Channel People on the Move: Windstream, Nextiva, Broadvoice, Telarus, More
Talkdesk, QOS Networks and Igel also are featured here.
November proved to be another big month where we can be “thankful” for friends and colleagues who were either promoted or landed new jobs in the channel.
Our latest edition of People on the Move features a slew of new channel chiefs, including one at business communications giant Windstream. We also saw significant channel hires at Telarus, Broadvoice and Nextiva.
A pair of ladies scaled the ladder at the Alliance of Channel Women and 8×8 filled a key position to help bolster its efforts overseas.
Those are just a few of the 17 people highlighted in the gallery below.
If you missed last month’s edition, it’s here. And don’t forget that you can see who’s on the move anytime – you don’t have to wait for this gallery each month – by visiting our webpage dedicated to the topic.
Follow executive editor @Craig_Galbraith on Twitter.
Windstream's Matt Milliron
Milliron takes the reins at Windstream as part of a succession plan. He was promoted from VP of channel sales to channel chief and head of strategic channels, replacing Curt Allen, who moves into an advisory role. The company says Allen's stint as chief was always planned to be short-term, having lured him out of retirement two years ago.
Milliron led development of Windstream's recently launched channel integration program. Learn more about his plans for the company's partner program in this Q&A.
Milliron takes the reins at Windstream as part of a succession plan. He was promoted from VP of channel sales to channel chief and head of strategic channels, replacing Curt Allen, who moves into an advisory role. The company says Allen's stint as chief was always planned to be short-term, having lured him out of retirement two years ago.
Milliron led development of Windstream's recently launched channel integration program. Learn more about his plans for the company's partner program in this Q&A.
QOS Networks' Michael Brennan
Brennan is a Windstream alumnus who's the new VP of channel sales at managed network service provider QOS Networks, where he'll work to develop the company's relationships with master agents.
Brennan most recently was Windstream's VP of strategic partner development.
Learn why he's "excited to join" the QOS team.
Brennan is a Windstream alumnus who's the new VP of channel sales at managed network service provider QOS Networks, where he'll work to develop the company's relationships with master agents.
Brennan most recently was Windstream's VP of strategic partner development.
Learn why he's "excited to join" the QOS team.
Telarus' Jamie DeWitt and Greg McVey
Jamie DeWitt (left) is Telarus' new senior partner development manager for northern Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. He has a big background in UCaaS, previously in channel manager roles at Talkdesk and Broadvoice.
Greg McVey (right) is Telarus' new regional vice president for the U.K., where the master agent just set up shop — following recent expansions in Australia and Canada.
Get the full scoop on DeWitt here and McVey here.
Jamie DeWitt (left) is Telarus' new senior partner development manager for northern Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. He has a big background in UCaaS, previously in channel manager roles at Talkdesk and Broadvoice.
Greg McVey (right) is Telarus' new regional vice president for the U.K., where the master agent just set up shop — following recent expansions in Australia and Canada.
Get the full scoop on DeWitt here and McVey here.
Alliance of Channel Women's Cassie Jeppson and Amy Bailey
Amy Bailey (right), VP of marketing at Telarus, is the new president of Alliance of Channel Women, while Cassie Jeppson, director of North America channel programs at Lenovo, is the organization's new VP.
Bailey has been on the ACW board the past two years and chairs the sponsorship committee. She replaces Stacy Conrad, TPx's director of channel sales for the Southeast, who held the top spot at ACW for two years.
Jeppson has been on the ACW board since the beginning of this year and is a member of the tech committee. She steps in for Rebecca Rosen, Broadvoice's VP of marketing.
Amy Bailey (right), VP of marketing at Telarus, is the new president of Alliance of Channel Women, while Cassie Jeppson, director of North America channel programs at Lenovo, is the organization's new VP.
Bailey has been on the ACW board the past two years and chairs the sponsorship committee. She replaces Stacy Conrad, TPx's director of channel sales for the Southeast, who held the top spot at ACW for two years.
Jeppson has been on the ACW board since the beginning of this year and is a member of the tech committee. She steps in for Rebecca Rosen, Broadvoice's VP of marketing.
8x8's Keith Jackson
U.S.-based channel vendors are expanding rapidly to other parts of the world. One is 8x8, which appointed Keith Jackson as its director of channel sales for EMEA.
Jackson is a RingCentral vet who will lead 8x8's channel initiatives across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, securing new partnerships to get new customers and technology deployments.
