Nitel and Edify.cx announced key channel personnel appointments this week.

Every week we assemble a list of our site’s top articles. Our editors covered some of the channel’s pressing questions — including how Avaya’s new UCaaS offering will fare and what Intelisys will do with its new leadership structure. We also launched a digital issue that honored some of the most influential figures in our industry.

Check out the seven mini-stories below to see what you missed.

7. Coffee with Craig & Kevin Episode No. 72: Oracle, Avaya

Our podcasting wunderkinds Craig Galbraith and Kevin Morris obtained updates from two influential vendors.

The Oracle channel team shared knowledge about SD-WAN, security and where the company is moving in terms of networking, cloud and enterprise software. The latest episode also featured an interview about the upcoming Avaya Cloud Office solution.

Check out the episode.

6. Former Fuze Channel Boss to Build Edify.cx’s Partner Program

Edify.cx teased the “splash” it will make in the channel this year, starting with its latest hire.

J.P. Dundas joined the company to serve as its vice president of channel sales and alliances. He previously held the role of Fuze’s director of North America channel sales.

Edify.cx provides a business-communications-as-a-service platform called Huddle.

Edward Gately has the scoop.

5. Here’s How to Upsell from SD-WAN

Partners are realizing that “SD-WAN is the hottest growth segment,” according to QOS Networks’ Michael Brennan.

We chatted with Brennan and two other technology sales experts about how SD-WAN can open up other areas of their customer base. UCaaS, security and cloud connectivity are just a few technologies that could attach to SD-WAN.

“Partners are very comfortable having the SD-WAN conversation,” TBI’s Anish Patel told us. “For some partners, it tends to be a standalone product sale but the ones that are truly having transformative conversations are successfully driving other services.”

Read the Q&A.

4. Cisco Viptela, Alert Logic Power New ConvergeOne Managed SD-WAN

ConvergeOne added a second Cisco-powered SD-WAN solution.

The IT services provider had already been using Cisco Meraki but this week announced the addition of a platform that uses Cisco Viptela. ConvergeOne now can give its partners and customers additional flexibility in choosing their networking solutions.

“ConvergeOne’s new Cisco-based SD-WAN managed services will help customers increase the efficiency of monitoring and managing their SD-WAN deployments,” a Cisco executive said.

ConvergeOne is a Cisco gold-certified partner.

Learn about the partnership.

3. ScanSource Pursues ‘Intelisys 2.0’ with Leadership Changes

We got to know more about new Intelisys president Mark Morgan.

Morgan came in to succeed Jay Bradley as the leader of the master agent after its parent company ScanSource announced an executive reshuffling. Morgan and executive vice president of supplier services Paul Constantine will work to …

… make traditionally agent-focused training and content more digestible for VARs.

See Lynn Haber’s Q&A with ScanSource and Intelisys leadership.

2. 2020 Channel Influencer Awards

Brandon Knight. Zerto. The empowered edge. These were some of the people, companies and ideas that we recognized in our latest digital issue.

Our yearly Channel Influencers installment noted 51 executives, companies and trends that will shape the channel in 2020. Leading off the list as 2020 Channel Influencer of the Year is a well-known face from a UCaaS company.

Download the digital issue to see the list of honorees.

1. Nitel Taps AT&T, Oracle Alum to Lead Sales, Marketing

The telecom network services provider hired a new executive vice president of sales and marketing.

Mark Dickey, who has worked at a diverse mix of telecom, cloud and IT-focused companies, succeeded Jason Dishon. Dickey said Nitel will increase its sales force, channel resources and geographical coverage.

“I am excited to collaborate with our valued partners and pave the way towards our mutual success,” he said.

Learn about Nitel’s hire.