Az Business and AZRE magazines announced the publications’ lists of the Most Influential Women in Arizona for 2019 in the July issues of the magazines. Each day, azbigmedia.com is profiling one of the Most Influential Women of 2019.
The Most Influential Women for 2019 will be honored at a dinner and reception that begins at 5:30 p.m. on August 22, 2019 at the Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Resort. For tickets or for sponsorship information, click here or email events@azbigmedia.com or call (602) 277-6045.
To buy copies of the Most Influential Women in Arizona issue, click here.
Today’s spotlight: Calline Sanchez
Title: Vice president, Tucson site leader and New Mexico state leader, IBM Worldwide Systems Lab Services
Since joining IBM full-time in 2001, Sanchez has held three executive leadership positions. She is currently vice president, IBM Worldwide Systems Lab Services, leading a worldwide team of technology consultants to deliver systems and solutions to end users. She also serves as Tucson Arizona site leader and New Mexico state leader. Previously, Sanchez was responsible for the development of IBM’s Enterprise Storage Systems. She also led the IBM Storage Program Management team to deliver the Storage Portfolio, including Flash, Disk, Physical/Virtual Tape, and Data Back-up solutions. Sanchez began her IBM career as a Software Engineer intern in 1999 after working at Sandia National Labs for several years.
Source of pride: “Becoming vice president and leading two different worldwide IBM teams of more than 1,500 IBMers, knowing the positive impact I have on IBM’s overall portfolio is a major point of pride for me. In my IBM Tech U events, for instance, I’m proud to oversee IBM’s largest and most comprehensive and technical training event on IBM Systems, products and solutions.”
The personality trait that helped you succeed: “Being thick skinned in this business has its benefits. As a young executive, I was asked to present to industry leaders who were taken aback — and that’s saying it lightly — by my gender and age. I ignored and persevered, eventually earning their respect, and have continued business relations with them to this day.”
The personality trait that got you into trouble: “This can also be tied to my response about being thick-skinned. Speaking my mind openly and directly has gotten me into some hot water with executives now and then, but it’s always seemed to work out for the best, and many find that honesty is still the best policy.”
Best childhood memory: “My father would hand out tough chores or punishments by making me and my brothers and sisters pick lettuce in Yuma. This helped teach me the values of hard work, and I learned to view it as more of a life lesson rather than a punishment.”
