Eric Berlinberg, a key leader on Amazon’s Prime Air team, is leaving the tech giant to join Torc Robotics, a subsidiary of Daimler Truck focused on developing autonomous vehicle technology for self-driving trucks. During his time at Amazon, Berlinberg led program management, business intelligence, and other aspects of the drone delivery division. He reflected on his experience, noting the incredible opportunity he had to work on bringing drone delivery to the world and learning from talented engineers and aviators. Berlinberg’s previous experience includes roles at Manhattan Creative Group and Coca-Cola.
At Torc Robotics, Berlinberg will take on a leadership role in program management, working to enable trucks to drive autonomously between hubs in the U.S. Torc Robotics spun out of Virginia Tech nearly two decades ago and has been focused on developing technology for self-driving trucks. This move represents a shift for Berlinberg from his work on drone delivery at Amazon to a new challenge in the autonomous vehicle space. Amazon, meanwhile, continues to advance its drone delivery technology and recently received approval from the FAA to fly drones beyond visual line of sight.
In addition to Berlinberg’s move, there have been other key personnel changes in the Pacific Northwest tech ecosystem. John Montgomery, who spent over 26 years at Microsoft, joined Meta as vice president of product management on the infrastructure team. Longtime marketing executive Jay Wampold joined Australian software company Buildkite. Michael Vogelsong, co-founder of Amazon’s Deep Learning Technologies team, joined Collaborative Robotics, a company founded by former Amazon Robotics VP Brad Porter. Whitney Ellison, formerly of Alaska Airlines, joined Starbucks as senior manager of brand marketing.
Aaron Kornblum is leaving his role as global general counsel at BYJU’S Learning, part of the India-based edtech company BYJU. Kornblum, a former Microsoft manager and general counsel at Bungie, is making this transition in his career. Meanwhile, Mark Musburger is stepping down as CFO of Banzai, a Seattle-area marketing software company that went public late last year. Musburger, who previously worked at Avalara and Corvee, had joined Banzai in 2022. These personnel changes reflect the ongoing movement within the tech industry, as talented professionals take on new challenges and opportunities in different companies and sectors.
Overall, these transitions highlight the dynamic nature of the tech industry, where experienced professionals move between companies and roles to pursue new challenges and opportunities for growth and development. Eric Berlinberg’s move from Amazon to Torc Robotics represents a shift from drone delivery technology to autonomous vehicle development, reflecting the ongoing evolution of technology and innovation in the transportation sector. The other personnel changes across companies in the Pacific Northwest demonstrate a similar trend of professionals seeking new challenges and making career transitions to further their expertise and impact in various industries. Each individual’s move brings unique skills and experiences to their new roles, contributing to the continued growth and innovation of the tech ecosystem.
