SugarCRM Anniversary: 20 Opinions for 20 Years
20 years of Sugar. 20 years of commitment to our customers, values, employees.
For the past two decades, we have strived to deliver innovative business solutions to our loyal customer base. This case included not only expanding our product portfolio, but also placing an emphasis on collaborating with partners from all around the world. While many things have changed over the years, one thing was constant: our appreciation for our employees.
So, let’s get a quick glimpse into what makes Sugar, Sugar. As we prepare to celebrate our anniversary on June 1st, here’s a snapshot of why our employees chose us, what Sugar is for them, and how is Sugar supporting their professional and personal goals!
What we'll Cover:
20 Opinion for 20 Years
“Happy Anniversary, SugarCRM! It has been a pleasure working alongside such brilliant colleagues, inspiring customers and business partners. After almost 14 amazing years filled with learning, growth, and friendships, I look forward to many more wonderful years together.”
– Charlynne Elezi, Marketing Director, EMEA
“I’ve been with SugarCRM for 14 years. Prior to joining Sugar, my typical stay at a company was a bit over 3 years, which I feel is usually long enough to make an impact, deliver results, and leave with both parties feeling positive about the experience.
At SugarCRM, I’ve been lucky enough to experience a tidal wave of different opportunities. The company, and my responsibilities within it have grown and evolved significantly in that time. Any time that I’ve ever asked myself is now the right time to leave, I’ve found myself so excited about the next part of the mission and opportunity ahead of us that the thought has quickly left my mind. I love what we do, and I love how we do it.
We have great customers, great people, great culture, and great products and I think everyone really wants to make things even better tomorrow than they are today. That’s what it takes to build a great company.”
– Zac Sprackett, Chief Technology Officer
“SugarCRM truly understands the importance of work-life balance, allowing me to excel in my role while maintaining a healthy personal life. Plus, the people here are fantastic—the engineers and other colleagues I work with make every challenge more manageable and every success more enjoyable. It’s a blend of professionalism and teamwork that makes every day rewarding.”
– Cristinel Mitoi, Manager, Software Engineering
“I’ve been working with Sugar, both as a partner and an employee, since 2016. I’m still here, so they must be doing something right!”
– Paul Scondac, Senior Manager, Marketing Technology
“I love working at Sugar, the deep collaboration and team-based approach to working means we can deliver great value, and really partner with our customers.
Every day, we get to use great tech, and share that with the world. Most of all, it’s the people, we all support each other, we all strive to learn and do better.”
– Trevor Carlsson, Solutions Consultant Director
“I love working at Sugar because it allows me to work with talented professionals. The team and work environment allows me to continuously learn and grow professionally. Our innovative solutions-oriented workplace motivates me to get creative and contribute to developing new, impactful solutions for our customers.
– Gabriel Stamin, Software Engineer
“I have been at Sugar for almost 4 years now. My personal philosophy is that I will stay at an organization for as long as I can grow. That’s one of the best experiences to come out of my time here. I am constantly growing, being introduced to more complex aspects of my role that challenge me in the most rewarding ways. I have a manager and company that is willing to invest in me, my education and training, and gives me opportunities to try new things. Not to mention, the people here are wonderful. This is by far the best HR team I have ever been lucky enough to be a part of!”
– Keyera Grant, Human Resources Specialist
“It feels like I’ve gone full circle with SugarCRM. Having worked at partner, Loaded Technologies, over a decade ago, being on stage with Clint espousing “CRM as a Strategy” at The Kirribilli Club, leaving to work in other SaaS, only to return as a shiny new Sugar in 2024. It’s still an amazing software that I lived and breathed all those years ago. Every day I get to work with amazing new colleagues and some old ones that I still call friends from way back. As Jake and Elwood once said, “we’re putting the band back together…” Or as Adam, Gi and I would call it “Laksa Club re-unite!”
– Arun Mistry, Customer Success Director
“I am thrilled to be part of this incredible journey as our company celebrates 20 years of success. Over the past 8 years in the CX department, I have faced challenges that have only made me stronger and more capable. I am grateful for the opportunities to learn and grow, and I am excited about what the future holds for all of us. Here’s to many more years of growth, success, and shared achievements!”
– Aurel Roman, Principal Software Engineer
“Why I ❤️ Sugar?
I was graciously embraced and guided into the realm of CRMs despite my lack of prior experience. The incredible support and encouragement from the Sugar family have been truly uplifting. Their unwavering faith in my abilities has empowered me, and this support remains steadfast as I transition into my current role with the SugarU team. In this exciting position, I am thrilled to merge my marketing insights with my love for teaching. Thank you, Sugar!”
