Code42 Software, Inc., a Minneapolis-based data backup and storage company is again beefing up its leadership ranks, this time by having Workday Inc.’s Mike Stankey join its board of directors. The move addresses both short- and long-term needs at Code42, according to CEO Matthew Dornquast. The addition follows by about three months Code 42’s hiring Jason Bristow away from Amazon.com to serve as its chief financial officer.
 
Attracting such talent to Code 42 “is really in recognition of our velocity as a company and our desire to bring on people that can scale with us,” Dornquast says. “You try to hire for what you need two to three years from now and not just today.”
 
A Minnesota native, Stankey brings valuable experience with cloud-based data, Dornquast says. Stankey has been at Workday, a cloud-based software firm headquartered in Pleasanton, California, since 2009. Before this he managed a portfolio of next generation-enterprise technologies at Greylock Partners, a venture capital firm. He also previously served as chairman and CEO of PolyServe, helping negotiate the company’s 2007 sale to HP, and had earlier risen to senior vice president of North American sales at PeopleSoft.
 
Citing the recent hack of more than 100 celebrities’ nude photos, Dornquast called cloud security a continuing industry challenge. But taking a longer look ahead, Dornquast said his company’s biggest task is keeping control of its quality and values as it continues its current rate of growth.
 
Code42 again ranked among Forbes’ Most Promising Companies this year, placing 44th, and landed on the annual “Inc. 5000” list of the nation’s fastest growing companies. Code42, which employs more than 400 people, posted $39 million in revenue last year, and sales growth of more than 63 percent since 2010.
 
Dornquast, recognized as one of 2014’s Ernst & Young Entrepreneurs Of The Year, did not disclose recent figures but said growth has been consistent with years previous. He called 2014 “an excellent year for us,” but now his sights are trained on 2015.
 
Dornquast believes that philosophy—always looking ahead—suits his ever-changing industry.
 
 “What we’re doing now is already the future for most folks,” he said. “We’re trying to invent the next future.”