As vice chairman, Tom Mendoza dedicates his time to helping NetApp customers, partners, and sales teams realize the value that NetApp delivers. Tom joined NetApp in 1994 as the head of North American Sales and later served as the company's president from 2000 until 2008.
Tom has been the keynote speaker for such diverse organizations as Oracle, Symantec, CIO forums in multiple cities, the U.S. Marine Corps, and West Point. He is a sought after motivational speaker and often speaks about corporate culture and leadership for organizations all over the world. Tom, along with NetApp chairman of the Board of Directors and executive chairman Dan Warmenhoven, was co-recipient of the 2009 Morgan Stanley Leadership Award for Global Commerce. This award is part of the Computerworld Honors Leadership Awards that are presented annually to individuals who have been instrumental in revolutionizing the use of information technology.
Tom holds a bachelor of arts degree in economics from the University of Notre Dame, is an alumnus of Stanford University's Executive Business Program, and is a guest lecturer at both institutions. In September 2000, the University of Notre Dame renamed its business school the Mendoza College of Business upon an endowment from Tom and his wife, Kathy.