It's not very often you find a colleague that "gets it" right off the bat. David is one of those rare folks that has a comprehension beyond the normal. He was in our CX group and I am more of an overarching big picture kind of guy but from the get go David immediately saw the vision and dropped into a deeper understanding faster than anyone I've ever worked with. It was refreshing and inspiring to work off each other in ways that made the product better than it ever would have been singularly. Was sad to part ways but know that a company out there that is looking for True Thought Leadership and someone that can see around corners David is your guy!!
May 2023
May 2023
David is an exceptional thought leader and visionary across many retail and technology processes. He has been a trusted advisor across the SAP ecosystem and our community of retail customers. He effectively communicates the value of technology across a variety of media platforms, and can collaborate to design strategies and roadmaps for execution. He always works well with others, keeps a positive outlook, and never gives up - no matter how complex or challenging a problem may seem. He is a pleasure to work with and would be a great addition to any team or project looking for creative and collaborative solutions.
March 2023
March 2023
David is the Yoda for retail processes, trends, transformation, an ocean of knowledge and professionalism with a great personality.
March 2023
March 2023
Dave has been an absolute pleasure to collaborate and work with during our time at SAP. He is an absolute professional that brings a wealth of industry knowledge and best practices to every conversation. Dave adds significant value to every customer engagement and I would not hesitate to recommend him for any position where you need someone to make a positive impact.
March 2023
March 2023
David is a combination of skills that is rare. The ability to bridge IT and Business by taking complex problems and turning them into concepts both sides of the business can absorb and execute upon. He is supportive and a team player, often stepping in above and beyond the day-to-day to help bring a vision to life.
March 2023
March 2023
I highly recommend David to any solution oriented company. The skills I have witnessed, have been and still are very impressed with are:
· Solution Management
· Customer Experience
· Sales Enablement
· Communication
· Public Speaking
· Interpersonal Skills
He would be a significant positive and business-improving participant/leader to any organization.
March 2023
March 2023
After working with David for more than 12 years at Microsoft, I can say that he is one of the most passionate individuals about technology and retail that I have ever met. He is keen on driving innovation in the Retail and Hospitality industries and his passion is so contagious that it has the great effect of rallying both customers and colleagues on the direction he sets. A great leader.
December 2012
December 2012
David has an incredible combination of skills that is rare in today's world. He can turn complex business problems into simple solutions, often playing "marriage counselor" between IT and Business. His passion for technology is endless, and his ability to envision the impossible is enviable.
December 2012
December 2012
When I joined Microsoft, David was one of the key members in the newly formed Retail Industry Group for the USA. He was instrumental in developing consulting offers for very large retailers. Later he joined the leadership team of the Microsoft Distribution and Services team with focus on Retail for the USA. It has always been a great pleasure to work with David, he is a very active and well appreciated team player and understands the retail industry very well. He also supports the National Retail Federation in its work to support the Industry. David is through his work very well known by key retail executives throughout the USA and respected for his understanding of the Industry.
March 2012
March 2012
David is easily at the pinnacle of what I consider to be a true visionary I have had the privilege of working with in my 20-year career spanning retail and technology. His talent and skill for envisioning and clarifying emerging and future trends and their effect on the retail and technology landscape is unparalleled and the results he drives are clearly visible across the entire industry landscape. His track record as a thought leader is manifested beyond a doubt in his leadership and presence in industry standards bodies, CxO summits, and leading trade events.
I have also had the privilege of knowing David as a mentor, leader, manager, teacher and friend since the start of my career at Microsoft. From seeding and leading game-changing initiatives to continually inspiring and mentoring his colleagues and team members to his passionate, high-energy, crystal-clear articulation of his vision and goals, David is the leader who inspired me to join his transformative endeavors at Microsoft and is someone I would be privileged to follow without a doubt in any charge he undertakes.
March 2012
March 2012
I've had the pleasure of working with and for David for the last 8 years at Microsoft. David has an incredible passion for technology and creating solutions to drive innovation in the Retail and Hospitality industries. His charisma with customers and partners is tremendous and he is well known in the industry as a visionary. His leadership is highly sought for trade association groups and he is frequently requested for public speaking engagements.