Read more about what 8x8 is doing across the pond.
U.S.-based channel vendors are expanding rapidly to other parts of the world. One is 8x8, which appointed Keith Jackson as its director of channel sales for EMEA.
Jackson is a RingCentral vet who will lead 8x8's channel initiatives across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, securing new partnerships to get new customers and technology deployments.
Read more about what 8x8 is doing across the pond.
Broadvoice's Nick Madsen
Madsen is a new regional sales manager with Broadvoice, the cloud communications provider, tasked with supporting and growing the company's partner community while aligning partners in various territories and with master agents.
Sporting 10 years of experience, Madsen previously worked at StarLeaf and West UC (now Intrado).
You want to know him better.
Madsen is a new regional sales manager with Broadvoice, the cloud communications provider, tasked with supporting and growing the company's partner community while aligning partners in various territories and with master agents.
Sporting 10 years of experience, Madsen previously worked at StarLeaf and West UC (now Intrado).
You want to know him better.
Talkdesk's Vasili Triant
Triant is a Cisco veteran who is the new chief strategy at Talkdesk, the cloud contact center and AI software provider. His job is to identify and evaluate large-scale strategic opportunities while making the company's contact center solution more globally prominent.
Learn more about him here.
Also new at Talkdesk is Kathie Johnson (not pictured). As chief marketing officer, Johnson will "champion development and execution of Talkdesk’s marketing strategy to build a truly global brand and ignite greater enterprise market opportunities," the company stated.
Triant is a Cisco veteran who is the new chief strategy at Talkdesk, the cloud contact center and AI software provider. His job is to identify and evaluate large-scale strategic opportunities while making the company's contact center solution more globally prominent.
Learn more about him here.
Also new at Talkdesk is Kathie Johnson (not pictured). As chief marketing officer, Johnson will "champion development and execution of Talkdesk’s marketing strategy to build a truly global brand and ignite greater enterprise market opportunities," the company stated.
Nextiva's Mark Blanchard
Blanchard will direct Nextiva's channel in the West region, helping channel managers to further develop partnerships there.
He joins Nextiva with more than 15 years of experience, most recently with WOW as national channel sales director. Before that, he was VP of channel sales and operations at Pensmore Software.
Get to know Blanchard.
Blanchard will direct Nextiva's channel in the West region, helping channel managers to further develop partnerships there.
He joins Nextiva with more than 15 years of experience, most recently with WOW as national channel sales director. Before that, he was VP of channel sales and operations at Pensmore Software.
Get to know Blanchard.
Citrix's Bronwyn Hastings
Hastings is the new global channel chief at Citrix, the virtual apps and desktops provider. Her last job was at SAP, where she was VP of global business development and ecosystems. She spent nearly eight years at SAP and 14 at Oracle.
Hastings replaces Craig Stillwell, who left the company in June after 20 years to take the chief revenue officer job at Carbonite.
“I am eager to collaborate with our incredible community of partners to provide companies with the solutions and services they need to make this vision a reality," said Hastings.
Read more about her future plans here.
Hastings is the new global channel chief at Citrix, the virtual apps and desktops provider. Her last job was at SAP, where she was VP of global business development and ecosystems. She spent nearly eight years at SAP and 14 at Oracle.
Hastings replaces Craig Stillwell, who left the company in June after 20 years to take the chief revenue officer job at Carbonite.
“I am eager to collaborate with our incredible community of partners to provide companies with the solutions and services they need to make this vision a reality," said Hastings.
Read more about her future plans here.
IronNet Cybersecurity's Garrett Jones
Jones is a Forcepoint and Symantec alum who joined IronNet Cybersecurity as its new VP of global channels. His new job covers partner strategy, including channel and technology partnerships.
“We are going to have a focused channel, and we will go deep with a limited set of partners," Jones told Channel Partners. "We are looking for partners with specific capabilities around detection and response, and [who] embrace the vision of collective defense."
Learn more about his strategy.
Jones is a Forcepoint and Symantec alum who joined IronNet Cybersecurity as its new VP of global channels. His new job covers partner strategy, including channel and technology partnerships.
“We are going to have a focused channel, and we will go deep with a limited set of partners," Jones told Channel Partners. "We are looking for partners with specific capabilities around detection and response, and [who] embrace the vision of collective defense."
