Natasha Royer Coons Named to Channel Futures DE&I 101 List
The list recognizes individuals promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the technology channel.
Natasha Royer Coons, a principal and chief executive officer of Advantix, is among the honorees on the third annual Channel Futures DE&I 101 List. The list recognizes individuals from a wide spectrum of multicultural backgrounds who are driving diversity, equity and inclusion in the communications and technology channel through their words, actions and leadership.
Royer Coons is a proven entrepreneur and accomplished executive with more than 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. She is the first woman and Asian American to be elected President of the Enterprise Technology Management Association (ETMA), a non-profit with a membership of leading technology solution providers. She is a Chuck Mache Award winner, a prestigious honor that Intelisys, a ScanSource company, bestows annually for being a role model in the information and communications technology channel. Throughout her career, technology publications have recognized her as a visionary, channel chief and DEI champion and frequently quote her as a wireless technology expert.
“I am honored to be on the Channel Futures DE&I 101 list,” said Royer Coons. “At Advantix, we put the same passion and energy we have for business into DEI to create a culture that encourages whole selves and whole hearts at work. This cultivates authentic connections with one another and inspires collaboration, creativity, and innovation.
“Karen Harris, an amazing DEI champion in the public sector, once told me ‘it begins with visible commitment from leaders and a willingness to be more vulnerable about their lived experiences,’” added Royer Coons. ”It starts with each and every one of us to lead by example and drive DEI in our organization as an imperative. I’m humbled to be recognized for playing a small role in this sea change for the channel."
The Channel Futures DE&I 101 list was created to spotlight the efforts of dedicated and determined individuals working to eliminate discrimination in the industry. Many of these individuals work behind the scenes and too often their efforts go unacknowledged.
“DE&I work requires levels of dedication and determination that many people do not possess,” said Kelly Danziger, general manager, Informa Tech Channels. “But as anyone on this list can tell you, the work is as rewarding as it is hard. We are pleased to be able to recognize these individuals and, hopefully, amplify their efforts.”
“DE&I is alive and well in the channel,” said Robert DeMarzo, vice president of content, Informa Tech Channels. “This year we received more nominations than ever before and learned of some remarkable achievements that should be celebrated.”
Nominations for the DE&I 101 list were solicited on the Channel Futures website and through social media. Between April 12 and July 14, individuals could nominate themselves or others for the list. Applications were open to managers, leaders and individual contributors. All submissions were reviewed by members of the Channel Futures editorial team with input from advisory board members.
About Channel Futures
Channel Futures, a media and events destination for the information and communication technologies (ICT) channel community, is part of Informa Tech. It provides information, perspective and connection for the entire channel ecosystem, including solution providers (SPs), managed service providers (MSPs), managed security service providers (MSSPs), cloud service providers (CSPs), value-added resellers (VARs) and distributors, technology solutions brokerages, subagents and agents, as well as leading technology vendor partners and communication providers.
Channel Futures’ properties include many awards programs such as the Channel Futures MSP 501, a list of the most influential and fastest-growing providers of managed services in the technology industry; Channel Partners events, which deliver unparalleled in-person events including Channel Partners Conference & Expo, Channel Futures Leadership Summit, Women’s Leadership Summit, the MSP Summit and Channel Partners Europe; and a DEI Community Group, our initiative to educate, support and promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in the ICT channel industry. Channel Futures is where the world meets the channel; we are leading Channel Partners forward. More information is available at channelfutures.com.
About Advantix
Advantix is a managed connectivity experience (MCx) provider that leverages its proprietary SaaS platform and expense management tools to help enterprises fulfill, optimize, manage and report on any SIM or circuit, any device or hardware type, any plan type or service, and any invoice or spend. The company’s platform integrates carrier APIs and network management and business-intelligence (BI) dashboarding to give customers the ability to activate, access and manage any telecom asset in real time.
Advantix Adds Jim Hilton as Strategic Advisor
Hilton will team with Advantix channel managers and strategic partners to help foodservice distributors with field mobility solutions and looming FDA compliance requirements.
FRISCO, TEXAS – Sept. 26, 2023 – Advantix, the managed connectivity experience provider, has tapped Jim Hilton as a field mobility advisor. The appointment of Hilton is the latest in a series of moves to add resources and top-level expertise that support the company’s growing number of customers in the foodservice distribution vertical.
Hilton is an accomplished foodservice industry executive with extensive experience in transportation and logistics, supply chain optimization and field mobility solutions. His career spans 40-plus years as a user, end customer, integrator and solution strategist in both software and hardware. 
