Glenn Butler, the former chief technology officer of Crane Merchandising Systems and co-founder of Streamware Corp., has formed CTO Services, LLC to provide strategy and consulting services for technology-driven companies. Drawing on his more than 20 years of experience as a technology innovator, Butler will help consumer product and other manufacturers navigate the vending channel's emerging technology landscape. "With CTO Services I look forward to playing a role in the future of vending technology, advising leading companies on the integration of cloud computing, mobile apps, touch screens, and Mobile-to-Mobile solutions into new machines and operational processes," said Butler in a prepared statement.
Butler is a vending technology and operations pioneer who developed groundbreaking solutions that changed the vending business model. As co-founder and chief technology officer of Streamware Corp., Butler designed VendMAX, a leading software ERP system for vending, and created InfoVend, the industry's first syndicated data and test marketing service. He served as president of Cantaloupe Systems during the on-the-move company's critical pre-VC to post-VC growth period, helping the founders raise $5 million in investment capital.
Since 2007 Butler held the CTO position at industry leader Crane Merchandising Systems, where he charted the company's strategic technology direction. He directed Crane's entry into remote monitoring of vending machines with the development of a telemetry-based mobile-to-mobile application. Butler was also integral to the development of one of the first vending platforms to integrate high-definition digital media.
Michael L. Kasavana, National Automatic Merchandising Association endowed professor at Michigan State's School of Hospitality Business, said of Butler, "Glenn Butler is a recognized industry icon whose contributions to remote machine monitoring, dynamic scheduling, digital and social media, payment platforms, and related applications are unparalleled. His work continues to have a profound influence on vending technology."
Butler is a long-time member of the National Automatic Vending Association standards team and most recently co-authored the Vending Data Interchange (VDI) standard. He is a contributing editor to Automatic Merchandiser, the vending industry trade publication.
Butler can be reached at [email protected] or at 781.688.1597. CTO Services is on the web at www.ctoserv.com.
