What’s It Like to be Acquired by Progress? Part 6

From Ipswitch to VP of Sales: Joe McNamee on Growth, Leadership and Building a Career at Progress

When Joe McNamee joined Ipswitch, he started as a sales representative focused on MOVEit. Over time, he grew into sales leadership roles, eventually becoming Director for the MoveIT file transfer business in North America. In 2019, Ipswitch was acquired by Progress Software; a moment that brought both uncertainty and opportunity.

Years later, Joe is now Vice President of Sales for North America in the Digital Experience business unit at Progress, overseeing multiple product lines and the related professional services delivery. In this interview, he reflects on what the integration experience was really like, how his role evolved after joining Progress and why he has chosen to continue building his career here.

Can you start by telling us about your role at Ipswitch before the acquisition and what your initial reaction was when you learned Progress would be acquiring the business?

I started at Ipswitch as a MOVEit sales representative and spent several years in that role before moving into management of the North America MoveIT file transfer team. A few years later, I became Director for the file transfer business.

When I first learned that Progress would be acquiring Ipswitch, my reaction was a mix of excitement and fear. I had never gone through an acquisition before, so naturally there was some uncertainty around what it would mean for my role and for the team. At the same time, I was excited because I knew joining a larger organization like Progress would bring more resources, broader support and new opportunities.

What stood out to you most about the way Progress approached the integration process in the early days after the acquisition?

The people were extremely welcoming right from the start. I still remember our initial meet-and-greet in Burlington - it was a fantastic experience. One thing that really stood out to me was how clearly the Progress leadership team understood our products, the market and the technology. That gave me a lot of confidence early on.

I also worked very closely with Greg Shea, who is now a VP of Sales in our Application Data Platform business unit, during the integration; he was an incredible partner. He helped us understand the processes, but just as importantly, he helped us learn how to navigate Progress, where to go for support and how to make the transition successfully. He was a true ambassador for us and to this day we are still very close.

Since joining Progress in 2019, how has your role evolved, and how have your responsibilities expanded over time?

My role expanded significantly over time. After the acquisition, I moved from managing just the MoveIT file transfer team to also leading the North America WhatsUp Gold team. Shortly after that, Sitefinity was added to my scope as well.
When Progress acquired Kemp, I initially served as an ambassador to help with that transition, but eventually I took over sales responsibility for that organization too. Later, after a restructuring, I was promoted to Vice President of Sales for the entire North America Digital Experience business unit, including Sitefinity, MoveIT File Transfer and DevTools (Telerik and Kendo UI). I also oversee the professional services delivery team for those products.

It has been a tremendous growth journey and one that I probably would not have experienced in the same way without becoming part of Progress.

How did being part of a larger organization help you grow as a sales leader compared with where you were before the acquisition?

One of the biggest differences was the level of cross-functional collaboration. At Ipswitch, the environment was collaborative, but at Progress I had the opportunity to work much more closely with leaders across demand generation, field marketing, product management, HR, engineering and customer success.

That broader exposure really helped me grow as a leader. Learning how to motivate teams, align across functions and operate effectively in a larger organization was probably the most important area of development for me.

Were there opportunities at Progress that may not have been available to you before the acquisition?

Absolutely. Progress has made real investments in leadership development and I have benefited from that in several ways. I have participated in the Progress mentor program both as a mentee and as a mentor, which has been incredibly valuable. I also went through LEAD, a management training program run by our HR team and that was a wonderful experience.

Those opportunities helped me grow not just in my role, but as a leader more broadly.

How would you describe the way Progress balances integration and consistency with preserving the strengths and expertise that employees from acquired companies bring?

What stood out to me was that Progress really listened first. During the post-acquisition phase, managers went on a listening tour and spent time with leadership, managers and sales reps to understand how our organization worked. That made a big impression on me.

They did not come in trying to change everything overnight. Instead, they took the time to understand what was already working well and preserved those strengths, while also making thoughtful improvements in areas where support was needed. It was not a one-time effort either. That listening and adjustment continued for many months.

What has it been like to work with teams across the broader Progress organization outside of sales?

This is one of the areas where Progress really excels. The collaborative nature of the company is unlike anything I had experienced before. I have recurring meetings with many different teams, but I also really appreciate the people across the organization who support us outside of those formal interactions.

There is so much partnership from finance, HR, marketing and many other teams and that support plays a major role in helping our sales organization succeed.

Was there a specific moment when you realized Progress was not just acquiring a business, but truly investing in its people?

Yes, and it happened very early on. On my first day, I met one of the executives and had a brief five-minute conversation. Later that same week, she sought me out again to talk about MoveIT. But before getting into the business discussion, she asked me about my three kids.

That really stuck with me. I did not expect someone to remember that detail from such a short conversation, especially during the middle of an acquisition and integration. It showed me that Progress was not just focused on the business - they were also paying attention to the people behind it.

Looking back, what are you most proud of accomplishing since becoming part of Progress?

There are two things that stand out most. First, becoming a Vice President of Sales was a major personal and professional goal for me and I am proud that I was able to achieve that at Progress.

Second, I am proud that so many of the customers I worked with before the acquisition are still Progress customers today. Many of those relationships have lasted for years and it means a lot to know that they are still getting value from our products and that I still have the opportunity to work with them.

What have you found most energizing about building your career at Progress over the past seven years?

The opportunity to grow has been incredibly energizing, but just as important to me has been the opportunity to help others grow. As a leader, one of the things I care most about is promoting people and helping them advance in their own careers.

That is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do, and Progress has given me the platform to do that.

Why do you think so many leaders who join Progress through acquisitions choose to stay and grow their careers here?

It is a wonderful place to work. The collaborative spirit here is second to none and people genuinely want to help each other succeed. There is also real opportunity - opportunity to grow, opportunity to lead and, for those in sales, opportunity to perform and be rewarded for it.

When you combine that with the way Progress invests in people, it creates an environment where leaders want to stay and continue building their careers.

What would you say to a sales leader at another company who is unsure what it would mean to become part of Progress through an acquisition?

I would say this: Progress does not just acquire products or revenue streams - it invests in people. If you are joining through an acquisition, you can expect to be welcomed, supported and given the chance to grow.

For me, what started as a moment of uncertainty turned into one of the best career opportunities I have had.

What is something people may not know about you?

A lot of people may not know that I went skydiving from 15,000 feet and free-fell for 60 seconds. It became a family tradition too - when each of my daughters turned 20, they each also went skydiving.

I am also a huge Jimmy Buffett fan. At one of his concerts, I got pulled up to the front row and sang the chorus of one of his songs. That was definitely a memorable experience.