Susan Searle

Susan Searle joined Sage in 1999 and is currently Executive Vice President of Marketing and Partner Programs. Susan previously led Installed Base Sales and Marketing for the Small Business Division, including sales and marketing for the Peachtree, ACT!, Simply Accounting, Timeslips and DacEasy brands. Under Susan’s leadership, the team assimilated four acquisitions and more than doubled the average revenue per active customer. Susan led sales teams in Atlanta; Richmond, British Columbia; and Scottsdale, which have received world recognition by winning bronze and silver medals at the Contact Center World Championships. Susan has worked across Sage in Germany, Spain, France, UK and Poland supporting their sales, marketing and acquisition efforts.

Prior to joining Sage, Susan spent over ten years at AT&T in various sales and marketing management positions.

Susan holds a B.S. degree from the State University of New York in Cortland, NY; an M.S. degree in Exercise Science from Eastern Illinois University; and an MBA from Rutgers University.

Tom Hume

Tom Hume is the vice president of Channel Marketing for Sage Software. In his role, he spearheads channel programs and marketing resources to help make Sage business partners more successful in North America. Tom has been supporting business partners at Sage for the past two years. During that time, he helped streamline the co-op process, established the Preferred Vendor Program, overhauled the Partner Marketing Resource Center Web site and supervised the development of new programs making marketing easier for Sage business partners.

Tom has over 20 years experience managing brand communications, direct-response marketing, and channel marketing programs for consumer and business target audiences. Prior to Sage, Tom worked for GTE, Sprint, Gateway, and AMCC. In his career, Tom has developed over 600 marketing campaigns using a mix of TV, direct response, radio, outdoor, print, and Web

Tom has bachelor’s degrees in Journalism – Advertising and Mass Communications – Radio/TV/Film from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and a masters degree in Communications Management from the Annenberg School for Communications at the University of Southern California.

David Lahey

David Lahey is VP Sales, Sage Accpac ERP and coordinates a North American team of 28 staff as well as collaboration with 4 international operating companies. David's most recent role at Sage was in the Business Management Division (BMD)—working across eight business units to improve our business partners' experience by leading the single sign-on portal project released at Insights 2008. He also worked all facets of the award-winning Sage Partner Advantage program for the Sage Accpac business unit, including: HireAssist Sales, Fast Track for Consultants, Fast Track for Growth, Sage Consulting Academy, and Sage Sales Academy.

A veteran sales leader, David served as vice president of partner services at ACCPAC International, Inc. from 2002-2005. He managed a staff of over 20 North American consultants, ranging from pre-sales assistance to post-sales implementation, and was responsible for over 35 strategic projects worldwide.

For 18 years and before joining ACCPAC in 2002, David was president and CEO of Lahey Software, where he was responsible for the sales, marketing, design, and development of the company’s six ERP modules. He started his career as a controller for a technology firm in 1984, became a solution provider in 1986, and delivered the first seamlessly integrated module for Sage Pro ERP as a development partner in 1993. David attended UCLA and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in economics.

Rob Johnson

Rob Johnson is the Sr. Director, Partner Programs for Sage Software. An 11 year veteran with Sage, his current focus is working to improve sales and sales management effectiveness.

Programs under his direction include the Sage Sales Academy, an award winning 5 day sales training program that has helped thousands of salespeople improve their skills, and change the trajectory of their careers. A frequent contributing author and columnist, Rob also does a variety of consulting engagements and workshops throughout the world in the areas of change management, leadership, and strategic pricing. Finally, as you are about to see, Mr. Johnson is an in-demand and very popular keynote speaker, leaving audiences laughing and thinking, at the same time.

Prior to moving into this role, Mr. Johnson served 8 years as a VP of sales for Timberline Software, based in Beaverton, OR.

Prior to his experience with Timberline, Rob served as VP's of sales for two other construction focused software companies, and had a successful career as a salesperson.

When not working, Rob spends time with his wife and children, traveling, running, reading, and collecting power tools.

Pat Chance

Pat Chance joined Sage in February 2000, bringing along her sixteen years of experience in the accounting software industry where she held high level leadership positions managing projects and teams. Her current duties as Senior Director, Center of Competency encompass developing and enhancing the Sage Partner Portal. Her breadth of experience includes sales, marketing, channel development, and business management. Prior to her years in the software industry, she held senior level accounting management positions leading departments over a course of ten years working for nonprofit and commercial organizations.

Pat Chance has an M.B.A from Wilmington College where she graduated with a focus on finance and undergraduate B.S. Accounting degree where she graduated with honors—cum laude. Along with that, she has earned several industry and product certifications. In her spare time, she likes spending time with her family and competing in triathlons.

Diana Waterman

Diana Waterman has been specializing in channel-centric marketing in the business management software industry for 14 years. At companies including Autodesk, SBT Accounting Systems, Accpac and Sage Software, Diana has worked closely with channel partners to help them define and differentiate their companies and product offerings, and grow their businesses with effective branding and lead generation efforts.  She has extensive experience in managing channel marketing, advertising and lead generation.

Diana is currently Director of Partner Programs at Sage, responsible for overseeing the Sage Fast Track for Growth program. With now hundreds of Fast Track for Growth graduates as proof, this unique program combines one-on-one coaching and a renewed focus on marketing to help participants achieve greater levels of business growth.

Joo Sohn-DeView

Joo Sohn-DeView is the director of partner programs and oversees the Sage award-winning partner advantage programs across North America, including HireAssist Sales (formerly 100/100). HireAssist Sales is an unparalled salesperson hiring, training and on-going coaching program that has helped business partners for the past five years to expand and grow their Sage business.

Joo has over 15 years experience in the software industry managing salespeople, supporting channel partners for growth, and developing partner programs. Joo is a graduate of the University of California, Irvine with a bachelor's degree in Economics and a minor in Management.

Scott Thompson

Scott Thompson is the Web Managing Editor for the Sage Employer Solutions Web sites. He has managed Web sites since the late 1990s and was a Search Engine Optimization manager from 2002 to 2006, but still uses his SEO skills to better his Sage sites. He has worked with successful start-ups, an interactive advertising agency, and Fortune 100 companies helping them develop their Web sites to increase conversions, rank higher in the search engines, and improve the user experience. Scott works in the Atlanta office and has worked with Sage for two years.

Scott holds degrees in Computer Information Systems, Business Administration, and History. His Web skills include SEO, SEM, Web 2.0, social media, business blogging, Internet architecture, and more. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his wife and baby boy, reading, hiking, and kayaking.