“It’s an honor to have a well-known and respected pro of Jim’s caliber join the Advantix team,” said Natasha Royer Coons, CEO at Advantix. “I’ve known Jim for years and witnessed him solve for key business challenges in the foodservice distribution vertical. He has a deep understanding of mobile hardware, software and connectivity solutions and how to bundle them to deliver a better experience for foodservice distributors. He will be an excellent resource for our strategic partners and customers.”
Hilton intends to work side-by-side with Advantix channel managers and partners to help foodservice distributors optimize their field mobility solutions and gain compliance with looming Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandates on food traceability to the final customer. Indeed, Hilton and Advantix teams have partnered with select vendors to deliver a hardware-software-connectivity bundle that enables FDA compliance out of the box.
“Food, beverage, and foodservice distributors that aren’t familiar with Advantix SmartSIM and its growing footprint in the industry will be soon,” said Hilton. “Actionable visibility to mobility brings both compliance and a competitive advantage to management, and that can only happen with optimal and reliable connectivity. Advantix brings exactly that to the enterprise while easing the burden of their IT teams because trouble tickets related to connectivity issues virtually disappear. Advantix is quickly becoming a welcome supplier among a growing number of foodservice distributors and I’m excited to play a role in that.”
About Advantix
Advantix is a managed connectivity experience (MCx) provider that leverages its proprietary SaaS platform and expense management tools to help enterprises fulfill, optimize, manage and report on any SIM or circuit, any device or hardware type, any plan type or service, and any invoice or spend. The company’s platform integrates carrier APIs and network management and business-intelligence (BI) dashboarding to give customers the ability to activate, access and manage any telecom asset in real time.
Advantix and Azuga Form Strategic Partnership
Azuga selects Advantix SmartSIM as its multi-carrier connectivity solution for GPS fleet tracking and dual-facing dashcam equipment.
Advantix, the MCx provider™, and Azuga, a Bridgestone company and global leader in fleet telematics, have formed a strategic partnership to roll out SmartSIM-enabled GPS fleet tracking and dashcam solutions that connect to leading wireless carriers in the U.S., and 600+ providers worldwide.
By shipping the gear “hot” with Advantix SmartSIMs, Azuga eliminates the time-consuming need for fleet operators – or their IT equipment providers – to manually configure Advantix Access Point Names (APNs) in each device or contract with a mobile device management (MDM) provider to do it on their behalf.
“We’re simplifying the configuration and deployment process and providing peace of mind for customers because our devices will automatically failover,” said Jeremy Collins, CEO of Azuga. “If the cellular connection fails, our equipment will seamlessly hunt for and connect to the next-available network. This ensures persistent connectivity and operability of our GPS fleet tracking and dashcam solutions regardless of the driver’s route or location.”
“We’re excited about our partnership with Azuga and know it will drive incredible value for fleet operators,” stated Natasha Royer Coons, CEO of Advantix. “This integration combines Azuga’s market-leading end-to-end fleet management solution with the ultimate managed connectivity experience.”
Advantix is the industry’s first and only MCx™ – a managed connectivity experience provider that delivers multi-carrier connectivity with SaaS tools built for optimization, visibility, management and monitoring of network uptime and carrier switching.
About Advantix
Advantix is a managed connectivity experience (MCx) provider that leverages its proprietary SaaS platform and expense management tools to help partners and enterprises fulfill, optimize, manage and report on any SIM or circuit, any device or hardware type, any plan type or service, and any invoice or spend. The company’s platform integrates carrier APIs, network management and business-intelligence (BI) dashboarding to give partners or customers the ability to activate, access and manage any telecom asset in real time.
About Azuga
Azuga, now a Bridgestone Company, was founded with the vision to continuously improve safety and productivity within the fleet ecosystem. Azuga is the leading global connected vehicle platform software, helping customers turn data from vehicles and drivers into intelligence that improves operations and safety while reducing cost and risk. Azuga provides innovative end-to-end solutions for commercial fleets, government agencies, insurance companies, and automotive industry suppliers, through an integrated approach of hardware technology, fleet management applications, driver gamification, video telematics, and data analytics. The award-winning Azuga Fleet solution powers over 5,500 commercial fleets, from small to large enterprises. Azuga is headquartered in Fremont, California, with offices across the globe.
Advantix Names Natasha Royer Coons CEO
Advantix, the MCx provider™, has elevated Natasha Royer Coons to chief executive officer.
Royer Coons is a proven entrepreneur and accomplished executive with more than 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. She cut her teeth at Sprint as a sales engineering manager before founding TeraNova, a managed mobility and expense management provider. When TeraNova merged with Advantix in 2018, she became a partner and chief revenue officer at Advantix, leading channel development, sales, marketing and several strategic initiatives.
