AireSpring is pleased to announce that Brian Fortenbury has joined its channel sales team as Regional Channel Manager for Dallas, TX.

Brian entered the Telcom industry after he graduated from Texas State University in 2002. At that time, he accepted an offer with AT&T for the role of Business Sales Manager- National Business Markets. During his 15-year career at AT&T, he expanded and enhanced his product knowledge on connectivity and network solutions and was promoted from Business Sales to Sales Management and Channel Marketing Director.

Brian continued to expand his focus on the Channel segment after leaving AT&T and accepting a position as Director of Sales with Intellys, a large technology consulting and services company, where he developed strategic solutions for business clients by partnering with channel managers, trusted experts, and master agents for pricing, proposals, and customer carrier support. Prior to joining AireSpring, Brian served as DFW Channel Manager for Logix Fiber Networks where he drew upon his past experiences and channel network to support 100 partners in the Dallas/Ft Worth area.

"We are excited to have someone with Brian's track record and experience in channel sales join the team and manage our channel partner relationships in the Dallas Metro area," stated John Young SVP Channel Sales, AireSpring. "Dallas is an important market for AireSpring and the region is key to AireSpring's continued growth. The relationships that Brian has developed over the years are invaluable."

AireSpring is 100% Channel focused hence we are dedicated to ensuring that you, our channel partners, succeed. AireSpring is comprised of a global team of professionals whose primary goal is to ensure that we support our partners and their clients to the best of our abilities. We encourage you to take full advantage of both the human and automation resources available to you when you partner with AireSpring.

We treat every order like a project and assign a team of professionally trained project coordinators and managed services engineers to ensure all goes smoothly and efficiently. Our service delivery team works tirelessly to provide the best white glove onboarding experience possible. But the mission to provide the best experience doesn't end there as it continues through to our network engineering, repair and support teams.

AireSpring Escalation List

The AireSpring Escalation List demonstrates a firm commitment to serving customers' needs at every level of interaction. In the rare event that our team members do not meet yours or your client's needs to your satisfaction, please utilize our escalation procedure to obtain assistance from AireSpring's highly qualified management team.

AireSpring goes the extra mile by including the names and direct contact information of our supervisors, department heads, and executives. Even our CEO is listed here. Click on the link below to download the latest Dedicated Escalation List.

Please reach out to your Channel Manager for more information about the resources AireSpring provides.

October Promo: Autumn SPIFFs are Calling

Enjoy AireSpring's service and Spiffs, along with your pumpkin spice latte this Fall. Our substantial product line gives you a tremendous range of ways to provide your customers with the tools they need to compete in today's environment.

Our philosophy of delighting customers and partners assures you that your clients are in good hands. Service and support are what sets one supplier apart from the pack and that's what gives you an edge as well.

Channel partners can always depend on AireSpring to:

• Be 100% channel focused.
• Offer white glove customer service and concierge services to partners.

• Provide experienced and professional solutions engineers to determine the best technology fit for your customers.
• Treat each order like a project assigning a team of managed services engineers (MSEs) and project coordinators (PC) to assist you and your clients.
• Provide 24/7/365 network monitoring and white glove support by a core team of caring, committed technicians who average a 20 second response time.
• Publish an escalation list that goes up to our CEO.

AireSpring provides everything you need to deliver the best products, managed services, and industry-leading customer service to your clients. And we also offer our channel partners some of the highest evergreen commissions, bonuses, and we're the only supplier in the industry to offer SPIFFs on renewals!

• 6X MRC on Voice/Cloud Services
• 1X MRC on SD-WAN & Global SD-WAN Services
• 1.5X MRC on Connectivity Services & MPLS
• $1600 Cash Bonus on Toll Free Services
• $800 Cash Bonus on LD Services
• 5% EXTRA Bonus Residual Commission on AireSpring Network & SIP LD underlying it all (note: wholesale LD accounts do not qualify).

Please contact your AireSpring Channel Manager for details.

Today's connectivity options for voice and data are many and varied: Broadband, Fiber, DIA, MPLS, Satellite, Wireline, Wireless, Wi-Fi and SD-WAN…

Learn about all the options that AireSpring can provide to you as a channel partner and what, when and where to recommend them to your clients, as well as for which businesses they make the most sense. We'll also discuss the types of connectivity challenges that the hybrid work model presents and how to make connections more secure and reliable to improve employee productivity.

Join Solutions Engineer, Chuck Long, for a key overview of the various connectivity options available, their strengths and weaknesses, pros and cons and overall suitability for certain businesses such as:

• Banking
• Call Centers
• Healthcare
• Hospitality
• Logistics
• Restaurants
• Retail

Complete our brief survey at the end for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card!

I have been working in the technical field with computers and networking since 1981, including 11 years as a Senior Software Engineer with Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), and several years in engineering with Harris Corporation. During this time, I gained tremendous insights and experience. At JA Communications, our goal when talking to a new customer, is to fully understand their business and the problem they are trying to solve first. Then we make recommendations and suggestions for the most cost-effective solution for their needs, which can also provide a future upgrade path for them.

My job is to help companies nationwide discover how they can save significant money on their telecom spend. We've helped many companies realize a significant savings over what they had previously been spending. As an Authorized Master Agent for Telarus Inc., I am able to recommend and provide a total solution to a customer's needs.

I was one of the first Telarus agents brought on board and Adam Edwards (CEO Telarus) and Patrick Oborn (Chief Product Officer), the founders, are personal friends of mine who I knew before they started Telarus. I've been working as an independent agent with Telarus for nearly 20 years since their inception in 2002. At the 2021 Telarus Partner Summit in San Diego in July, I was inducted into the Telarus Hall of Fame, and I have also qualified for the Telarus Presidents Club event many times, including in 2020.

