Q&A with Dave Hansen, VP and general manager of BMC Software in Tampa

It was announced in the news recently that Numara Software was bought by BMC Software. This was big news among the Tampa Bay technology community, especially since Numara was headquartered in Tampa. The Byte recently spoke with Dave Hansen, VP and general manager of the BMC Software in Tampa. Hansen, who joined Numara last year as CEO, gave us insight into what a typical day is like for him, what the sale means for his organization and the region, and his views on the Tampa Bay tech industry’s current position and future potential.

1. You’ve only been in this role of CEO at Numara Software since August, and there’s been so much that’s happened in the past six months. What is a typical day like for you?

CRAZY BUSY! As a CEO there are so many aspects of your job and every day I try to devote time to each function. I of course spend a lot of time in meetings, but a successful day for me is when I can spend time on both the internal and external aspects of my job, which is employees and customers, respectively. I think it is important to get out there and talk with customers and spend time with them. I also try to spend time with employees. I have an open-door policy and I try to get out of my office each day and walk the floor and talk to different employees. I feel building that emotional bond with your employees is important so you can build trust with them and you know they are behind you. So I constantly strive to balance the two focuses.

2. Numara Software is such a shining example of a homegrown Tampa Bay tech success story. How will the sale of the company to BMC impact your organization in terms of its ability to retain some of that history?

We have had great success here, and I see even more success in this next chapter. We were able to draw the attention of the 8^th largest software company, and they have pledged a commitment to this Tampa location. Tampa will remain the headquarters for this division and I think we will get more investment from BMC. This was really a very positive outcome for Numara and for Tampa.

3. Once the final paperwork for the sale is complete, do you anticipate big changes in terms of headcount, corporate culture, or product offerings?

The deal officially closed on February 3^rd. I definitely anticipate our headcount will increase in terms of new hires. We already have more people added to our business unit. They might not physically be here, but they are behind us. I am committed to keeping our culture the same here. I see us having a small company culture within a big company. I want to continue our kickball games in the empty fields near the airport.

As for product offerings, BMC sells to really large enterprises, and Numara sold to a different market. This division will continue selling to the same market, but now our product portfolio has increased because BMC has more product offerings.

4. Your firm is among several tech companies that have been hiring here lately. What in your view are the most important skill sets and talent attributes that are missing from the pool of local candidates for your company? Where are you going to find the talent you’re having a hard time finding locally?

What we need are good technologists. I want to see a technology incubator started here and really get the entrepreneurial spirit rolling. There are great opportunities in building software for mobile devices and Cloud computing. It is important for the educational institutions to focus on developing talent for these key and critical skills. I want to see people who really understand cloud computing and can develop solutions. When it comes to us, I see hiring opportunities for development, sales and services delivery people.

5. What are some ways educational institutions, economic development organizations, and state agencies can help ensure that the talent companies like yours require to fuel your growth is readily available here?

We need to partner with educational facilities so they understand the skill sets we need graduates to have in order to sustain us being here. And by that I mean any technology company that is located here. TBTF was the only economic development organization that approached me quickly when I came here. They have really encouraged me to have a voice and get involved with the technology industry here and tout the benefits of the region. When it comes to fueling growth I really want to see more investment in women in technology, all the way back to the college level, but also encouraging the advancement for women already in the technology field. You know, when you look at a college computer science class, it is probably 80 percent male, so I think getting to young women earlier and encouraging them to get in the technology field is vitally important.