AWS  ·  SAP  ·  Verizon

Dr. Michael
A. Hastings

25 years building and scaling enterprise technology organizations, governing $256M+ ARR portfolios, deploying production AI at scale, and developing global teams that consistently deliver measurable outcomes.

Open to board advisory roles, executive consulting engagements & strategic AI partnerships
Let's Connect View Dr. Hastings' Impact
Dr. Michael A. Hastings
Open to New Opportunities
$256M+
ARR Portfolio Governed at AWS, Automotive and Manufacturing
See the Story →
$140M
ARR Migration Wins
How →
126%
YoY Growth
How →
1,200+
CSMs Aligned Globally
How →
25+
Years in Tech Leadership
The Journey →
Dr. Michael A. Hastings
Amazon Web Services Verizon SAP Hitachi
🎓 Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, MCNY 2025

Awarded by Metropolitan College of New York at the Jacob Javits Center for contributions to innovation, leadership, and creating STEM pathways for underrepresented youth.

About

People-First.
Results-Obsessed.

A global technology executive with over 25 years of experience delivering transformational outcomes for some of the world's most recognized enterprises: Amazon Web Services, Verizon, SAP, and Hitachi. One conviction has defined his career: exceptional results are the byproduct of exceptional people.

At AWS, he was recruited to establish and scale the global post-sales strategy and Customer Solutions Management organization for Automotive and Manufacturing, building a multi-tiered Director-level organization from the ground up. That included recruiting and developing Customer Solutions Managers, Partner Development Managers, and Solution Architects accountable for $256M+ ARR across seven strategic enterprise accounts. He designed the operating cadences, performance frameworks, and career development programs that cut attrition to below-target levels and consistently raised the performance bar. The CSM Excellence Role Guide he authored became the global standard, adopted by over 1,200 CSMs globally, establishing a new standard for post-sales excellence.

Before AWS, he spent 13 years at SAP, leading the North American Application Lifecycle Management group and co-leading global platform releases from Waldorf, Germany. That work generated $22.3M in net new service revenue and 90% contract renewals across accounts including BoA, ExxonMobil, Amtrak, and Colgate. At Verizon, he led a 16-person transformation organization executing strategic initiatives directly for the Chief Data Officer and CEO.

His technical fluency spans agentic AI architecture, GenAI platform deployment, and enterprise cloud strategy, with the operational track record to execute at scale and communicate at the board level. His operating philosophy: invest in the clarity and growth of your people, and the results follow.

"Michael's unique ability to distill complexity into actionable solutions, while maintaining unwavering standards of excellence, is what sets him apart as a global leader."

Vikas Tyagi, Global Account Director, AWS Automotive

Career Impact

Selected Outcomes

Numbers tell part of the story. The operating systems, governance models, and teams built to sustain them tell the rest.

AWS · 2020 to Present
$140M ARR
51 Migration Wins · 126% YoY Growth
Established and scaled AWS's global Customer Solutions Management strategy for Automotive and Manufacturing. Governed 256 SFDC opportunities totaling $256M ARR through rigorous win verification, cross-functional interlocks, and milestone discipline that converted bookings into real consumption revenue.
Agentic AI Leadership
35%
Reduction in Technical Validation Cycle Time
Spearheaded GenAI readiness strategy using Bedrock and SageMaker. Applied autonomous AI architecture patterns to move automotive use cases from prototype to production. Upskilled 500+ professionals in applied AI architecture.
SAP America · 13 Years
$22.3M
Net New Revenue: BoA, ExxonMobil, Amtrak, Colgate
40% YoY revenue growth. 90% contract renewals. 45% net new client acquisition across marquee accounts. Scaled team utilization from 40% to 85% and held attrition to 2% over 7 years through purposeful culture building.
Global Enablement
2,660+
Professionals Enabled Across NA Accounts
Authored the CSM Excellence Role Guide, the global standard adopted by 1,200+ CSMs worldwide, aligning frontline execution behaviors to C-Suite KPIs, adoption milestones, and pipeline governance standards.
Verizon · Business Transformation
$9.2M
$2.3M Eliminated · $6.9M Pipeline Generated
Directed vendor rationalization across DnB, Equifax, and TransUnion. Built analytics-driven pipeline motion for the One Fiber program in direct support of 5G-era growth strategy, presenting to the Chief Data Officer and CEO.
Architecture Studio

AWS Architectures, Explained Simply

Six core patterns every cloud builder should know, and six I worked on hands-on across my portfolio of customers in the Automotive and Manufacturing IBU at AWS. That is where this understanding comes from: not textbooks, but real builds with real stakes. Each is drawn in the official AWS icon style and explained in plain language. No jargon walls: just what each piece does, why it is there, and the order I would build it in.

