Verizon Channel Chief Schijns Out As Carrier Announces Leadership Changes

Verizon Executive Vice President of Solutions and Sales Channels Janet Schijns, a 25-year channel veteran, is leaving the company and will be succeeded by the telecom giant's current managing director of Verizon Business Markets, Joe Chuisano, CRN has learned.

A spokesperson for Verizon confirmed that Schijns, a seven-year Verizon channel veteran who has headed up the program for the past two years, is exploring an opportunity outside the company. Schijn's last day will be July 14.

Schijns, a passionate channel advocate and proponent of women in the channel, has been the top Verizon channel executive since May 2016 when she replaced former Verizon channel chief Adam Famularo, who is now CEO of data modeling software provider Erwin.

Chuisano, a 23-year Verizon veteran and one of Schijns' seasoned lieutenants, is now the North America Verizon Business Markets channel chief reporting to Martin Burvill, senior vice president and group president of Verizon Business Markets. In his new role, Chuisano will lead the indirect channel across Verizon Business Markets.

In his CRN 2016 Channel Chief profile, Chuisano said his top goals were increasing the overall percentage of revenue through the channel, launching and revamping the Verizon channel program and increasing the amount of net new accounts through partners.

As part of the reshuffling, Jake Heinz, the former senior vice president of marketing and product for XO Communications, has been named chief marketing officer for Verizon Business Markets. Heinz, along with Lori Bonenfant, director of channel marketing,will lead the integration of the Verizon Partner Program, Mass Markets, and XO Channel programs that will collectively launch as the "One Program" in 2018, according to Verizon.

Despite the organizational changes, Basking Ridge, N.J.-based Verizon said there is no change to its current channel strategy and growth plans that the carrier has in place for its One Program.