Velocity Made Good » News & Events

Appirio Acquires VMG

2011-04-11T15:08:50Z

It is with great pleasure and pride that I announce that VMG has been acquired by Appirio. Appirio has been a strong partner to VMG since VMG’s founding, and this is a natural evolution of the growing partnership between our two organizations. We are proud to join the amazing Appirio team as it concurrently delivers on the promise and capabilities of the cloud and transforms the services industry in and for the entire technology market.

Just a few short years ago I sat with the VMG leadership team and sketched out our vision for the future of VMG. We designed our angle of attack for growing a business built on the precept that the cloud changes everything, and thus the people adopting that change need to be enabled in the simplest way possible. Since then, we have had the opportunity to work with over 40 unique clients on almost a hundred engagements. We have pioneered innovative and holistic approaches to user adoption and customer success. We have helped some of the leading companies in the world transform their models, methods, and results for customer success, partner readiness, and user adoption. We have leveraged both the newest in social media and the most proven and scalable in traditional enterprise training to create new and more nimble approaches to delivering customer success.

We now have the honor of joining the Appirio team, and continuing to innovate every day on a larger and more diverse business footprint. We are excited to marry VMG’s innovation in accelerating user adoption of the cloud with Appirio’s expertise in accelerating enterprise adoption of the cloud. Given our complementary and highly related business goals and models, we could not think of a more perfect match. We look forward to working together to bring the promise of the cloud to the enterprise.

For more information, please see this post by Chris Barbin, CEO of Appirio.

VMG Announces Tom Kraack as Chairman

2010-04-23T05:28:41Z

Recognized Industry Leader Provides Expertise, Dexterity and Depth

San Francisco, CA, March 31, 2010—VelocityMG, Inc., a leading provider of enterprise learning for the cloud computing industry, today announced the appointment of Tom Kraack as Chairman.

Kraack joins VMG with more than 25 years of leadership experience in Learning BPO and IT, having literally defined much of today’s learning and enablement outsourcing marketplace. His expertise includes knowledge management and learning technologies, IT service delivery and workforce management, learning and employee development, business process outsourcing, organizational systems and process, mergers and acquisitions, and product management. As Chairman, Kraack will lead VMG’s market and business development strategies and enterprise outsourcing engagements, to amplify the explosive trajectory achieved in VMG’s first year of operations.

“We are thrilled to welcome Tom to the VMG Team,” said Glenn Oclassen, Jr., founder and CEO of VMG. “Tom’s leadership in the field of enterprise learning, his successful track record of delivering disruptive innovation in a manner that improves both learning results and financial efficiency, and his groundbreaking success in defining the learning BPO market, make him the perfect leader to assist VMG in capitalizing on the dramatic changes in enterprise learning due to the adoption of enterprise cloud computing.”

”Tom will be invaluable in taking VMG to the next level,” agreed John Hathaway, VMG co-founder, President and CTO. “Tom has a rare ability to look through his extensive experience running large consulting groups to extract the principles that will enable VMG's rapid growth while leaving behind outdated practices.”

Kraack is a frequent speaker to national and international audiences on such topics as workforce trends and issues, learning strategies and innovation, risk management, productivity, service quality, and leadership and organizational change. He is also a frequent contributor to industry and professional publications, including journals in Technology, HR, Banking, and Learning.

Prior to joining VMG, Kraack spent 8 years at Accenture as North America Managing Partner, Learning and Collaboration and as Managing Partner of the Talent Management practice for Accenture’s global Financial Services operating group. Before Accenture, Kraack was an executive at Norwest (now Wells Fargo) Corporation, where he held key jobs in both human resources and line management, including 6 years as Senior Vice President and General Manager for Institutional Trust Services. He has also served in leadership roles at Price Waterhouse Coopers, as well as Executive Vice President for Business Development for Wilson Learning Worldwide, an international training and consulting company, where his responsibilities included mergers and acquisitions, capital markets strategy, marketing, and product development. Kraack holds a Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from the University of Minnesota, and a B.A. and M.A. in Educational Psychology from Ball State University.

“I am very excited to join VMG,” says Kraack. “It is ideally positioned to capitalize on the market disruptions that cloud computing and its derivative commercial structures, especially ‘cloudsourcing’ have introduced.VMG holds great promise of revolutionizing the service delivery model, economics and speed to market for the implementation and support of these new tools and methods within the enterprise.”

About VMG:

VMG provides enterprise learning for the cloud computing industry. VMG products and services are perfectly aligned with the subscription business model of the SaaS and cloud sector, resulting in simple, profitable, and scalable customer learning solutions. Specializing in agile training models, VMG develops, delivers and manages flexible and quickly customizable learning solutions that stay in lock-step with the rapid release cycles and adaptable customer configurations inherent to SaaS applications. VMG is laser-focused on providing world-class training that helps your company to grow sales, improve services and partner performance, and increase customer adoption and satisfaction– so you can stay laser-focused on developing and delivering the best applications in the cloud. For more information, visit http://www.velocityMG.com.