Your users on the internet 2 · connect AWS Cloud Route 53 · DNS 1 · DNS lookup: what is the address of mysite.com? Internet Gateway: the front door VPC · your private network · 10.0.0.0/16 Public Subnet · 10.0.1.0/24 EC2 Web Server Reachable from the internet Private Subnet · 10.0.2.0/24 RDS Database No internet access · web tier only only the web server can talk to the database Route 53 answers "where is mysite.com?" then traffic flows through the gateway to your server.

VPC Basics

Think of a VPC as your own private building inside AWS. Route 53 is the phone book that tells visitors your address. The public subnet is the lobby where visitors are allowed. The private subnet is the vault where your data lives.

  1. Create a VPC: your private slice of AWS with its own IP range
  2. Point your domain at Route 53 so mysite.com resolves to your server
  3. Add a public subnet for the web server and a private subnet for the database
  4. Attach an Internet Gateway so users can reach the public subnet
  5. Launch an EC2 instance in public, an RDS database in private
  6. Use security groups so only the web server can talk to the database
Route 53VPCSubnetsInternet GatewayEC2RDS
AWS Control Tower Sets up and manages everything below, automatically AWS Organizations · one company, many separate accounts Management Account Pays the bills · sets the rules Runs no workloads Security Account Keeps every log · runs audits Nobody can quietly delete history Workload Accounts Production · Development Where your apps actually run IAM Identity Center One login for every account. No shared passwords, ever. Guardrails Rules every account must follow, like "no public S3 buckets." Enforced automatically. Every new account you create inherits the logins, logging, and guardrails on day one.

Landing Zone

A landing zone is the move from one messy shared account to a clean multi-account home. Billing lives in one place, security logs in another, and your apps in their own accounts, so one mistake can never take down everything.

  1. Turn on AWS Control Tower: it builds the structure for you
  2. Keep the management account for billing and rules only
  3. Let the security account collect every log, untouchable
  4. Create separate accounts for production and development
  5. Add guardrails and one single sign-on for your whole team
Control TowerOrganizationsIdentity CenterGuardrails
Your Data Center SAP App Servers SAP Database runs finance, orders, inventory: the whole business 1 · Application Migration Service app servers move as machine images 2 · Backup + replication the database moves, then stays in sync until cutover weekend AWS Direct Connect private line: office users never notice the move AWS Cloud Production VPC · inside your landing zone AZ A · Private SAP App on EC2 SAP HANA on EC2 certified high-memory instance AZ B · Private HANA Standby synced copy, ready to take over in minutes HANA replication Backups to Amazon S3 nightly and on demand, kept cheap and safe Same SAP, new home: standing on two AZs, backed up to S3, connected to the office by a private line.

SAP ERP Migration to AWS

This was my day job at AWS: moving the system a company literally runs on, finance, orders, inventory, out of a data center and into the cloud without the business missing a beat. The app servers travel as images; the database moves once, then stays in sync until cutover weekend.

  1. Build the landing zone first: SAP lands in the production account
  2. Size certified high-memory EC2 instances for SAP HANA
  3. Connect the office to AWS with Direct Connect so users never notice
  4. Move app servers with AWS Application Migration Service
  5. Move the database by backup and restore, then replicate until cutover
  6. Run HANA replication across two AZs and back everything up to S3
SAP HANA on EC2Application Migration ServiceDirect ConnectHANA ReplicationS3 Backups
BEFORE · one big app One server runs everything Orders code Inventory code Billing code One database for all of it Change one line, redeploy it all. One bug can take the whole app down. split it up, one piece at a time AFTER · small independent services API Gateway: one front door for every service Orders Service Inventory Service Billing Service Own database Own database Own database Each service is small, runs in containers on ECS, and can be updated or scaled without touching the others. Fix billing on a Tuesday without redeploying orders. That is the payoff.

