Updated: September 23, 2008

As corporate vice president of Customer & Partner Advocacy at Microsoft Corp., Rich Kaplan manages the company's strategic approach to integrating the voice of Microsoft customers and partners into product quality, value and ease of doing business. Based on customer and partner feedback, Kaplan drives accountability across the company for changes in products, programs and services, resulting in a better experience and higher customer satisfaction. He is also responsible for Microsoft's global Customer Service organization, Partner Outreach, Community Support Services and the company's worldwide Customer and Partner Experience Strategy.

Throughout his 18-year career at Microsoft, Kaplan has had a steady focus on customer satisfaction. In 2007, he led the cross-company strategy to assist customers around the world in making the change to the new U.S. daylight saving time period. As a result of that event, Kaplan has driven long-term changes to how Microsoft manages time zone updates across product groups via the new cumulative time zone updates.

Previously, Kaplan served as corporate vice president of the Security Business and Technology Unit (SBTU) and was responsible for all aspects of security marketing including product management, public relations, emergency communications and business development. He served as corporate vice president of Microsoft's Content Development and Delivery Group (CDDG). He led the team responsible for the content on Microsoft.com, including running Microsoft's IT professional and developer communities. Before this Kaplan was instrumental in leading the Y2K preparedness strategy for Microsoft and customers around the world. Kaplan also previously served as vice president of sales and consulting for the U.S. Western Region.

Before he joined Microsoft in June 1990 as a senior architectural engineer, Kaplan worked at Hewlett-Packard Co. for 10 years, focusing on network design and analysis.

Kaplan earned a bachelor's degree in computer science at Oregon State University.

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