Appirio Chooses VMG to Design and Develop Training for New Professional Services Enterprise SaaS Application

2009-12-01T19:48:21Z

Selected for Cutting Edge SaaS Training Approach

SAN FRANCISCO, December 1, 2009—VMG (VelocityMG, Inc.) a pioneer in the development of customer training solutions for SaaS applications and cloud computing, has been selected by Appirio, a leading cloud solution provider, to develop customer e-learning and power user instructor-led training for Appirio’s Professional Services (PS) Enterprise application.

Appirio PS Enterprise is a new Professional Services Automation (PSA) solution designed for the needs of the world’s most sophisticated professional services firms, built entirely on Salesforce’s Force.com cloud platform. Unlike other PSA solutions, PS Enterprise supports a services business end-to-end bridging the gap between customers, projects, employees and financials. To support the launch of PS Enterprise, Appirio wanted to build training strategies tailored to the needs of sophisticated services firms and well-aligned with the SaaS delivery model.

Appirio selected VMG for its deep understanding of the SaaS and cloud computing markets and application development models, and for VMG’s renowned expertise and experience in delivering simple, profitable and scalable customer learning solutions in the technology sector. Appirio PS Enterprise launches with a full suite of customer learning modules designed and developed for Appirio by VMG.

“Training is critical for adoption and renewal, yet most traditional application training approaches are too slow, too expensive and not aligned with a subscription model,” says Mike Epner, Head of Delivery for Appirio. “ VMG has ‘cracked the code’ in designing and delivering customer learning solutions perfectly aligned with the business models of SaaS and cloud computing companies and the unique training needs of their customers.”

“VMG is proud to have been selected by Appirio to develop both the customer learning strategy and customer learning product suite for Appirio’s new PS Enterprise application,” said Glenn Oclassen, Jr., CEO and co-founder of VMG. “Appirio has rapidly proven that they are the leading enterprise cloud solutions provider and we are thrilled to work with them.”

About VMG:
VMG provides enterprise learning for the cloud computing industry. VMG products and services are perfectly aligned with the subscription business model of the SaaS and cloud sector, resulting in simple, profitable and scalable customer learning solutions. Specializing in agile training models, VMG develops, delivers and manages flexible and quickly customizable learning solutions that stay in lock-step with the rapid release cycles and adaptable customer configurations inherent to SaaS applications. VMG is laser-focused on providing world-class customer training that drives adoption and renewal of your SaaS product – so its clients and partners can stay focused on developing and delivering the best applications in the cloud.

VMG takes its name from the sailing term Velocity Made Good, which factors speed, direction and conditions to measure true progress towards the goal. VMG helps you chart the smart course to put learning to work for your business. For more information, visit http://www.velocityMG.com.

About Appirio:
Appirio offers both products and professional services that help enterprises accelerate their adoption of the cloud. With over 2,500 customers, Appirio has a proven track record of implementing mission-critical solutions and developing innovative products on cloud platforms such as salesforce.com, Google Apps and Amazon Web Services. From offices in the U.S. and Japan, Appirio serves a wide range of companies including Avago, Hamilton Beach, Japan Post Network, Ltd, Pfizer and Qualcomm. Appirio, founded in 2006, is the fastest growing partner of salesforce.com and Google and is backed by Sequoia Capital and GGV Capital. For more information, visit http://www.appirio.com/.

VMG Executives Named Learning Industry Thought Leaders by TrainingIndustry.com

2009-11-04T22:02:31Z

San Francisco, November 10, 2009— Three executives from VMG (VelocityMG, Inc.), a leading provider of strategic services for enterprise learning, have been recognized as learning industry thought leaders by TrainingIndustry.com, the world’s leading portal for searching and accessing information about the training industry.

“We are pleased to recognize Wayne Hodgins, John Hathaway, and Glenn Oclassen, Jr. as training industry thought leaders,” says Doug Harward, CEO of TrainingIndustry.com. “Each of them has led very impressive careers as corporate learning leaders delivering amazing results for both their companies and the entire industry. The deep experience and field-tested expertise that the VMG team brings to the enterprise learning market raises the bar for all of learning outsourcing. ”

VMG CEO Glenn Oclassen, Jr. was named Training Outsourcing, Supplier Thought Leader for delivering a strategic business focus to the corporate learning arena. For more than 12 years, Oclassen designed, developed and has successfully taken to market learning products and services for Fortune 500 companies. Additionally, Oclassen has led multiple efforts transforming enterprise learning organizations to reduce costs, increase profitability and scale services.

