Meet the Chiefs: Tom LaRocca, Oracle
This week in Meet the Chiefs, we sit down with Tom LaRocca, senior vice president of North American Channels and Alliances at Oracle, to talk about the man behind the virtualization and software giant's channel program. As Oracle's channel chief, LaRocca is responsible for managing the company's North American partner network. LaRocca joined Oracle in 2012 after a 12-year stint at Hewlett-Packard (HPQ).
Tom LaRocca, senior vice president of North American Channels and Alliances at Oracle.
Tom LaRocca, senior vice president of North American Channels and Alliances at Oracle.
LaRocca: Bartending while in grad school—I was very happy to make $20 a day!
The VAR Guy says: You went from serving drinks to serving all of Oracle’s North American channel partners—not a bad tradeoff!
LaRocca: One that is paid for! An Audi R8 would be a good choice.
The VAR Guy says: This is certainly a good looking car, but it doesn’t come cheap: These beauties start at $115,000 for an 8 cylinder model.
LaRocca: Paris and Rome—I had a great time. I love Rome, been there several times.
The VAR Guy says: This sounds like a great trip. We bet you sampled a lot of great food!
LaRocca: “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn was really good, and the Stieg Larson trilogy (“The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo”) was also great. I like mysteries.
The VAR Guy says: Both excellent books turned into excellent movies by director David Fincher. We recommend reading the books first to avoid any spoilers!
LaRocca: Has to be something for my wife—once she splurges, I can’t afford anything else! I believe it was a ring for her when we were in Rome.
The VAR Guy says: You get a pass on this one, since you didn’t splurge on yourself. How generous of you!
LaRocca: I like “Homeland,” but was sorry to see “Dexter” end.
The VAR Guy says: Both “Dexter” and “Homeland” premiered on Showtime to critical success, with “Dexter” ending its nine-year run in 2013. “Homeland” is currently in its fourth season.
LaRocca: I wanted to be a pro golfer, but I did not have the talent—I figured that out in college.
The VAR Guy says: The silver lining is that you likely are able to play golf with your fellow executives from time to time, and probably beat them!
LaRocca: The “Bourne” series with Matt Damon—I like him and the books as well.
The VAR Guy says: The “Bourne” trilogy follows rogue government agent Jason Bourne as he attempts to uncover a CIA conspiracy. A fourth movie was released in 2012, but starred Jeremy Renner as agent Aaron Cross, a new character developed for the film.
LaRocca: The “Bourne” series with Matt Damon—I like him and the books as well.
The VAR Guy says: The “Bourne” trilogy follows rogue government agent Jason Bourne as he attempts to uncover a CIA conspiracy. A fourth movie was released in 2012, but starred Jeremy Renner as agent Aaron Cross, a new character developed for the film.
This week in Meet the Chiefs, we sit down with Tom LaRocca, senior vice president of North American Channels and Alliances at Oracle (ORCL), to talk about the man behind the hardware and software giant's channel program. As Oracle's channel chief, LaRocca is responsible for managing the company's North American partner network. LaRocca joined Oracle in 2012 after a 12-year stint at Hewlett-Packard (HPQ).
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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