Mike Witzman

Mike Witzman is an experienced sales executive focused on state and local governments, colleges and universities, and K-12 schools in 26 states. He has over 20 years of experience advising IT executives on technology transitions, evolving team capabilities to meet ever-changing demands, and leading cross-functional teams to grow Cisco’s business. Mike is passionate about the power of the network, security, data/analytics, agile IT, and emerging technologies. Mike leads a direct team of more than 100 managers, pre-sales engineers and architects as well as the engagement strategy for nearly as many technology and vertical specialists. His team’s primary focus is helping the dedicated teachers, professors, police, firemen, and other public service officials in our cities and states to accomplish their mission: protect, serve and educate their communities. Mike started his technology career as a Communications Officer in the US Air Force’s Communications Agency. He set standards for network management systems deployed to more than 100 consolidated, multi-tenant Base Network Control Centers around the world and led the agency’s IT team through significant technology and organizational changes His final assignment was in the newly-formed SCOPE NET team, providing emergency and proactive network resilience support to mission-critical networks. Mike earned the rank of Captain in the US Air Force before leaving to work for an IT consulting company designing networks for the Indiana State Government. Mike joined Cisco in 2000 as a Systems Engineer working with Fortune 500 companies. He became an SE Manager leading a team covering small-to-mid-sized Commercial customers, then a senior manager for a team covering mid-sized to large Commercial customers. Throughout his time at Cisco Mike has learned new markets, developed new go-to-market approaches, and partnered successfully with different sales executives. Mike has built a reputation for staying current on business and technology trends, building relationships with customer and partner executives for mutual feedback and success, leading highly-engaged direct and cross-functional teams, and coaching and mentoring new and aspiring leaders. Mike earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame and an MBA in Finance from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. He also achieved Cisco’s highest technical certification, CCIE #6907 in Routing and Switching, and maintains Emeritus status.