Royer Coons ushered Advantix into a new era of innovation by overseeing the launch of SmartSIM and working with senior leadership to transform Advantix into a managed connectivity experience (MCx) provider that blends multi-carrier connectivity with proprietary SaaS tools to help partners and customers optimize, manage and report on the entire telecom stack.
“There is no better person to lead Advantix than Natasha,” said Nathan Brown, co-founder and president of Advantix. “Natasha’s vision and passion have had an enormous impact over the past few years. She is a force of nature – a trailblazer and an incredible leader with a clear business vision and the ability to bring people together. Natasha inspires all of us at Advantix and with her at the helm we know that our brightest and most innovative days are ahead of us.”
“I am deeply honored to step into the CEO role and lead such a talented team through our next phase of growth,” said Royer Coons. “I’d like to thank Brad Frazier and Nathan Brown for being my business partners and embracing change as the only constant in our business. I’d like to thank our employees for their hard work and dedication, and our channel partners for their collaboration and commitment to delivering innovative technology solutions to customers. With our MCx launch, it’s an exciting time at Advantix and I’m extremely optimistic about the future of our great company.”
As a technology expense management (TEM) provider for over 22 years, Advantix accumulated a vast library of market knowledge and best practices across carrier billing, contracts, tools and support. This cache of industry knowledge is the foundation for the company’s MCx strategy, which focuses on the customer experience with purpose-built tools for managing carriers, avoiding bill shock, visualizing data, and enhancing monitoring, management and reporting capabilities.
“We created an entire business managing carriers because bills and contracts were messy and convoluted, so we intentionally built out a platform, systems and teams leveraging this know how to reduce the complexity, increase visibility and provide a uniquely positive experience for customers,” Royer Coons said. “We named it The MCx for the ultimate simplification of the connected experience and there’s nothing like it in the marketplace. We believe we have created a new ‘class’ of solution and set a higher bar for CX.”
About Advantix
Advantix is a managed connectivity experience (MCx) provider that leverages its proprietary SaaS platform and expense management tools to help partners and enterprises fulfill, optimize, manage and report on any SIM or circuit, any device or hardware type, any plan type or service, and any invoice or spend. The company’s platform integrates carrier APIs, network management and business-intelligence (BI) dashboarding to give partners or customers the ability to activate, access and manage any telecom asset in real time.
Natasha Royer Coons Honored as a 2023 CRN Channel Chief
Advantix, the managed connectivity experience (MCx) provider, today announced that CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company, has recognized Natasha Royer Coons on its 2023 Channel Chiefs list. Every year, this list honors the IT channel executives who work tirelessly to advance the channel agenda and deliver successful channel partner programs and strategies.
Royer Coons is a proven entrepreneur and accomplished channel executive with more than 20 years of experience in the information and communication technology (ICT) industry. She founded TeraNova, a managed mobility and telecom expense management provider, which merged with Advantix in 2018. As a principal and CRO at Advantix, Royer Coons leads the channel sales and marketing team and is responsible for the company’s revenue-generation strategy and execution. Under her leadership, Advantix has grown channel partnerships dramatically and tripled partner sales since 2018.
In 2021, Royer Coons was the first woman and Asian American to be elected President of the Enterprise Technology Management Association (ETMA), a fast-growing organization with technology company members. She is frequently quoted by journalists as a wireless technology expert and often speaks at technology trade shows and conferences. Royer Coons is a Chuck Mache Award winner, a prestigious honor that Intelisys, the ScanSource company, bestows annually for being a role model in the channel. She also was named to the inaugural Channel Futures DEI 101 list for her commitment to driving DEI initiatives in the technology channel through words, actions and deeds.
Royer Coons graduated from UC San Diego with a double major in Communications and Asian Studies and earned an MBA in International Business.
“Natasha is accomplished, distinguished and very deserving of being recognized as a CRN Channel Chief,” says Nathan Brown, co-founder and chief operating officer at Advantix. “Her talent, leadership and determination to provide partners and customers with the best possible experiences inspires all of us at Advantix. She is a trailblazer and a natural leader who rallies our team and partners to innovate, collaborate and succeed together.”
The 2023 CRN Channel Chiefs were selected by the editorial staff based on their record of business innovation and dedication to the partner community. This year’s list represents the top IT executives responsible for building a robust channel ecosystem.
