Rackspace Taps Longtime 'Racker' to Replace Wetzel as Chief

Rackspace has selected Lisa McLin, who has been with the managed cloud company for more than 14 years, as its new channel chief, replacing Blake Wetzel, who recently left the position.

Rackspace’s Lisa McLin

Prior to being named channel sales and alliances vice president for North America, McLin was vice president of sales and senior director of sales strategy, leading the company’s commercial sales install base organization. She worked with customers to help them through their cloud transformation strategy and execute their overall business targets.

She joined Rackspace in 2002 as a staff accountant. She has forged relationships with partners and customers globally.

“I’m most excited about working directly with our partners to help our mutual continued growth,” McLin said in a blog. “Rackspace works with tech partners such as Red Hat, Microsoft, Dell/EMC, agent partners such as Lightstream, PlanetOne, Intelisys and ISV partners such as Sitecore and World Wide Technology, along with many others. Through our partners, we’re able to capture new markets, verticals and continue delivering Fanatical Support across key technology solutions.”

Wetzel, a member of the Channel Partners Circle of Excellence, last month confirmed that he no longer is working for Rackspace, about a year after becoming its channel chief.

Last August, Rackspace agreed to a $4.3 billion buyout offer from Apollo Global, which took the company private.