Leisa Rasmussen

Leisa Rasmussen

LeisaRasmussen@tampabay.rr.com

813-344-7892

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   Apprenticeships-Work


Professional Development

Project Management

Business Continuity Management Certified Continuity Manager, ICBT

Miller Heiman Strategic Selling Compendium Course

Corporate Visions Power Messaging Training and Completion

Savvis Certified: Cloud Computing & Data Center Services

Harvard Business School Online Sales and IT Courses

Google Adwords SEM & SEO Marketing

Google Cloud Sales Credential

Google Cloud Platform Sales Credential

Chrome Enterprise and SMB Sales Credential

Google Workspace Sales Credential

Google Workspace Deployment Services Credential

Accelerate Your SMB Business - Partner Summit 2020

RAMP Program Overview - Partners - GCP Migration - Y21

StratoZone Migration Assessment Webinar - Technical - Y21

Migration to Google Cloud

Google Cloud Fundamentals for AWS Professionals

Google Cloud Fundamentals for Azure Professionals


Exceptional

Interpersonal & Communication
           Skills

C-Level Consultative Sales Abilities

Customer-focused Relationship
           Builder

Project Management Capabilities

RFP, RFI, RFQ Response
           Proficiencies

New Business Capture Strategist

Quota Achievement & Accountability

Leadership & Management
           Competence

Grasp of New Technologies

Sales Hunter

Attention to Detail


Languages

English

Spanish

French


Professional Affiliations

Society for Information Management Tampa Bay Chapter: Board Member and Volunteer

American Marketing Association Past President and Board Member

WITI - Women In Technology International

Suncoast Technology Forum Past President and Board Member

Internet Marketing Association

National Association of Female Executives




Leisa Rasmussen, MBA

LeisaRasmussen@TampaBay.rr.com             813-344-7892


New Business Development  /   C-Level Consultative Sales  /  Account Management  /  Client Retention


Profile

Professional technology sales and business development executive with proven record initiating client contacts and fostering critical relationships to successful closure and contract execution.  Demonstrated achievements translating vision into strategy, clear goals, actions, results, and monitored metrics. Overriding focus on two primary objectives: generating sales and maximizing revenues.  Direct involvement during all phases of contract fulfillment to ensure client satisfaction with contract deliverables and scope of work stipulations.  Highly skilled and experienced in complex technical sales, project management, large group presentations, and client trainings.


Core Qualifications

Specialist in Securing New Business Experienced and Savvy Road Warrior
C-Level Consultative Sales Exceptional Interpersonal Skills
Key Account Management and Retention Healthcare Sales and Management
Excited by New Business Challenges Territory Management and Forecasting
Competitive Market Research Analyst Quota Accountability and Achievement
Private and Public Sector Industry Specialist RFP, RFI, RFQ Response Expert / Technical Writer
Technical Client Presentations and Trainings Contract Negotiations to Close
Strong Leadership Competence Industry Tradeshows, Conferences and Events
Business Continuity Management
Certified Continuity Manager, ICBT
Project Management:  Coordinate Operations to Meet Contract Terms and Completion
Technology Sales:  Google Services: AI/ML, Cloud Foundations, DevOps, Data, eCommerce, App Dev, Software, IAAS, PAAS, SAAS, IT, Data Center Services, Colocation, Cloud Computing, Hosting, Managed Services, Call Centers, Telecom, GPS, and Telematics Government Sales: SLED, K-12 Education Technology Solutions, Workforce and Economic Development Web Applications

Education

M.B.A.  University of Warwick, United Kingdom

Master's Degree, International Business & Marketing, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom

B.S.  San Diego State University

Bachelor of Science Degree, Business Administration - Marketing, San Diego State University, San Diego, California




Professional Experience


Florida Department of Education - Tallahassee, FL           Jun 2022 - July 2023  (One-year Contract)

Apprenticeship Outreach Manager - Grant-funded, Annual Contract Position: 1-year ending June 30, 2023

Engaged by the Office of Apprenticeship, a division of the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE), to promote Florida's Registered Apprenticeship Program throughout the State of Florida to showcase the value and benefits of an apprenticeship program to Employers as an alternative recruiting and hiring model to internally develop a strong and highly skilled workforce. Overriding goal is to support the growth of Florida businesses and enhance their competitiveness in both the local and global marketplaces by focusing on their main core competency...their workforce.

