At COO (Boardroom Media) we track over 1,000,000 startups and over 5,000,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top United States based COO’ operating in the Cloud Infrastructure space. If you think a COO’ is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on [email protected].
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Sanjay Poonen
Chief Operating Officer, Customer Operations of VMware
Sanjay Poonen joined VMware in August 2013, and is responsible for worldwide sales, services, alliances, marketing and communications. Previously, Poonen held the role of executive vice president and general manager for the End-User Computing business unit at VMware. In this role, he was responsible for strategy, products, engineering, marketing and sales across all of VMware’s End-User Computing offerings. Before VMware, Poonen was president and corporate officer of Platform Solutions and the Mobile Division at SAP AG. During his more than seven years at SAP, Poonen held several executive-level roles in product development and sales, including leading SAP’s Analytics, Big Data, Mobile and all Industry Business Units, driving many solutions to industry-leading market positions. Prior to SAP, Poonen held executive roles at Symantec, VERITAS and Informatica, and he began his career as a software engineer at Microsoft, followed by Apple. Poonen serves on the Board of Directors of Infor and the Advisory Board of Docusign. Poonen holds two patents as well as an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he graduated a Baker Scholar; a master’s degree in management science and engineering from Stanford University; and a bachelor’s degree in computer science, math and engineering from Dartmouth College, where he graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa.
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About VMware, VMware: VMware is a software company providing cloud and virtualization services that powers complex digital infrastructure.
Chris Aniszczyk
Chief Operating Officer of Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF)
Chris Aniszczyk is Chief Technology Officer at Cloud Native Computing Foundation.
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About Capital Factory, Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), Linux Foundation, Open Container Initiative (OCI), TODO Group: CNCF is an open source software foundation that hosts and nurtures projects like Kubernetes and Prometheus.
Taylor Wakefield
COO & Co-Founder of Teleport
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About Teleport: Teleport enables engineers to quickly access any computing resource anywhere.
Brian Klingbeil
Chief Operating Officer of Ensono
As EVP, Technology and Strategy, Brian is responsible for overall strategy and product direction, including Ensono’s Public Cloud business, technology and services roadmap, and strategic initiatives. He is a member of the company’s board of directors. Before Ensono, Brian held executive positions with CenturyLink/Savvis where he where he was COO and responsible for the Operations and Product Development organizations and also established the firm’s presence in China.
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About Ensono: Ensono delivers managed IT services to optimize and modernize mainframes, infrastructure, and cloud for clients.
Brian Denker
Co-Founder and COO of Tackle
Brian has spent most of his career immersed in information technology and entrepreneurial business. With a background deeply set in data and analytics, Brian has helped some of the largest companies transform how they leverage their data for practical insights. Working with front edge MPP technologies such as Netezza, Greenplum & Hadoop, Brian was able to see how every company could become a technology company. As the cloud grew in popularity across the 2000’s, the software & procurement space lagged behind. Seeing that gap as an opportunity, Brian helped found Tackle.io in 2016 to transform the way companies sell software in the cloud.
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About Tackle: Tackle.io operates as a cloud marketplace subscription platform that helps software providers generate revenue.
Itay Shoshani
Chief Operating Officer of Silk
As Chief Operating Officer, Itay Shoshani is responsible for all of Kaminario’s internal operations including Customer Success, Operations, IS/IT and Sales Operations. Prior to this role, Itay served as Chief Revenue Office where he was responsible for worldwide sales and customer operations. Before joining Kaminario, Itay served 10 years with Unisys EMEA in a variety of executive positions. Itay also held leadership roles at startups such as ibetcha, as well as large enterprises such as ELAL.
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About Silk: The Database Supercharger
Marc Patterson
Chief Operating Officer of ZeroTier
Marc is ZeroTier’s Chief Operating Officer. A former senior executive with Boingo Wireless and BT, he has delivered award-winning mobile security & remote working solutions supporting small enterprises to multi-billion dollar organizations for over 25 years. Most recently the CEO of a media publishing startup powered by Emmy®-winning broadcast news talent, Marc also chairs Esports & Gaming for the investor non-profit L.A. Venture Association.
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About ZeroTier: ZeroTier is directly connecting the world’s devices through secure software-defined networking.
Keith Loggie
Co-Founder and COO of MerQube
Keith Loggie is the Co-Founder and COO at MerQube.
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About MerQube: Cloud-native financial indexing platform
Robb Ellis
Chief Operating Officer of AbacusNext
Robb Ellis is a Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Operational Consultant with proven track record of providing leadership and strategic vision on a global level to public & private software, manufacturing and services companies with revenues ranging from $20 million to $1 billion. He has strategic focus in assisting Companies in growing annual recurring revenue, improving customer satisfaction, investing through M&A initiatives…all while growing the bottom line. He delivers tactical corporate services expertise (including legal, finance, tax, human resources, internal infrastructure) with an operational focus. He has skills at negotiating contracts for corporate development initiatives, divestitures, debt facilities, customers and vendors. He is an effective decision maker and business partner with a record of reversing companies’ financial losses to profitability through cost savings initiatives while driving a focused growth & innovation strategy. He has involvements in several Company transformations that have resulted in successful exits that provided Shareholders with exceptional IRR returns.