Monolith to Microservices

A monolith is one giant app where everything is glued together. Microservices break it into small pieces that each do one job, so teams can ship fixes independently and one failure stays contained.

  1. Draw the natural seams: orders, inventory, billing
  2. Put API Gateway in front so callers never notice the surgery
  3. Pull out one piece at a time into its own container service
  4. Give each service its own database, no sharing
  5. Retire the old monolith once the last piece moves out
API GatewayECS ContainersDatabase per Service
Traffic rises and falls all day Load Balancer Splits traffic evenly Auto Scaling Group · at least 2 servers, at most 8 Server 1 running Server 2 running Server 3 launching now... Every server is an identical copy, launched from the same template. If one fails its health check, it is replaced automatically. CloudWatch watches the servers all day Busy? CPU over 70% Add a server Quiet? CPU under 30% Remove a server You pay for the servers running right now, not for the peak. The fleet breathes with your traffic. Bonus: schedule extra servers before a known rush, like Monday 9 AM.

Auto Scaling

Instead of guessing how many servers you need, you set a range and let AWS adjust. Busy afternoon? Servers are added. Quiet night? They are removed, and so is their cost.

  1. Save a launch template: the exact recipe for one server
  2. Create an Auto Scaling Group: at least 2, at most 8
  3. Put a load balancer in front to spread the traffic
  4. Tell CloudWatch the rule: add at 70% CPU, remove at 30%
  5. Let health checks swap out any server that stops responding
Auto Scaling GroupLoad BalancerCloudWatchLaunch Template
AWS Cloud Internet Gateway internet traffic VPC A · 10.0.0.0/16 Public Subnet EC2 Web Server faces the internet Private Subnet Your App on EC2 no direct internet route VPC B · 10.1.0.0/16 Private Subnet Partner Team's App different VPC, maybe a different account VPC Peering a private bridge: the two apps talk directly Gateway Endpoint free · for S3 and DynamoDB Interface Endpoint small hourly fee · most other services Amazon S3 CloudWatch Why this matters Only the web server touches the internet. Everything else moves on the AWS network: endpoints for AWS services, peering for the partner VPC. Safer, faster, cheaper. Public subnet: internet in. Private paths: endpoints to AWS services, peering to the partner VPC.

VPC Endpoints & Peering

The public subnet handles what the internet must reach, like your web server. Everything else stays private: peering bridges your VPC to a partner VPC, and endpoints are private side doors to AWS services like S3, so your app never needs the public internet.

  1. Keep a public subnet for internet-facing pieces, behind the Internet Gateway
  2. Keep your app in a private subnet with no internet route
  3. Request a peering connection to VPC B, accept it, update both route tables
  4. Remember: peering is not transitive. A to B and B to C does not give A to C
  5. Add a free Gateway Endpoint for S3 or DynamoDB traffic
  6. Add Interface Endpoints for other AWS services your app calls privately
Public + Private SubnetsVPC PeeringGateway EndpointInterface EndpointPrivateLink

Career Journey

25+ Years Building at the Edge of What's Possible

From SAP consulting floors to AWS global leadership, a career built on transformation at every scale.