This Workforce Development Outreach position encompassed many avenues and activities to develop, educate, connect, and support Florida's Statewide Apprenticeship Programs by collaborating, communicating, and advocating statewide. Engaging locally, regionally, and nationally with Florida businesses and our Partners: the US Department of Labor (USDOL) and its designated Intermediaries, local workforce and economic development boards, industry professional organizations/associations, and state and vocational educational institutions to increase awareness and actively promote participation in Florida's Registered Apprenticeship Programs.

Key Accomplishments

  • Successfully developed, managed, and executed twelve regional Apprenticeship Accelerator half-day conference events throughout the State of Florida from Dec 2022 through Jun 2023. The events were created, organized, and featured:
  •      > Nationally known Keynote Speakers
  •      > Panelists of Apprenticeship Subject Matter Experts
  •      > Local CareerSource Partners
  •      > State CareerSource Partners
  •      > State-sponsored Partner Programs ie, Florida Ready to Work
  •      > US Department of Labor and its Industry Intermediary Partners
  •      > Educational Partners: State Colleges, State Technical Colleges, and State Universities
  •      > National Educational Companies for Event Sponsorship
  • Created a strategic plan for the twelve event locations throughout the state including: agendas, topics, presentations, speakers, presenters, and panel members to ensure maximum impact on the community, regional area, and attending partners and local businesses
  • Events were Industry-specific to highlight Florida's targeted high-wage / high-demand industry sectors including:
  •      > Advanced Manufacturing
  •      > Information Technology: CyberSecurity, Software Development, and IT Project Management
  •      > Healthcare
  •      > Supply Chain Logistics and Transportation
  •      > Energy Alternatives ie, Solar and Fuel Cell
  •      > Construction and Trades
  • Conference Speaker at the Florida HR 2022 Summit and the Florida Workforce Development 2022 Summit
  • Guest Speaker at CommHIT's 2022 Apprenticeship Week Celebration at Cape Canaveral and the Florida Apprenticeship Summit 2023 at Pinellas Technical College
  • Scheduled and presented multiple times throughout the year to the students of Florida's Virtual High School-involved approx. 450 students at each event to discuss future career and training opportunities
  • Presented weekly to interested Employers and Associations to offer apprenticeship solutions
  • Established and implemented a streamlined blueprint model for future event planning and organizing
  • Communicated with business leadership the metrics of positive results and outcomes of the events, presentations, and ongoing meetings
  • Managed lead generation activities and marketing strategies in coordination with local area partners
  • Organized, maintained, and measured all event registrations and tracking systems to ensure target audience exposure and acceptance
  • Handled initial information (front-line) meetings with employers to understand their interest level and commitment to the program. When determined that a clear need and intention existed, responsible for introducing and directing the employer to internal colleagues to finalize their program

Responsibilities

  • Create a strategic sales and business plan for new client outreach and acquisition
  • Identify Top 50 target companies for diversification plan to expand company reach
  • Manage lead generation activities and account-based marketing strategies
  • Promote C-Level relationships to identify new business opportunities for increasing revenue
  • Engage strategic partners to account map and find new business opportunities
  • Review agreements for all new clients and partners
  • Coordinate delivery and project management oversight on client deliverables working with senior engineers/developers
  • Deliver Quarterly Business Reviews to current clients to ensure complete satisfaction of services

Tensure Consulting - Cincinnati, OH           Mar 2021 - Jun 2022

Senior IT Account Director / Strategic Business Initiatives & Partnership Consultant

Tensure is a technology consulting start-up firm focused on Cloud Foundations and Infrastructure, DevOps, Data, eCommerce, and Build-as-a-Service (custom app dev). Tensure is recognized as a strategic Google Partner with additional experience in Azure and AWS.

Recruited and hired to initiate sales strategies for new client expansion and revenue diversification. Focused on growing a new client base and defining target companies within defined industries including Healthcare, Retail, Logistics, Finance, Insurance, and Manufacturing.

