As part of a yearlong celebration of our 40th anniversary, Progress would like to introduce you to some of our fantastic longtime employees who have made us who we are today. In this post, meet Prasanna Anireddy, senior director of core products.
In most cases, success is the result of effort and time—a combination that is all too familiar to Prasanna Anireddy. While Prasanna started out as a software engineer at Progress, over the course of 15 years she has become a leader of global product teams, working with individuals from all over the world.
As Prasanna’s role and skillset has expanded and thrived during her time at Progress, so have her surroundings: the Hyderabad office in India has emerged as a bustling center of activity, from Diwali celebrations to Family Day events; Prasanna’s own children have grown to become young adults on the verge of starting careers of their own.
Despite the many changes that have occurred over the years, Prasanna’s determination and enthusiasm for her profession have remained firmly in place. Keep reading to learn more about Prasanna’s journey at Progress, in her own words.
How has Progress changed during your tenure?
I joined Progress in 2006 as part of the OpenAccess Software acquisition into the DataDirect business unit. Joe Alsop, our founder and CEO, was still leading the company. I joined the Hyderabad office when it was experiencing growth as a key R&D location for Progress.
Over the years, we’ve had changes in leadership and strategy. We had a few strategies that did not have the expected market success, and we were quick to pivot and re-align with our mission to provide the best products to develop, deploy and manage high-impact business applications.
Who has taught you the most at Progress, and what did they teach you? Or who has been your favorite coworker?
I’ve learned the most from my very supportive managers. When I started my career as a software engineer, my first manager Dipak Patel (who was also my first manager at Progress for the first year) taught me perseverance and passion to build great products. When I became a manager, I had the opportunity to expand my role and drive the growth and contribution of different product teams in Hyderabad; this was influenced by Ramesh Loganathan. I am continuing to learn from John Ainsworth on how to lead global product teams that are efficient, innovative and focused on customer success.
It’s hard to name one person as a favorite coworker. I have been fortunate to work with so many colleagues in India, the US, Belgium and Bulgaria that have made my work very enjoyable!
What's your favorite memory at Progress?
The Family Day events that we have each year in Hyderabad top the chart. These non-stop entertaining events have our CEO and other senior executives joining the Hyderabad team and their families. We get to meet the families of Progressers, and over the years you build great bonds.
Another memorable event was a leadership offsite event arranged by Rob Steward where we rode ATVs, as well as a team activity on movie production. Our team produced a comedy film titled “Belgian Masala” and it was hilarious to watch various folks get totally immersed in their roles.
What makes Progress a great company and why has it stood the test of time?
It is most certainly my fellow Progressers and our culture that make Progress such a great company. Our commitment to our employees, customers, and partners has made this a company important for our customers even after four decades!
What was the most "only at Progress" moment that you've experienced?
The Diwali celebrations we have in the Hyderabad office, featuring a live band of drummers walking around the office, always feels like an “only at Progress” moment! The loud beats can be heard across the floors of the office building and the excitement that it creates is a unique experience. Everyone is dressed up in traditional attire, and we have festive music and other fun events that always make it an enjoyable and memorable day!
How has your life changed over your time here?
It has been a very enriching experience. I feel like before I knew it, a decade and a half had gone by. When I joined Progress, my kids were young, and now they’re adults who will be ready to start their own careers in a couple of years. I had great opportunities to grow from an engineering manager to leading a global product team, and I am thankful for all the opportunities that I have had.
What kind of car (make and model if you remember 🙂) did you drive when you started at Progress
When I joined Progress in 2006, I was driving a Ford Ikon and the model may have been 2004. Now, I drive a Skoda Octavia that I bought in 2007 as well as a 2017 Ford Ecosport.
How did you communicate with people at first, fax, actual letters, phone?
When I started my career in 1991, you mostly interacted with your coworkers when you were in the office. When you needed to talk, you would just walk over; you didn’t have the option of IM. Customers reached out primarily via phone, and additional details were shared by email/FTP. We had landlines at home and a few years later, I had a Nokia mobile phone.
To get to know other Progressers like Prasanna, read more of our Progress employee interviews here.
Jessica Kent
Jessica Kent was a content specialist at Progress.