Fall 2000 - NIU College of Business - Northern Illinois University

Continued from page 5the experience. He learned the ropes andquickly moved up the sales ranks at Burroughsand elsewhere.His career took off in the 1980s as he movedfrom sales to management, taking on increasinglyimportant roles at ever-larger companies.In the early 1990s he became intrigued asfriends left the corporate world for start-upcompanies. “I noticed that the people who weresuccessful weren’t any different than me,” hesays.In 1996 Barsema became senior vice presidentof worldwide sales for Centigram Corp., andafter just more than a year with the company hewas named co-acting CEO. He was encouragedto apply for the job on a permanent basis,but declined because the company was 16years old, ancient by Silicon Valley standards.“I told them I wanted my first CEO experience to come at atrue start-up company,” Barsema said. “My definition ofsuccess is that at the end of the day you are living out yourdreams, and that was mine.”That opportunity came in a matter of months when Redbackcalled. He joined the company in November 1997 as itsCEO and 32nd employee. Today he serves as thecompany’s chairman of the board, having handed over hisCEO duties to his successor this past summer.From the start he wanted to take Redback public, but theprospect was daunting and old insecurities about hisspeech resurfaced. “I questioned my ability to handle theroad show,” he says of the weeks-long series of presentationsto analysts.Stacey convinced him to make the leap. “She said, ‘If youdon’t do this, you’ll always regret it. You’re right at the door.All you have to do is walk through,’” he recalls.Taking that step made the company successful beyondDennis’ or anyone else’s wildest dreams. Not content to restupon his laurels, Barsema in September accepted theposition of president, chief executive officer, and chairmanof Onetta, a private start-up company that will makeproducts for the next-generation optical network market.His success, Barsema said, created the opportunity for himto fulfill other dreams—like making significant gifts to hisalma mater.“I don’t have to be an NIU alumna to know what a hugeimpact Northern had on Dennis’ life,” said Stacey, whooversees their familyfoundation. “We could havegiven money to Stanford orCal, or another universitywith close ties to SiliconValley, but we have noemotional ties to any ofthose schools. We know thatby giving to NIU we canmake a real impact, andhopefully we’ll encourageothers to follow our example.”“We’ve been blessed, andsince we both come fromhumble backgrounds, I thinkwe appreciate it more thansome people,” Dennis said.“We get a tremendous thrillout of being able to support worthwhile causes. To think thatmy success can make an NIU education available to somedeserving students and enhance the experience forthousands of others, is very gratifying.”Stacey convinced him tomake the leap. “She said,‘If you don’t do this, you’llalways regret it. You’reright at the door. All youhave to do is walkthrough,’” he recalls.6