Representing Wisconsin’s independent telephone companies, Access Wisconsin is a strategic partner enabling BadgerNet, the core broadband and related services network for the State of Wisconsin government, educational entities, as well as other authorized users.

• Proactively identify sourcing and cost savings through category expertise, analyzing spend, financial and industry data to create savings opportunity forecasts, then lead cross-functional sourcing teams to achieve goals.• Negotiation of mutually beneficial, high value purchasing agreements with key suppliers.• Establish and maintain supplier relationships. Manager supplier performance and perform supplier evaluations. Develop plans for service improvement and implement corrective actions where necessary. evaluations. Develop plans for service improvement and implement corrective actions where necessary.

• Develop vendor negotiation plans and prepare contracts and related documents for the procurement of hardware, software, maintenance, and services. Analyzes significant, and/or unique contract requirements, special provisions, terms and conditions to ensure compliance with appropriate laws, regulations, and corporate policies and business unit procedure and communicates results to subordinates. Leads the identification, development and implementation of new contract policy and processes• Review complex solicitations from team and prepares specialized and/or non-routine response for proposals, bids, and contract modifications. Have a general understanding of the business case and an appreciation of financial/analytical issues and profit and loss implications• Analyzes new law, regulation and contract trends for potential impact on business unit goals and objectives. Provides authoritative guidance to internal business teams and contract subordinates on corporate goals and objectives relating to contract activity. Focal point for all communication with law, finance and business team disciplines for resolution of contract issues and disputes. Establish guidelines for the maintenance of contracting records to ensure compliance company policies and audit requirements• Develop and generate, with contributions from technical experts, RFI, RFP or RFQ to gain an understanding of vendor’s product, competitive pricing and support services to evaluate and choose a vendor’s product for major IT and network purchases• Supervise and direct contract administration staff in the fulfillment of their duties. Trains and develops subordinate contract professionals to assume more complex contract activity. Supervises the activity of entry to mid-level contract professionals in review and preparation of routine contract documents in accordance with corporate policy

• Manager Network Vendor Relations is the liaison between various TDS network units and vendors for the product and services of the network.• Develop vendor negotiation plans and strategies that are supportive and aligned with the various network units and business units that incorporate their needs and service requirements into the contract negotiations and contract language. • Negotiate vendor contracts that provide the required and needed quality, functionality, support, business operating procedures and competitive cost and value. • Prepare and convey pertinent contract content, interpretation and expiration to effected TDS network unit and business units members.• Monitor contracts for network units and business units to see negotiated provisions are carried out by vendors per their contracts. Work closely with vendors and colleagues on forecasts and budgets based on contract provisions.• Provide contract expertise, as needed, to network teams by assisting them with the review of contracts in place, and possibly suggesting and/or recommending the inclusion of some added beneficial contract language.• Meet with new and existing network equipment vendors concerning vendor solicitations, initiatives and product presentations. Identify the interest thereof and determine what information to recount with network system subject experts for further review and analysis.• Develop and generate, with contributions from technical experts, RFI, RFP or RFQ to gain an understanding of vendor’s product, competitive pricing and support services to evaluate and choose a vendor’s product for major network purchases.• Manage, organize and conduct scheduled vendor operations review meetings between a designated vendor and network and business unit colleagues for discussions on resolving vendor and business operations issues, problems and processed.

• Develop and implement strategic product plans with the goal of generating new revenue, assuring the profitability of current products, as well as introducing new technologies to create efficiencies and maintain reputation as an industry leader. • Responsible for managing a $100M+ annual product line.• Oversee a multi-million dollar inventory budget for Customer Premise Equipment.• Managed a multi-million dollar budget for DSL service facility upgrades in over 28 states by analyzing project plans, prioritizing, approving and funding. • Cross-functional Team Lead analyzing market and individual network usage trends, assessing profitability, capital investment, risk, network management adjustments and usage policy management.• Train sales reps, support reps and field engineers on new products. Develop training collateral.• Evaluate customer experiences, and sales/support/field experiences to improve products and procedures.• Contributing member of the company’s Executive led planning committees on the subjects of Federal Broadband Stimulus, FCC USF restructuring and the FCC Open Internet Initiatives.• Maintain strong relationships working closely with diverse business units such as Sales, Government Affairs, Finance, Network Services, Field Services, Information Systems, Customer Operations.

• Regulatory Manager, led regulatory activities across AT&T’s national footprint and across multiple business units including legal, policy, sales, marketing, network, operations, finance, IT, engineering.• Established and implemented a Business Continuity Plan for AT&T WI, involving risk and business impact analysis, strategy & plan development, emergency communications, awareness and training.• Provided subject matter expert guidance to state regulatory teams of corporate policies and regulatory developments-advancing uniform corporate principles and strategies across the organization.• Identified and developed key positions and strategies, then engaged and coached appropriate resources to assure goals were achieved on time and with reasonable costs and minimal risks.• Spearheaded the creation of new more cost effective 911 contracts by directing negotiations between AT&T, Competitive Local Exchange Carriers and Wisconsin Counties.

• Sales technology specialist with clientele in large commercial, government, education and medical verticals selling enterprise networking equipment, hosted & managed services, consulting and engineering. • Always achieved over 100% of annual objective in 6 years as a technical sales specialist. Achieved 175% of an objective of $5,000,000 in the last year.• $117 million core network upgrade to the State of Wisconsin, 2000+ sites involving pre-sale consulting, network implementation, NOC creation, service depots and network support services.• For a local hospital, $3.6 million VoIP system involving hardware, design, implementation and post-sale support, providing a uniform communications platform and wireless throughout the enterprise.• Advanced knowledge of LAN, WAN, VoIP, video, wireless, security, hosted services, managed services, content delivery storage, network management platforms, consulting and engineering. • Trained junior sales executives in large sales conference groups and smaller break-out groups

• Prepared and presented proposals for recommended solutions to enterprise, medium, and small level clients on hardware and software options. • Focused on LAN/WAN equipment, VoIP, servers, workstations, operating systems, remote access, and electronic commerce. • Knowledge and training included Cisco, Compaq, IBM, HP, Microsoft, Novell. Cisco and Novell Sales Expert Certifications.

• Researched and prepared for State civil defense cases, such as contract, treaty, inmate, employer/employee rights, constitutional rights, as well as tort liability and administrative law.• Provided analyses, conclusions, recommendations, and assistance in the drafting of briefs.