Michael Dortch

Current

Founder, Principal Analyst, & Managing Editor at DortchOnIT.com
Director of Research at Focus Research
"Business Intelligence in Action" Blogger at ebizQ.net

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Past

Senior Analyst, Enabling Technologies & Information Management at Aberdeen Group (a Harte-Hanks Company)
Analyst Relations/Public Relations/Marketing Consultant at High-Tech Connect
Director of IT Infrastructure Management Strategies and Executive Editor at Robert Frances Group

Director of Special Projects at NetGuide Magazine/CMP Media, Inc.
Chief Evangelist at UnixWare Technology Group (UTG)
Senior Writer at CommunicationsWeek (CMP Media)
Consultant/Freelance Writer at Dortch Writing & Consulting
Senior Analyst/Manager of Information Technologies at The Yankee Group

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5 more...

Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Recommended

16 people have recommended Michael

Connections

303 connections

Industry

Information Technology and Services

Websites

Michael Dortch’s Summary

QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARY
+ Market-focused, “market-facing” senior professional with successful team and project leadership, marketing, sales, and relationship management experience.
+ Deep experience in helping information technology (IT) users and vendors translate technological concepts and trends into business benefits through focused, effective research, analysis, interpretation, and outreach.
+ Primary focus on forging credible, successful relationships by identifying client and prospect needs, aligning these with relevant services, and producing deliverables and results “as promised.”
+ Effective and highly rated speaker and presenter, to small and large groups, in person and online.
+ Excellent writer, editor, producer, and project leader for business and technical collateral of all kinds.

I have helped numerous information technology (IT) users and vendors improve revenues, return on investment (ROI), and user satisfaction by targeted, holistic, and integrated assessment and improvement of business and technologies policies, practices, and tools.

I have analyzed, spoken about, been quoted about, and written about nearly every major business technology, from mainframes and data centers through local-area networks (LANs) and client-server systems, to software as a service (SaaS), cloud computing, and social networking. I am conversant in “bits and bytes” and “speeds and feeds,” but my focus is always on business and user benefit.

I advise IT and business executives in ways intended to help them to develop and deploy effective strategies for successful initiatives focused on IT and business infrastructures.

I work with established and emerging IT vendors, and their channel partners and field forces, to help to translate user concerns into more successful solutions and strategies. I use a market-proven methodology to craft effective, integrated collateral and outreach, both online and otherwise.

Michael Dortch’s Specialties:

IT and business architectures, IT-business alignment, branding and identity, marketing and sales strategies, alliances and partnerships, writing and editing marketing collateral, news, and opinion, public speaking, forging effective personal/professional relationships. Especially knowledgeable about technology and market forces affecting business use of cloud computing, collaboration, open source, radio frequency identification (RFID), and software as a service (SaaS).

Michael Dortch’s Experience

Founder, Principal Analyst, & Managing Editor

DortchOnIT.com

(Information Technology and Services industry)

2009 — Present (less than a year)

A "one-stop" online hub for access to my analysis and opinion about key enabling and emerging technologies and their business value, based on my more than three decades of experience and industry connections. Areas of focus include Software as a Service (SaaS), Business Intelligence (BI), Collaboration, and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies and solutions.
Director of Research

Focus Research

(Privately Held; Research industry)

2009 — Present (less than a year)

Each year U.S. businesses spend more than $75 trillion dollars on goods and services. And yet there has not been a definitive source of objective, trustworthy and easily accessible information to support business buyers – especially those in small and mid-size businesses. Filling this information gap is the mission of Focus Research.

Through its guides and tools, Focus Research maximizes buyer confidence and satisfaction by empowering buyers to make considered purchases. Focus does this by providing actionable advice based on the expertise of other buyers, recognized experts, and Focus analysts. More information is available at http://www.focus.com or directly from me at mdortch@focus.com.
"Business Intelligence in Action" Blogger

ebizQ.net

(Privately Held; Information Technology and Services industry)

2007 — Present (2 years )

+ Creates widely read observations and analyses of events and trends in Business Intelligence (BI), Business Process Management (BPM), and related technology- and business-related areas.
+ Popular participant in online presentations and panel discussions.
Senior Analyst, Enabling Technologies & Information Management

Aberdeen Group (a Harte-Hanks Company)

(Public Company; Market Research industry)

September 2007 — January 2009 (1 year 5 months)

+ Led Aberdeen Group's coverage, survey-based research, and analysis of key enabling business technologies, such as master data management (MDM), software as a service (SaaS), and radio frequency identification (RFID). Worked closely with internal marketing, vendor clients, and media partners to drive survey responses and research downloads to record high levels in selected areas.
+ Grew revenues from vendor sponsorship of RFID research by 20% in first year of coverage ownership, by forging new, repairing broken, and growing incumbent vendor client relationships. Examples of vendor relationships cultivated include Alien Technology, Fluensee, Microsoft, and Motorola.
+ Built strong working relationships with “C-level” executives at user companies such as Home Hardware of Canada, The Christian Science Monitor, and Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E).
+ Quoted and published in multiple business and technology media outlets, helping to increase user and vendor interest in research.
Analyst Relations/Public Relations/Marketing Consultant