Key Accomplishments

  • Within first twelve months produced $2,012,910 of new client revenue, exceeding quota by 62%
  • Within first six months added three new clients and within nine months added two more clients
  • Uncovered new business opportunities by ensuring strong client relationships for renewal and upsell
  • Google Certified in the following:
  •      > Google Cloud Sales Credential
  •      > Google Cloud Platform Sales Credential
  •      > Chrome Enterprise and SMB Sales Credential
  •      > Google Workspace Sales Credential
  •      > Google Workspace Deployment Services Credential

Responsibilities

  • Create a strategic sales and business plan for new client outreach and acquisition
  • Identify Top 50 target companies for diversification plan to expand company reach
  • Manage lead generation activities and account-based marketing strategies
  • Promote C-Level relationships to identify new business opportunities for increasing revenue
  • Engage strategic partners to account map and find new business opportunities
  • Review agreements for all new clients and partners
  • Coordinate delivery and project management oversight on client deliverables working with senior engineers/developers
  • Deliver Quarterly Business Reviews to current clients to ensure complete satisfaction of services

Sequentur - Clearwater, Florida           Aug 2019 - Sep 2020  *RIF

Director, Business Development / Strategic Marketing Initiatives

*Reduction in Force:  Company forced to reduce significant staff levels due to expiration of Covid Federal PPP funds.

Sequentur is an IT managed services provider with headquarters in the Tampa Bay area and regional offices in the greater DC area.  Specializing in Managed Services, Business Continuity and User Training with a key emphasis on all things security to ensure your company's data is safe, secure and protected.  Additional expertise includes Cloud Migration, Azure Hosting, O365, and 2FA.

Key Accomplishments and Directives:

  • Created a marketing and strategic sales plan for new client outreach and acquisition
  • Discovered new business by building strong client relationships
  • Developed C-Level relationships to identify new business opportunities for increasing revenue
  • Built a Strategic Partner Program to find new business opportunities
  • Negotiated and executed agreements for all new clients and partners
  • Delivered IT solutions to new clients to meet their specific requirements
  • Project managed all client deliverables
  • Uncovered and understood current clients' IT business initiatives to grow account revenues
  • Delivered Quarterly Business Review to current clients

From March 2020, additional responsibilities and accomplishments:

  • Delivered a marketing plan and sales outreach for entire sales team
  • Oversaw and initiated all vendor management for marketing resources
  • Supervised internal support staff
  • Improved process management for lead generation opportunities
  • Developed three daily social media posts for educational and promotional purposes
  • Organized events via Zoom to network and build public relations awareness of the Brand
  • Managed and responded to all RFP requests

Informatik Group - Tampa, Florida           Mar 2018 - Aug 2019

Director, Business Development / Strategic Initiatives

Informatik Group (IG) was a full-service IT consulting and solution provider (partners closed the business).

Key Accomplishments and Directives:

  • Developed and delivered the overall strategic plan for new client outreach and acquisition
  • Designed the Corporate Website including authoring all marketing content and ongoing updates
  • Uncovered potential opportunities and secured new business by building strong client relationships and understanding their specific business drivers
  • Executed a Channel Partner Program to recruit new channel partners to expand opportunities
  • Cultivated genuine C-Level relationships to identify new business opportunities for increasing revenue
  • Fostered direct, personal interaction with clients and stakeholders to uncover and understand their IT needs to provide optimal and effective solutions
  • Executed the sales strategy and marketing plan for outreach to all key prospects including specific campaigns both mail and email, creative cold calling, ongoing networking, and continuous follow-up and follow-through
  • Created and scripted targeted marketing YouTube videos for promotional purposes
  • Attended key industry events and conferences to network, interpret trends and understand best practices
  • Negotiated and executed agreements for all new clients and partners

Princeton Information - Tampa, Florida          Oct 2015 - Dec 2017

Account Manager - New Business Development

Princeton Information is a national provider of IT staffing and technology solutions.  Specifically hired to expand new business in the Tampa Bay area.  Successfully grew new business and account managed in multiple industry sectors including technology, healthcare, finance, insurance, manufacturing, retail, and elearning.  Acquired and landed the following new clients: Syniverse, Clearly Agile, CareSync, WellDyneRX, Pharma Services Group including Eagle Pharmacy, BenefitHub, Valpak, MarineMax, and ITU Online.  Additionally, developed and managed new growth and relationships with key strategic clients: Arbitration Forums and Suncoast Credit Union.

