Phillips Connect Welcomes Five Industry Veterans to the Executive Sales Team

Irvine, CA. (February 21, 2024) Phillips Connect has announced the strategic hiring of five top-tier executives, each bringing a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success. This significant expansion of the team highlights Phillips Connect’s ambition to redefine industry standards and deliver unparalleled value to its customers. The company is driven to lead excellence and innovation within the transportation and logistics industry.

Joining the Phillips Connect family are Sales Executives, Smart Fleet Solutions, John Higgins, Brian Hugie, Thomas Ness, and Ali Guillen Saer and Vice President of Sales Engineering, Brett Jackson. 

Next Level Strategy: Propelling Phillips Connect to New Heights

The expansion of the team serves as a catalyst and accelerator of Phillips Connect’s ability to bring innovative and beneficial technology to significantly more fleets. The strategic move amplifies the company’s ability to reach and enable a broader scope of industry leaders, allowing greater access to solutions that will enhance their fleet connectivity, safety, and efficiency.

Rob Phillips, CEO and Founder of Phillips Connect says, “At Phillips Connect, we have had tremendous success with some of the world’s largest fleets, and we continue to evolve our solutions and manufacturing capabilities in a way that allows us to expand our offerings to the broader market. I am confident that our hardware and software are the best in the industry, and now we have the team to make an even bigger impact. This strategic move is a clear demonstration of our confidence in the solutions we have to offer. Through continued innovation and a commitment to delivering meaningful value, we are set to redefine the standards of our entire industry.”

Sales Executives

John Higgins, Sales Executive, is an inventive and assertive Senior Sales Professional with a proven track record of delivering record-breaking revenue growth in highly competitive business markets. John’s recent role as National Accounts Director at SkyBitz, Inc. from 2013 to 2023, highlighted his ability to manage significant accounts across the country, achieving year-over-year top performance. Before SkyBitz, John held leadership positions at XO Communications and Sprint Nextel Corporation, where his strategic initiatives and leadership significantly contributed to each company’s growth and success. With expertise spanning sales, marketing, and management, John demonstrates exceptional strategic, innovative, and tactical leadership skills that will drive enterprise-wide initiatives that enhance Phillips Connect’s brand value and secure sustainable, profitable growth. 

Brian Hugie, Sales Executive is a visionary leader and entrepreneur with a rich background in telematics and fleet management. As the CEO and Owner of FleettrackGPS since August 2014, Brian has spearheaded the development of a state-of-the-art system designed for asset, trailer, and fleet management, integrating features like dash cams, IFTA, and ELD to meet the diverse needs of customers. Under his leadership, FleettrackGPS has significantly impacted the industry by helping thousands of customers enhance their operations, achieve a competitive edge, and realize substantial time and cost savings. Before founding FleettrackGPS, Brian served as VP of Sales at Spireon Inc. from February 2006 to November 2013, where he was instrumental in developing the company’s fleet solution from the ground up, managing sales, marketing, and software development. His tenure at Spireon was marked by substantial growth, the establishment of a successful dealer and partner program, and recognition in the President’s Club for his achievements.

Ali Guillen Saer, Sales Executive, is an accomplished Sales Leader and Strategic Business Development Executive with over 20 years of experience specializing in the Latin American (LATAM) market. With a track record of building multinational businesses, Ali excels in leading cross-functional teams to drive revenue growth and expand territories through consultative sales, go-to-market, and business development strategies. As Senior Regional Director at Sensata Technologies, Latin America, Ali led the sales and business development team to introduce new telematics technology and solutions in Latin America. Prior to Sensata, at CalAmp, he streamlined processes and served medium to large customers, enhancing IoT implementation and SaaS transition. Ali’s core competencies include Latin American sales leadership, team leadership, client relationships, and cross-functional leadership, underpinning his success in the telematics, tracking, and IoT wireless industry.

Thomas Ness, Sales Executive, is a distinguished leader in the technology and transportation industry.  Prior to joining Phillips Connect, Thomas served as the Director of National Accounts at SkyBitz. In this role, Thomas has excelled in managing sales and customer relationships, establishing strategic account strategies, and consistently surpassing sales quotas by 100% for the past six years. His expertise in analyzing sales trends and collaborating with marketing and sales teams to launch new products has significantly contributed to the company’s success. Before joining SkyBitz, Thomas held the position of VP of Corporate and Enterprise Sales North America at Nova Mobile Systems, where he led cross-functional projects and enhanced bottom-line profitability through strategic market research and regulatory compliance. His tenure as VP of Enterprise Sales at Teletrac, Inc., saw him directing business development managers towards closing multi-million-dollar contracts and expanding market share through focused market research and strategic sales planning.

Sales Leadership

Brett Jackson as VP of Sales Engineering, is a distinguished leader in the technology sector, renowned for his expertise in market analysis, emerging technologies, and strategic go-to-market strategies for new SaaS products. With a forward-thinking approach and recognized authority as an industry analyst, Brett has been pivotal in developing and orchestrating the launch of innovative SaaS technologies, ensuring their success through strategic partnerships, acquisitions, and OEM relationships. Holding three patents in sensor technologies and communication platforms, his contributions have significantly advanced the field. Brett brings extensive experience to the forefront of technology and partnership development. His advisory role at DynamoEdge, coupled with his leadership positions at CalAmp and prior strategic development and operational roles at Cooltrax and Truck-Lite, reflects his profound impact on the logistics and telematics landscapes. 

Brett says, “I’m thrilled to be part of a company that is so deeply committed to revolutionizing the transportation industry. The opportunity to work alongside Rob and the rest of the team to deliver solutions that truly make a difference for our customers is incredibly exciting. Together, we’re poised to tackle some of the biggest challenges in logistics and transportation, setting new benchmarks for success along the way.”

ABOUT PHILLIPS CONNECT

Based in Irvine, CA, USA, Phillips Connect takes telematics light-years beyond basic GPS tracking by combining the industry’s most advanced connected asset solutions for trailers, chassis, and containers with a variety of sensors including brake, tire pressure, and light sensors, among others. It combines cutting-edge connected asset solutions with sensors like brake and tire pressure, enhancing fleet efficiency. Its products are seamlessly integrated with the Connect1 user interface, giving fleet managers the information they need to turn their assets faster and maximize driver productivity. Phillips Connect has developed industry IoT sensor connection technology that is widely used in the freight industry. The products are designed to improve overall safety and security, reduce costs in fleet maintenance, and dramatically enhance fleet asset utilization. 

Phillips Connect, Phillips Industries, Phillips Europe, Phillips Asia Pacific, Phillips de Mexico, Phillips Innovations, and Phillips Connect Motorsports are entities under the Phillips Family umbrella. Together, they provide comprehensive solutions that meet the evolving needs of commercial vehicle operators, with a focus on safety, security, cost reduction, and asset utilization. Phillips continues to set industry standards through its unwavering commitment to research, development, innovation, and customer-centric collaboration.