PLEASANTON, Calif. - Jun 13, 2011 : Polycom, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCM), a global leader in unified communications (UC), today announced two new Worldwide Public Sector Business executives – industry veteran Sean Lessman joins Polycom to lead technology for the Public Sector team; and long-time Polycom executive Russ Colbert was named U.S. Federal Government Market director. In addition, the Federal Government Distance Learning Association (FGDLA) has appointed Colbert to their Board of Directors.

 

"Polycom continues to gain momentum in the federal space, and with Sean Lessman and Russ Colbert joining the team, we are doubling-down on our efforts," said Andrew Miller, president and CEO, Polycom. "Sean and Russ bring a wealth of expertise and leadership in the federal sector and UC industry, as well as long-standing public sector relationships that will help Polycom to grow our opportunity in this important market sector."

 

Polycom's technology is used today by leading government agencies and departments, and Lessman and Colbert will help to further Polycom's focus and efforts in the public sector. Both Lessman and Colbert will be based in Polycom's Herndon, Virginia office, enabling them to work closely with the Polycom Federal team and key customers.

 

In his new role as chief technologist for the Worldwide Public Sector team, Lessman will ensure the Polycom product strategy and roadmap continues to meet the needs and requirements of federal and public sector customers globally, and will be responsible for advancing the pursuit of federal certifications. Lessman will immediately focus on assisting Federal with pursuing and renewing key certifications for Polycom, including UC-APL (JITC), DIACAP, FIPS-140 and IPv6, and Common Criteria.

 

Lessman joins Polycom from Cisco/TANDBERG, where he spent more than 15 years in a variety of leadership positions, most recently as vice president of technology for its Public Sector practice. Lessman helped build the Public Sector organization within TANDBERG, and was responsible for the technology direction and roadmap of the division. During his time there, Lessman also worked in the office of the CTO for several years on advanced technologies, M&A activity, and industry partnerships. Lessman holds both a Master of Business Administration degree and Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

 

"I'm thrilled to join Polycom during such an exciting time for the company and industry," said Lessman. "Polycom has significant momentum in the unified communications market, along with a great leadership team, strategy, and vision. I look forward to contributing to Polycom's further acceleration of its Public Sector practice and meeting the technology requirements of key federal customers."

 

As the U.S. Federal Government Market director, Colbert is now tasked with building adoption of technology, promoting new applications, developing programs, and creating segment tools that lead to increased customer success, utilization, and ROI. Colbert will immediately focus on building the Federal Applications Program, establishing a reference library of user profiles, conducting special events for Polycom federal customers, and serving in segment leadership positions.

 

Most recently, Colbert served as Polycom's Global Education Market director, overseeing market growth and product/program development within the education vertical market. Colbert also has vast hands-on experience with the federal government while serving as a U.S. Navy Surface Warfare officer and as the VTC/VTT officer where he established, managed, and operated the Chief of Naval Educational and Training Center (CNET) global network. Colbert's background and experience have led to his appointment to the board of the prestigious Federal Government Distance Learning Association (FGDLA). The goal of the FGDLA is to promote the development and applications of UC solutions within the federal sector. Colbert holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Auburn University, Master of Science degree from Old Dominion University and Naval Post Graduate School Training, subspecialty.