San Diego-based DSD Business Systems, a Sage reseller, has created the position of chief solutions officer to manage inside and outside software sales and professional services. Stepping into that role is April Holman, who has been serving as chief consulting officer. The company also is adding three sales and administration positions at its headquarters. Holman joined DSD as VP of sales and marketing in 2000. Before that, she owned and operated a Peachtree support center and an accounting firm.

Pronto Software has appointed Luke Thomas as product manager-financials to manage the direction, development and take-to-market strategy of its financIal applications. And given how quiet the company has been since announcing it was recruiting VARs in the United States, some action is necessary if it's going to be serious in this country. A year ago, the Australian company said it had signed three U.S. resellers, but since then, there hasn't been any channel news here, unless it's doing a stealth enlistment campaign. In his role, Thomas will manage the architecture development of the flagship product, Pronto-XI, and provide strategic input to the R&D team. Previously, he was global developer program manager at MYOB Australia and held positions in technical support, training and education.

Saying its rapid implementation system will be unlike those from other vendors, Infor has announced Infor Express. The company modestly calls it a new breed of business application, which combines functions from its product portfolio into single, pre-configured system and which customers can implement in as little as 90 days. First out of the gate is Infor Express Projects for project-based manufacturers. Infor says a subscription-based learning program, which features hundreds of short, web-based videos, makes possible a self-paced timeframe for users. Read more...

Michael Park, corporate VP for Microsoft Business Solutions, has made one of the most direct attacks against Oracle that I remember from anyone in this company. He must have been infected by NetSuite’s marketing approach, but caught only a mild case. Posted on the Executive Insights forum on the Microsoft Dynamics Community Web page are questions that Park suggests Oracle customers should ask when they attend Oracle OpenWorld, which is being held September 19 through 23 in San Francisco. Read more...