As my direct manager, I cannot say enough great things about him. He consistentently demonstrates leadership in all aspects of organizational management. He is motivational, developmental, passionate and committed. While he is most revered for his inspiration, he is also skilled in delivering difficult conversations with grace and respect. He can amplify a positive message and bury a confidentiality. He is also adept at managing company politics and advocating for results.
In 15 years at Microsoft, I've had the pleasure of working with some extremely gifted leaders and I count David in the top of that list.
March 2012
March 2012
If there's one thing I admire about David, its the contagious passion for the Retail Industry that he radiates. I had the honor of working for David for several years and am always amazed by his thought leadership and ability to envision, drive and execute on the adoption of technology and business trends, well ahead of the curve.
March 2012
March 2012
David is an dynamic leader who conistently takes his team to new heights and exceeds expectations and goals. He knows how to inspire deeper levels of understanding when working with clients and with internal company executives alike. He is a people person with a well honed track record of stepping up to the plate and winning at whatever he does.
October 2011
October 2011
David has been an INVALUABLE partner throughout the years. His enthusiasm, passion and knowledge for/of retail and technology are amazing. His background as a former CIO has clearly given him the unique ability to understand and then effectively communicate new technologies and business model changes. He is deft at negotiating strategic and tactical challenges and is clearly a retail visionary/thought leader. David has always been generous with his time and knowledge and vested in the success of his clients. He’d be a valuable addition to any organization that seeks a dynamic LEADER.
September 2011
September 2011
Creative, Passionate, Intelligent, and Dedicated are a few adjectives to describe David Gruehn, and many others yet to be termed. I’ve known David since 1988; the early years at Price Waterhouse where he was already going 90 with his hair on fire. What you observed is David’s personality just WORKED for his chosen industry. Exploring emerging technologies or applications to corporate environments, or how it affects users… David is able to navigate corporate politics, and deliver positive results with pinpoint accuracy. In my opinion he is one of the most effective visionaries in Information Technology. On a personal note, David’s been a great friend now for many years, and together we’ve experienced professional challenges as well as personal trials. He refuses to give up, and will keep to his convictions even in exhaustion of his energy… which is nearly impossible to do. Of the numerous contacts I’ve made over the years, one of the most rewarding relationships both professionally and personally is with David Gruehn. I challenge you to connect with him and prove this recommendation inaccurate. Be assured that whatever David’s professional focus is in years to come will benefit from his knowledge, and zest to grow his network of key contacts. It is a blast and pleasure to know David Gruehn, but don’t just take my word for it… “bing” him to see that he has earned the respect of many publications, corporations, and people… not to mention his talent on the drums at the NRF Convention.
September 2011
September 2011
I have been in high-tech for over 25 years and focused on the retail industry for 13 of those years. In that time, I have never met someone who “gets” both IT and Line of Business like David does. David’s deep retail experience, fascination with technology, enthusiastic networking talent, and love of people made marketing to retail at Microsoft a wild and fun ride. His vision for retailers (and for Microsoft in the industry), and his “I’m going to tell you the truth because you need to hear it" leadership style (with retailers and within the company) were key reasons I was willing to make big career bets on strategies to drive Microsoft deeper into the retail industry.
On a manager/mentor level, David personifies the ultimate “polisher of stones”. I grew as an individual contributor, matrixed leader, and member of society under David’s guidance. He is the type of manager that you can easily switch gears between heavy results/metrics discussions to personal growth to conflict resolution – and David is able to compartmentalize each discussion. David plays each role very well – mentor, bean counter, leader, and teacher.
David is a totally “can do” contributor and manager – it was a privilege to work with him!
August 2011
August 2011
Dave Gruehn is a really good retail IT'er, simply put. I met Dave when he was the CIO at Gadzooks, and followed his progress when he jumped the fence into the solutions community at Microsoft. Dave was just a natural at MSFT - he's smart, experienced yet enthusiastic, and understands how retail businesses are enabled by information and technology. I've had the opportunity to share the stage with Dave at various industry events, and he is a gifted speaker, able to easily explain (sometimes complex) technical concepts to people. For reasons that escape me, that is a skill that is hard to find - but Dave has it.
On the personal level, Dave is a good friend and occasional fellow bandmate. Aside from the aforementioned "smart", he's a straight shooter, and you can count his word as bond. He's also a KILLER drummer.
May 2011
May 2011
