Back in 1996 — nearly 20 years ago — 28 employees began their Citrix journey. Here are some of their best Citrix stories, why they love working here, and advice for newcomers.

2000 - Consulting Cruise

David Brosnahan

Managing Director, Worldwide Sales & Services Enablement
Tenure: 20 years

David joined Citrix as part of the acquisition of Innovex Group. He is a native Floridian based in Fort Lauderdale and enjoys golf and vacationing with his family in Siesta Key.  David has been married to his wife, Kelly, for 21 years; and has 3 children (Ryan, Sean, and Erin).

Vice President's Club 1998 (at Benihana)

Michelle Fiore

Lead Admin, Americas Inside, SMB & Renewal Sales
Tenure: 20 years

Michelle Fiore has lived in Florida most of her life but is originally from Chicago and still considers herself to be a Midwesterner.   For three weeks every September she adventures in Europe and when she’s home you’ll find her creating good times with her family, digging in her garden or disappearing into a really good book.

2015-10-16 11.10.24

Chris Mayers

Chief Security Architect
Tenure: 23 years

Chris Mayers is the original Citrix security specialist, starting with MetaFrame, then working mainly on XenApp and XenDesktop. Today, the security focus area for Chris is cryptography across the full range of Citrix products and services. Chris enjoys Russian literature and wonky jazz.

scott1Scott Novack

Release Manager, Cloud Services
Tenure: 20 years

Scott Novack works in Fort Lauderdale and he’s been a developer, product designer, and manager in his 20 years at Citrix. Scott plays electric bass guitar in a band and also sings in the Master Chorale of South Florida. Scott is an identical twin and so are his older sisters!

What is your funniest Citrix memory?

Get ready to laugh out loud! Our Citrix veterans shared some hilarious stories of pranking their coworkers and competitions gone wild. 

“Someone placed an inflatable bounce house in Al Monserrat’s office, someone covered Mike Fout’s office in tin foil, and someone put leftover Chinese food in my office drawer over the weekend”. – David Brosnahan

Grand Prix West Team Pony“It happened during the Q4 Grand Prix in 2013. On the final day of Grand Prix, each team competes for a cash prize by decorating their area and dressing up to exemplify their interpretation of the theme.  This time the theme was famous races around the world and the West team drew Texas. They were determined to win and decided on one element that would put them over the top – a live pony.  And so, a miniature white pony with a purple mane and tail was brought up in the elevator. As a result, when deciding on something potentially questionable, we now ask “Is it worse than a pony?” –Michelle Fiore

“Most charming moment was HR singing “Stand by Your Man” at an iForum after-party, way back.” –Chris Mayers

“A fond memory is all of the nerf cannon wars we had in the hallways in the early days.  I’ve attached a video of how I got Bruce Fortune while showing him my first digital camera.” – Scott Novack

Why do you enjoy being a Citrix employee?

We know Citrix is a special place to work. But want to hear what makes a 20 year veteran makes them come to Citrix every day? 

2005-habitat-project“The people…  you can’t stay somewhere for 20 years if you don’t make connections that you value.” – David Brosnahan

“Being part of a solid company that creates good products that solve real problems for customers is a great feeling.  But the people I work with everyday keep me here and are the reason I’ve been in the same department for my 20 years. The dedication and continued innovation ingrained in this team is both inspiring and motivating.  And, most importantly, they make me laugh every day!”– Michelle Fiore

“You can turn your bright ideas into reality.  It takes skill, determination, and savviness – but you can do it.” -Chris Mayers

“I’ve been asked this question many times, and it always comes down to the people I work with, mostly developers and product designers.” –Scott Novack

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How would you explain the Citrix culture in 3 words?

Michelle Fiore and team 11-10-2016It can be hard to explain what Citrix does, but easier to explain what our culture is like. These veterans have their elevator pitch down pat!

“Teamwork. Impact. Results.”  – David Brosnahan

“Fun, hardworking, ever-evolving.” – Michelle Fiore

“Enjoying making excellence”- Scott Novak

“Citius, Altius, Fortius.” – Chris Mayers

What advice would you give to a new Citrix employee?

We welcome new employees to Citrix every week. These veterans reflect on what they think a new hire should do in their new role.

“Take advantage of multiple opportunities that Citrix has to offer.  The folks I started with in Consulting (many are still here) can be found in all parts of the organization and in different parts of the world.  With an ounce of patience, you too can have a rewarding Citrix journey where no two paths are the same.” – David Brosnahan

 “Take advantage of what Citrix offers: our extensive benefits offerings, training, opportunities to get involved in our internal & external communities, alternate career paths.  Also, no matter what your position is, make the effort to educate yourself on our products and what we have to offer to our customers.  You never know when you’ll have the opportunity to pitch Citrix.  I did recently on a holiday in Iceland!” – Michelle Fiore

“Take the time to get to know as many people as you can around the world.  We’re all smart and we have diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and expertise.  You’ll learn a lot, maybe even without realizing it.” – Chris Mayers

“New employees should be ready to work very hard knowing their colleagues have their back.  At the same time, reach out to people when you need to.  This really is a team sport.” – Scott Novack

Why should someone join Citrix?

Why Citrix?

“It has a little bit of everything… as Citrix has grown over the years so have the number of locations, opportunities, and roles.  It is definitely an environment where you can have an impact, and work with great people in the process.” – David Brosnahan

“Great products, Great people, Great culture and Great opportunities.” – Michelle Fiore

“You can help make the world a better place by working here.”– Chris Mayers

“Citrix has a reputation for doing the right thing and having a higher level of integrity than others in our industry.  You can be cutting edge, successful, and feel good about your company all at once here.” -Scott Novack

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