Channel People on the Move: Telarus, Intelisys, CenturyLink, Avaya
Like the Jeffersons, they're movin' on up.
Like the Jeffersons, they’re movin’ on up.
That’s right, time again to see which of your friends, colleagues and rivals got promoted or took new jobs with other companies. It’s our monthly Channel People on the Move feature.
This update includes a new contact-center and UC expert for Telarus; a channel marketing guru for Avaya; a pair of new channel managers making a splash with TPx; a new channel chief for CenturyLink; and a business-development manager and inside-sales manager coming on board at PlanetOne.
And those are just a few of the noteworthy personnel moves you’ll want to know. Click through our gallery below for movers and shakers that work every day in the channel, and some top execs that will make important decisions that impact partner businesses.
Don’t forget — you don’t have to wait for our monthly update. We’re always updating our webpage that features people on the move.
Missed last month’s “people” gallery? Click here to see who was on the move in June.
Follow executive editor @Craig_Galbraith on Twitter.
Telarus' Meagan Thai
Meagan Thai is the new director of contact-center and UC solutions at Telarus. The master agent says Thai will apply her lengthy experience in the channel and with 8x8 (as a national partner manager) to advise partners and customers on designing solutions for these two technologies.
Thai has done three stints at 8x8 over the past 20 years, while in between working at Star2Star, FreedomVoice and TelCentris. She has collaborated with Telarus many times over the years.
Learn more about Thai's new role here.
Meagan Thai is the new director of contact-center and UC solutions at Telarus. The master agent says Thai will apply her lengthy experience in the channel and with 8x8 (as a national partner manager) to advise partners and customers on designing solutions for these two technologies.
Thai has done three stints at 8x8 over the past 20 years, while in between working at Star2Star, FreedomVoice and TelCentris. She has collaborated with Telarus many times over the years.
Learn more about Thai's new role here.
Intelisys' Aram Bolduc
Aram Bolduc has a new job supporting Intelisys partners throughout Connecticut and New York, a region the master agent calls "critical and fast-growing."
Bolduc, who most recently was a regional VP of channel sales at MegaPath, gets the title of senior manager, strategic partner development, New England South region.
His experience in channel, telecom and cloud includes a solid background in UCaaS, SD-WAN and bandwidth aggregation, Intelisys said.
Aram Bolduc has a new job supporting Intelisys partners throughout Connecticut and New York, a region the master agent calls "critical and fast-growing."
Bolduc, who most recently was a regional VP of channel sales at MegaPath, gets the title of senior manager, strategic partner development, New England South region.
His experience in channel, telecom and cloud includes a solid background in UCaaS, SD-WAN and bandwidth aggregation, Intelisys said.
CenturyLink's Garrett Gee
Garrett Gee is taking on more responsibility at CenturyLink following the departure of channel chief John DeLozier.
In an exclusive report, we told you how Gee, formerly vice president of indirect channels at CenturyLink, was promoted to oversee the company's strategic partners – who DeLozier previously was responsible for – as well as its indirect partners. Lisa Miller, president of wholesale, indirect channels and alliances, had been overseeing the strategic relationships in the interim.
"Certainly I was in the same capacity at the former Level 3, but the new combined company is a much larger scale and it brings the ability for us to do some things that I wasn’t able to do previously," Gee told us.
Click here to read our full Q&A with Gee and Miller.
Garrett Gee is taking on more responsibility at CenturyLink following the departure of channel chief John DeLozier.
In an exclusive report, we told you how Gee, formerly vice president of indirect channels at CenturyLink, was promoted to oversee the company's strategic partners – who DeLozier previously was responsible for – as well as its indirect partners. Lisa Miller, president of wholesale, indirect channels and alliances, had been overseeing the strategic relationships in the interim.
"Certainly I was in the same capacity at the former Level 3, but the new combined company is a much larger scale and it brings the ability for us to do some things that I wasn’t able to do previously," Gee told us.
Click here to read our full Q&A with Gee and Miller.
Avaya's Brian Snortheim
Brian Snortheim returned to his marketing roots, taking an opportunity with Avaya as head of agent channel marketing. He's responsible for strategic direction, go-to-market approach and marketing support for Avaya's partner program, which focuses on master agents distributing the company's cloud and collaboration services.
Snortheim spent nearly two years as VP of sales for Channel Partners, whose sales team continues to be led by Kelly Danziger, market leader, channel.
Before Channel Partners, Snortheim was national director of indirect marketing at Time Warner Cable Business Class.
Brian Snortheim returned to his marketing roots, taking an opportunity with Avaya as head of agent channel marketing. He's responsible for strategic direction, go-to-market approach and marketing support for Avaya's partner program, which focuses on master agents distributing the company's cloud and collaboration services.
Snortheim spent nearly two years as VP of sales for Channel Partners, whose sales team continues to be led by Kelly Danziger, market leader, channel.
Before Channel Partners, Snortheim was national director of indirect marketing at Time Warner Cable Business Class.
PlanetOne's Lanny Gray
PlanetOne's new vice president of business development is Lanny Gray. He will lead recruitment of national partners.
Gray most recently was at Navisite, where he directed the company's partner program. He spent two years as VP of business development at rival master-agent Telarus as well. He has a strong background in cable and fiber also, with stints at Comcast and XO.
Get to know Gray.
PlanetOne's new vice president of business development is Lanny Gray. He will lead recruitment of national partners.
Gray most recently was at Navisite, where he directed the company's partner program. He spent two years as VP of business development at rival master-agent Telarus as well. He has a strong background in cable and fiber also, with stints at Comcast and XO.
Get to know Gray.
PlanetOne's Tanya Palmateer
Also new to PlanetOne is Tanya Palmateer, the company's new inside sales manager. Her last job was with TPx Communications.
