Speakers
As of 03/04/2010
Curt Allen
Curt Allen is president of X4 Communications LLC., a nationwide master agency. Allen has nearly 15 years of telecommunications sales and management experience in both the direct and indirect channel. Before joining X4 Communications in the summer of 2005, he held positions at AT&T and InterCall. In his current role, Allen is responsible for day-to-day management of the sales and operations teams, carrier relationships, and the strategic development and execution of X4's business plan. Allen reports to the X4 Communications board of directors.
Clark Atwood
Clark Atwood currently serves as vice president of technical sales for Tempe, Ariz.-based Concierge Communications, a master agent for more than 30 communications providers. A 19-year veteran of the computer and communication industries, Atwood has been a VAR business owner and has served as the chairman of the Novell Gold and Small Business Councils. He also has worked in sales and management for VARs that focused on local area networks, storage area networks, clustered firewalls, security, software development and more. Additionally, he has occupied technical, sales and management positions with two competitive local exchange carriers. He has obtained many technical sales certifications, notably as an IVR/ACD engineer.
Jack Baron
Jack Baron is the chairman and CEO of SweetWater Energy Inc., a cellulosic biofuels company based in Rochester, N.Y. Baron has more than 25 years’ experience in executive, sales, marketing and operations management.
Baron is also the chairman for the Rochester Angel Network, an investment organization focused on early-stage technology and energy companies in New York state. He belongs to the board of directors for Affle Mobile Media, which is owned primarily by Microsoft and based in Singapore. Previously, he co-founded PAETEC Communications, where he was president for six years and chief marketing and training officer for 10 years.
Tim Basa
Tim Basa is vice president of sales and marketing for Nitel, a Chicago-based virtual network operator. Basa is responsible for sales, marketing and business development strategies. His success is the direct result of hard work, street smarts, innovative problem solving, marketing on a shoestring budget, and training and motivating teams. Known for real-world content that creates results and his tell-it-like-it-is style, Basa has conducted sales and marketing training nationally. His articles appear regularly online, in newsletters and in magazines. He was named a Telecom Master Mind by PHONE+ magazine and a Power Seller by Crain’s Detroit Business.
Dany M. Bouchedid
Dany M. Bouchedid currently serves as president of the board of trustees of the Technology Channel Association (TCA), the indirect channel industry’s first trade association. Bouchedid also is the CEO of Interaqt Corp. (dba COLOTRAQ), a company he founded in 1999 with a vision of creating the premier sourcing management consulting firm for telecom and IT services. Today, COLOTRAQ brings buyers and sellers together in more than 1,300 markets across 221 countries and territories. Bouchedid also has taught a number of senior-level undergraduate business school courses, including strategic management, patterns of entrepreneurship and e-commerce. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and management from Montclair State University and a Master of Business Administration degree in finance and international business from New York University's Stern School of Business.
Tiffani Bova
Tiffani Bova, Vice President, Research, IT Channel Programs and Sales Strategies WW, Gartner.
Tiffani Bova is a Vice President of Research with Gartner, where she works in the IT Marketing and Channel Strategies group covering the topics of IT channel programs, sales, and alliances world-wide. Ms. Bova area of specialization includes the development of comprehensive indirect channel programs, go-to-market sales coverage models, and partner recruitment and enablement. In addition, Ms. Bova conducts significant public speaking and publishing in leading industry periodicals on these topics. She is also the analyst chair for the Gartner IT Channel Vision Event which is one of the premier channel events in EMEA and North America.
Prior to Gartner, Ms. Bova spent 13 years in channel sales and marketing roles with software vendors solution providers, service providers, Telco’s, distributors, managed service providers and most recently as the channel chief at Gateway Computers. Ms. Bova has also been recognized by industry leading publications, CRN and VARBusiness, as a leading channel advocate heading up innovative campaigns and driving effective strategy and execution for leading IT providers in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.
