Pattern Cognition

Product Management / Marketing Professional – Exceptional GM skills with ideal blend of global management, product, technology, creative, business, client delivery, and marketing talent. Motivational and hands-on management style.  Proven experience and expertise in global and regional strategic analysis, opportunity assessment, market planning, full product life cycle, and product launch. Well versed in online marketing, social and new media, search engine marketing, search technologies, telecom, and content distribution. Hired, led, and managed global teams of marketing, product, customer service, project managers, engineers, financial analysts, and global cross-functional teams. Extensive consumer and business products/services experience from early stage to Fortune 500 companies.  P&L responsibility for $140 million business unit.

HiveLive, Boulder, CO
Director of Product Management
Executive management team member and lead product executive, provided the product team and company with strategic vision and direction for a SaaS social online community software provider. Determined customer needs, assessed current and future competition, defined and developed product strategy, roadmap and go to market strategy. Worked with Sales and Services teams to sell/up sell software and services. Assisted in the creation of a partner/channel strategy and support its implementation. Served as voice of company at tradeshows, pitched the media, worked with PR on messaging communication and execution, and worked with industry analysts to evangelize company positioning in a highly competitive market segment. Worked and guided MarCom team on positioning, messaging, collateral, and targeting for online (e.g. PPC, webinars, landing page offerings) and offline (e.g. tradeshows, press/analyst briefings, promotions) activities.

• Actively drove revenue attainment activities via critical sales calls, analyst and press briefings, and product centric go to market activities while supporting Sales.  Results: exceed 2008 annual plan by 10%; exceeded Q1 2009 plan by 15%
• Provided strategic direction, subject and industry matter expertise for Marcom and PR teams
• Provided strategic and tactical direction, define feature/functionality for next generation analytics software and value added services
• Worked with Engineering (software development) to revamp development process using Agile methodologies.  Results: boosted feature development while building a highly scalable development framework

Level 3, Broomfield, CO
Director of Product Marketing
Established and launched the Product Marketing discipline and group in a $4 billion dollar technology company. Lead and managed a team of Product Director and Marketing Managers for CDN, Ethernet, Transport, VPN, and Voice products. Created clear, competitive differentiation that distinguishes products in the marketplace.  Formulated product line value propositions. Defined and drove go-to-market strategies for company’s products and optimized strategy and its implementation along channels best positioned to reach target customers.  Created compelling: on and offline sales tools; collateral, and web-based demonstrations.  Identified key decision criteria and built collateral for key customer segments. Managed and coordinated with multiple external vendors (agency, PR, research firms).  Built and managed significant marketing budget. Evaluated ROI of marketing campaigns.  Organized and ran key customer product-based summits.

• Articulated the vision, built the foundation, and lead the Product Marketing organization.  Results: within 3 months of initial employment, promoted to run Product Marketing from a $100 million business unit to entire $4 billion dollar company
• Launched 5 new global products Results: new products will generate in excess of $60 million in year one
• Lead implementation of PPC, banner ads, and online marketing campaign analytics and ROI analysis and recommendations

Umbria, Inc. Boulder, CO  (Acquired by J.D. Powers, division of McGraw Hill)
Director of Product Management and Marketing
Responsible for end-to-end product (opportunity identification, definition, development, and launch). Lead and defined marketing requirements, product definition, prioritization and roadmap for a search engine, natural language processing, and machine learning software based analytics company. Defined product, channel, and sales strategy and coordinate with market opportunity identification, both current and projected. Identified gaps/overlaps  in product strategies and driving product vision while aligning with long term products/features compatibility. Managed development process: use of agile; including full alpha/beta testing; GA; and product launch. Developed competitive intelligence, market segmentation, product training, technical white papers, user’s guides, collateral, and media communication materials for sales, channel partners, and industry analysts.

• Worked with Executive Management to define company priorities along evolving strategic vision
• Lead cross functional development teams. Results: launched 7 new products and applications that led to a 4x growth in top line revenue year over year
• Presented and consulted on existing product offering and lead gap/needs discovery initiatives with Global 500 level prospects and clients
• Lead innovative product needs assessment and identification.  Results: developed and launch 2 first-in-industry offerings

Gravity Metrics. Denver, CO     (Acquired by Xplorenet)
Founder
Launched and sold a self-funded, behavioral marketing and ROI tracking company.  Analyzed and utilized online behavioral data to determine customer/market segmentation, formulated and executed specific initiatives for each segment.  Incorporated financial modeling, web analytics, internal metrics and reporting, database marketing, affiliate partnerships, Pay per Click (PPC), and predictive modeling.

