As Forsythe's vice president of network and security solutions, Richard Zimmermann is responsible for developing and implementing Forsythe's corporate strategy in the networking and security lines of business, including IP communications, wireless and optical networking, compliance advisory services, and security technology and vulnerability assessments and solutions. Zimmermann has more than 20 years of experience in the IT communications industry.
Before joining Forsythe, Zimmermann was vice president of marketing for Houston-based NextiraOne, LLC, where he was responsible for marketing and business development for the company’s IP communications business. Zimmermann had previously served as vice president, general business sales for Williams Communications Solutions, before the company was acquired by Platinum Equity Holdings and re-branded as NextiraOne.
Prior to his work at Williams and NextiraOne, Zimmermann served in a number of capacities at Bell Atlantic/Verizon in Philadelphia. He began his career at Bell Atlantic in operations, as a construction and installation manager, and later held positions of manager, network planning, and manager, rate and regulatory matters. More recently, he served as director of mid-market sales, responsible for creating a direct sales organization for mid-sized business customers. He also served as director of finance and compensation, responsible for policy development, market pricing, financial modeling, and compensation plan development to motivate the company’s 600+ sales personnel to sell a diverse product mix to Fortune 1000 companies in order to achieve revenue growth objectives.
Zimmermann earned his bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering from Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania, holds a master’s degree in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and an MBA from Drexel University, Philadelphia.
Zimmermann currently serves as chairman of the board of the Enterprise Communications Association (ECA), which provides an industry forum for promoting the growth of markets and effective sales channels for converged voice, video, and data communications solutions deployed in the enterprise.