– Anamaria Vintila, Training Content Specialist
“As a Senior Engineering Manager at SugarCRM, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing and contributing to our innovative journey. I joined Sugar as a Senior Developer, and the journey has been amazing, progressing from Development to Senior Management. I’ve had the opportunity to work on various projects and areas of the product, which has been both challenging and rewarding. SugarCRM is a perfect example of promoting talent, giving opportunities, and encouraging employees to try new things. The supportive culture and high standards make it a place where personal and professional growth are encouraged. I am glad to be part of Sugar’s journey. Here’s to celebrating 20 years of excellence and looking forward to many more successful years ahead!”
– Keshav Adunuthula, Senior Manager, Engineering
“SugarCRM is a place where teamwork, knowledge and skills come to flourish. The opportunities to evolve and push the boundaries are endless!”
– Julia Khligh, Partner Marketing Manager
“I worked for another company and around 2008, we were considering another CRM. Sugar was a contender, and my teammate and I loved everything about it. Unfortunately, we were overruled (and the company ended up just extending the contract with the current vendor) …but Sugar made such a good impression that I knew I wanted to work with Sugar at some point in my career. So, over 10 years later, in 2019, when I was job-hunting, I saw the job opening and applied as fast as I could!
I love that I get to work with some really sharp and talented people — not just in marketing, but I even get to collaborate regularly with other teams so we can improve our products for our customers. It’s really cool that some of my work in Sugar Market has been turned into out-of-the-box features of the system, and that wouldn’t have happened without a great team willing to listen to their users and come up with solutions together.”
– Allie Fischer, Marketing Operations Manager
“I started with Sugar in 2017 as a customer support representative. Sugar was a place that encouraged professional growth and exploration, which led my manager to help me set up a mentoring relationship with someone in the Product Management org. Due to that help, I was able to foster connections to other teams within the organization and after a couple of years I moved into Product Management, taking ownership of the product that I had started out troubleshooting for our customers. Sugar has been a wonderful place for me to grow, surrounded by colleagues I respect and trust.”
– Beth Martin, Senior Product Manager
“I have worked at Sugar for 18 years come next month and can’t believe that I still love working here! Sugar has been such a huge part of my life that I often wonder what I’d be doing if I never started working at Sugar and what my life would have been like. I’m sure it wouldn’t be as good as it is now! Sugar is such a great place to work at. The people are wonderful, the management is great, and there is never a dull moment! Always learning and adapting to new things. I am so glad to be a ‘Suga’!”
– Lori F., Technical Support Engineer
“I have been a member of the Sugar family for 12 years. I walked through the doors at our headquarters in Cupertino, California, and during the tour and meet-n-greet, I immediately felt a cheerful, positive, and (very) busy vibe. I could feel that people were happy to be there, and having fun at work. Clint came up to our office and welcomed me to the company – what a positive impact for a newbie contractor. I came from IBM (uh, yeah, no meet and greet with executives during my 12 years there LOL), and so for me, this close-knit, smaller company with an absolutely magnetic culture was something I had never experienced. I knew I was going to be part of something amazing. So many good times followed: Friday happy hours, Holiday parties and potlucks, friendly competitions, product release celebrations, people coming together for our recruiting events, and feeling on top of the world when your candidates said “Yes!” to our offer. I have experienced career growth, trust, collaboration, respect, creativity and autonomy with just the right balance of wonderful management support. The people continue to be my #1 reason why I love coming to work every day. Sugar, and its core values, has grown and evolved since I started. Knowing I can still easily share with candidates (and colleagues) my true, organic “why” tells me I am right where I should be. Happy Birthday, SugarCRM!”
– Carrie Tuveson Wozadlo, Talent Acquisition Director
“I’ve been with Sugar for almost 17 years, and it’s true what they say—time flies when you’re having fun! It’s been amazing to witness Sugar’s evolution over the years, and I’m thankful to have been a part of it all. Sugar has provided me with numerous opportunities to grow both personally and professionally, allowing me to follow my passion and explore various aspects of the business. However, what truly sets Sugar apart is the people. I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the most genuine, innovative, and dedicated individuals, many of whom have become lifelong friends. The teamwork and camaraderie here are unparalleled, making SugarCRM a truly special place to work. Happy 20th birthday Sugar!”
– Brie Rowe, Senior Director, Product Education & Community
“One of the incredible things that I’ve noticed working at SugarCRM is how much passion and connection to the brand our employees have!”
– Sarita Kincaid, Analyst & Media Relations Vice President
“Whenever someone asks me about what I like the most about working at SugarCRM, I say the people. Not only those in my local team, many of whom I’ve worked with for a number of years, but also my international colleagues, and our many partners. At Sugar, you are not just a number. You are empowered to grow and thrive. The same goes for how we support our customers. I believe that is key to our success.
I’m happy and proud to be part of our Sugar family and wish the company and everyone who works here a very happy birthday!”
– Lorraine Chapman, EMEA Marketing Director
“The part I love the most about Sugar is the people. From colleagues to partners to customers to industry influencers, what gets me most excited about Sugar is working with amazing people and making new friends around the world.”
– Clint Oram, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer
