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Columbia-Based Unitrends Names New Chief Executive

Posted on: Wednesday, 13 July 2005, 21:00 CDT

Jul. 13--Sterling Wharton agreed in May to help Unitrends find a new leader, not knowing the Columbia technology company would offer him the top job.

Wharton, 49, was named president and chief executive officer Tuesday. He replaces president Jacques McCormack, who will now serve as executive vice president and chief operating officer.

Unitrends sells equipment for helping businesses recover their computer data after system failures, natural disasters or other catastrophes. Such recovery efforts generally take less than an hour using Unitrends' current technology, but Wharton said he is pushing to make recoveries virtually instantaneous.

Wharton said he joined Unitrends to help the 55-employee company find a new CEO following recent institutional investment in the firm.

"He will assume the leadership role of designing and implementing the changes we need to succeed in the marketplace," said chairman Larry Wilson. "His leadership and go-to-market knowledge will help us focus our energies on moving the company to the next level."

Wharton has previously been chief executive at two other businesses: Atlanta-based SoftNet, a company that owners sold for $15 million after investing $5 million, and 14 South Network, a Boca Raton, Fla.-based spinoff of IBM, Wharton said.

Wharton's goal for his first year leading Unitrends is to expand its number of product resellers who are trained to offer "premium" technical support to Unitrends customers. About 10 of the company's roughly 200 resellers now offer such support, but Wharton hopes to increase that to 50 or 60 out of a total pool of 300 resellers, he said.

Wharton plans to hire additional workers in his company's sales and support areas during the next year, but has not determined how many people he will need, he said.

Unitrends has locations in Columbia, Myrtle Beach, Atlanta, New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, Denver, suburban Philadelphia, and Wisconsin, Wharton said.

Long term, he plans to do more international marketing of Unitrends products. He has previously conducted business with companies throughout the Americas, Western Europe, Asia and Australia, he said.

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Source: The State (Columbia, S.C.)

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