Jay Bradley
Jay Bradley is the president of telecom services for Intelisys Communications Inc, a nationwide master agency. Bradley has more than 20 years of experience in sales and marketing management in the telecommunications industry. Before joining Intelisys in October 2002, he spent 10 years with MCI and has been involved with various startup companies specializing in Internet, CLEC and reseller networks. In his current role, Bradley is responsible for the strategic development, planning and execution of Intelisys’ business plan.
Vince Bradley
Vince Bradley is the founder, president and CEO of World Telecom Group (WTG), one of the largest master agencies in the United States. He entered the telecommunications industry in 1993 as a sales representative for the Los Angeles-based Addtel Communications before founding WTG in 1986. He has served or is currently serving on advisory boards for AboveNet, ACC Business, Level 3 Communications, Mpower Communications, New Edge Networks, TelePacific Communications and XO Communications among others. Bradley also is a council member of The Gerson Lehrman Group and on the Board of Directors for Technology Channel Association (TCA), the only nonprofit association in the agent channel. He holds a bachelor’s degree from UCLA.
William Bumbernick
William Bumbernick, CEO of Alteva, has more than 12 years of senior management and entrepreneurial experience in telecommunications, IT and managed services. Since 1994, he has been involved at executive levels of leadership and boards of directors within the technology and telecommunication sectors. Since 2003, Bumbernick has been focused on emerging VoIP technologies with the success and tremendous growth of Alteva. He has been recognized by Smart Business Magazine as an expert in the emerging technology of VoIP and is also a recognized presenter at leading trade shows.
Shaun Chambers
Shaun Chambers is the founder and CEO of Communications Resource Group Inc., an international master agency for conferencing and collaboration services. Chambers has more than 13 years of telecommunication experience and eight years of extensive experience managing channel sales for conferencing services. His telecommunications career began with MCI in 1996 and preceded various startup endeavors in the CLEC and reseller sector. CRG is one of the largest master agents for conferencing services with a strategic focus on the collaboration space.
Debbie Clavadetscher
Debbie Clavadetscher is the founder of Spiritel Inc., a company started in 2002 specifically to offer telecommunications service to large enterprise clients. Spiritel’s focus is in building long-term business relationships so that its solutions will satisfy client’s demands for increased bandwidth, network value and expense management.
Tim Connors
Connors is the director of AT&T’s Cloud Services practice, focusing on scaling and growing the business to serve the needs of business customers. He was appointed in 2009 after successfully leading AT&T’s managed hosting services, where his responsibilities included launching AT&T’s first utility computing, server virtualization and application acceleration services.
His current focus includes cloud computing and cloud storage services, with emphasis on business customer buying patterns, user communities and cloud service enablers to drive adoption.
Connors has received the AT&T Distinguished Speaker Award and regularly collaborates with customers to outline and focus their cloud strategies.
Joe Corvaia
Joe Corvaia is Senior Director of Solution Engineering at Broadview Networks, a New York-based CLEC. He brings over 14 years of experience in data communications, managed services, VoIP, and Unified Communications. His responsibilities include leading the technical sales, pre-sales, and over-lay divisions throughout Broadview’s serving footprints with an emphasis on driving the success of Broadview’s hosted IP solutions. Corvaia holds numerous industry-recognized technical certifications in network design, network security, and engineering. Prior to joining Broadview, Corvaia was Vice President at Convergent, a regional Unified Communications solutions provider and spent over 9 years with ATX Communications.
Gil Crane
Gil Crane directs new business growth and diversification as the Energy Solution Director at Belham Management Industries – BMI Energy, a 30-year-old engineering firm supplying energy services for a wide range of markets. As a manager with BMI, Crane directs the support resources needed to meet clients’ needs and other points of distribution for their energy services and control systems. His experience includes more than 30 years of globally supplying industrial process improvement programs and energy reduction systems. He is a member of the American Society for Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers and the Association of Energy Engineers.