Key Accomplishments:

  • Developed the overall strategic plan for new account outreach and acquisition
  • Uncovered new opportunities and secured new business by building strong client relationships and understanding their specific business drivers
  • Cultivated genuine C-Level relationships to identify new business opportunities and ongoing revenue
  • Fostered direct, personal interaction with clients and stakeholders to uncover and understand their pain points in order to provide optimal and effective solutions
  • Maintained account management and produced new revenues in existing client base
  • Executed the marketing plan for outreach to all key prospects including specific campaigns both mail and email, creative cold calling, ongoing networking, and continuous follow-up and follow-through
  • Created and scripted targeted marketing YouTube videos for promotional purposes
  • Facilitated meetings with key staff to ensure solid relationships for maximum account penetration
  • Attended industry events and conferences to interpret key trends and understand best practices
  • Negotiated and executed contract terms for all new clients
  • Established quarterly account reviews for alignment of services with client insights and needs
  • Confirmed sales forecast expectations for continued growth

Website Consultants - Tampa, Florida           Nov 2013 - Aug 2015

Senior Consultant

Website Consultants is an International Web Technology company based in the USA that delivers online marketing solutions and technology consulting services worldwide. In addition to providing customized Business Websites for firms of all sizes and industries, Website Consultants offers its clients strategic insights into online SEM and SEO marketing options specifically designed to increase top and bottom-line revenues. All clients are assigned a US account project manager who is the liaison with the development and online marketing teams to ensure ongoing customer service and satisfaction.

Project Overview:
               Senior Project Management Consultant

Managed and spearheaded multiple contract projects with key clients: overhauled email marketing drip campaigns to confirm active opt-in outcomes developed new email messaging and implemented ongoing compliance.

Additional projects included: formalizing Marketing Strategies both offline and online, executing the Marketing Plan for maximum reach, developing and producing YouTube video scripts, analyzing Google AdWords Campaigns to ensure maximum online advertising exposure while maintaining budget limits for consistent results and steady revenues. Coordinated all client projects, produced required deliverables and guaranteed a timely completion.

Key Accomplishments:

  • Demonstrated track record in Marketing Strategy both offline and online
  • Clear and persuasive communicator for both internal and external audiences
  • Influential in coordinating the efforts of a diverse team with multiple projects
  • Proven effectiveness in client meetings to determine needs and to provide solutions
  • Successful project manager for on-time and on-budget deliverables

Project Overview:
               Enterprise Solutions Project Consultant - New Business Development for Public & Private Sectors

Led strategic direction and spearheaded new project and territory development for the State of Georgia after Client was awarded a statewide contract through a rigorous and competitive RFP process. Worked directly with State Agency Directors and Department Heads as their key contract liaison.

Utilized a leading-edge telematics technology for logistic operators, fleet managers and business owners to improve safety, increase productivity, monitor vehicle maintenance, and ensure compliance with eLogs and Hours of Service regulations.

Key Accomplishments:

  • Developed the overall marketing plan for the Georgia Statewide contract
  • Executed the marketing plan for maximum outreach to all 152 Georgia State Agencies
  • Facilitated onsite meetings in Atlanta and around the state to promote contract benefits
  • Presented to State Agency Directors and key staff at their Georgia offices on a monthly basis
  • Represented firm at National Transportation Conferences and Tradeshows across the country
  • Increased sales opportunities, closed new business and built a solid foundation for growth
  • Reviewed and confirmed future market viability for sales forecast expectations
  • Directed, managed, mentored, and trained the Client's sales team to take over the sales process and strategy

Responsibilities included, but not limited to:

  • Territory management
  • New business development
  • Strategic market planning
  • Responding to RFPs, RFQs and RFIs
  • Onsite sales presentations, conference and tradeshow event management
  • Contract procurement and customer-specific internal team coordination to ensure achievement of Scope of Work deliverables, customer satisfaction and customer retention

Successfully accomplished contract execution and deliverables. Project was completed and presented 3-months ahead of schedule and under budget.


