Channel People on the Move: Fusion, AireSpring, Nextiva
Level 3, Windstream and CenturyLink are among these folks' former employers.
Sure, there’s a polar vortex. But that didn’t stop January from getting 2019 off to a blistering-hot start in terms of people getting promoted or taking new jobs in the telecom and IT channels.
The traditional telecommuniations/UC side of the house is well represented here, with Nextiva hiring its first chief revenue officer and Fusion Connect adding a senior director of national partners, to name a couple.
SD-WAN in the house!: Aryaka made some serious shuffles to management to pursue its CEO’s “aggressive goals.”
And it was a big month for vendors who rely on managed service providers, with both ConnectWise and Datto making serious moves at the top of their respective food chains.
The most high-profile of them all might have been Janet Schijns’ departure from Office Depot.
Almost as noteworthy as the companies they are joining are those that some of these folks previously called home — think Level 3, CenturyLink, Windstream and TPx.
We packed a near-record 22 people – from CEOs on down to channel managers and everything in between – into this edition of Channel People on the Move. There were plenty more from which to choose; our apologies for those that got left out.
Scroll through our gallery below to get caught up on who’s where. And don’t forget — we have a page dedicated to people on the move, so you don’t have to wait for our gallery to pop up at the first of each month!
Missed last month’s “people” gallery? Click here to see who was on the move in December.
Follow executive editor @Craig_Galbraith on Twitter.
Fusion's Armando Martinez
Fusion Connect, the cloud provider, named Armando Martinez senior director of national partners. He comes to Fusion via CenturyLink, where he was managing director and chief of staff to the telco giant's channel chief.
He's responsible for overseeing relationship management, business planning and overarching growth strategies for Fusion's key master agents.
Read what the company's senior VP of channel and business alliances had to say about Martinez.
Fusion Connect, the cloud provider, named Armando Martinez senior director of national partners. He comes to Fusion via CenturyLink, where he was managing director and chief of staff to the telco giant's channel chief.
He's responsible for overseeing relationship management, business planning and overarching growth strategies for Fusion's key master agents.
Read what the company's senior VP of channel and business alliances had to say about Martinez.
AireSpring's Greg Haines and Jesse Michael
Greg Haines (right) is the new director of service assurance for AireSpring, where will focus on fulfilling the company's commitment to partner support and the benefits of AireSpring's "white-glove" service to customers. The partner community will know him from his stint at TPx.
Jesse Michael's past experience includes jobs at Windstream and Allegiance Telecom, also spending time at a cloud/IT consultancy for three years. He'll be a Southeast region channel manager for the connectivity and cloud communications provider.
Get the full stories on Haines here and Michael here.
Greg Haines (right) is the new director of service assurance for AireSpring, where will focus on fulfilling the company's commitment to partner support and the benefits of AireSpring's "white-glove" service to customers. The partner community will know him from his stint at TPx.
Jesse Michael's past experience includes jobs at Windstream and Allegiance Telecom, also spending time at a cloud/IT consultancy for three years. He'll be a Southeast region channel manager for the connectivity and cloud communications provider.
Get the full stories on Haines here and Michael here.
Nextiva's Scott Armour
Nextiva's first-ever chief revenue officer is Scott Armour, who will be tasked with creating a global revenue strategy and overseeing the organization's sales teams — including the channel program.
Armour's most recent previous job was senior vice president for Oracle Digital.
Find out what Armour thinks about the future of Nextiva's channel.
Nextiva's first-ever chief revenue officer is Scott Armour, who will be tasked with creating a global revenue strategy and overseeing the organization's sales teams — including the channel program.
Armour's most recent previous job was senior vice president for Oracle Digital.
Find out what Armour thinks about the future of Nextiva's channel.
GTT's Rob Westervelt
It wouldn't be surprising if you got Rob Westervelt's latest employer confused with his previous one, as the two companies are separated by a single letter.
GTT Communications just promoted Westervelt to senior vice president for channel sales for the Americas division. With the company since 2017, Westervelt's most channel-facing position before his roles at GTT was VP and general manager of global solutions at NTT America.
Read why Westervelt's boss says his appointment represents a "vital component of our organic growth strategy."
It wouldn't be surprising if you got Rob Westervelt's latest employer confused with his previous one, as the two companies are separated by a single letter.
GTT Communications just promoted Westervelt to senior vice president for channel sales for the Americas division. With the company since 2017, Westervelt's most channel-facing position before his roles at GTT was VP and general manager of global solutions at NTT America.
Read why Westervelt's boss says his appointment represents a "vital component of our organic growth strategy."