High-Tech Connect

(Privately Held; Public Relations and Communications industry)

February 1997 — August 2007 (10 years 7 months)

+ Developed marketing collateral and analyst and media relationships for groundbreaking high-tech start-ups, such as Digital Fountain, and market leaders, such as CA.
+ Coordinated with Mayor's Office to help launch and publicize CitiSpan (now SFGov), San Francisco's first online portal for access to local government services and resources.
+ Led team that produced "A Day in the Garden" online, the first live, multi-day Webcast of a major music event (the 29th anniversary of the original Woodstock Festival), in conjunction with Infoseek (now Go.com, part of Disney Internet Group).
+ Consulted part-time while working at Robert Frances Group.
Director of IT Infrastructure Management Strategies and Executive Editor

Robert Frances Group

(Privately Held; Information Technology and Services industry)

June 1997 — July 2007 (10 years 2 months)

+ Led coverage and analysis of events, trends, and vendors in IT infrastructure management and business alignment, collaboration technologies, open source software, business process management (BPM), and other areas at this start-up “boutique” research and consulting firm. Clients included Hewlett-Packard (HP), IBM, and Microsoft. Also oversaw editorial consistency and quality of daily published research company-wide as Executive Editor.
+ Helped to grow company annual revenues to $3.5 million within three years.
+ Raised awareness of company and its research via frequent quotations and appearances in business and technology media and presentations at numerous industry, company, and client-hosted events, including Interop, ManageFusion, NetWorld, UNIX World and others.
Director of Special Projects

NetGuide Magazine/CMP Media, Inc.

(Publishing industry)

1996 — 1997 (1 year )

+ Selected judges, oversaw judging process, wrote, and helped to produce first-ever “NetGuide Awards” (for outstanding people and places on the Internet) during Internet World trade show in Los Angeles.
+ Managed live Webcast, simultaneous online chat and relationships with production contractors, entertainment and other elements of Awards event, which attracted thousands of online viewers worldwide.
+ Wrote and edited news coverage, analysis and opinion for print and online venues.
+ Represented publication and company at industry gatherings and as interview subject for print and electronic media.
Chief Evangelist

UnixWare Technology Group (UTG)

(Computer Software industry)

1994 — 1996 (2 years )

+ Led group outreach and marketing efforts for trade association of more than 20 leading computing vendors, such at AT&T, Fujitsu, NEC, and Unisys, supporting Novell's UnixWare operating environment. Oversaw a three-person team and a $1.2-million budget provided by members companies.
+ Developed association's go-to-market strategies, events, and collateral, and coordinated these with efforts of individual member companies.
+ Contributed chapter on Novell's strategy to PC networking book published by Prentice-Hall in 1995.
+ Frequent speaker at industry, organization-wide, and member company events. Also managed media and analyst relations.
Senior Writer

CommunicationsWeek (CMP Media)

(Information Technology and Services industry)

1989 — 1992 (3 years )

+ Led coverage of multiple established and emerging enterprise technologies, from UNIX and open source software to high-speed networking and switching. Also conducted numerous interviews with industry luminaries from Novell founder Ray Noorda to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
+ Participated in innovative "buyer-meets-seller" events at which editors, readers, advertisers, and publication business executives discussed industry trends.
Consultant/Freelance Writer

Dortch Writing & Consulting

(Information Technology and Services industry)

1980 — 1989 (9 years )

+ Authored “The ABCs of Local-Area Networks,” a book published in 1990 internationally in three languages by leading technology book publisher Sybex, Inc. upon invitation from publisher.
+ Worked with marketing department of Kaypro Computers, a leading maker of pre-laptop “transportable” computers, to improve relations with sales channel and to negotiate co-manufacturing agreement with Japanese conglomerate Mitsui.
+ Authored white papers and other collateral for various technology vendors and numerous articles for various technology and business magazines.
Senior Analyst/Manager of Information Technologies

The Yankee Group

(Privately Held; Market Research industry)

1977 — 1980 (3 years )

+ Wrote and edited research in telecommunications and enterprise computing at this pioneering analysis, research, and consulting firm.
+ Helped company grow from a single office and staff of five to 55 people and offices in three countries, through creation, marketing, and sales of credible, timely research for technology vendors and users.
+ Popular speaker at numerous company seminars and industry events.
+ Frequently quoted in business, general, and technology media, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, helping to raise company profile among prospective clients.

Michael Dortch’s Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Computer Science, Theater, Writing 1973 — 1976

Activities and Societies:

Alpha Phi Omega, Lecture Series Committee, Musical Theater Guild, Student Politics, Square Dancing