Don Douglas
Don Douglas has used an extensive knowledge of information technology and communications to assist companies in various industries around the world, including IBM, AFC Enterprises (Popeyes, Church’s, Cinnabon, Seattle’s Best), Sequa (diversified manufacturing, aerospace, chemical), Weil Gotshal & Manges (legal) and Boeing in a variety of capacities such as programmer, project leader, network manager, manager enterprise systems, and director of IT. During his seven years at the helm of Liquid Networx, Douglas’ technical background has helped to craft the company into a telecommunications life cycle management organization with a vertical focus on IT compliance consulting and solutions.
Brad Dupee
Brad Dupee is regional vice president of channel sales at InterCall, the largest service provider specializing in conference communications in the world. Dupee is responsible for the strategic management and growth of InterCall’s channel program in North America and EMEA. He has more than 17 years’ experience in telecommunications and 10 years of channel expertise. As the founder of Copper Conferencing, he lead the development and growth of startup companies. Before founding Copper Conferencing, Dupee served as vice president of business development and channel sales at Raindance Communications, now a part of InterCall.
Mike Frane
Mike Frane is product marketing manager for New Edge Networks. Since joining New Edge, Frane has overseen the launch of numerous products including 3G wireless, Ethernet and IPSec MPLS access elements. He is currently developing the next suite for New Edge, including managed security, VoIP and the application exchange, a suite of interconnected software and platform services. Frane joined New Edge in November 2008 to manage the company’s private MPLS network product line. Previously, he worked for Pacific LightNet Communications, a facilities-based CLEC, for seven years, ending his tenure as vice president of sales, marketing and development.
David Goodwin
David Goodwin co-founded ATC, a full-service telecommunications company, in 1999. His efforts since have helped ATC earn honors for ethical business practices, rapid growth and excellence in customer service. Goodwin served on the inaugural PHONE+ Advisory Board and remains a frequent writer, speaker and blogger on telecom topics. His industry experience came from 10 years with Cable & Wireless where he maintained the largest revenue base in the general business division. Goodwin’s community involvement includes coaching baseball and supporting nonprofits such as the Wounded Warrior Project, Matthew 25 Ministries, Disabled American Veterans and Goodwill.
Tina Gravel
Tina Gravel is responsible for running the Channels and Strategic Alliance organization at Terremark Worldwide, a leading global provider of IT infrastructure services. Gravel has more than 25 years of experience in the IT industry. Prior to joining Terremark in 2007, she held vice president positions at Data Return and Divine Managed Services, as well as sales and sales management positions at SAS, Manugistics, Sybase and McDonnell Douglas Automation. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Gravel serves on the Business School advisory boards for the University of Missouri and Western New England College.
Ben Green
Ben Green is vice president of customer services for Belham Management Industries – BMI Energy. He leads BMI Energy’s customer service related efforts, overseeing all company aspects related to customer service and product development. Green started his career with BMI Energy in 1999 as the primary customer contact for the monitoring operations within BMI. Over the next three years, he developed database systems to track the activities involved with resolving building systems problems including HVAC mechanics, controls, electrical and general service. In addition, he developed systems that allow monitoring technicians to respond efficiently to alarms from many types of control systems.
Jim Hamilton
As Senior Director, Member Relations at CompTIA, Jim Hamilton is responsible for leading the MSP Partners managed services community. Since the inception of MSP Partners in March 2007, Hamilton has worked with solution providers, vendors and industry thought leaders to deliver award-winning managed services education to the channel. In the past three years, this community has grown to include more than 5,000 solution providers and more than 40 vendor partners.
Before CompTIA, Hamilton was director of sales operations for Symbium Corporation. In previous positions, Hamilton managed IT environments at Ceyba, Cambrian Systems, Nortel Networks and Newbridge Networks.