Twilio's Chetan Chaudhary
Chetan Chaudhary takes over the channel-chief reins at Twilio, the cloud communications platform company, from Ron Huddleston, the Microsoft and Salesforce vet who died tragically last fall.
In taking on the new job, Chaudhary maintains his role as general manager and VP of Twilio's IoT business unit. Earlier in his Twilio career, he led the design and development of the channel and go-to-market strategy.
This is where to learn more about Chaudhary and his new goals at Twilio.
Chetan Chaudhary takes over the channel-chief reins at Twilio, the cloud communications platform company, from Ron Huddleston, the Microsoft and Salesforce vet who died tragically last fall.
In taking on the new job, Chaudhary maintains his role as general manager and VP of Twilio's IoT business unit. Earlier in his Twilio career, he led the design and development of the channel and go-to-market strategy.
This is where to learn more about Chaudhary and his new goals at Twilio.
Mobile Solutions' Steve Haddock
Steve Haddock is Mobile Solutions' new executive vice president of sales. He has 20 years of industry experience that includes stops at Tangoe, Sprint and Webbing.
"I am convinced that Mobile Solutions is poised to truly transform the world of mobility management and I’m very excited to have the opportunity to join them," Haddock said.
Steve Haddock is Mobile Solutions' new executive vice president of sales. He has 20 years of industry experience that includes stops at Tangoe, Sprint and Webbing.
"I am convinced that Mobile Solutions is poised to truly transform the world of mobility management and I’m very excited to have the opportunity to join them," Haddock said.
Aryaka
Aryaka CEO Matt Carter says the hiring of these three executives will help the SD-WAN vendor pursue "aggressive goals."
Shashi Kiran (left) is a Cisco and Google veteran who steps in as chief marketing officer. He replaces former CMO Gary Sevounts, who left for fraud prevention provider Kount. Karen Freitag (center) is the company's new chief revenue officer, relying on her experience at Sprint — where she and Carter helped push the carrier deeper into IoT. And Michelle Owczarzak takes the reins as chief transformation officer. She, too, was one of Carter's colleagues at Sprint.
Learn more about how these execs will propel Aryaka into the future.
Aryaka CEO Matt Carter says the hiring of these three executives will help the SD-WAN vendor pursue "aggressive goals."
Shashi Kiran (left) is a Cisco and Google veteran who steps in as chief marketing officer. He replaces former CMO Gary Sevounts, who left for fraud prevention provider Kount. Karen Freitag (center) is the company's new chief revenue officer, relying on her experience at Sprint — where she and Carter helped push the carrier deeper into IoT. And Michelle Owczarzak takes the reins as chief transformation officer. She, too, was one of Carter's colleagues at Sprint.
Learn more about how these execs will propel Aryaka into the future.
Ingram Micro's Eric Kohl
Distribution giant Ingram Micro promoted Eric Kohl to vice president and expanded his role to include not only the company's U.S. security business, but also its emerging vendor initiative and Ingram's Cloud Harmonics business.
Kohl has been with Ingram Micro for 20 years.
“Under Kohl’s leadership, Ingram Micro’s security business has grown to stand out as an indispensable partner to our channel partners and the go-to-market partner of choice for emerging and established cybersecurity vendors,” said Tim Ament, SVP, advanced solutions, Ingram Micro.
Distribution giant Ingram Micro promoted Eric Kohl to vice president and expanded his role to include not only the company's U.S. security business, but also its emerging vendor initiative and Ingram's Cloud Harmonics business.
Kohl has been with Ingram Micro for 20 years.
“Under Kohl’s leadership, Ingram Micro’s security business has grown to stand out as an indispensable partner to our channel partners and the go-to-market partner of choice for emerging and established cybersecurity vendors,” said Tim Ament, SVP, advanced solutions, Ingram Micro.
Nureva's Adrian Doughty and Susan Jickling
Nureva, the collaboration software provider, tapped Adrian Doughty (left) as its director of North American sales and Susan Jickling in a similar role for international sales.
It's a promotion for Doughty, who's been with Nureva for four-and-a-half years. His previous title was national sales manager. Jickling joins the company from Hitachi ID Systems, where she was VP of channel sales.
Each explains why they're excited for what's to come.
Nureva, the collaboration software provider, tapped Adrian Doughty (left) as its director of North American sales and Susan Jickling in a similar role for international sales.
It's a promotion for Doughty, who's been with Nureva for four-and-a-half years. His previous title was national sales manager. Jickling joins the company from Hitachi ID Systems, where she was VP of channel sales.
Each explains why they're excited for what's to come.
ConnectWise
ConnectWise, the PSA provider, made a significant management shuffle that reflects a commitment to "making customers more successful."