365 Main Data Centers - Tampa, Florida          Mar 2013 - Nov 2013

Account Director: Southeast USA, Central & South America

In November of 2012, the start-up firm of 365 Main purchased 16 data centers from Equinix in Tier 2 cities across the United States.  The data centers (all former Switch & Data facilities) offer colocation services: space, power, cooling, and security.  Company was sold to new investors, replacing original owners and resulting in complete reorganization.

Account Director with core responsibilities that demanded managing, maintaining and growing the current base of client accounts comprised of telecommunication firms including: CenturyLink, US South, Bright House, EarthLink, FiberLight, and FPL. Additional key accounts included Syniverse Technologies,Spirit Airlines, Internap, and Host.net.  Maintained an annual quota of $2,700,000.

Primary new customer acquisition responsibilities included:

  • Understanding and analyzing local and regional competition in order to effectively compete and to ensure sales activities were strategically developed and properly formulated to optimize potential new account revenues
  • Building awareness of company's services and solutions to viable prospects within the region via substantial involvement in networking groups, local press releases and other institutional advertising avenues
  • Developing creative marketing and sales strategies to acquire new clients
  • Connecting with channel partners to grow additional revenues and sources of new shared opportunities
  • Providing in-depth data center tours, delivering client presentations and developing a "Lunch and Learn" series to create awareness and to foster industry relationships
  • Responding to the company's RFPs, RFIs and RFQs to ensure a professional, comprehensive and cohesive reply

Key Accomplishments:

As a result of the above new business development activities, new client interest grew substantially specifically demonstrated with new client presentations and data center tours generating requests for RFP responses, company proposals and price quotations.

Primary customer retention activities and initial directives after the purchase of the data centers included:

  • Initiating C-Level discussions to uncover requirements for expansion of services: current and future planning needs
  • Contacting and meeting with clients to determine customer satisfaction and service levels
  • Developing creative marketing and sales strategies to acquire new clients
  • Reviewing all client inventories and services including space, power usage and kW demands
  • Assessing inventory accuracy: cost per kW vs cost per space
  • Updating all contractual and service level agreements
  • Negotiating client contracts on 365 Main paper for terms up to 60 months
  • Responding to all Requests for Proposals as well as additional service requests and coordinating the technical specifications from the internal engineer and operations teams

Key Accomplishments:

As a result of the above activities, all customers were proactively engaged, contracts secured, new services expanded, and additional revenues realized. Furthermore, due to key relationship development within the current base of accounts, Q1 revenue projections for 2014 were forecasted to increase by 18%.


CenturyLink / Savvis CyberCenters - Tampa, Florida          June 2011 - Feb 2013

Strategic Account Manager

CenturyLink is a nationwide Fortune 200 Company and the third largest telecommunications firm in the United States.  CenturyLink/Savvis provides full-service IT network solutions and is a global leader in managed services, cloud computing and infrastructure for Enterprise-level businesses including over 30% of the top Fortune 100 firms.

Strategic Account Manager within CenturyLink's Enterprise Markets Group with responsibility and direct accountability for new business development, contract procurement, strategic market planning, sales presentations, and customer-specific IT team coordination to ensure project completion, ongoing customer satisfaction and customer retention.  Maintained an annual quota of $1,440,000.

Key Accomplishments:

  • Expert in Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Solutions
  • Savvis Certified in Data Center Services, Cloud Computing, Colocation, Hosting, and Managed Services
  • Cultivated new C-Level relationships at Fortune 500 companies
  • Worked with a base of accounts including Chico's FAS, Sykes Enterprises, Bankers Insurance, Datel Design, Health Management Associates, Mosaic, Connectwise, eLogic Learning, ISC2, LightPort, McNichols, and Suncoast Credit Union for ongoing growth and retention of services
  • Responsible for all customer activities and sales processes including: prospecting, presenting, closing, and contracting
  • Project managed and coordinated all phases of customer interaction with sales support, sales engineers and service managers to guarantee customer satisfaction
  • Oversaw after-sale activities of service delivery: installing, testing and finalizing to ensure customer acceptance of the enterprise IT solution
  • Accountable to retain customer base of Monthly Recurring Revenues
  • Generated new business to meet sales quota goals with targeted hunting and new business development activities

Conejo Associates - Wesley Chapel, Florida          Feb 2010 - Mar 2018

Licensed Real Estate Broker & Investor Partner

Conejo Associates (C.A.) is a fully integrated and internally managed, privately-held real estate investment company that is organized as a real estate investment trust with headquarters in California.  C.A. acquires, renovates, leases, and manages single-family and multi-unit residential properties in select communities nationally . C.A. currently operates primarily in four states: California, Florida, Arizona, and Nevada.  C.A.'s principal objective is to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for equity partners over the long-term through rental revenue growth and capital appreciation.

