Don Thorsen Email and Phone Number

(Formerly Allstream) Responsible for designing, developing, and managing activities for our Unified Communications service from product definition and planning through production, release, and end of life. My group served as the central resource with design, process, test, quality, and marketing as the product(s) move to production and distribution. Managed our Gold partner relationship with Cisco HCS, our Platinum status with Mitel Private Cloud and launched our first UCaaS product with Microsoft/Metaswitch.Growth of the UC Service was 20% with less than 1% Churn.Responsibilities• Monitored competitive market to determine client needs for certain product improvements.• Strategically partnered with key senior stakeholders to understand needs and priorities.• Recommended product requirements and definitions to align with stakeholder's needs.• Collaborated with the engineering team on feature ideas and prototypes to bring potential solutions to life• Advised key stakeholders on the portfolio strategy across all phases of the lifecycle• Played a leadership role and drove the progress of the product management function• Tracked and reported key metrics to drive future product developments• Continuing development of the skill set of the Product team• Worked with legal team on Service Schedules, NDA’s and other legal documents• Worked with marketing on, content, sales enablement, webinars, direct and indirect training, trade shows

Managed a team of product managers responsible for designing, developing, and managing activities for our Unified Communications service from product definition and planning through production, release, and end of life. My group served as the central resource with design, process, test, quality, and marketing as the product(s) move to production and distribution. Managed our Gold partner relationship with Cisco HCS, our Platinum status with Mitel Private Cloud and launched our first UCaaS product with Microsoft/Metaswitch.Growth of the UC Service was 20% with less than 1% Churn.Responsibilities• Monitored competitive market to determine client needs for certain product improvements.• Strategically partnered with key senior stakeholders to understand needs and priorities.• Recommended product requirements and definitions to align with stakeholder's needs.• Collaborated with the engineering team on feature ideas and prototypes to bring potential solutions to life• Advised key stakeholders on the portfolio strategy across all phases of the lifecycle• Played a leadership role and drove the progress of the product management function• Tracked and reported key metrics to drive future product developments• Continuing development of the skill set of the Product team• Worked with legal team on Service Schedules, NDA’s and other legal documents• Worked with marketing on, content, webinars, direct and indirect training, trade shows

ThorMac Consulting offers services to Unified Communications providers in helping them establish their position in the market through extensive industry research, training and business planning.

Led instructional designer team to create sales process, product, SaaS, sales engineering, on-boarding and other related on-line and leader-led training for global channel partner community and employees.• Reduced overhead costs by consolidating North American and EMEA training departments into 1 global operation.• Enhanced forecasting capabilities by introducing sales process, standardizing functions.• Decreased dependence on sub-contractors for sales engineering training by bringing capability in-house, leading to significant cost savings for employees and channel partners.• Led team to develop and implement sales / engineering training for product marketing Agile process, enabling channels / employees to develop pipelines / sales prior to general availability, generating revenue quicker.• Created over 170 different courses covering topics from, sales engineering, on-boarding, verticals, analytics, contact center and unified communications, providing for quicker adoption of new products and increased sales through better understanding of product portfolio.• Standardized sales and engineering training globally, increasing enrollments by 8k and meeting diverse needs of global audience.• Designed leader-led and online advanced skills course for Business Impact Selling, Presentation, and Demonstration Skills, creating better understanding of uncovering business problems and how best to discover and articulate those issues.• Participated in launch of new CRM, integrating sales process into CRM dashboard for wider adoption.

Managed group of top channel partners in Pacific region. Oversaw all sales activities, including attaining revenue targets, forecasting, growing market share, education, adding new partners, introducing new products, and managing budget.• Assigned channel partners often the top revenue producers in the nation by assisting in customer presentations, demonstrations and becoming integral part of partners business.• Tasked with become key sales lead on integration with Microsoft. Developed sales strategies, placing Mitel solutions in Microsoft Demo facilities, targeting partners and customers to become early adapters of Unified Communications.• Served as point person for introduction of VOIP. Managed select group of partners, launching initiative, successfully and implementing first VOIP systems setting stage for move to Cloud.• Built multi-national company into top partner in world by providing extensive support in Europe.• Won numerous Presidents Club achievements for overachievement of assigned quotas.• Increased revenues and margins year-over-year by 15 – 20% by supplementing core business with new product launches.