Cradlepoint Pumps Up Channel Team, Snags Juniper, Cisco, RSA, VMware Alums

Network edge solutions provider Cradlepoint has hired four well-known executives to support its channel partners.

The hires bring a wealth of expertise from working at some of the largest networking, security and IT companies in the world.

Cradlepoint’s Krissy Kelley

Krissy Kelley joined as vice president of global partner and field marketing. Kelley comes from RSA Security, where she served as senior director of Americas marketing. She has worked in senior marketing positions at companies like Fortinet and Citrix.

Cradlepoint’s Lisa Wight

Lisa Wight now serves as vice president of Cradlepoint’s global distribution and partner program. Wright spent the last decade at VMware, where she was the head of global solutions aggregators. Wright also worked for Dell.

Steve Benvenuto now heads up partner sales for the Americas. Benvenuto worked at Cisco for the last 21 years. He most recently was senior director of global security for Cisco’s partner sales organization.

Cradlepoint’s Steve Benvenuto

Similarly, Darryl Brick has joined as vice president of partner sales for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Cradlepoint’s Darryl Brick

He most recently worked as EMEA channel director for Infoblox. His career also include a 15-year stint at HPE and five years at Juniper Networks.

Cradlepoint uses 4G LTE and 5G wireless connections to provide wide area network (WAN) connectivity.

Threefold Investment

Eric Purcell, Cradlepoint’s senior vice president of global partner and alliances, spoke highly of the new appointees.

“Bringing best-in-class products to market is only possible with a best-in-class channel and a world-class partner program that brings them all together,” Purcell said. “To accelerate LTE and 5G Wireless WAN adoption and support our growth plan, we are making significant investments in people, programs, and platforms.”

Cradlepoint overhauled its partner program last summer, adding a Technology Alliance Program and “5G for Enterprise Branch” specialization. That came just a few months before Ericsson announced its plans to buy Cradlepoint for $1.1 billion.

Furthermore, Cradlepoint has been pursuing opportunities in Europe, where channel partners can take full advantage of superior 5G availability.