Technology >> CEO Interviews >> June 15, 2000
Dwayne M. Walker has over 19 years of business and technology
experience. Mr. Walker began as President and Chief Executive Officer of
Network Commerce Inc. in March 1996 and prior to that served as Chairman
of the Board. During 1995 and 1996, Mr. Walker was also Chairman of US
Connect which was acquired by IKON Office Systems. Mr. Walker currently
sits on the Board of Directors for Micro General Corporation, escrow.com
and Pro2Net, and serves as an advisor to other technology and services
companies. Mr. Walker first entered the high tech industry by building
software that connected early personal computers to mainframes at Hughes
Aircraft in 1980. He became a programmer and systems analysts for TRW in
1983. In 1985, Mr. Walker co-authored the book Micro to Mainframe:
Creating an Integrated Environment before Ashton-Tate acquired his
expertise in 1986 to manage their database products and software
application development. Mr. Walker then moved into the technology and
management consulting area with DMR Group, a 1,200-person technology and
management consulting company. In 1989, Mr. Walker began his successful
seven-year journey with Microsoft Corporation where he held several
positions including General Manager of Sales and Marketing, Director of
Windows NT and Networking Products, Director of SQL Server and Network
Products, and other senior management positions. Mr. Walker was
recruited by Microsoft Corporation to spearhead the launching of the
first two versions of SQL Server and Windows NT. In addition, Mr. Walker
designed and led the worldwide deployment of the Microsoft Solutions
Provider Channel program. Under his direction, the program grew from
just a few hundred participants to more than 7,000 and has become one of
Microsoft's most successful business partnership programs of all time '
generating over $1 billion in sales for Microsoft. Profile
Commerce, just to set the stage for the readers?
Mr. Walker: Network Commerce was founded in 1994, and our first full
year of
