Brandon Vaughan Marketing & Communications

Brandon Vaughan shares executive responsibility for the company’s strategic development as well as oversees the company’s marketing and communications efforts.  Brandon has many years of experience developing brands and corporate messaging, leading various marketing initiatives and managing numerous user experience design and development projects. Throughout his career, Brandon has provided strategic and marketing services to many start-ups spanning multiple industries. He has a BA in Philosophy from Christendom College.

Deborah Wellington Sr. Program Manager

Deborah, one of Blue Channel Solutions' most experienced leaders, has over 30 years of IBM and technology experience in direct and channel sales and marketing management.  She has also developed numerous global Business Partner Programs and sales programs for IBM and its business partner community.  Deb was also the Director of IBM’s Partner Business Advantage Program for several years. While one of Deborah’s interests lies in the development and adoption of new technologies to solve business problems, she also has extensive experience developing channels with IBM Business Partners and ibm.com. Deb has a BA and an MBA from the University of Connecticut.

Craig Jett Account Executive

Craig comes to Blue Channel Marketing with many years of experience in IT Strategy, Sales, Marketing and Business Development spanning both software product and service categories. Craig began his career in the Consumer Products and Retail industries focused on analytics and collaborative supply chains at Information Resources Inc., ACNielsen and IBM. His passion for emerging technologies led him to the Chief Strategist role within IBM’s Sales & Distribution organization focused on B2B, RFID and Supply Chain solutions. He joined IBM's Software Group in 2002 as an Industry Solutions Sales Executive for Consumer Products. As part of IBM Software Group's WebSphere and Information Management divisions, Craig worked on several acquisitions including Trigo, Ascential and DWL. As a result of these acquisitions, Craig launched IBM Software’s Master Data Management solutions as the WW Strategy and Marketing Manager. In 2007, Craig was named Director of WW Channels Marketing for IBM’s Global Technology Services group, where he was responsible for channel relationships, marketing and sales programs for the world's largest technology services provider.

Laura Davis Program Manager

Having worked at IBM for over 33 years, Laura held positions in marketing, sales, operations, fulfillment, finance and sales planning organizations. Most of her career was dedicated toward working in Business Partner Channel organizations, primarily in the services arena. Her knowledge of IBM’s services portfolio is extensive as she worked directly with the product/offering managers and was responsible for driving Business Partner channel enablement activities, such as offering awareness, education, collateral development and sales operations. This expertise enabled Laura to recommend cross-portfolio solutions that satisfied client needs and drove revenue. Laura is passionate about education and is working toward a Masters degree in Education. She currently holds an Associate degree in Accounting from Newbury College and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Boston University. Laura is passionate about education and is working toward a Masters degree in Education. She volunteers in a public elementary school helping students gain expertise in the math.

Mike Chitwood Program Manager

Mike has held many leadership positions within IBM in sales, sales management, brand marketing, business development and channel management. After a successful sales career, Mike was presented with an opportunity to manage IBM’s AS/400 brand while driving new server business and advanced technology programs. In addition, his responsibilities included the development and ownership of IBM’s highly successful server Certified Used Equipment Program and managing the Solution Provider/Reseller Program for the Americas Channels Management & Strategy organization. In this role, Mike also served as project manager for new business development and operational initiatives and was the focal point for Business Partner and IBM inquiries and requests. Mike received his BBA and MBA degrees from the University of Georgia.

Paul Fergus Program Manager

Paul, one of Blue Channel Marketing’s most experienced channel leaders has over 35 years of IBM experience in sales & marketing. Paul's wide range of experience includes: direct sales, direct sales management, channel sales and channel sales management with success in business partner recruitment, strategy and sales execution. His marketing experience is extensive as well as he developed several national marketing programs for IBM reseller business partners. During his IBM tenure, He achieved 25 one hundred percent clubs and one golden circle. Paul has a BA and an MBA from Youngstown State University.

George Rudnicki Alliance to Win Workshop Leader

George Rudnicki is a marketing and strategy consultant with over 30 years of IBM experience. Many of those years have been spent accelerating IBM’s relationship with strategic business partners. His specialty involves the use of process consulting techniques to quickly and effectively help organizations improve their marketing and strategic planning through advice, consultation and team strategy sessions. Working closely with Neil Marquardt, George has led and contributed to the development of popular strategy planning workshops that are in use today. They include Alliance to Win, Portfolio Analysis for segment, market and solution prioritization, Solution Optimization, Routes to Market, and Value Proposition Creation. He continues to focus on ways to improve an organizations marketing and business results.

Prior to being a consultant Mr. Rudnicki was an accomplished marketing strategist and sales leader at IBM. He held marketing management and sales management positions in both Enterprise and SMB accounts. Mr. Rudnicki has spent most of his life in California. He holds a B.A. (1975) and MBA (1977) from UCLA, earning the Charles F. Scott Fellowship. Additionally he taught Finance and Accounting and managed the business school tutorial program while attending UCLA.

Neil Marquardt Alliance to Win Workshop Leader

Neil Marquardt is a marketing and strategy consultant with over 30 years of IBM experience who uses process consulting techniques to quickly and effectively help organizations improve their marketing strategies and planning through advice, consultation and team workshops. Working closely with George Rudnicki, Neil has led and contributed to the development of popular strategy planning workshops that are in use today. They include Alliance to Win, Portfolio Analysis for segment, market and solution prioritization, Solution Optimization, Routes to Market, and Message Planning. He continues to focus on ways to improve a group’s marketing and business results.

Prior to being a consultant Mr. Marquardt was an accomplished marketing strategist and sales leader at IBM. He held marketing management, strategy and sales management positions in large and small accounts and had the responsibility for developing IBM’s Federal Government industry strategy. His last sales position was as sales executive for Government accounts in Maryland. He led the team to success for ten straight years.

Mr. Marquardt has spent most of his life in Maryland. He holds a B.A. in mathematics from the University of Kansas and followed with graduate work and tutoring mathematics at the University of Maryland. While at IBM Mr. Marquardt participated in an IBM sponsored program at the Wharton Business School and took various business planning and entrepreneurship classes at George Washington University.