IBM, Patheon execs join Poole College Advisory Board
The NC State Poole College of Management announces the appointment of two new members to the Poole College Advisory Board. Gina Poole, vice president for Rational software marketing and practitioner outreach at IBM, and Gary Shope, chief of staff to Patheon’s executive committee, are serving three-year terms on the board.
Poole brings to the board her extensive expertise in global business and industry through her marketing leadership roles at IBM. In her current role, she is responsible for all worldwide marketing initiatives promoting the IBM software group's DevOps and Continuous Engineering offerings as well as leading IBM's worldwide developer outreach programs. This includes marketing and messaging strategy, digital outreach, trade shows, channels marketing, competitive positioning and customer advisory councils and references, as well as go-to-market activities and demand generation marketing programs.
Poole previously was vice president of IBM Software Group Marketing 2.0. In that role, she had worldwide responsibility for driving high impact demand generation programs and tactics, and directed a worldwide team to deliver IBM’s software web presence, web marketing tactics, web-based sales channels, both face-to-face and virtual events, and demand generation programs.
She also had served as vice president for innovation and university relations for IBM, with worldwide responsibility for developing and executing IBM’s internal and external innovation programs for collaborating with employees, clients, partners, governments and academia to foster innovation.
Prior to that, Poole was vice president of developer relations for IBM, with worldwide responsibility for IBM's developer programs that attract early adopters of technology, individual developers, and independent software vendors to IBM with tools, technical information, education, and interactive on-line resources. She launched and led IBM’s developerWorks web community, growing it to eight million members worldwide.
Poole began her career with IBM as a programmer in the personal computer division, and held a number of management positions in IBM's software and hardware divisions. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and holds degrees in computer science, business management, and economics.
Shope brings perspective from his extensive experience in business development. In addition to his role on Patheon’s executive committee, Shope serves as Patheon’s representative with the North Carolina Chamber. He previously was an international business adviser for the Riyadh Technology Valley in Saudi Arabia.
Prior to that, Shope was vice president and officer for the Research Triangle Park Foundation, as well as owner and operator of the internationally recognized Research Triangle Park.
Shope also was a group manager for the Far East Group in the North Carolina Department of Commerce, working direct with two governors on economic development. Prior to that, he was a principal with the Schottenstein, Zox, & Dunn law firm headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, working primarily in the firm’s consultancy services in corporate site location.
Shope earned his master of public administration degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and attended a one-year program at Yale University after graduating from West Virginia Wesleyan College.
Through quarterly meetings with Weiss and other members of the college’s leadership team, participation in college events and other involvement throughout the year, the advisory board members provide a vital connection with real-world issues and industry trends.
“This ongoing engagement with the business community helps assure that we as a college fulfill our mission and vision,” Weiss said. Poole College also has advisory boards for its centers and initiatives, academic programs, and alumni relations activities. “The service that these board members provide to the college is greatly appreciated,” he said.