“I am proud and humbled to be recognized as an industry thought leader along with Wayne Hodgins and John Hathaway,” says Glenn Oclassen, Jr., CEO and co-founder of VMG, “The incredible insights, results and achievements of the VMG team amaze me every day. I am honored to work with such brilliant and talented people.”

VMG Strategic Futurist Wayne Hodgins has been named Training Outsourcing, Consulting Thought Leader for his 35 years of leadership in business and education, where he has played a pivotal role in architecting the design and deployment of large-scale learning initiatives for Fortune 500 companies, national governments, NGO’s, military, academic and other established institutions. Hodgins is credited with creating the concept of Learning Objects and he chaired the successful completion of the world’s first accredited standard for learning and technology metadata at IEEE.

VMG President and CTO John Hathaway has been named Learning Technologies, Supplier Thought Leader for more than 14 years of innovating at the intersection of instructional design, information design and learning and performance technology. Hathaway was the instructional architect behind Oracle's Reusable Content Object strategy, laying the groundwork for today’s learning object metadata and tracking API standards while representing Oracle on the IEEE Learning Technology Standards Committee, IMS, and other standards groups. Additionally, Hathaway has led global LMS deployments, and has served as both Technical Architect and Product Manager for multiple learning technology initiatives, including ecommerce enabled learning portals and sophisticated performance support systems.

About VMG:
VMG transforms corporate learning to a results-driven business through strategic consulting and managed education services. VMG helps organizations align learning to business needs, determine the fastest and most effective way to reach their goals and provides the plan to get there. VMG’s team of recognized training industry veterans will take you from the whiteboard all the way to execution at scale. VMG helps you chart the smart course and helps put learning to work for your business. For more information, visit http://www.velocityMG.com.

About TrainingIndustry.com:
TrainingIndustry.com is the world’s leading portal for searching and accessing information about the training industry. With cutting-edge information organized and aggregated into several learning communities, TrainingIndustry.com spotlights the latest news, articles, case studies, best practices, and product and supplier information from and about the training industry.

VMG Blogs Added as Featured Blogs on eLearningLearning

2009-10-30T17:56:01Z

VMG is thrilled to announce all three VMG blogs have been added to the featured blogs on eLearningLearning:

eLearningLearning is a community collecting and organizing the best information on the web about eLearning. It is known for aggregating high-quality content in the eLearning space as well as for providing an RSS subscription to a filtered “Best of” feed that flags high-value content based on social signals.

eLearningLearning will be hosting LearnTrends 2009, a free online conference on eLearning Technology on November 17-19.

VMG Delivers “Do Less with Less: Transforming Crisis to Opportunity” Webinar

2009-10-15T10:34:09Z

In this webinar, Glenn Oclassen, Jr., CEO, and Jon Lloyd, SVP, Client Services, provide a tell-it-like-it-is recipe for driving significant cost savings in enterprise learning, while dramatically improving results. Informal polls of participants revealed:

Nearly all participants are facing significant budget cuts:
- More than 35% are seeing budget cuts between 10-20%
- Another 35% are seeing budget cuts between 20-40%
- 17% are seeing more than 40% cuts in budget
Only 25% of webinar participants create an annual business plan for their training organization
39% of webinar participants have no social learning strategy; only 14% have executed one

Click here for access to a recording of the webinar or you can view the slides below.

Do Less With Less Transforming Crisis To Opportunity

View more presentations from VelocityMG.

“Doing Less with Less” Webinar

2009-10-15T10:33:04Z

VMG is holding a free webinar entitled Doing Less with Less: Transforming Crisis to Opportunity presented by Glenn Oclassen and Jon Lloyd, at 1:00 ET/11:00 PT on September 23^rd. For more information, and to register, click here.

VMG Announces Wayne Hodgins Strategic Futurist

2009-10-15T10:32:39Z

Recognized Learning Pioneer Provides Vision and Inspiration

San Francisco, CA, June 3, 2009— VelocityMG, Inc., a leading provider of strategic consulting services for enterprise learning, today announced the appointment of Wayne Hodgins as Strategic Futurist.

Hodgins joins VMG with more than 35 years of experience in strategic consulting and learning innovation. He has played a key role in working with educators and trainers throughout the world on new learning models, learning management systems, and the role of technology in learning, is credited with creating the concept of Learning Objects, and being a key contributor to SCORM. As Strategic Futurist, Hodgins will lead VMGs Vision Services, developing strategic conceptual models based on seeing future trends, directions and patterns. Hodgins will help clients see these models and patterns more clearly, add their context and then design and implement their own successful programs.

“We are thrilled to welcome Wayne to the VMG Team,” said John Hathaway, President and CTO of VMG. “Early in my career I was lucky to work closely with Wayne on various learning object standards committees. His vision and ideas have had an important role in shaping everything I've created throughout my career since. I'm honored and excited to have the opportunity to help turn his next crop of inspiring ideas into a reality we can share with as wide an audience as possible.”

