Salesman, Geek, Author

As the old saying goes “put up or shut up”.  If you’re doing business with me or reading my stuff you might as well know what I’ve done and where I’ve been.  The short answer is on an airplane, in a hotel, or with a customer.   Since that and $4.97 will get you a coffee at Starbucks here’s an abbreviated resume.  Full details available upon request.

Director of Strategic Accounts –Service Providers (2007 – Present)

Tasked with helping to create a Service Provider practice and led the efforts to enter into a most of world agreement across multiple technology segments with a globally focused telecom company. Established relationships with key customer and manufacturers contacts to expand geographic capabilities, pricing levels and

• Negotiated a  Global Contract with a Global Telecom Service Provider to supply Customer Premise Equipment, Maintenance, Staging and logistics services with an annual spend of $150m (USD) globally
• 50 million contract win in 2009 to supply an additional brand of telephony equipment in the U.S. and another $20m internationally
• Increased average GP and the average number of lines purchased by Service provider accounts from 4 to 13 over a 4 quarter period.

Director of Strategic Development (2005 – 2007)

Promoted to lead efforts to turn around declining revenues, drawing from my end-user sales experience and ability to sell complete solutions. Charged with growing business-critical named accounts (50% of revenues) at the executive level, and recruiting new resellers to choose the Westcon Group subsidiaries for their purchase of IP telephony, data security and data networking products. Coordinate recruitment efforts, in conjunction with our manufacturers’ business development teams, to targeted markets.

• Grew the Division’s largest account from $16M at FY2006 to $32M at FY2007, with a commitment for additional revenues of $12M+ in 2007.
• Negotiated competitive takeaways of $18M in revenue over the last 12 month period, converting competitors’ clients to my company’s by leveraging our product offerings.

Affinity Convergence Manager (2005)

Recruited to grow high-margin, “Affinity” product market share for Westcon Group North America. Sales management responsibility for an overlay sales and product management team that was responsible for 40 complementary products to Cisco, Avaya, and Nortel IP telephony solutions to VARs across three Westcon Group divisions in North America.

• Evaluated, negotiated, and launched new “affinity” products to fill strategic gaps in our IP telephony portfolio. Provided sales and presales technical support for IP telephony products to a nation wide customer set.

Private Company St. Louis, MO                           2003 – 2005

A privately-held provider of leading voice and data communications equipment including PBX, VoIP, Switches and Firewalls with 75 employees.

Vice President of Sales

Led the development and execution of strategic, long-term goals to consolidate business units, regain profitability, and renew the position of the VAR as a viable growth company. Initiated key initiatives to develop a complex product/solutions mix with support from incremental services revenues.

Applied turnaround strategies to redefine geographic territories, restructure and re-educate the sales force, introduce new complimentary and related product lines, and create new customer-focused services teams to support the needs of sophisticated target markets.

• Produced quarter-over-quarter growth
• Grew new product sales revenue by 50%
• Re-branded the company as a solutions-focused provider by developing new marketing “look-and-feel,” revamping communications to customers, and implementing an ongoing, aggressive business development campaign.
• Changed product mix from transactional parts fulfillment to systems, solutions, and services focused
• Presented at international, national, and regional trade shows, conferences, user’s groups, and business development events.
• Hired, trained, and managed outside sales force for St. Louis and remote markets. Also hired, trained, and managed pre-sales technical support and design team.
• Recognition by a leading technology company as a high growth company and supplier as a leading provider of converged solutions.

Start Up– Boston, MA                                           2002 – 2003

Boston, MA based  technology business partner with client base in Boston, Central Florida and Western Pennsylvania.

Partner/ Chief Operating Officer

One of the original founders and investors of this provider of emerging technologies (VoIP and CRM). Obtained new suppliers and product authorizations from major manufacturers; received authorization for Avaya’s SMB and Enterprise Solutions in Florida and Pennsylvania. Selected all suppliers and coordinated credit lines.

• Developed and implemented company’s marketing plan, using a multiple media approach to deliver a consistent message, and company image supported by direct sales efforts. Developed telemarketing scripts, web site content, direct mail packages, vendor and end user customer presentations, and “leave behind” sales collateral materials.
• Achieved first year sales exceeding $1.2M in products and services. Targeted customers were multi-site, geographically dispersed Fortune 1,000 companies.  

Telecom and IT Distributor– Pittsburgh, PA    1994 – 2002

Director of Sales – Eastern Region (2000 – 2002)

Selected as Director of Sales for the Eastern Region following the acquisition and merger, reporting to the General Manager and VP of Sales. Planned, coordinated, and presented at customer educational programs and recruitment events. Led the Eastern Region Sales Team, Pre-Sales Engineering Team, and the Product Management Team, with 10 direct reports and 40 employees.

• Exceeded quarterly revenue targets, growing sales from $14.5M to $35.8M per quarter over a 2-year period.
• Created a new business development team that averaged 74 new customers per quarter. Also established a pre-sales design team that consisted of 7 design engineers.
• Helped lead the business integration of two acquired companies

Telecom Division Manager/ General Manager of Distribution (1996 – 2000)

Transitioned the Telecom Division from primarily an end-user focused sales force to a multi-channel sales organization in which distribution of product to Lucent/Ayaya business partners accounted for the majority of revenue. Provided pre-sales and technical support teams to support our dealers/customers.

Managed purchasing and warehouse operations to increase inventory turns to 8 per year while maintaining 99.6% same day fill rate on all stockable products. Worked with Lucent to develop a complex solution assembly program, decreasing lead time on specific complex orders from 21 to 2 business days.

• Grew annual distribution revenue from $3.5M in 1996 to $53 M in 2000
• Led lead business integration and developed new organization structure during the 2000 merger and acquisition of  company served as Pittsburgh Project Team Leader for integration of J.D. Edwards ERP software package.
• Developed ISO-9002 quality system procedures for forward channel assembly, including compliance to ESD standards and testing.
• Appointed to key manufacturing teams to improve sales, reseller satisfaction, and delivery to the indirect channel. Teams included: Lucent Technologies Dealer/Distributor Council (1997 – 2000); Lucent Technologies Breakthrough Team (1998 – 2000); Lucent Call Center Advisory Team (1998).

Marketing Manager (1994 – 1996)

• Grew the wholesale and end user AT&T/ Lucent Telephony Business. Increased revenue from multi-site and nationwide clients  in both new system sales, maintenance, and services