The VMware User Group (VMUG), an independent, global, customer-led organization, has its first-ever CEO: Brad Tompkins, who comes to VMUG from IaaS provider Immedion, LLC, where he served as general manager. As VMUG grows from more than 100,000 active members, some internal restructuring was needed to take it to the next level of growth.

Tompkins said that although VMUG is an independent organization, it works closely with VMware, Inc. The ongoing dialog helps both entities.

“We align with each of their business units, and the support that we get from those business units is tremendous,” said Tompkins. “They see us as a value for them to be able to get their message out to market. We also serve as a sounding board. If something should come up that they want feedback from their users, they look to us. We both see tremendous value from this joint partnership.”

Although VMUG provides information and feedback to VMware and its strategic partners, its main purpose is to educate its members.

“My goal is to continue to bring value for our members,” said Tompkins. “What makes VMUG so great are the passionate leaders that we have. We have over 230 chapters across the world, 500 local events, and 40-plus UserCons across the globe. That couldn’t be possible without the leaders – the infrastructure behind the scenes that supports that.”

Visit VMUG.com for more information.

Watch the full interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE and theCUBE’s coverage of VMworld 2015.

Photo by SiliconANGLE