Aug 2020 · Present
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Head of Global Customer Solutions Management · Automotive and Manufacturing · Miami, FL
Recruited to establish and scale AWS's global post-sales strategy and Customer Solutions Management organization for Automotive and Manufacturing. Led a multi-tiered Director-level organization of CSMs, Partner Development Managers, and Solution Architects accountable for $256M+ ARR. Designed MAP 2.0 revenue governance, authored the CSM Excellence Role Guide adopted by 1,200+ CSMs globally, and drove the IBU's GenAI transformation from pilot to production. Delivered C-suite QBRs to VP, SVP, and Divisional President audiences across 7 strategic accounts.
$256M ARRAI AutomationBedrockSageMakerSmart FactorySoftware-Defined Vehicle
Oct 2018 · Aug 2020
Verizon
Senior Manager, Business Transformation · New York, NY
Led a 16-person organization of transformation managers and Black Belts executing strategic initiatives for the Verizon Business Group. Directed vendor rationalization, the One Fiber pipeline development motion, and enterprise data governance. Presented strategy and performance trade-offs directly to the Chief Data Officer and CEO.
Business TransformationData Governance5G Strategy$6.9M Pipeline
Jan 2004 · Jul 2017
SAP America / SAP SE
Practice Manager · Senior Product Manager, Waldorf Germany · Senior Director
A 13-year progressive career culminating as Senior Director leading 32 professionals across North America's ALM group and Customer Center of Excellence. Co-led global Solution Manager platform releases from SAP headquarters in Waldorf, Germany. Delivered $22.3M in net new revenue with 90% contract renewals serving BoA, ExxonMobil, HP, Amtrak, and Colgate.
$22.3M RevenueGlobal Product ManagementSAP SE GermanyBoA · ExxonMobil · HP · Amtrak
2001 · 2004
Hitachi Consulting
Consultant · SAP ERP · Dallas, TX
Delivered ERP implementations for Fortune 500 clients including John Deere, Disneyland, and Philip Morris. Managed full project lifecycles from scoping through rollout, building the execution discipline that would define the decades ahead.
SAP ERPFortune 500John Deere · Disneyland · Philip Morris

Expertise

Areas of Expertise

Technical depth, commercial ownership, and people-first leadership, developed across 25+ years of enterprise transformation at AWS, SAP, Verizon, and Hitachi.

🤖

Enterprise AI Strategy

Designing and deploying enterprise-scale AI programs, from autonomous workflow architecture to responsible AI governance and board-level AI readiness strategy.

Agentic AI ArchitectureGenAI DeploymentResponsible AIAWS Bedrock & SageMaker
☁

Cloud Transformation & Revenue Governance

Governing multi-hundred-million ARR cloud portfolios, leading large-scale migrations, and building the operating systems that sustain growth after the deal closes.

$256M+ ARR GovernanceCloud MigrationSFDC Pipeline OpsContract Renewals
🏭

Industry Vertical Expertise

Deep domain experience in Automotive, Manufacturing, Financial Services, and Telecommunications, translating industry-specific complexity into scalable technology outcomes.

Automotive & ManufacturingFinancial ServicesTelecomSmart Factory / SDV
🌟

Organizational Leadership & Talent

Building high-performance organizations from the ground up, recruiting, developing, and retaining technical and commercial talent across global, matrixed environments.

Global Team BuildingExecutive DevelopmentChange ManagementCulture & Retention

Perspectives

Insights & Commentary

Original thinking on the forces reshaping enterprise technology, drawing from 25+ years in the field, current research, and ongoing practice.

Artificial Intelligence
March 2025 · 12 min read

Mastering the Art of Fine-Tuning: How to Take Control of Your Generative AI Model’s Behavior

By Dr. Michael A. Hastings  ·  Head of Global Customer Solutions Management, AWS Automotive & Manufacturing

If you have spent any time working with large language models, you have probably experienced that moment where the output feels almost right but not quite there. That gap between “close enough” and “exactly what I need” is where fine-tuning comes in, and it is arguably the most important skill set you can develop as an AI practitioner today.

Read Full Article →
Artificial Intelligence

RAG: The Quiet Revolution Happening Inside Every Serious AI Deployment

The sharper leaders are no longer asking which model to use. They are asking how to connect the model to their business. RAG is the architectural answer, and it determines whether your enterprise AI is a toy or a tool.

March 2026 9 min read
Read Article →
Artificial Intelligence

Agents Are Not Coming. They Are Here.

What two books on building AI agents taught me about where this is all heading, and what every executive investing in AI needs to understand before the next vendor pitch.

March 2026 10 min read
Read Article →
Artificial Intelligence

The Highway Is Built. Now What Drives on It?

The enterprise cloud conversation has permanently shifted from infrastructure to AI outcomes. What that means for every services leader, GM, and technology executive in the room.

March 2026 8 min read
Read Article →
✍

More articles coming soon. Check back for new perspectives on enterprise AI strategy, deployment patterns, and emerging technology trends.