Palmateer's experience with partner engagement, customer experience and unified communications will help her manage "key strategic accounts," PlanetOne said.
She worked at ShoreTel from 2012-2017. Learn even more about her.
Also new to PlanetOne is Tanya Palmateer, the company's new inside sales manager. Her last job was with TPx Communications.
Palmateer's experience with partner engagement, customer experience and unified communications will help her manage "key strategic accounts," PlanetOne said.
She worked at ShoreTel from 2012-2017. Learn even more about her.
AireSpring's Wendell Nelson
Wendell Nelson is the new senior vice president of wholesale sales at AireSpring, the cloud communications and managed connectivity provider. He comes to the company from TailWind Voice & Data.
Nelson is tasked with leading AireSpring’s wholesale team to maximize opportunities with the company’s voice and data services, both domestically and internationally. Also, he will drive expansion into new markets and opportunities as he further develops the wholesale team.
His experience also includes stints at Global Capacity, MegaPath and Covad Communications.
This is where to learn more about Nelson will be doing at AireSpring.
Wendell Nelson is the new senior vice president of wholesale sales at AireSpring, the cloud communications and managed connectivity provider. He comes to the company from TailWind Voice & Data.
Nelson is tasked with leading AireSpring’s wholesale team to maximize opportunities with the company’s voice and data services, both domestically and internationally. Also, he will drive expansion into new markets and opportunities as he further develops the wholesale team.
His experience also includes stints at Global Capacity, MegaPath and Covad Communications.
This is where to learn more about Nelson will be doing at AireSpring.
Google Cloud's Carolee Gearhart
Carolee Gearhart is the new leader of the global channel organization in Google's enterprise cloud services group.
The 20-year industry veteran has spent the past year as chief ecosystem and channel officer at GE Digital, where she drove strategy for the industrial giant's IoT software solutions group. She's also held channel management roles at Adaptive Insights, SAP, Deloitte and Peoplesoft.
Click here to learn more about Gearhart.
Carolee Gearhart is the new leader of the global channel organization in Google's enterprise cloud services group.
The 20-year industry veteran has spent the past year as chief ecosystem and channel officer at GE Digital, where she drove strategy for the industrial giant's IoT software solutions group. She's also held channel management roles at Adaptive Insights, SAP, Deloitte and Peoplesoft.
Click here to learn more about Gearhart.
F5's James Feger
A pioneer in CenturyLink's move to software-defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV), James Feger is now general manager of service providers at F5 Networks, the builder of internet and networking technology. He's responsible for overseeing service-provider strategy and handling product development, management and marketing.
Feger was instrumental in pushing network virtualization at CenturyLink, leading to the creation of its Programmable Services Backbone.
Get the full scoop on Feger's departure.
A pioneer in CenturyLink's move to software-defined networking (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV), James Feger is now general manager of service providers at F5 Networks, the builder of internet and networking technology. He's responsible for overseeing service-provider strategy and handling product development, management and marketing.
Feger was instrumental in pushing network virtualization at CenturyLink, leading to the creation of its Programmable Services Backbone.
Get the full scoop on Feger's departure.
Unitrends' Clark Brown
Unitrends, the backup and business-continuity provider, not only unveiled an enhanced and refreshed Channel and Alliance Program, it appointed Clark Brown VP of channel sales.
Brown told Channel Partners that his goal as channel chief will be expanding the company's footprint in backup and disaster recovery via its 100-percent channel model while offering partners the "best technology and highest gross profit margins in the industry."
His experience includes jobs at CA, Sophos and Symantec.
Get the full scoop on Brown and the new Unitrends program.
Unitrends, the backup and business-continuity provider, not only unveiled an enhanced and refreshed Channel and Alliance Program, it appointed Clark Brown VP of channel sales.
Brown told Channel Partners that his goal as channel chief will be expanding the company's footprint in backup and disaster recovery via its 100-percent channel model while offering partners the "best technology and highest gross profit margins in the industry."
His experience includes jobs at CA, Sophos and Symantec.
Get the full scoop on Brown and the new Unitrends program.
PCI Pal's Darren Gill
PCI Pal named Darren Gill as its VP of channels for North America. PCI Pal is a secure payments provider for contact centers.
Gill previous was VP of channel sales at Genesys, and before that held channel and sales leadership positions with Verint Systems and Aspect Software.
Get more info on Gill and PCI Pal here.
PCI Pal named Darren Gill as its VP of channels for North America. PCI Pal is a secure payments provider for contact centers.
Gill previous was VP of channel sales at Genesys, and before that held channel and sales leadership positions with Verint Systems and Aspect Software.
Get more info on Gill and PCI Pal here.
TPx's Matt Shawn Kirchner
TPx, the managed services and connectivity provider, hired Shawn Kirchner as a channel manager for Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.
He brings 23 years of experience to the job. That background includes working for tech companies – including Aargent – and their channel partners in the Northeast.
Get to know Kirchner.
TPx, the managed services and connectivity provider, hired Shawn Kirchner as a channel manager for Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.
He brings 23 years of experience to the job. That background includes working for tech companies – including Aargent – and their channel partners in the Northeast.
Get to know Kirchner.
TPx's Matt Coso
Also new at TPx is Matt Coso, who shares the title of channel manager. He will represent upstate New York.
Before TPx, he was a channel manager in the Northeast for RapidScale. He also spent seven years at PaeTec in the late '90s and early 2000s.
Here's more information on Coso.
Also new at TPx is Matt Coso, who shares the title of channel manager. He will represent upstate New York.
Before TPx, he was a channel manager in the Northeast for RapidScale. He also spent seven years at PaeTec in the late '90s and early 2000s.
Here's more information on Coso.
