David A. Chapa is a CTO, technology evangelist, advisor, entrepreneur, thought leader, and storyteller

David A. Chapa's Bio:

David is an accomplished, versatile leader with a stellar track record propelling organizational success through the strategic oversight of diverse technology initiatives. His career portfolio is comprised of such noteworthy entities as EMC, Evault, Seagate, Quantum Corporation, Enterprise Strategy Group, and NetApp. Over the course of his career, he has diversified his capabilities across business and technology leadership. His areas of expertise include strategy development/execution, thought leadership, international business, technical sales, and technical evangelism. I have experienced repeated success identifying sub-par operations; developing and executing robust action plans to drive innovation, increase productivity, and facilitate stakeholder satisfaction. I have delivered such quantifiable metrics as a 500% increase in blog traffic and a doubling in a company’s "share of ink". I am eager to employ my diverse skill set to aid organizations in need. "Embrace what you know, learn what you don't know and be open to what you don't know that you don't know"

David A. Chapa's Experience:

  • Advisor, Board Member at Independent

    May 2016 - Present | Castle Rock, CO

    Working with startups looking for series A funding.

  • Co-founder at ConneXion Spot

    April 2014 - Present | Castle Rock

    Investor and advisor to ConneXion Spot, a coworking business in southeast Denver

  • Chief Technology Evangelist at Qumulo

    January 2021 - August 2022 | Castle Rock, CO

    After successfully re-launching the market and competitive intelligence organization, I was promoted to be the company's chief technical spokesperson, beginning in late 2021. Recognizing the need to address marketing gaps for sellers and SEs, I leveraged insights into the competitive landscape and my deep understanding of market trends to develop a grassroots integrated marketing strategy for the remaining year, focusing on increasing brand awareness, generating qualified leads, and creating sales opportunities. This strategy relied on a closed-loop feedback approach involving the company's customers and partners through the Slack messaging platform. My role extended support to various functions within the marketing group, including product and technical marketing, outbound communications, investor and analyst relations, campaign strategies, and even sales operations.

  • Founder, Chief Analyst at The CTE Group

    May 2016 - January 2021 | Castle Rock, CO

    Consulting and Industry analyst firm focused on data center technologies, including cloud, big data, cybersecurity, data storage, HPC, data protection, business continuity, and disaster recovery (BC/DR) practices. I served as the chief analyst/consultant and founder of The CTE Group. I led sales, business development, discovery sessions, and market analysis. Outbound as a business consultant, customers would engage me in various leadership capacities, from Solutions and Product Marketing, Product Management, Pre-Sales Engineering Management, and Sales Leadership. Throughout the growth of The CTE Group and the addition of staff, I continued to author content on various data center technologies, such as cloud, hybrid cloud, and multi-cloud solutions. I also independently presented on subjects such as "Digital Transformation," "Disaster Recovery Strategies," and "Cloud v On-Premises Infrastructure." At The CTE Group, I developed growth marketing campaigns and content for our customers to drive top-of-funnel awareness, mid-funnel evaluation content such as white papers, and bottom-of-funnel content designed to convert, such as spec sheets and competitive analysis.

  • Senior Director, Global CTO at EMC

    May 2015 - May 2016 | Worldwide

    Lead the Global CTO organization for the Emerging Technologies Division.

  • CTE, Senior Director, Technology at Seagate CSS

    January 2013 - May 2015 | Denver - San Francisco

    As a member of the technical leadership team, work closely with the VP R&D and CTO, to help affect product and solutions in meaningful ways for the client community. Develop thought leadership and positioning for the company along with authoring white papers, blogs and technical presentations. Externally represent the office of CTO to the client and partner communities, analysts, and media.