What do you like about working with AireSpring?

AireSpring has been my favored carrier for a long time, amongst the literally hundreds of Telarus partner carriers.

Over time you come to understand which carriers can deliver what they promise and which ones cannot. One of the things you learn early on is that each customer situation is unique.

If it's not a straightforward, vanilla sale, and it very rarely is, AireSpring is one of the few carriers that will go the extra mile and say, "Have you thought about this?" "Can we take a look at this?" And the AireSpring Channel Manager will actually make suggestions like "you know this would be a better way to go because…." And I love that because I might not be aware of many of those other options. I love the way they think outside the box because most carriers do not think outside the box.

I love their responsiveness which is second to none. That doesn't mean customers have never had a problem, but 100% of customers who have had any problems are well taken care of. There are always problems in this business, no matter who you are. The important thing is being responsive and handling them, something AireSpring does amazingly well.

Also, my channel manager, Charles Lomond (National Director of Channel Sales), is a channel manager to be modeled after. AireSpring consistently demonstrates the TEAM approach, where I can call AireSpring's technical pricing expert Ilya Shvartsman (Director of Pricing and Offer Management), or Raymond Thornton (Deal Desk Manager), to get more insights into the options for a particular sale. Also, the responsiveness of Amy Gallardo (Director of Customer Experience) who can resolve problems that may arise, is invaluable.

I love AireSpring's 100% channel business model, and I love how AireSpring constantly positions itself at the leading edge of new technology. AireSpring has a bright future and I plan to be there with them.

What would you say is the secret to being a successful trusted advisor?

One of the things that can't be overemphasized is education, yes for the advisor but more importantly, for the customer. People want to be educated, not sold to. When it's all about the sale, it raises red flags and walls go up. Bring it down to their level and don't make it technical and take an interest in determining what the problem is that the customer wants to solve.

I find it makes people more receptive to hearing you and lets you partner with them. I used to be a college professor teaching computer courses, so education and bringing it down to the user level is something that comes naturally to me.

What is the "next big thing" you think is coming to the Channel or that channel partners should be aware of?

Trusted advisors should not embrace new technology just for the sake of technology but need to wait until that new technology has been tested and proven. I believe the use of fiber will continue to expand and become increasingly more affordable, even for small businesses. Many customers are becoming more aware of the need for security of their systems and data, and the use of SD-WAN can help maximize their bandwidth and efficiency.

I think as far as new things coming down the road, advisors should keep an eye on wireless and 5G as it becomes better, more widely available, and more reliable, as I think it will grow tremendously in time.

What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of telecom?

One interest that I enjoy tremendously, and telecom has allowed me to pursue, is being a private pilot of single engine planes. I have flown a Cessna 182, a Mooney M20, and used to be part owner of a Piper Arrow. One of the benefits of flying along at 150 or 155 MPH is that it forces you to focus and clears the mind; you cannot be a safe pilot if you are distracted. One of my favorite sayings, which applies to a great number of things, not just flying, is "never let your airplane get somewhere that your brain didn't get to five minutes earlier".

I am also an accomplished pianist, having paid my way through college by playing in a rock band and playing for the dinner hour in fancy restaurants, where I am still active in playing piano, as well as a substitute organist/pianist at many local churches.

Tell us about your professional background and how long you've been in the telecom industry.

I began my career in Telecom in 2008 at Granite Communications where I held the position of Account Executive and AT&T Solution Provider in the Northeast.

Later I joined MegaPath (now Fusion Connect) where I spent over 6 years, originally starting out in account management and client account sales, and later being promoted to Business Sales Executive II. My accomplishments within MegaPath set me on a course to become a Channel Manager for the Northeast, with Fusion Connect, a position I held for several years prior to joining AireSpring.

Tell us about your role at AireSpring, how are you specifically helping partners in your region, etc.

My goal as a regional channel manager at AireSpring is to educate the NY, NJ, and CT partners on AireSpring's custom solutions that help streamline and simplify customer's communication needs. I am thrilled to be a part of the AireSpring team, and I fully believe there is a lot of opportunity to grow the Tristate area and expand the region.

What do you like about working at AireSpring?

I felt welcome at AireSpring from the very first day, the culture, and family-oriented business made me feel right at home. I am grateful for the support and training that I have received from my colleagues. AireSpring really cares about their customers, partners, and employees and I am glad to be a part of it.

What are some of your hobbies or interests outside of the office?

We love outdoor activities especially fishing. I have two boys, Ian Age 11, and Leo age 12. Ian plays basketball, rides bikes, enjoys his video games, and is interested in joining the football team. My other son Leo loves baseball, Taekwondo, and video games.

We have lived on Lake Quonnipaug, a freshwater lake, for 18 years. It's great for a picnic, swimming, freshwater fishing, kayaking, canoes, and knee boarding. On the lake there is a slide dedicated to a few of the private homes in the community. The children and I go out on inflatable boats every summer and soak up the sun. The most common fish caught here are largemouth bass, chain pickerel, pumpkinseed, and rainbow trout.

AireSpring is an award-winning provider of Managed Connectivity and Cloud Communications solutions providing fully managed and connected end-to-end, next-generation solutions for multi-location enterprise customers, including:

• AirePBX UCaaS
• MPLS Mesh
• SD-WAN
• Global Managed SD-WAN
• SIP Trunking
• Managed Firewall
• Dedicated Internet Access
• Analog/PRI/POTS
• Wholesale Long Distance

AireSpring's services are delivered over its revolutionary nationwide MPLS Mesh Network, providing customers a fully integrated, end-to-end solution from a single vendor.

sales@airespring.com | 888.389.2899 | www.airespring.com