Vertrees To Manage HP's Enterprise VARs

Vertrees is slated to take over management of the nearly 50 HP enterprise solution providers being mapped into the vendor&s Technology Solutions Group (TSG) sales force beginning Nov. 1, sources close to HP and channel sources said. Vertrees couldn&t be reached for comment.

The plan to combine top HP enterprise partners--including HP&s largest national solution providers as well as regional HP-only partners--was announced last July. The strategy calls for joint sales planning and account coverage between select HP partners and the TSG sales force, as if the two groups were a single HP sales team.

As part of that transition, management of the selected HP enterprise partners will shift from HP&s Solution Partners Organization (SPO), headed by John Thompson, to the TSG direct-sales organization, led by Bill Weaver, sources said. Vertrees would report to Weaver, sources said.

Vertrees served as HP&s vice president and general manager of enterprise partners for the Americas before May 2004, when HP&s enterprise and commercial channels were combined into the SPO, then headed by Kevin Gilroy. Gilroy, who later relinquished his role to Thompson to become senior vice president of HP&s worldwide small-business unit, left HP last month after 24 years with the company.