Steve Hilton
Steve Hilton is the lead analyst for the Enterprise Solutions Program at Analysys Mason, which explores the needs of the enterprise, small business and SOHO ecosystems. He has 17 years of experience in technology and communications marketing. Prior to joining Analysys Mason, Hilton spent six years managing the enterprise and SMB team at Yankee Group. He also has held senior positions at Lucent Technologies, TDS and Cambridge Strategic Management Group (CSMG). He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Chicago and a master's degree in marketing from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Greg Howard
Greg Howard is co-founder of US Telecom Group, a telecom agency that offers a full portfolio of voice, data, Internet services and wholesale electric. The company focuses on government, nonprofit, educational and enterprise accounts and specializes in managing multilocation, multibill, multicarrier accounts. Prior to co-founding US Telecom Group in 2005, Howard spent 15 years in various positions in the telecom industry. He started his telecom career with CTC selling RBOC products nationwide, and then held both sales and management positions with Network Plus before running Nextel’s Government Sector as a senior government sales manager in the New York market.
Randy Jeter
Randy Jeter is a partner and lead consultant at Premiere Worldwide. His experience in telecommunications began in 1999 with Nextlink, which eventually became XO Communications. In 2001, he moved to PAETEC Communications to become a channel manager and spent the next seven years leading the Western Region and managing accounts such as Avaya and Inter-tel. Since 2008, Jeter has focused on redeveloping Premiere Worldwide’s core business approach and expanding it to include fee-based consulting, outsourced IT services, network monitoring, phone system RFPs, Web site development, application development and inventory/telecom expense management solutions. The company has grown rapidly as the result of Jeter’s full-service consulting approach.
Ian Kieninger
Ian Kieninger is the CEO of AVANT Communications, an agency focused on telecommunication procurement through the IT and VAR channels. He currently serves on the board of the Technology Channel Association, the indirect channel industry’s first trade association. Before AVANT, Kieninger oversaw various advance business units at CDW, a Fortune 500 provider of technology products and services. His team focused on designing a wide range of solutions spanning unified communication, mobility, IP telephony and telecom services. Previously, Kieninger also had various management roles within AT&T, which included enterprise and global sales, product management, and indirect channel experience.
Heather Margolis
Heather Margolis is an entrepreneur and founder of Channel Maven Consulting. She has led channel programs for companies like EMC, EqualLogic and Dell. She helps channel organizations build smarter channel programs, manage channel relationships to find added value, and engage their communities through social and traditional media. She is passionate about relationships and lends this passion to channel programs. A proud alumna of Babson College’s MBA program, Margolis grew up in Massachusetts. She is a six-time Pan-Mass Challenge cyclist who enjoys biking, hiking or attempting to ski.
Bernie McGroder
As vice president of sales engineering at MegaPath, Bernie McGroder has responsibility for all customer pre-sales solutions designs including IP WAN/, LAN, security, voice, solution delivery and operational support. He has more than 15 years of experience in engineering, sales, and IP solutions.
Ken Mercer
Ken Mercer is senior vice president at Telecom Brokerage Inc. (TBI) where he has focused on CLEC and local service support for TBI’s agents. Mercer began his career in technology in 1993 with V-tech industries where he was a VAR/VAD manager providing private-branded personal computers by Leading Edge, Leading Technology and Laser. Later, Mercer was promoted to vice president of the company’s subsidiary, MBX, which he helped grow to become a multimillion dollar sales organization providing custom computing solutions nationwide. Mercer also has served as a senior account executive at LCI/Qwest Communications International Inc., a national account manager with Fujitsu Networks, a senior account executive for Sprint, and a senior account manager at McLeodUSA Inc. Mercer’s experience with McLeodUSA, providing integrated access solutions to corporate customers, developed his skills for becoming a CLEC specialist for TBI.
Steve Merkel
Steve Merkel is the director of solutions engineering for Latisys, and he is responsible for overseeing presales engineering efforts across all Latisys markets. Merkel has been with the company in one capacity or another since 2001. Before the acquisition of the Denver facility by Latisys, Steve was the chief information officer of the Denver business, where he oversaw the product development and implementation of internal systems and managed hosting services.
