Meet the Chiefs: Todd DeLaughter, Automic Software
In this week's edition of Meet the Chiefs we caught up with Todd DeLaughter, CEO of Automic Software, an enterprise automation vendor. Although he isn't a channel chief in name, DeLaughter runs many different aspects of Automic's business, including its partner organization.
![Meet the Chiefs: Todd DeLaughter, Automic Software Meet the Chiefs: Todd DeLaughter, Automic Software](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt10e444bce2d36aa8/blt92e6e212d62e0b49/65246d879bb5a768eb443115/BWTodd_DeLaughter_0.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Todd DeLaughter, CEO, Automic Software
DeLaughter: My stepfather had small grocery stores. On weekends my job was to sweep the parking lot and take out the trash. I ‘graduated’ eventually to produce and meat-cutting. So I have a deep empathy for everyone who works in the real world and it keeps me grounded when this tech CEO world tends to let you think you are something special. We are not special, just very fortunate, with an obligation to serve others.
The VAR Guy says: That is a very humble way of thinking about your job and understanding how hard others work. We wish more people had your positive attitude.
DeLaughter: Actually, I’m driving it. It’s a Jaguar XKR. The sales rep drove it first and took it to 120 mph on a county road. Then to close the deal, he told me it was the highest gas mileage +500hp car on the market. Speed and I’m helping the environment? I was sold. There is a lesson in there for every sales professional!
The VAR Guy says: Wow, economic and sporty don’t usually go together when it comes to high-end cars, but I guess the times are a-changin’!
DeLaughter: Argentina. My youngest daughter and her husband were there for a three-month work assignment so we took the opportunity to visit them, went to Mendoza, ate a lot of red meat and drank a lot of Malbec. I totally checked out from work and spent quality time with my wife, daughter and her husband. It was glorious.
The VAR Guy says: When you have an awesome vacation like that, it must be hard to come back to the daily grind of the real world. We’re glad you didn’t decide to permanently retire to Latin America!
DeLaughter: I don’t know about a ‘must read,’ but I just finished a compelling 80-year old book about the life of author Jack London by Irving Stone given to me by my cousin. Some writers can write a fiction about a world they have never lived but London lived a life more adventurous than his books. In an age when we all sit at computers, it is amazing to think that such adventurous men lived and what it must have been like to voyage on the seas before GPS existed. Makes MY daily challenges seem much less daunting.
The VAR Guy says: It would be totally cool to see a Jack London book written with all the modern conveniences of the 21st century, especially GPS. We bet “The Call of the Wild” wouldn’t be so wild after all.
DeLaughter: I bought a leather chair with (I hate to admit it), a floral pattern on it. It was just really interesting and I wanted a chair to sit and read. I had been walking by it for months in Vienna, always when the shop was closed. But one day the door was open, the woman said she was working late and just chose to leave the door open. I sat in the chair, it was perfect and I said ‘I’ll take it.’ Total splurge.
The VAR Guy says: A comfy chair is essential for reading—how else are you supposed to get in the zone and lose yourself in a good story?
DeLaughter: "House Hunters International" on HGTV. We always move to the home location of the company when I take a CEO job, so this relocation thing is addictive and we love new places to explore. We found the perfect apartment in Vienna and as it turned out, the listing agent was actually a guy we had seen on "House Hunters International" in an episode of a California couple moving to Vienna! Serendipity.
The VAR Guy says: You must have been star struck! Now if only you can convince him to make an episode about your next purchase …
DeLaughter: I didn’t really have a dream profession when I was a kid and didn’t know what I wanted to do. I studied Finance in university and in the process, took a calculus class for business majors. Loved the math and switched to Electrical Engineering, got an internship at Compaq Computers doing software and never looked back. Very ironic that today I spend none of my time with compilers and much of my time with spreadsheets!
The VAR Guy says: Sometimes your dream job doesn’t have to be fancy, just as long as you like what you’re doing! It seems like you found yourself in the right market after all.
DeLaughter: "Gladiator." We had a deal in our house of three girls. Every time I made them watch "Gladiator," I had to watch "Sense and Sensibility." On a trip to Rome many years ago after walking around the Coliseum, I actually made my kids watch a rented copy of "Il Gladiatore" that evening. Just love Maximus’ loyalty, commitment and leadership qualities. Plus, as I sit in my floral print leather chair, watching "Gladiator" helps me feel more manly.
The VAR Guy says: If you ever meet someone who has never seen this movie, the best thing to shout at them once the credits roll is, “Are you not entertained?” Hilarious and apropos.
DeLaughter: "Gladiator." We had a deal in our house of three girls. Every time I made them watch "Gladiator," I had to watch "Sense and Sensibility." On a trip to Rome many years ago after walking around the Coliseum, I actually made my kids watch a rented copy of "Il Gladiatore" that evening. Just love Maximus’ loyalty, commitment and leadership qualities. Plus, as I sit in my floral print leather chair, watching "Gladiator" helps me feel more manly.
The VAR Guy says: If you ever meet someone who has never seen this movie, the best thing to shout at them once the credits roll is, “Are you not entertained?” Hilarious and apropos.
In this week's edition of Meet the Chiefs we caught up with Todd DeLaughter, CEO of Automic Software, an enterprise automation vendor. Although he isn't a channel chief in name, DeLaughter runs many different aspects of Automic's business, including its partner organization.
Prior to his time at Automic, DeLaughter served as president and CEO of Mformation Technologies. He has also served in a number of executive-level roles including president and CEO of Opalis Software and vice president and general manager of Hewlett-Packard's OpenView Business.
What is Meet the Chiefs?
Meet the Chiefs shines the spotlight on the channel’s head honchos and offers an opportunity to learn a little bit about the person beyond his or her company profile. Click on each photo to learn more about the channel chief you’re viewing.
Want to be included in an upcoming Meet the Chiefs? Send an email to The VAR Guy Associate Editor Michael Cusanelli at [email protected] for more information. He’s really good at answering emails on time, we promise.
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