Editorial Transparency Notice: All articles published in this section represent original analysis and professional perspective developed by Michael A. Hastings. Where applicable, content draws from peer-reviewed research, publicly available industry data, proprietary professional experience, and internet-sourced references, each of which is cited within the article text. Some articles incorporate research assistance or structural support from generative AI tools; in all such cases, all facts, conclusions, and editorial positions have been independently reviewed, verified, and reflect the author's own professional judgment. Citations are provided in accordance with standard editorial practice and do not imply endorsement by referenced organizations or publications.

Voices

What Leaders Say

The true measure of leadership is the people who have experienced it firsthand.

"

While there may be leaders who are not developing trust with their employees, Michael is the consummate leader who could teach a master class on developing solid relationships with his direct reports. He is an incredible advocate for his team and establishes a safe space for thought-provoking, candid conversation. He earned my trust and I would enthusiastically work for him again.

Bill David
Managing Director, Portfolio of Companies · AWS Direct Report
On Trust and Advocacy
"

Michael has had an exemplary career in consulting technology and his prowess continues to show in his growth as a well-respected leader. He challenged the status quo, navigated difficult topics with remarkable skill and care, and always offered a diverse perspective that considered the whole rather than a subset. He possesses the full 360-degree portfolio of qualities to be an effective and transformative leader at the highest levels.

Rob Solomon
Vice Dean of Executive Programs, NYU Stern School of Business
On Career Excellence and Character
"

Michael is a leader in thought, discussion, and class participation, never a dull moment when it comes to his interaction. He provided unique and diverse opinions and clearly communicated his thoughts across a large group in a manner that caught the attention of every listener. His verbal delivery and communication style are qualities that warrant leadership at the highest levels.

Prof. Anindya Ghose
Heinz Riehl Chair Professor of Business, NYU Stern School of Business
On Intellect and Presence
"

Your journey from Wilson, North Carolina to Global Head at Amazon Web Services embodies the very ideals we uphold at MCNY. Your commitment to creating STEM pathways for underrepresented youth is a powerful example of using success as a lasting platform for community impact. Your story will inspire our graduates and affirm the values that define our mission.

Dr. Charles J. Gibbs
President, Metropolitan College of New York
On Legacy and Impact
"

Michael brought tremendous value to our CSM Leadership Team at AWS. He often asked the hard questions, the ones that needed to be raised, always respectfully and professionally. He helped me gain new perspectives on leadership, our customers, and the Automotive and Manufacturing industry. He embraced Amazon's Leadership Principles and served as a model for others to follow.

John Loiacono IV
Customer Success Leader at AWS · Peer Colleague
On Strategic Thinking and Standards
"

Michael is an outstanding SAP professional focused on helping clients succeed in their Application Lifecycle Management requirements. His client-facing management and technical skills are exceptional and worthy of year-after-year accolades. His authenticity and high EQ have consistently made him a respected professional that both internal and external constituencies repeatedly want to work with. His value-focused approach drives his team's energy toward high-value outcomes his clients point to as key to their success.

Michael DiGiandomenico
CEO and President · Former Direct Manager at SAP
On Client Excellence and EQ
View All Testimonials

Credentials

Professional Certifications & Licenses

Validated expertise spanning cloud architecture, artificial intelligence, and enterprise selling, earned through Amazon Web Services.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)
AWS Way of Selling: Executive Essentials for AI
Generative AI Tools Executive Presentations
Verify on Credly
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
AWS Partner: Generative AI Essentials
Generative AI Tools AWS IoT
Verify on Credly
Amazon Web Services
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Cloud Computing AWS Services Security & Compliance
Verify on Credly

Leadership Beyond the Organization

Board and Community Affiliations

Executive leadership that extends into the community, the classroom, and the next generation of technologists.

