After ten years (!) at the SitePoint Group, I started a new job in January. For posterity, here’s the press release announcing my new gig as CTO of Avalanche Technology Group:

Avalanche Technology Group Creates CTO Role For Strategic Partnership Growth

Kevin Yank to provide technical oversight in expansion of subsidiary partnership opportunities at Avalanche, parent of AVG (AU/NZ), and internal technology development.

MELBOURNE 8 March 2012 - The Australian owned Avalanche Technology Group, that takes innovative technologies to market in Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific, has appointed Kevin Yank to the newly created position of Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
Avalanche’s continuing growth has necessitated a dedicated CTO role with both internal and external responsibilities for the Group which includes AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd, the local regional distributor of the award-winning AVG Internet and mobile security software.

As CTO, Kevin Yank will be working with the executive team to identify and evaluate the technology and business opportunities for expanding the group of companies with proven partnerships such as that with AVG. His role is to provide technical perspective, guidance and oversight in that process. He has also taken ownership of all internal systems including the Group’s internally developed e-commerce / CRM / Reseller management system.

Over the past decade Yank has held CTO and other positions at online media company SitePoint and has built a strong reputation, especially in the web development and broader technical communities. He is also a highly regarded author and accomplished presenter. Yank holds a Bachelor of Engineering, Computer Engineering from McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

Kevin Yank said: “I was attracted to the potential in Avalanche’s thriving business and this demanding position where I can be pivotal in helping make the right technology choices from the exciting opportunities in front of us.”

Avalanche’s CEO Peter Cameron said: “The AVG (AU/NZ) subsidiary is a success story we’re looking to repeat. Kevin’s appointment, with his expertise and commitment, will ensure we have the right team to provide outstanding technology solutions for the Australian, New Zealand and regional marketplaces. We are delighted to have him join us.”

For the first time in a decade, I feel like I have everything to learn and more than a little to prove, which is both incredibly exciting and a wee bit scary. Thankfully, the team at Avalanche and AVG (AU/NZ) is a wonderful bunch of people; without exception, each person there is both a pleasure to work with, and a genuinely lovely human being.