Kent Mitchell

About Kent Mitchell

I lead strategic technology evaluation, multi-vendor platform integration, and commercial negotiations. I rapidly master new technical areas through deep study and hands-on validation, then lead teams to make disciplined build/buy/partner decisions that prevent costly mistakes.WHAT I DO:TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY & EVALUATION: Lead rigorous assessment of technology maturity and vendor capabilities. Make high-stakes build/buy/partner decisions—and know when to walk away. Saved organizations millions by preventing premature deployments of unready technologies.MULTI-VENDOR SYSTEMS INTEGRATION: Architect complex platform integration, ensuring technology integrates with ordering, deployment, operations, billing, and customer experience systems. Design solutions that create commercial negotiating flexibility.COMMERCIAL NEGOTIATIONS: Orchestrate competitive RFPs delivering $16M+ annual savings through strategic migration or incumbent cost reduction. Structure vendor agreements that align incentives with business objectives.M&A DUE DILIGENCE & INTEGRATION: Lead technical assessment of acquisition targets—evaluate architecture, platform capabilities, and integration complexity. Execute post-merger integration and team consolidation.CROSS-FUNCTIONAL LEADERSHIP: Partner across Legal, Procurement, Operations, Product, and Finance from front-line teams through executives.HOW I WORK:I evaluate technology through the full customer lifecycle and embed with front-line teams to understand real operational challenges. I learn new subject areas by reading technical information combined with hands-on validation through testing and field trials. This enabled rapid expertise in WiFi, contract law, and network intelligence.LEADERSHIP:I lead technical teams through technical credibility, strategic vision, and team development. Rebuilt organizations post-merger, mentored engineers, and developed high-performing teams. Most effective leading technical initiatives requiring both strategic direction and technical judgment.CONTINUOUS LEARNING:Current focus: AI/ML applications including local LLM deployment using containerization. Active in software applications, home automation, electronics, and embedded systems. This approach applies across industries—infrastructure, IoT, private equity, and strategic sourcing.

Experience

1. Technology Leader

   Excelacom

   Jan 2021 — Present · Austin, TX, US

   Provide technical guidance and leadership for client’s priority product and efficiency initiatives spanning a variety of wireless, cloud, and network technologies and development processes. Communicate and align across technical and operational organizations by understanding high-level objectives, formulating and adapting direction, and delivering tangible results.• Successfully aligned technical knowledge and enterprise-wide planning for a simultaneous delivery of two strategic wireless initiatives and a nationwide networking solution that resulted in over $10M in cost savings.

Education

• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  BS

Skills

• Vendor Management
• Project Planning
• Sip
• Network Design
• Routing
• Strategy
• Management
• Infrastructure
• Cisco Technologies
• Ethernet
• Leadership
• Technical Support
• Telecommunications
• Product Development
• Analysis
• Project Management
• Network Administration
• Switches
• Crm
• Integration
• Wireless
• Testing
• Ip
• Network Engineering
• Engineering
• Ss7
• Voip
• Networking
• Network Architecture