?"

[Related: 2016 Women of the Channel]

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Atchison joined New York-based CA Technologies in April as the software company's vice president of global partner marketing. She is responsible for partner communications on a global basis and developing channel marketing programs, including market development funds and webcast initiatives, which help partners drive demand.

Atchison is also charged with developing go-to-market strategies with CA's global system integrator, global service provider, managed service provider and technology partners. And she works with CA's geographic marketing teams to ensure integration between the company's global and local channel marketing efforts.

Atchison came to CA from Veritas, where she was senior director of Americas channel marketing for the developer of data protection and data management software and appliances. Before that, she held a number of channel marketing posts with Symantec, which acquired Veritas in 2005, and was with Veritas for about five years before the acquisition. In the 1990s, she held marketing jobs at Seagate Software and Data Code.

"I've been in channel marketing most of my career. And that's been by choice, because I think these are the best jobs on the planet," she said, displaying her enthusiasm for her new post.

Atchison has been named to CRN's Women of the Channel list for multiple years, recently for her work at Symantec and Veritas and this year in her new role at CA.

Atchison's work at Veritas was focused on the Americas, and the opportunity to manage channel marketing activities on a global basis was a key attraction for Atchison to take the CA job. "I felt it was just a great step, a next step for me and my career."

She also cited what she saw as CA's growing commitment to the channel as a plus. "They are very partner-focused. It's a big part of their strategy going into FY 2017, from the CEO down," she said. "Partners are going to be critical to CA's overall strategy and success.

"So it just seemed like a good opportunity for me to enhance my skills and take on a bigger role, and also do it in the context of a company [that is] really focused on partners and their strategy," she said.

CA hasn't always been known as a particularly channel-friendly company, although that's been changing in recent years -- especially under the guidance of Michael Gregoire, who has been the software company's CEO since December 2012.

Atchison sees more of that going forward. "More and more [CA] products and services are delivered and/or influenced by some type of partner. I think the potential is unlimited," she said, adding that the company is "executing well and experiencing growth."

Atchison reports to Laura Drake, senior vice president of global field and marketing, with "dotted line" reporting to CA's Global Partner Organization, where John Eldh is senior vice president of the global partner and digital sales organization.

Since joining CA Technologies in early April, Atchison has been "really digging into" the company's global partner strategy and how she can help further develop it from a marketing perspective.

Atchison's pitch to current and potential partners is to encourage them to look at how CA is integrating the channel into its overall go-to-market strategy, including how the company's sales teams are building the channel into their business plans. "I think that starts to change the conversation with them," she said. She also touted CA's training and certification opportunities for partners.

"My experience in working with partners, at whatever company I've been in, is that if you can understand their business and really work with them to help them drive their business and reach their potential, and reach the markets they want to reach, that is all goodness for them," Atchison said.

That's where what Atchison sees as her strengths come into play. "I'm a people person. I'm good at building relationships," she said, both in terms of working with her own team and working with partners. She also possesses the ability to "understand the big picture and the strategy" while also knowing how to dig in and execute on those plans.

"I know how to roll up my sleeves and get the work done. Not everybody can do that," she said.

Atchison's priorities over the next several months include assessing CA's partner marketing campaigns and whether channel partners have the marketing tools they need.

Atchison will also be looking at how CA communicates with its partners. "Are there other things that we should be doing from a communications standpoint to make sure that we're giving them the information they need, that they're able to consume it in the way they like to consume it?" she said.

But perhaps most important, Atchison said, she plans to hit the road more frequently, meeting CA's partners face to face and hearing directly from them about their plans, needs, kudos and gripes.

"Every time you meet with a partner, you learn a ton," she said, including understanding their business and go-to-market strategy, what vertical markets they focus on, what's important to them and how they measure profitability.

"I just don't think you can be good in this role if you don't spend time with partners," she said. "Because that's where the rubber meets the road."