🏠
Enclave at Sherwood HOA · Delray Beach, FL
Vice President · Board of Directors
Elected Vice President of the Enclave at Sherwood Homeowners Association, bringing the same operational discipline and people-first leadership. Responsible for supporting board governance, overseeing community initiatives, managing vendor relationships, and ensuring the standards and quality of life that residents expect.
🎓
Metropolitan College of New York
Honorary Doctorate Honoree · Class of 2025
Recognized for contributions to innovation, leadership, and educational equity. Delivered commencement address at the Jacob Javits Center, New York City.
🔬
National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
Member · 1996 to Present
Long-standing commitment to advancing engineering education and professional development for underrepresented communities in STEM fields.
🏛️
NYU Alumni Association (NYUAA)
Board Nominee · NYU Stern MBA
Nominated to the NYUAA Board of Directors for demonstrated leadership, relationship building, and commitment to the NYU community and alumni network.
⚡
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Keeper of Finance · Alpha Upsilon Chapter · 2011 to Present
Omega Man of the Year 2018. Superior Service Award recipient. Committee Chair for community blood drives serving the Bedford-Stuyvesant community.
🌿
YMCA
Youth Mentor · 2006 to Present
Two decades of mentoring young professionals, with a focus on creating STEM pathways and career clarity for youth in underserved communities.
🍽️
Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church
Soup Kitchen Supporter · 2011 to Present
Providing meals, clothing, and social counseling for individuals in the Bedford-Stuyvesant community through the church's ongoing outreach programs.
⛳ 📚 🤝

Outside of the boardroom, An avid golfer, Michael finds the same discipline on the course that guides his professional approach: patience, strategic thinking, and knowing when to commit. He is deeply committe, strategic thinking, and knowing when to commit. He is deeply committed to philanthropy and community service, with 20+ years mentoring young professionals and creating access to STEM careers for students who remind him of where he came from.

The best leaders, he believes, are also students of life, curious, connected, and always building something meaningful beyond the role.

Beyond the Resume

More Than a Professional, A Journey

Every leader carries a story shaped long before the boardroom. From the tobacco fields of the South to the towering skyline of Brooklyn, New York, this is a life built on grit, growth, and an unwavering commitment to community.

Early years Early Years
Delivering the commencement address at Metropolitan College of New York Academic Prowess

Chapter One · The Beginning

Rooted in the Fields

Long before city lights, there were wide-open skies and rows of tobacco stretching to the horizon. Those early farming days instilled something no classroom could teach: a respect for the land, hard work, and the patience that only comes from watching things grow.

It was here, in the quietude of rural life, that the foundations of discipline, perseverance, and community responsibility were laid.

🌱 Hard Work 🏠 Humble Beginnings ⏳ Patience
New York City skyline New York City
Professional milestone at AWS Professional Life

Chapter Two · The City

Brooklyn Made Him

The transition from rural fields to New York City was not just a change of address. It was a reinvention. Brooklyn became home for over 23 years, the place that sharpened his edge, broadened his perspective, and connected him to a world of diverse voices and ambitions.

From community corridors to corporate corridors, the city proved to be both classroom and canvas for a career marked by impact and innovation.

🗽 Brooklyn, NY · 23+ Years 💼 Tech & Leadership
Golf swing On the Green
Golf putting
At ease Off the Clock

Chapter Three · The Game

Golf as a Philosophy

Ask him about golf and watch the energy shift. What began as a pastime became a discipline, a sport that mirrors the demands of leadership with uncanny precision.

Every round demands patience when the shot doesn't land right, focus when distractions crowd in, and decision-making under pressure when the course doesn't cooperate. These are not just lessons from the fairway; they are the same principles he brings to every room he enters.

⛳ Avid Golfer 🎯 Focus 🧠 Decision-Making
Omega Psi Phi, Alpha Upsilon Chapter

Omega Psi Phi · Life Member

A proud Life Member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Alpha Upsilon Chapter, Est. 1949. Brotherhood, scholarship, and service are not just words in a creed; they are a way of living. His commitment to community-based initiatives flows directly from the fraternal values instilled through decades of active membership and advocacy.

“From the tobacco fields to the boardroom, every chapter was preparation for the next.”
Read the Full Story

Let's Connect

Ready for the Next Chapter

Dr. Michael A. Hastings

Currently exploring executive leadership opportunities as Executive Director, VP of Technology, or Head of AI Transformation, bringing 25+ years of cloud governance, AI deployment, and enterprise revenue outcomes to organizations building for the next era.

✉️  [email protected] 📞  +1 (929) 699-3277 🔗  linkedin.com/in/michaelahastingsphd 📄  Download Dr. Hastings' Resume (PDF)  Connect on LinkedIn