PAUL L. THOMAS
Atlanta
Summary
Dynamic sales leader with a track record of exceeding revenue goals and cultivating C-suite relationships. Spearheaded transformative initiatives in security and digital transformation across enterprise accounts, leveraging strategic account management to deliver tailored technology solutions that drive business success.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Strategic Sales Director
Island.io
07.2024 - Current
- Cultivated relationships with C-suite executives, enhancing client trust and facilitating secure browser transformations across enterprise accounts
- Created pipeline development through strategic prospecting, partner relationships, and industry engagement across targeted enterprise accounts.
- Introduced AI Protect; providing identity, visibility, guardrails, and controls to major accounts in GA
- Coordinated proof-of-concept deployments and pilot programs demonstrating Island’s capabilities in secure access, data protection, and enterprise visibility.
- Trained channel partners (Presidio, Guidepoint, iVision, Edge Solutions) on secure browser and transformation platforms, covering SASE, BYOD, contractor/3rd party access, VPN, and VDI use cases
Sales Director
Fortanix
01.2021 - 07.2024
- Finished as Number One Rep in the company worldwide in 2023
- Created more accounts and new logos than any other rep in the US including: Fedex, Southern Company, Enact, MagicLeap, Syniverse, Fiserv, Labcorp and Blackbaud
- Launched and positioned Fortanix DSM SaaS solution for multi-cloud key management, tokenization, TDE, code signing, and Zero Trust across territory
- Targeted F1000 accounts in seven southern states
- Collaborated with marketing team to develop messaging targeting security and architecture teams, encryption leaders, and cloud architecture groups in accounts
- Supported recruitment and development of channel partners, including Mission Critical, Optiv, WWT, Sirius, Guidepoint, iVision, Defy, Atlantic Security, and CSPi
Regional Sales Director/NSX Account Lead
Avi Networks (acquired by VMware)
01.2018 - 01.2021
- Targeted IaaS, Cloud, Container and traditional datacenter F1000 accounts in seven southern states as Avi southeast director
- Achieved 161% off quota in first 12 months, one of two new hire reps to beat annual goal
- Developed and positioned Avi within existing accounts and NSX business unit, collaborating with twenty-five VMware reps across three regions and seven states post-acquisition
- Grew F500 customer base in first eighteen months (Publix, Delta, Macy’s, Travelport, FiServ)
- Created $23 million pipeline, with $9 million projected to close in VMware FY '21 including PwC, Assurant, NCR, MetLife, Truist, FedEx, and Lincoln Financial Group
- Coordinated inside sales efforts with management, team members, and resellers/integrators across all states to enhance market reach.
- Achieved over 300% on Avi sales in year two while working within VMware teams including Fedex & PWC
- Once Avi was rolled into NSX line, became the sales overlay for NSX to GA Enterprises for NSX, SASE, SD-WAN and AVI solutions to GA enterprises ending in 221% of quota in final quarter
Southeast/Mid Atlantic Enterprise Sales Director
SpyCloud
01.2018 - 12.2018
- Developed positioning and marketing strategies for enterprise and commercial accounts
- Targeted and secured meetings with Fortune 1000 clients across eleven states
- Incorporated Fortune 50 clients and additional customers into client roster within nine months
- Developed programs for engaged, signed and trained channel partners: GuidePoint, Kudelski, Optiv, Softchoice on SpyCloud platform and USP
- Coordinated inside sales initiatives in collaboration with management and team members
Southeast Enterprise Sales Director
CloudPassage
01.2016 - 01.2018
- Achieved 136% off quota in first year
- Added Coke and NCR as new customers in first year
- Targeted, set meetings and met with F1000 enterprises across seven southern states
- Identified, engaged and trained channel partners on CloudPassage platform and USP
- Coordinated inside sales efforts with management and team members
Territory Account Manager
F5 Networks
01.2013 - 01.2016
- Achieved 125% of quota in first year and 156% of quota in second year
- Positioned existing solutions to select commercial and enterprise accounts and new prospects in GA
- Educated VARs, prospects and customers on new F5 solutions increasing attach rates for security at 32% (national average 18%)
- Added eight net new accounts in the state for F5 year one, and seven in year two
- Closed new opportunities at six of the top six accounts, generating over $5M in product and services
Southeast Sales Manager
Click Security (acquired by Alert Logic)
01.2012 - 01.2013
- Recruited by my former CEO from TippingPoint to join this early stage start upselling Real-time Security Analytics to enterprise accounts
- Helped develop positioning and marketing solution to end users and VARS
- Evangelize to new accounts from TX, to MD including all of the Southeastern states
- Over quota in 2012 and secured several Proof of Concepts
- New accounts included: First Data, Korn Ferry, GameStop, COX, Harris Corp. SecureWorks, etc.