  • Senior Director of Technology, Chief Technology Evangelist at Quantum

    October 2011 - 2013 | Worldwide

    The CEO recruited me to return to Quantum to increase the company's visibility in the market and engage and influence press and analysts. This worldwide role combines engineering, traditional/technical marketing, sales, and business development. Key constituents: -Customers -Business Partners -Sales organization/Channel Partners -Product Management/Marketing -Engineering The external voice of the office of CTO, David has successfully driven the creation and execution strategy to raise Quantum's product awareness and corporate profile, aligning with key sales plays, marketing campaigns and product groups. Key initiative: Leverage new media outlets, social networking, blogging, 1:1 and 1:Many meetings and speaking engagements worldwide. Sole responsibility for the creation and execution of the process and framework to develop Quantum's strategic technology vision. Working cross-functionally with the technical architects and product groups ensuring the needs of both the customer and the business needs are aligned. Notable accomplishments to date: -Developed and executed several strategic plans for the company: 1. Strategic Technology Vision 2. Customer Advisory Board 3. Strategic Technical Marketing -Authored 40% of all blogs -Doubled "share of ink" in 12 months -Directly involved in closing key sales wins -Company technical spokesperson

  • Senior Analyst and Consultant at Enterprise Strategy Group

    2010 - 2011 | Denver - Boston

    Storage Industry Senior Analyst covering Data Protection with focus on Backup as a Service, Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity and High Availability solutions. Provide guidance, insight and business strategy consulting combined with forward looking market analysis for ESG clients, prospects and end-users. Author of Navigating the BaR Scene, a blog commentary on the data protection market. Develop research briefs and market landscape reports all focusing on data protection, specifically backup as a service (online backup), high availability, disaster recovery and business continuity. Assist clients in developing message framework, product strategies, market analysis, competitive positioning, strategic analysis, go-to-market strategies, marketing campaigns and all other aspects to help drive sales, marketing and brand awareness.

  • Director, DP Market Strategies/Global Alliance at NetApp

    October 2009 - 2010 | Denver - Sunnyvale

    Leverage experience gained through leading the Backup/Recovery solutions team to include all of Data Protection. Work cross functionally providing vision and strategic positioning within adjacent markets, integrated solution options with major alliance partners and increase sales, channel and customer awareness. Maintain healthy investment with all major analysts in the IT storage community establishing solid relationships to better gain insights into market drivers. Developed a marketing model for Social Media using spatial learning techniques to ensure a healthy and consistent cadence and voice for all inbound and outbound marketing vehicles are leveraged for key messaging, covering all available avenues, segmented out by date, content type, and depth of content to final announcement.

  • Director, Data Protection at NetApp

    2008 - 2009 | Denver - Sunnyvale

    Product line influence, while leading a team of marketing managers for the company's enterprise data protection portfolio, generating significant revenue impact across the product lines sold worldwide. As a team, we launched innovative data protection solutions of both software and hardware worldwide, quickly driving brand awareness, attacking new markets, and generating new business leading to an increase in annual profit growth in a highly competitive market. The challenge included redesigning the product marketing function to emphasize solutions targeting specific customer problems, leveraging channel and solution partners, hiring and managing top talent, creating a clearly positioned brand and a complete solution offering as well as a significant rework and net new creation of both collateral and field training materials to support the strategy moving forward. Plan development, review and roll-out of key field, channel and product programs. Strategic positioning of the entire data protection portfolio based on market research analysis, trends and customer feedback. o Engage Product Management, assisting in planning, articulate customer requirements o Trusted Advisor to senior executives and heads of business units on strategy, positioning and futures. o Directly manage a team of four, virtual team of 16 people including two sales specialists for Backup and Recovery. o Direct all activities around campaign and program investment for lead and demand generation.

  • Senior Technologist, Solutions Group at Quantum Corporation

    June 2003 - January 2008 | Denver - Seattle - San Jose

    ***ADIC from 2003, until Quantum successfully completed the acquisition of ADIC as of 8/22/2006.*** Challenge: Deliver succinct product requirements based on field input from customers, channel partners and account management team to engineering and product management. Evangelize new technology visions to customers and industry partners. Responsibility: Strategic and tactical planning responsibilities for advanced solutions positioning, implementation and delivery of existing and emerging technologies. Focus: Responsible for the efficiency software within Quantum's portfolio. Specifically focused on blocklets(tm), Quantum's de-duplication technology.

  • VP Professional Services at DataStaff, Inc.

    1997 - 2003 | Chicago

    Now DSN Group is a Chicago, IL based professional services organization.

David A. Chapa's Education:

  • NetApp University

    2008 – 2010
    Concentration: Business Leadership

  • Illinois College

    1986 – 1987
    Concentration: Computer Science

  • Harper College

    1984 – 1986
    Concentration: Computer Science

David A. Chapa's Interests & Activities:

Technology Executive, technology evangelist, business leader, strategic thinker, visionary, entrepreneur, and storyteller.