An energetic, powerful, and compelling speaker, Hodgins has delivered more than 500 keynote presentations in over 28 countries, reaching an estimated audience of more than 250,000 people. Additionally, he has been profiled and interviewed by Forbes, Fortune, Industry Week, CNN, C-NET and e-CFO. His interviews and articles have reached an estimated two million individuals worldwide.

Prior to joining VMG, Hodgins was Strategic Futurist for Autodesk. Hodgins first started with Autodesk as a teacher trainer and speaker, and then spent nearly 25 years with Autodesk Consulting as a keynote speaker and strategic workshop consultant. In that role, he has guided and advised global teams at organizations as diverse as the American Library Association, European Commission, Microsoft, Reuters, and the US Navy. Prior to Autodesk, Hodgins spent 15 years in education as a teacher, professor and principal. Additionally, Hodgins has served on more than 25 advisory boards in Europe and North America, and chaired the successful completion of the world’s first accredited standard for metadata at IEEE. Hodgins earned a Masters Degree in Educational Psychology from the University of British Columbia. He also holds a Bachelors of Education from the University of Victoria, and a Bachelors of Teacher Training from the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

“I am extremely excited, pleased and proud to join in the creation of VMG,” says Hodgins. “It is my firm belief that we live in a world where the current art of the possible exceeds what most people assume to be but a vision of the long distant future. As William Gibson so aptly put it, ‘The future is already here, it’s just not very evenly distributed.’ What particularly excites me about joining forces with some long time and extraordinarily talented colleagues to form VMG, I’ll have the opportunity to not just talk to people about all these grand ideas and visions of the future, but to be surrounded by people who can help implement those ideas and turn them into reality. Who could ask for more than that?”

About VMG:

VMG transforms corporate learning to a results-driven business through measured and strategic consulting services. VMG takes its name from the sailing term Velocity Made Good, which factors speed, direction, and conditions to measure your true progress towards your goal. VMG helps you chart the smart course to achieve enterprise learning results. For more information, visit http://www.velocityMG.com.

Glenn Oclassen, Jr. and John Hathaway Launch VMG

2009-10-15T10:32:17Z

VMG to Provide Strategic Consulting Services Dedicated to Transforming Corporate Learning to a Results-Driven Business

San Francisco, CA, June 1, 2009—Glenn Oclassen, Jr. and John Hathaway today announced the launch of VelocityMG, Inc. VMG provides strategic learning consulting services to business and learning leaders. After early success with their learning consultancy, OclassenHathaway, Oclassen and Hathaway have brought on additional partners and re-branded their business to form VMG. “After years on both the buy-side and sell-side of the learning industry, John and I decided to build the strategic services, offerings, and engagement models that we found critical to running a successful enterprise learning business. Now we’ve combined these strategic services with innovative and proven leaders from the corporate learning industry to help companies across the globe maximize the results from their learning investment” said Glenn Oclassen, Jr. CEO of VMG. “When we started OclassenHathaway, we knew we'd found a nice niche for the two of us,” adds Hathaway, President of VMG. “But we didn’t anticipate that so many companies would be so hungry to transform their learning functions into serious businesses. I'm thrilled that we've been able to gather such a strong team to meet that need”.

VMG’s sole focus is to help clients succeed by putting their company’s knowledge to work. That means running enterprise learning as a business, informed by metrics and driven by results. Comprised of training industry veterans with in-depth experience running corporate learning organizations, VMG consultants are experts at maximizing training revenue streams, driving costs out of the production and distribution system, and architecting training programs that optimize performance.

Unlike learning business outsourcing providers that look to take over the learning function, VMG focuses on developing actionable corporate learning strategy, and setting clients up to successfully run their own learning businesses. “The team at VMG helped Juniper Networks successfully consolidate, align, refine, and take to scale our approach to learning services markets and channels, as well as how we develop and deliver sales and technical sales training for both internal teams and the greater partner channel,” says Edwin Castillo, Senior Director of Global Customer and Field Enablement for Juniper Networks. “VMG also helped us scale up, expand, and simplify our entire content development process… and concurrently refined our approach to both training development and training delivery technologies.”

VMG helps sharpen enterprise learning and development vision into cutting edge strategy, and devise a winning game plan that goes from the whiteboard all the way to execution at scale. VMG helps cut to the chase and put learning to work for the business.

About VMG:

Partnership with Datango

2009-10-15T10:31:02Z

datango and OclassenHathaway Partner to Provide Software Companies with Solution to Drive Greater Education Business Revenues and Margins

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--datango AG, the leading independent provider of software that accelerates time-to-value and increases user acceptance of mission-critical systems, today announced that it had forged a strategic relationship with OclassenHathaway, experts in helping technology companies transform their learning businesses into significant profit centers.

Read the full press release →