Director-Eastern Region – Video Transcoding Solutions
RipCode (acquired by RGB Networks)
01.2009 - 01.2011
- Provided Video Transcoding solutions to large media, government and Web 2.0 organizations
- Developed Northrop Grumman into the largest account in 2010, representing over 60% of North American sales for RipCode
- #1 Worldwide through 2010, ending RipCode transition at 147% of quota and 117% for the year at RGB
- Direct and Channel sales and business development responsibilities east of the MS
Southeast Sales Manager – Data Governance
Varonis
01.2007 - 01.2009
- Professional sales consultant with account responsibility for all customers in the Southeast (MS, AL, GA, SC, FL, TN), evangelizing to new accounts in a green-field territory
- Closed sales with E-Trade and Rooms2GO while developing pipeline of 2.5 million dollars in first year selling Data Governance solutions
- Interfaced with EMC representatives in effort to further strategic relationship and sales
- Developed Channel partners throughout the Region: Forsythe, Prosys, Vigilar, Fishnet
Sales Manager – Intrusion Prevention
TippingPoint Technologies (acquired by 3com)
01.2003 - 01.2007
- Named as Regional Director, trained and managed two other reps and one inside salesperson, during FY 07, our third year of growth, while surpassing quota concomitantly.
- Ended first year at 125+% of sales quota and TP's number one salesperson in FY 2004, the number two salesperson in FY05 with 165+% of sales quota, the number three salesperson in FY 06 at 152% of sales quota and was pacing to be number one or two in FY 07
- Developed over 225 customers in the Southeast region including seven figure wins at Coke, Hewlett Packard, Cingular, Miami Dade County Public schools, and WebMD. And six figure wins at Deloitte, Southern Company, Florida Power and Light, University of Miami, UNC, Nielsen Media Research, Georgia Pacific and others
Regional Manager/SE – Network and Internet Security
NetScreen Technologies
01.2000 - 01.2003
- Professional sales consultant with FY'02 sales quota of $4.4M and account responsibility for all customers in the Southeast (MS, AL, GA, SC, FL, TN)
- Sales performance for FY'02 98% of $4.4M goal. Responsible for 100% of regional goal
- Increased year over year revenue growth of 1,000% FY'0 to 2003
- Presidents Club achievement award, in 2001 and 2002
- Developed Channel partners and programs at multiple levels across the Southeast.
- Directed efforts for State contracts in GA, FL, and SC
- Directed Sales to end-users along with channel partners
- Major wins include: Eckerd Corp (850k); U Of Miami (500k); Ceridian (250k); Boy Scouts of America (250k)
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Individual Concentration in Product Communication Strategies
The University of Massachusetts
AmherstSkills
- Enterprise sales strategy
- Account management
- Customer relationship management
- Market positioning
- Strategic prospecting
- Negotiation skills
- Effective communication
- Channel partner training
- Proof-of-concept coordination
- Pipeline development
Websites
Timeline
Strategic Sales Director
Island.io
07.2024 - Current
Sales Director
Fortanix
01.2021 - 07.2024
Regional Sales Director/NSX Account Lead
Avi Networks (acquired by VMware)
01.2018 - 01.2021
Southeast/Mid Atlantic Enterprise Sales Director
SpyCloud
01.2018 - 12.2018
Southeast Enterprise Sales Director
CloudPassage
01.2016 - 01.2018
Territory Account Manager
F5 Networks
01.2013 - 01.2016
Southeast Sales Manager
Click Security (acquired by Alert Logic)
01.2012 - 01.2013
Director-Eastern Region – Video Transcoding Solutions
RipCode (acquired by RGB Networks)
01.2009 - 01.2011
Southeast Sales Manager – Data Governance
Varonis
01.2007 - 01.2009
Sales Manager – Intrusion Prevention
TippingPoint Technologies (acquired by 3com)
01.2003 - 01.2007
Regional Manager/SE – Network and Internet Security
NetScreen Technologies
01.2000 - 01.2003
Bachelor of Arts - Individual Concentration in Product Communication Strategies
The University of Massachusetts