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Unify Corporation

Company: Unify Corporation, Sacramento, California
Entry Submitted By: Barrett Marketing
Company Description: Unify is a global provider of SOA enablement, application modernization and application enhancement solutions. The company delivers enterprise software and services for modernizing and maximizing applications and data. Unify’s market leading solutions help organizations drive business optimization, improve collaboration, increase customer service and reduce costs.
Nomination Category: Management Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Turnaround Executive

Nomination Title: Todd Wille, President and CEO of Unify Corporation


  1. Tell the story about what this nominee achieved since January 1 2007 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

    Todd Wille’s, vision, drive and perseverance have enabled Unify Corporation 
    (OTC: UFYC) to return to profitability in 2007 after narrowly avoiding
    bankruptcy and having the company’s former CEO indicted for securities fraud
    and former CFO confess to similar charges five years ago. In the last year,
    Unify’s stock price has increased 432 percent, rising from a 52 week low of
    $1.25 to a recent high of $6.65. In the two most recent quarters (Q2 & Q3 2008)
    the Company has achieved its highest revenue in seven years. In its most recent
    quarter, Unify reported 76 percent growth in total revenue over the same
    quarter last year and an impressive 93 percent growth in software license
    revenues year-over-year. Due to Unify’s strong financial results and a
    conversion of debt, Wille was recently able to file an application to have the
    Company relisted with NASDAQ.

    Details of the turnaround:

    Unify Corporation is a provider of application modernization solutions. From
    1995-1998 Todd Wille served as Unify's controller and CFO and in 1998 he left
    Unify to work for a private firm in Colorado. In early 2001 and after Wille's
    departure, Unify's CEO, Reza Mikailli, began committing securities fraud.
    Mikailli and the CFO created a scheme whereby Unify's corporate funds were
    loaned to customers who, in turn, used the money to purchase products from
    Unify. Mikailli exaggerated corporate earnings for several quarters and sold
    stock without notifying the SEC. Ultimately Mikailli was charged with 10 counts
    of securities fraud and is currently serving a 51-month prison sentence.

    When the accounting irregularities were discovered, Unify's Board of Directors
    asked Wille to rejoin the company as COO and save it from bankruptcy. On his
    first day as COO, Wille was greeted by 19 lawyers and investigators from the
    Department of Justice, FBI and SEC; 39 class action law suits were filed
    against Unify; and customers were ready to cancel contracts with the company.

    In six months, Wille was able to save the company. Because he was once the
    company's CFO, Wille was able to reconstruct all transactions during the period
    in question and the company restated financial statements six months after
    Wille's arrival. Wille lowered operating expenses; reassigned the head of
    customer support to lead sales and repair relationships with customers; and met
    with customers to refund money, rework contracts and ask for their support. A
    member of executive team even offered to leave the company if their salary
    could be used to save three engineering jobs.

    Subsequently, Wille led the company through some key acquisitions (Gupta
    Technologies), the release of the new Composer product line for emerging
    markets, and recent partnerships with tier one partners such as Microsoft and
    EMC. These initiatives have all positively impacted Unify and will have
    positive effects on company revenue for the foreseeable future.

    Despite tremendous challenges, Todd Wille is responsible for leading Unify back
    to the growing, profitable business that it is today. He is a respected member
    of the Sacramento business community and a leader with the vision, integrity
    and perseverance to succeed.

  2. List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:

    News Stories:
    Chief Executive, “Trial by Fire,” March, 2008
    http://www.chiefexecutive.net/ME2/dirmod.asp?
    sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%
    3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791
    &tier=4&id=96D9BCC06E4F4B3C9339997791E22789


    BusinessWeek, “Saving a Company from Bankruptcy,” Sept. 17, 2007
    http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/sep2007/sb20070917_038993.htm?
    chan=search


    Sacramento Bee, “CEO of Sacramento-based Unify explains long comeback,” March
    9, 2008
    http://www.sacbee.com/103/story/769544.html

    Software CEO, “How to avoid an accounting scandal – or clean up one you
    inherit,” Dec. 11, 2007
    http://www.softwareceo.com/attachments/unify/com121107.php

    Sacramento Bee, “Software firm Unify is back in the black,” Nov. 30, 2007
    http://www.sacbee.com/103/story/531691.html

    Sacramento Business Journal, “Unify stock climbs on record profit,” Nov. 30,
    2007
    http://sacramento.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2007/11/26/daily46.html

    Sacramento Bee, “Unify hails ‘comeback,’ posts a strong revenue gain,” Sept. 7,
    2007
    http://www.sacbee.com/103/story/364837.html

    Press releases:
    Unify Reports Fiscal 2008 Third Quarter Results, March 4, 2008
    http://www.unify.com/News-Events/pressReleases.aspx?ReleaseID=124711

    Unify Announces Reduction in Debt, March 4, 2008
    http://www.unify.com/News-Events/pressReleases.aspx?ReleaseID=124709

    Unify Reports Record Revenue and Profitability for Fiscal 208 Second Quarter,
    Nov. 29, 2007
    http://www.unify.com/News-Events/pressReleases.aspx?ReleaseID=117941

    Unify Reports Strong Fiscal 2008 First Quarter Results, Sept. 6, 2007
    http://www.unify.com/News-Events/pressReleases.aspx?ReleaseID=110553

    Unify Reports Fourth Quarter 2007 Revenue Growth, June 26, 2007
    http://www.unify.com/News-Events/pressReleases.aspx?ReleaseID=105969

    Unify Announces One-for-Five Reverse Stock Split, June 22, 2007
    http://www.unify.com/News-Events/pressReleases.aspx?ReleaseID=105725

    Unify Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2007 Revenue Growth, March 13, 2007
    http://www.unify.com/News-Events/pressReleases.aspx?ReleaseID=98495

    Unify Unveils “Enable SOA” Vision
    http://www.unify.com/News-Events/pressReleases.aspx?ReleaseID=97757

  3. Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the nominee:

    Wille has served as the President and CEO of Unify since rejoining the Company 
    in 2000. He is a seasoned business and financial executive with more than 20
    years experience. Prior to rejoining Unify, Wille served as SVP of Operations
    and CFO for FRx Software where he led corporate marketing, client services,
    operations, finance and administration. From 1995 to 1998, Wille served as
    Unify’s CFO, where he led worldwide finance, investor relations, accounting,
    human resources and co-management of European and Japanese operations. Wille is
    a CPA and received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Wartburg
    College in Waverly, Iowa.