MSPs Praise Fred Voccola Post-Departure, Urge Change

Kaseya CEO Fred Voccola's decision to step down reflects a growing need to change and adapt to the current industry, according to other MSPs and partners in the channel.

The remote monitoring and management company announced Voccola's departure on Thursday. Fred Voccola will now act as vice chairman, and Kaseya is actively seeking his replacement. The change was sudden, surprising many observers of the channel. But some other MSPs and channels see it as indicative of the need to adapt and change with the state of things so that MSPs have the best options before them.

"The news today on Fred’s departure from Kaseya was not totally surprising given the amount of change we're seeing in the MSP industry," Frank Pagliuca, N-able President and CEO told Channel Futures. "This includes a growing trend of instability among leadership—as we’ve seen across Datto, ConnectWise, and now Kaseya. We’re doing things differently. We’re augmenting on our stability."

N-able's John Pagliuca

Pagliuca pointed to how N-able has had CRO Frank Colletti as well as ex-Adlumin CEO Robert Johnston bringing a plethora of experiences and history to help the company excel in more way than one.

"We’re not just building a company with each step of our momentum," Pagliuca said. "We’re building a success path for our partners. I’ll say it again – they aren’t commodities. Our partners are the secret sauce behind protecting our global midmarket and it’s a really exciting time to be doing this.”

Related:Kaseya CEO Steps Down in Sudden Change

JMXI's John Medaska

MSP Leaders on Fred Voccola's Legacy

"Fred Voccola’s leadership and vision as Kaseya CEO have been transformative for the MSP/MSSP ecosystem, and his impact on the industry is undeniable," John Medaska, JMXi's CEO told Channel Futures. "We’ve greatly valued his ability to articulate the value propositions of Kaseya’s platform and its role in driving growth opportunities for solution providers like us. His strategic vision and focus on enabling MSP success have helped us optimize our global managed services business, making Kaseya an essential part of our operations. Fred’s world-class communication and leadership have been a cornerstone of our trust in the platform and its ability to empower our business."

JMXi is an IT staffing service provider.

 "As Kaseya transitions to new leadership, it presents both opportunities and challenges," Medaska added. "JMXi remains optimistic that Fred's strong foundation will ensure continued alignment with our goals of automation, security, and scalability. We look forward to engaging with Kaseya’s evolving vision while ensuring that the platform remains a critical enabler of our success. Fred’s legacy will influence Kaseya’s next chapter, and we hope his commitment to empowering MSPs continues to guide the company’s future.  We will be very interested in hearing who his successor is and if that person is internal or external."

Related:Kaseya CEO Voccola: MSPs Deserve Better Margins

5k Technical's Corey Kirkendoll

Others were more critical of Voccola but offered some supportive words in the wake of his departure.

"I think this leadership change presents an excellent opportunity for Kaseya to listen to the MSP community and address concerns that have been voiced over the past few years," Corey Kirkendoll, president and CEO of 5K Technical Services told Channel Futures. "While I may not have agreed with all of Fred Voccola's strategies, I acknowledge his significant contributions in moving the company forward. Kudos to him for his efforts."

"My hope is that the new leadership will refocus Kaseya’s priorities on what truly matters: the success of MSPs, their customers, and the communities they serve," Kirkendoll said. "This change could pave the way for a renewed vision and strategy that better aligns with the needs of the industry."

Voccola served at Kaseya for nearly ten years. His successor has not been identified, although he said that he is working with the board to identify who will be able to step in and take over the role.