CenturyLink Channel Manager Switches to 365 Data Centers

**Editor’s Note: Click here to see which channel people were on the move in May.**

365 Data Centers has hired Tony Franchi, previously a senior channel manager at CenturyLink, as senior vice president of sales and marketing.

365’s Tony Franchi

In this new role, Franchi will develop a partner program for the company and oversee the existing direct and carrier sales teams, as well as marketing initiatives. He will replace Steve Weaver, who is leaving 365 on July 31.

“I’ve watched 365 Data Centers emerge as a top IT solutions provider under (CEO) Bob DeSantis’ leadership and am thrilled to work with him again to further grow the company’s revenue and customer base,” Franchi said. “One of 365’s differentiators is the company’s highly-attentive, skilled and consultative sales engineering and customer service, which mirrors my own approach to working with customers and partners. This focus, coupled with 365’s portfolio of IT solutions powered by a robust network, facilitates our direct, carrier and soon-to-be-rolled-out partner channel sales initiatives.”

According to 365 Data Centers, Franchi has built an “impressive track record of high-level sales performance” at CenturyLink, Global Capacity (now GTT), Level 3 Communications (now CenturyLink), Paetec Communications/Windstream and DSL.net.

“Having repositioned 365 Data Centers in growing edge markets with a full suite of colocation, network, IP, cloud, backup, disaster recovery and business continuity service offerings, it is the perfect time to add Tony Franchi as the leader of our sales team,” DeSantis said. “His proven ability to drive sales and develop long-term business relationships with customers and partners aligns with our Technology Humanized approach to customer service. Since our markets, managed and cloud services, expert technical team and customer-first focus are also well suited to the partner channel, 365 will benefit immediately from Tony’s indirect sales experience and network.”

During the past three months, 365 Data Centers has bolstered its management team with the additions of Jeff Slapp as vice president of cloud services and support, Robert Allison as director of business development, and James Ashton as director of network engineering to support the company’s transformation from a colocation to a hybrid IT services provider.