Joel Trammell, CEO and Founder, Khorus Software

Episode 6. In this week’s Trap, Joel shares lessons learned from moving to the CEO when formerly the head of a given discipline, 3 types of employees and the impact of each employee’s departure, hiring A & B players, and the impact of the loss of trust in leadership.

Joel Trammell is a successful CEO and entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience in IT-related software companies. He is currently the Founder and CEO of Khorus, which provides a business management system for CEOs and other leaders. Previously, he served as CEO of network services provider Black Box Corporation (NASDAQ:BBOX). 

He is also Chair Emeritus of the Austin Technology Council and Co-founder and Managing Partner of private equity firm Lone Rock Technology Group. In addition, he serves on the boards of several public, private and nonprofit companies.

Joel’s leadership as founder and CEO resulted in successful nine-figure acquisitions by two Fortune 500 companies. As CEO of network management software firm NetQoS, he delivered 31 consecutive quarters of double-digit revenue growth and a $200 million valuation. CA Technologies acquired the company in 2009, generating more than 10x return on capital to its private equity investors. In 2010, he co-founded Cache IQ, a storage software company that NetApp acquired two years later.

Joel is committed to using his experience to help current and aspiring CEOs. He provides advice and insight on his blog, The American CEO. Joel’s book – The CEO Tightrope – describes a systematic approach to the critical chief executive role. In addition, he runs a CEO seminar in Austin every year.

Joel holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Louisiana Tech University and is a former instructor at the Naval Nuclear Power School.

He and his wife Cathy live in Austin, Texas and have three children.

 

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Hosts: Dr. Kris Potrafka and David Hughen