Rob Lackey, CTO of BZ Results

Photograph by Photograph by Mark Ostow

1

Broken Mold
Lackey grew up in a trailer in rural Kansas and was the first person in his family to go to college. "My last name is Lackey. My entire family history is one of servitude. Being the first to get that opportunity was really sobering."

2

No Match For Granny
In describing his job to his grandmother, Lackey likened being a CTO to owning a herd of cattle, only each cow costs $250,000 and they love jumping off cliffs. "She just told me to keep eating my pork chops."

3

Wheels Of Love
Lackey's '76 Ford Granada says a lot about his management style. He's spiffed it up with a new engine and an in-dash MP3 player but knows not to mess with what works. "Sometimes tried-and-true methods are the best way to handle IT problems."

4

After Hours
Spare time finds Lackey playing guitar in the rock band Arturo Got the Shaft. His newest interest is boxing and could be cause for concern among his staff at digital-marketing company BZ Results. "There's something about getting punched in the face really hard that inspires one to work harder."

5

Eleven To One
The one thing people do with technology that really bugs this CTO: The overuse of exclamation points in E-mails. "I'm not sure what's being said with 11 exclamation points that isn't already said with one."