Counterclockwise from upper left are: Kathy Smith, retiring from her job as senior VP of services and education to take an advisory role; Jason Magee, promoted from executive VP and COO to president and CEO; Craig Fulton, who moves from chief product officer to the newly created role of chief customer success officer; and Jeff Bishop, who takes Fulton's old job as chief product officer. He previously was VP of ecosystem.
Get the full scoop on the moves at ConnectWise.
ConnectWise, the PSA provider, made a significant management shuffle that reflects a commitment to "making customers more successful."
Counterclockwise from upper left are: Kathy Smith, retiring from her job as senior VP of services and education to take an advisory role; Jason Magee, promoted from executive VP and COO to president and CEO; Craig Fulton, who moves from chief product officer to the newly created role of chief customer success officer; and Jeff Bishop, who takes Fulton's old job as chief product officer. He previously was VP of ecosystem.
Get the full scoop on the moves at ConnectWise.
RapidScale's John Rinehart
John Rinehart is the new director of client experience at RapidScale, the managed cloud services provider. He's responsible for all aspects of management and support of RapidScale's customers from beginning to end.
His 20 years of leadership experience includes being president of celito.net, a Raleigh, North Carolina-based ISP, and a six-year run as VP and general manager at Level 3 Communications.
Get to know Rinehart.
John Rinehart is the new director of client experience at RapidScale, the managed cloud services provider. He's responsible for all aspects of management and support of RapidScale's customers from beginning to end.
His 20 years of leadership experience includes being president of celito.net, a Raleigh, North Carolina-based ISP, and a six-year run as VP and general manager at Level 3 Communications.
Get to know Rinehart.
Datto's Tim Weller
Datto, the backup and disaster recovery vendor, reassured its partner community by naming Tim Weller, interim CEO, it's full-time top dog. Weller replaces company founder Austin McChord, who stepped down in October.
Weller was instrumental in the company's merger with PSA provider Autotask in 2017 following its acquisition by Vista Equity Partners.
Read what some of Datto's partners had to say about the decision.
Datto, the backup and disaster recovery vendor, reassured its partner community by naming Tim Weller, interim CEO, it's full-time top dog. Weller replaces company founder Austin McChord, who stepped down in October.
Weller was instrumental in the company's merger with PSA provider Autotask in 2017 following its acquisition by Vista Equity Partners.
Read what some of Datto's partners had to say about the decision.
Green Cloud's Don Tesner
Channel-only Green Cloud Technologies nabbed Don Tesner to be its new chief financial officer. He brings 30 years of experience to the role.
Tesner will work closely with the leadership team to allocate financial resources to enhance the company's services, expand product offerings and invest in technological innovations.
His most recent position was with Spectrum Professional Services.
Channel-only Green Cloud Technologies nabbed Don Tesner to be its new chief financial officer. He brings 30 years of experience to the role.
Tesner will work closely with the leadership team to allocate financial resources to enhance the company's services, expand product offerings and invest in technological innovations.
His most recent position was with Spectrum Professional Services.
JS Group's Janet Schijns
Janet Schijns is back at the consulting firm she founded 10 years ago. This comes after the venerable channel veteran left Office Depot, where she was tasked with building a services business that catered to partners — part of a major pivot for the retail giant.
Schijns is probably best-known for her run as channel chief and marketing leader at Verizon. Stay tuned — we won't be surprised if she lands at another big name in the channel before long.
Get the full scoop on Schijns' departure from Office Depot.
Janet Schijns is back at the consulting firm she founded 10 years ago. This comes after the venerable channel veteran left Office Depot, where she was tasked with building a services business that catered to partners — part of a major pivot for the retail giant.
Schijns is probably best-known for her run as channel chief and marketing leader at Verizon. Stay tuned — we won't be surprised if she lands at another big name in the channel before long.
Get the full scoop on Schijns' departure from Office Depot.
Ripcord's Alan Brotman
Ripcord is a robotic digitization company out to disrupt the records-management industry with channel partners. That's why it just hired Alan Brotman to formalize its channel program.
Brotman, who gets the title VP of channels and alliances, most recently ran PRM Advisory Group, a partner-program development company that he founded.
Learn about the $65 million in funding that Ripcord has raised from major investors.
Ripcord is a robotic digitization company out to disrupt the records-management industry with channel partners. That's why it just hired Alan Brotman to formalize its channel program.
Brotman, who gets the title VP of channels and alliances, most recently ran PRM Advisory Group, a partner-program development company that he founded.
Learn about the $65 million in funding that Ripcord has raised from major investors.
