A Very Special Memory of Jack Sheilds at Digital Equipment Corporation
I have many fond memories of Jack over the years when working on special assigned projects and in his sales and services organization since joining the company in 1974.  During Digital's growth, there were many years of accomplishments with outstanding results under his leadership. Jack built the most successful field service, software service, and educational services organization in the industry. We shared a unique, non-direct report relationship, primarily working on the Digital Seniors Classic, the Special 1989 SSMI worldwide project, and as head of Corporate Sales Training.  

The most memorable compliment I ever received in business came after being named to run Corporate Sales Training for Digital in 1984. This was a challenging business assignment, particularly for a learning and development professional who had never been part of the sales organization.

The scenario began after I returned from a six-week executive education program called TEP, “The Executive Program,” at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business in Charlottesville, VA.  In my first meeting with my boss, Del Lippert, he informed me that there had been some organizational changes and that Jack Shields, Corporate Vice President of Sales and Services, had now been assigned the responsibility of overseeing sales training as part of Educational Services. Del said Jack asked him for potential candidates to run the sales training organization, and he put my name in for consideration. I told him I had never sold a computer and that I was surprised (maybe shocked was a better description) that he offered my name up for the job.  

A few weeks later, I received a call from Jack who offered me the job. Shortly afterward, a major sales meeting was held in New York City, attended by hundreds of Digital sales representatives. In the Q&A session after Jack spoke, he was asked about the appointment of the new Digital Sales Training Manager. The sales representative questioned him as to why someone from the sales organization wasn’t filling the position, as had been the case in the past.  Jack paused … and then answered the sales representative.  He said, “We didn’t give you the best sales manager we have in the company; we gave you the best training manager we have.”

In retrospect, this position became pivotal in my career. I’m not sure Jack would have offered me the Corporate Vice President of Educational Services job to replace Del Lippert when he left the company had I not been as well-known and well-regarded by both the sales force and those in the services organization.