Microsoft makes major changes in technology empire

Just moments prior to the announcement of a new Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, Microsoft introduced John W. Thompson and the new Chairman of the Board for the corporation.  Bloomberg reports that Thompson worked as a sales representative in Tampa, Florida as his very first job graduating from Florida A&M in 1973. Thompson received a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Florida A&M, and a master's degree in Management from the Sloan Fellows program of the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Thompson worked at IBM for nearly 28 years and rose to the General Manager of IBM Americas. In 1999 he was names CEO of Symantec where he remained for a decade. During his 10-year tenure as CEO of Symantec, he helped transform the company into a leader in security, storage and systems management solutions. Thompson stepped down as CEO in 2009, and stepped down from Symantec's board of directors in 2011. Thompson was named to the board in 2012 and was a lead independent director. He replaces Bill Gates as chairman and is only the second chairman to hold this position since Microsoft’s founding in 1975.

Does this mean more changes are coming for Microsoft? Apparently, larger American corporations are reevaluating their key decision makers and looking for fresh, innovative directors to turn larger profits. It’s interesting to see the direction these new executives will take technology and exciting that one of these individuals has ties to the Tampa area.