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About AbacusNext: AbacusNext is a technology-as-a-service provider for the professional services industry.
Cory Sytsma
COO of Assemble
Operations professional with a broad IT background, recognized for excellent analytical and objective problem solving skills, with the initiative and courage to drive change, while building and maintaining consensus.
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About Assemble: Assemble provides software services that deliver delightful customer experiences.
Mike Pickering
COO/EVP of Ingenious Med
Investor, Entrepreneur, Sr Executive, Software Developer
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About Ingenious Med: Ingenious Med develops and delivers inpatient practice management information systems in the United States.
Lokesh Taneja
Co-Founder and COO/Sales of Cloudshim
Lokesh Taneja is the Co-Founder and COO/Sales at Cloudshim.
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About Cloudshim: Cloudshim is a one-stop shop for cloud management needs, helping users take control of their cloud.
Dustin Sauter
CIO, COO & Co-Founder of OrangeGrid
Dustin Sauter is OrangeGrid’s Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder. Sauter is the technical mastermind of the company’s technical platform and operational environment, with 20 years’ experience in software development, operations, security as both a business operator, and technology provider. Tapping into his inner nerd, Sauter gained extreme enthusiasm from what technology had to offer at the early age of 8 when he unboxed his shiny new state-of-the-art Atari 2600 for Christmas. His love of gaming and technology continued to blossom as Sauter graduated to more advanced consoles like the NES, Genesis, and PS1 and started to develop basic role playing games on the Apple IIe. Maturing in his adult years, but not giving up gaming, in 1996 Sauter started his career in PC repair and networking for CorpInfo. Later advancing, he worked with First Interstate Bank, assisting in building check printing platform, converting their branches to OS2 and implementing something called “The Internet” for all employees. Sauter quickly climbed the ranks over the next decade and held technical executive positions for major finance and software companies such as Wells Fargo, Ameriquest, Citi, Equator, and RES.NET. Sauter is eager to transform the way businesses optimize their processes. He believes too many companies remain stagnant due to inability to accept change and utilize cutting edge technology to adapt to an ever-changing landscape. Sauter’s favorite phrase is “War is lost by indecision, not wrong decision.” His favorite video game character is Street Figher’s, Ryu, “You must defeat my dragon punch to stand a chance.”
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About OrangeGrid: Digitizing business processes and seamlessly connecting siloed legacy systems within a single and intuitive ecosystem
Dirk Husselman
Co-Founder and COO of ThingLogix, Inc.
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About Isidorey, ThingLogix, Inc.: ThingLogix removes the complexity of bringing IoT solutions to market
Ursa Hopkins
Chief Operating Officer of LinTech Global
Ursa Hopkins is the Chief Operating Officer at LinTech Global, Inc.
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About LinTech Global: LinTech Global is a Small Business specializing in IT infrastructure and Engineering solutions.
Rick Pharr
COO of Kipu Health
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About Kipu Health: SaaS platform for behavioral health and addiction treatment centers providing EHR, patient engagement and RCM solutions.
Everett Young
Co-Founder and COO of Secberus
Co-Founder at Secberus
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About iCHAMPSPORTS Inc, Secberus: Secberus is the only CSPM that provides a policy-first, CARTA-driven approach to enterprise cloud security & compliance.
Tom Snyder
Co-founder , COO & CFO of Xantrion
Tom manages Xantrion’s consulting team and finances. He has architected dozens of business computer networks. He developed our client focused Complete Care service, which provides unlimited support and a guarantee of satisfaction at a fixed monthly cost. He also pioneered internal policies such as open book financial reporting and profit sharing, which resulted in a high level of team member retention and satsifaction. Prior to founding Xantrion, Tom was Director of Consulting for an I.T. consulting firm. He also worked as a management consultant for McKinsey and CFO of CoForge. Prior to that, he was an operations manager for Chevron. Tom has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin.
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About Xantrion: Xantrion specializes in outsourced managed IT services and cybersecurity for mid-sized companies in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Scott Hanson
Co-Founder/COO of PopBookings
Scott Hanson Chief Operating Officer at PopBookings and GVX.
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About Go Virtual XP, PopBookings: PopBookings is a cloud-based software that automates the hiring process for temporary and promotional staffing companies.
Matt Lemke
Chief Operating Officer of Atlantic BT
Matt Lemke joined Atlantic BT as President in 2019.
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About Atlantic BT, Atlantic BT: Atlantic BT builds award-winning web solutions across a multitude of industries.
Matt Lemke
Chief Operating Officer of Atlantic BT
Matt Lemke joined Atlantic BT as President in 2019.
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About Atlantic BT, Atlantic BT: Atlantic BT builds award-winning web solutions across a multitude of industries.
Travis Adlman
COO/CFO of NodeSource
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About NodeSource: Building products focused on Node.js security and performance for the Enterprise.
Jayson Fong
Chief Operating Officer of Interbix
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About Interbix, XenoNode: A technology-focused holdings company working to make launching projects easier.
Oksana Voronova
COO & Co-Founder of Adminix
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About Adminix: Adminix is a serverless cloud workflow automation software designed to help SMBs with a digital transformation.