Learn more about his strategy.
Anexinet's Chris Vain
Anexinet Corp., the tech consultancy and reseller, named Christopher Vain its new chief strategy officer. He's tasked with helping the company's clients use tech investments to solve complex business problems and enhance organizational efficiency through digital transformation.
Vain brings over 25 years of digital and IT expertise to Anexinet, most recently at ARC ICS Ltd., where he designed and implemented cloud and data center solutions.
Also new at Anexinet, but not pictured, is Robert Sheinker, VP of partner strategy. His 25+ years of experience is mostly with distributors, including a long run at Avnet.
Anexinet Corp., the tech consultancy and reseller, named Christopher Vain its new chief strategy officer. He's tasked with helping the company's clients use tech investments to solve complex business problems and enhance organizational efficiency through digital transformation.
Vain brings over 25 years of digital and IT expertise to Anexinet, most recently at ARC ICS Ltd., where he designed and implemented cloud and data center solutions.
Also new at Anexinet, but not pictured, is Robert Sheinker, VP of partner strategy. His 25+ years of experience is mostly with distributors, including a long run at Avnet.
Secureworks' Maureen Perrelli
Perrelli is the new chief channel officer at Secureworks, the information security company. She told us she's excited to increase the company's number of customers and roll out an enhanced partner program.
She comes to Secureworks from NCR, where she was VP of global channel sales. She also was VP of worldwide cloud channel sales at Oracle.
Learn more about Perrelli's new job and her channel strategy in this Q&A.
Perrelli is the new chief channel officer at Secureworks, the information security company. She told us she's excited to increase the company's number of customers and roll out an enhanced partner program.
She comes to Secureworks from NCR, where she was VP of global channel sales. She also was VP of worldwide cloud channel sales at Oracle.
Learn more about Perrelli's new job and her channel strategy in this Q&A.
Igel
Changes are afoot at Igel, the next-gen operating system for cloud workspaces, which expanded its executive leadership team.
The company now is led by co-CEO Jed Ayres (right), and CEO and founder Heiko Gloge (right). Each will be dedicated to strategic business, operational, modernization and innovation responsibilities.
“To capitalize on our unique market opportunity, it was time to expand the executive leadership team as well as the responsibilities of some of our visionary company leaders," said Gloge.
Other changes are promotions for Simon Townsend (chief marketing officer), Bernd Sengpiehl (chief operations officer) and Lori Thompson (chief people officer), each at a global level.
Igel has 400 employees.
Changes are afoot at Igel, the next-gen operating system for cloud workspaces, which expanded its executive leadership team.
The company now is led by co-CEO Jed Ayres (right), and CEO and founder Heiko Gloge (right). Each will be dedicated to strategic business, operational, modernization and innovation responsibilities.
“To capitalize on our unique market opportunity, it was time to expand the executive leadership team as well as the responsibilities of some of our visionary company leaders," said Gloge.
Other changes are promotions for Simon Townsend (chief marketing officer), Bernd Sengpiehl (chief operations officer) and Lori Thompson (chief people officer), each at a global level.
Igel has 400 employees.
Stream Data Centers' Chad Rodriguez
Chad Rodriguez is the new VP of network and cloud at Stream Data Centers. He brings 17 years of experience to the company, where he will help Stream work to diversify its connectivity options to meet the growing bandwidth and local access needs of its customers.
His last gig was at Consolidated Communications.
Chad Rodriguez is the new VP of network and cloud at Stream Data Centers. He brings 17 years of experience to the company, where he will help Stream work to diversify its connectivity options to meet the growing bandwidth and local access needs of its customers.
His last gig was at Consolidated Communications.
OpsRamp's Brian Hartwell
Brian Hartwell is the new VP of worldwide channel sales at OpsRamp, the service-centric AI for IT operations platform provider. Hartwell comes to OpsRamp from Rubrik, where he was vice president of alliances.
OpsRamp's cloud-based IT operations platform with AIOps is used by more than 1,400 organizations around the world.
Brian Hartwell is the new VP of worldwide channel sales at OpsRamp, the service-centric AI for IT operations platform provider. Hartwell comes to OpsRamp from Rubrik, where he was vice president of alliances.
OpsRamp's cloud-based IT operations platform with AIOps is used by more than 1,400 organizations around the world.
I wonder how he feels about his role as the head guy in charge of ripping off his partners after years of loyalty.