• Working directly with clients, improved marketing program performance (email and search marketing) and maximized revenue generation by analyzing campaign results and suggested program changes
• Developed a predictive marketing product. Results: improved customer conversion rates by 10-20%
• Determined relevant business characteristics, opportunity size and financials, competitive analysis, and differentiation/value proposition

Qwest Communications. Denver, CO
Global Group Manager, Data and IP Products
Formulated, developed, and implemented Qwest’s global data (ATM, Frame Relay, and Private Line) and IP (VPN, DIA) product strategy.  Negotiated with Asian, European, and Latin American JV/partners to expand global product offering. Presented and consulted to senior level executives and Fortune 500 customers. Responsible for strategic/financial activities: budgeting/forecasting and analysis; analyzing sales trends; and identifying new market opportunities. Trained global sales force on new products/features.  Developed unique value proposition and product positioning. Developed and launched the Qwest Asia Data and IP network.

• Negotiated terms and conditions for JV and strategic partnerships with foreign carriers. Results: added $15 million in new business and revenue commitments
• Recognized (2 consecutive quarters) as an outstanding employee of the quarter (among group of 350 employees)
• Co-wrote and obtained business case funding ($8 million) to expand global products to Asia

Service Magic. Golden, CO  (Acquired by IDC Corp.)
Business Product Development and Marketing
Redesigned and launched online business community portal.  Wrote functional requirements and specifications for new products and product enhancements. Created training materials and operational procedures for sales force. Integrated strategic partnerships.  Lead implementation of B2B web-centric products, applications, and tools.

• Designed and implemented Pager, Unified Messaging, IVR, and Online Scheduling product offerings.  Results: decreased customer churn by estimated 10%
• Designed and implemented billing solution tied into marketing systems. Results: improved revenue collection by estimated 40%
• Lead implementation of wireless communication and productivity tools
• Worked with senior management to identify, negotiate, and implement new strategic business partnerships

Qwest Communications. Denver, CO
Senior Product Manager, Internet Solutions
Responsible for strategic articulation, definition, launch, and management of the development and complete life cycle for VoIP, video, and data products/services.  Managed web designers, developers, systems/operations, Marcom, public relations, vendors, and sales channel training and communications.  Prepared and presented business cases.  Established product pricing, positioning, and budgets.  Created new product concepts based on existing and emerging technologies.

• Expanded current life-cycle product offering into new and existing channels and markets. Results: exceeded annual revenue commitments by 10%
• Developed, launched, and lead project team for software business cases. Results: launched all products on time and within budget
• P/L budgetary responsibility from product ideation to launch (both consumer and enterprise focused)

Avery Dennison. Brea, CA
Assistant/Associate Product Manager
Responsible for leading all aspects of international and domestic product line business.  Marketing efforts included: strategic planning, new product pricing, promotion planning and analysis, market research and product positioning. Developed and launched line extensions and new products, designed packaging/POP merchandising, directed and
oversaw advertising agency. Designed and implemented marketing budget tracking and reconciliation system that saved business unit over $700,000 in erroneous charges and expenditures.

• P&L $140 million dollar product lines. Results: only business unit to exceed plan in 1998
• Developed new pricing strategy based on market research, price analysis, and product reposition research. Re-merchandising of entire product line (approx. 400 SKUs). Results: improved market share by estimated 5%
• Launched products to new US and global channels. Results: increased global market share by 3%
• Developed first ever distribution channel product profitability analysis that lead retailers to change to higher margin product offering. Results: exceeded profit targets by 25% for products in those channels

Education:
Thunderbird School of Global Management
M.B.A., International Marketing and Finance    Glendale, AZ

University of New Hampshire
Bachelor of Art, International Relations and Political Science    Durham, N.H.

Publications and Noteworthy:
Contributing writer, web 2.0 and technology, Examiner.com
Co-Author, “Weblicity: the Critical Guide to Successful Web Strategies”, iUniverse Press
Contributing writer, online strategy, web/behavioral analytics, and ROI, “Advertising Without An Agency”, Entrepreneur
Contributing writer, “Convincing Your Customers to Succeed”, On Demand Journal
Co-Author, “Measuring Word of Mouth Vol. 2”, WOMMA
American Marketing Association Series Speaker – Ahead of the Curve: “High Tech Trends and Marketing”

ABC News/Money

CNN (online edition) “Rising Gas Prices Fire Up Bloggers”
Boulder Innovation Center (Board of Advisors, Marketing and Strategy)
Board of Directors, Denver Business Series
Spanish fluency

Blog: www.michaelsevilla.com