In the past, Merkel has held technical positions with large ISPs including AOL and CompuServe. He received a bachelor’s of science in computer science from Colorado State University.
Michael Murphy
Michael Murphy is president and CEO of NEF, a leading high-capacity optical brokerage and network consulting firm. Murphy has more than 15 years of telecommunications sales and management experience, with 11 years working directly with large bandwidth connectivity for enterprises and agents. He has extensive first-hand experience with dark fiber, international networks, fiber optic network maps and collocation. He also has formed and cultivated strategic alliances and channel partnerships throughout the nation. In addition to his leadership post at NEF, Murphy is also a founding member of the Colo Consortium.
Greg Plum
Greg Plum is the director of channel development for the Conference Group. Since he joined the company in 2000, his primary responsibility has been to establish and develop the company's wholesale program, which includes agent and private-label reseller programs. Under Plum’s direction, the Conference Group’s channel program has been recognized as an industry leader, having been named a top conferencing provider by Telecom Association members in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, as well as a PHONE+ Top 50 Channel Program recipient in 2007. In addition, Plum was named as a finalist for the 2009 Channel Executive of the Year Award.
Bill Power
Bill Power is president and co-founder of ARG, a full-service telecommunications agency based in Washington, D.C. with more than 35 employees and 300 years of collective telecom experience. Bill founded the firm in 1991 with Greg Praske with whom he had spent 14 years running a national trade association. The two are also founding members of the Agent Alliance, a consortium of successful telecom agencies. ARG, then known as Association Resource Group, initially represented switchless resellers and marketed primarily to national trade and professional associations located in the nation’s capital. Over the years, other products and services have been added to the company’s product line, creating a comprehensive portfolio for its clients.
Ken Rowen
Ken Rowen is vice president of PAETEC Energy, a division of PAETEC, founded in 2004 to address the parallel between telecom and emerging competitive energy markets. Throughout 2010, PAETEC Energy will be expanding its presence in many of the restructured energy markets in the U.S. Rowen has held management and executive positions in sales, marketing, business development and operations for nearly 25 years in the telecom and energy industries. Rowen has a bachelor’s degree from Buffalo State College and a Telecommunications Management Certificate from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Randy Rowland
Randy Rowland is responsible for the managed hosting business unit for Terremark, a leading global provider of IT infrastructure services. As part of his role, Rowland oversees the operation of Terremark’s Infinistructure™ and The Enterprise Cloud utility computing products. Rowland has more than 14 years of experience in the IT services industry, including eight years with Data Return, where he was most recently responsible for product development. Previously, Rowland occupied senior positions in sales engineering and IT consulting for Data Return and CompuCom. Born in Brawley, Calif., Rowland earned a Bachelor of Science in industrial distribution from Texas A&M University.
Janet Schijns
Janet Schijns is vice president of global channels for Motorola’s Enterprise Mobility Solutions Division, which encompasses enterprise mobility, government and public safety. She is responsible for Motorola’s global go-to-market strategy, partner programs, governance and education for more than 25,000 EMS channel partners worldwide. Schijns has expertise in the areas of channel growth, routes-to-market development, vertical market diversity and international channels development. She has developed award-winning channel empowerment programs for vendors and distributors, including the $marts training system. Schijns also founded and was CEO of The JS Group, a channel consultancy firm focused on increasing clients’ market share, revenue and profits.
Ted Schuman
Ted Schuman is the founder and CEO of PlanetOne Communications, a full-service independent brokerage firm. Schuman has more than 20 years of extensive experience in the sales and marketing of telecommunications products and services through indirect channel distribution. He is a successful businessman and entrepreneur, and his companies have collected numerous national sales and marketing awards. He currently serves on advisory boards for XO, ACC, PaeTec, TNCI, One Communications and NetWolves. He is also a founding member of the Agent Alliance.