  • Represented the C.A. REIT Florida Division in the acquisition and disposition of residential properties in Central Florida and, occasionally in other markets and MSAs within Florida
  • Searched for and located potential short to medium term investment opportunities suitable and consistent with the overall mission statement and investment parameters of C.A.'s Florida Division
  • Maintained and continued to develop a database of property owners and investors that generates a qualified and sustainable number of referrals that leads to year over year top and bottom-line revenue for C.A.'s Florida Division.
  • Drafted transaction forms including but not limited to letters of intent (LOI's), commission agreements, buyer representation agreements, broker agreements, referral agreements, listing agreements, and other related brokerage documents
  • Prospected for and negotiated exclusive listing agreements with property owners, landlords and other brokers (co-broker agreements)
  • Coordinated and meet with clients and prospects to successfully define the parameters, transaction terms and limitations surrounding a possible sale, listing and related agreements
  • Participated in contract negotiations and due diligence efforts in all facets of real property sales transactions
  • Facilitated meetings with key staff to ensure solid relationships for maximum account penetration

eSchool Solutions, Inc. - Orlando, Florida          Nov 2003 - Feb 2010

National Account Manager

National sales executive with a well-established education technology firm specializing in mission-critical software solutions and value-added consulting services designed exclusively for K-12 Human Resource and Professional Development, Curriculum, and Technology. Responsibility and direct accountability included new business development, purchase procurement, strategic planning, quota accountability, sales presentations, marketing, contracting, project management, and customer retention.

Key Accomplishments:

  • Built designated sales territory from single product to multiple solutions including consulting services across school district administration departments
  • Developed new client relationships which resulted in business growth from 92 customers to 161 customers
  • Ensured recurring revenue by managing and maintaining customer retention with key district leadership and personnel relationships, and customer retention
  • Maintained an annual quota of $750,000
  • Generated an average of 20% + revenue growth annually

Responsibilities included:

  • Initiating customer interest and building strong client relationships
  • Procuring and closing qualified customers
  • Executing and responding to customer proposals (RFPs)
  • Researching and analyzing key metrics to measure actual with desired outcomes
  • Managing large projects and coordinating cross department teams
  • Ensuring timely completion of project deliverables for complete client satisfaction
  • Creating and giving onsite customer presentations and demonstrations
  • Developing and delivering Web-based customer trainings, presentations and discussions
  • Overseeing client training and development of Train-the-Trainer programs
  • Producing and implementing marketing and PR initiatives
  • Ensuring continuous customer service, satisfaction and retention
  • Attending industry tradeshows and conferences for presentations, workshops and speaking engagements

ERISS Corporation - San Diego, California          Oct 1997 - Aug 2002

Senior Regional Account Manager

Senior sales executive with an Internet company specializing in local job market surveys and Web-based software tools designed for employers, jobseekers, workforce, and economic development professionals. Responsibility and direct accountability included new business development, contract procurement, strategic market planning, territory management, sales presentations, marketing contracting, and customer training.

Key Accomplishments:

  • Grew new business sector from one account to 33 major accounts generating over $4.3 million in recurring revenues
  • Sales production exceeded all other sales staff every year during my tenure.  For 3 of the 5 years, my annual sales production exceeded that of all other sales staff combined, with staff size ranging from 4 to 7 personnel
  • Provided technology training of customers' staff (up to 100 individuals per contract) on deliverables and interactive Web applications

Responsibilities included:

  • Initiating new client interest and building strategic relationships for new business development
  • Procuring and closing qualified customers
  • Executing and responding to customer proposals (RFPs, RFIs and RFQs)
  • Developing and delivering customer presentations and demonstrations