Ben Stiegler
Mr. Stiegler’s history in telephony dates back to fourth grade, when his frequent calls to Western Electric engineers to ask “How does this work?" resulted in the surprise delivery of surplus telephony equipment to his back porch. Synertel is now celebrating its 20th anniversary of designing and deploying converged communications solutions worldwide. A 1977 graduate of Carleton College, Mr. Stiegler holds two Master of Science degrees from the University of Minnesota, one in computer science and one in human factors engineering. In 1981, he was the youngest person in the U.S. to earn CDP certification from the Institute for the Certification of Computer Professionals. The father of two, Mr. Stiegler spends his spare time playing in two local jazz and Klezmer bands and is aiming to compete in the U.S. Crossword Championships before he turns 60.
Brian Suerth
Brian Suerth is executive vice president and partner for Technology Assurance Group, an international organization of unified communications companies representing $400 million in annual sales. Suerth manages TAG’s team of consultants, supports the development and execution of the company’s strategic direction, and creates programs that increase TAG member profitability. He drives the growth and performance of members by delivering training and consultation in management, sales, strategic planning and marketing.
Suerth has an executive master’s in business administration from San Diego State University. In 2009, San Diego Metropolitan magazine named him to its “40 Under 40” list of business people.
Greg L. Taylor
Greg L. Taylor, Esq., is an attorney with Washington, D.C.-based Technology Law Group. Taylor’s legal expertise focuses on transactional, litigation and regulatory issues associated with the telecommunications industry. He has drafted and negotiated hundreds of telecom agreements for agents, master agents, resellers and carriers. He has appeared in state and federal courts across the country as well as participated in arbitration and mediation cases. He has represented clients who have come before the Federal Communications Commission and various state public utility commissions throughout the country.
Katherine Trost
Katherine Trost is a research analyst with Nemertes Research, a research advisory firm that examines emerging technologies. She focuses primarily on professional services, developing and managing research projects, conducting strategic seminars, and advising enterprises, vendors, and service providers. Trost’s primary area of expertise includes hosted, managed, and professional IT services, as well as channel strategies. Her secondary areas include enterprise and SMB organizational best practices, branch-office strategies and Unified Communications trends. She has authored numerous reports and articles on these areas and is a frequent resource for the business and trade press.
Dan Vidal
Dan Vidal is a co-founder and the managing director of Telecom Advisors Inc., an independent agency that specializes in advising companies on the procurement of voice and data telecom services. With more than 10 years in telecom experience, eight of those years at Telecom Advisors, Vidal brings a wealth of knowledge to the table from both a telecom perspective as well as a business executive management role including all aspects of running a successful telecom agent business. Telecom Advisors continues to enjoy double digit growth year over year and currently serves customers with an average annual telecom spend between $500,000 and $1 million. Vidal serves in a variety of leadership roles, both professionally and in the South Florida community where he lives.
Ralph Widmar
Ralph Widmar is the CEO of Network Intelligence, Inc. Widmar is a 1978 graduate of the University of Colorado with a degree in Communications and Marketing. In early 1985 Mr. Widmar formed Network Intelligence, Inc. to provide consulting services to clients in the telecommunications industry. Network Intelligence focuses on the nexus of technical and regulatory issues, providing hosted and managed solutions for clients that optimize financial and service performance. He has advised Wireless providers, State, Federal, and International regulatory agencies, ISPs, RBOCs, and CLECs. Clients include Alcatel, SBC, AT&T, Bell Atlantic, the German Ministry of Posts and Telecommunication, the European Commission, the U.S. Justice Department, FCC, and the NSA.
Dan York
Dan York is director of conversations at Voxeo Corporation heading up the company's communication through both traditional and new/social media. Previously, he served in Voxeo's Office of the CTO focused on analyzing/evaluating emerging technology, participating in industry standards bodies and addressing VoIP security issues. Since the mid-1980s York has been working with online communication technologies and helping businesses and organizations understand how to use and participate in those new media. He frequently presents at conferences, has authored multiple books on Linux and networking and has written numerous articles in print and online.