“Once again, this year’s list gives well-deserved recognition to the IT Channel Chiefs who are dedicated to driving the channel agenda and advocating for the development of strong channel partnerships,” said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Company. “Under their exceptional leadership, influence, and innovation, the IT channel vendor community continues to deliver solutions and services that meet the rapidly evolving needs of their solution provider partners and their customers.”
The 2023 CRN Channel Chiefs list will be featured in the February 2023 issue of CRN Magazine and online at www.CRN.com/ChannelChiefs.
About Advantix
Advantix is a managed connectivity experience (MCx) provider that leverages its proprietary SaaS platform and expense management tools to help partners and enterprises fulfill, optimize, manage and report on any SIM or circuit, any device or hardware type, any plan type or service, and any invoice or spend. The company’s platform integrates carrier APIs, network management and business-intelligence (BI) dashboarding to give partners or customers the ability to activate, access and manage any telecom asset in real time.
About The Channel Company
The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelcompany.com
Advantix Promotes Christine Collins to VP
Advantix, a leading wireless connectivity and technology expense management provider, has promoted Christine Collins to vice president of strategic partnerships and alliances. Advantix hired Collins in 2020 as director of channels to support the company’s fast-growing channel program for wireless connectivity, managed mobility and technology expense management solutions.
Collins is a proven channel sales leader and widely respected in IT and telecom channels. Prior to joining Advantix, she held channel management positions at Mobilize, Peak-Ryzex and Sprint, where she managed channel partners across the country.
“Christine has been a key enabler of our sales growth since 2020,” says Natasha Royer Coons, a principal and chief revenue officer at Advantix. “She has deep relationships with technology distributors and solution providers across the country and will play a vital role in further strengthening those connections, as well as nurturing new ones. She also will lead the rollout of Advantix’s managed connectivity experience, a pioneering solution that leverages our TEM roots and proprietary SaaS platform to deliver greater control, visibility and analytics to our partners and end-clients.”
In her new role, Collins will lead Advantix’s entire channel team and be responsible for expanding and accelerating sales of the company’s award-winning multi-carrier SmartSIM offering, single-carrier SIM connectivity, managed connectivity, mobility and TEM solutions.
“I’ve been working in the channel for most of my professional life and I can sincerely say that Advantix is uniquely capable of helping partners separate themselves from competitors to win more deals and grow the enterprise value of their business,” says Collins. “We focus on enablement, teaming and support to be a force multiplier for partners. I’m delighted and honored to be given the responsibility of leading this effort and looking forward to further expanding our presence in the channel as the go-to managed connectivity and TEM provider.”
About Advantix
Advantix is a managed connectivity provider that leverages its SaaS platform and telecom expense management (TEM) tools to help enterprises proactively fulfill, optimize, manage and report on any SIM or circuit, any device or hardware type, any plan type or service, and any invoice or spend. Our proprietary platform integrates carrier APIs, network management and BI dashboarding, enabling partners or customers to activate, access and manage any telecom asset in real time. For more information, visit www.advantixsolutions.com.
Advantix Earns SOC 2 Type 1 Certification
Independent Examination Validates Advantix as a Trusted and Secure Partner for Customers and Their Data
Advantix, a global provider of wireless connectivity, managed mobility and telecom expense management (TEM) solutions, today announced it has successfully completed the Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 Type 1 audit. The examination was conducted by Schellman, an independent CPA firm with expertise in security testing and compliance certifications.
SOC 2 is an auditing standard developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Attaining SOC 2 Type 1 compliance shows that Advantix’s controls and processes meet AICPA’s Trust Service Principles of security, availability, confidentiality, processing integrity and privacy.
With cybercrime on the rise, businesses are increasingly examining SOC 2 reports as part of their vendor selection, procurement and risk management processes to ensure that the services and tech stacks they adopt will meet their standards for data security and privacy requirements.
“We have always been laser-focused on maintaining the highest levels of information security compliance.” explains Brian Nuckels, Chief Information Officer at Advantix. “Having a third-party auditor confirm the strength of our security posture validates our commitment to high standards, and demonstrates how seriously we take the handling, management and protection of customer data and intellectual property.”
Nuckels adds that Advantix’s executive leadership and technology teams are already preparing for a SOC 2 Type 2 audit and expect to complete it in the coming months.
Advantix and Hippo Partner on Connectivity for Virtual Care
Hippo will use Advantix SmartSIM to enable continuous connectivity for remote clinical collaboration using assisted reality headsets
Hippo Technologies, Inc., a global virtual care company delivering solutions for healthcare and medical education, announced today a partnership with Advantix, a managed connectivity provider, to enable global roaming and seamless connectivity on the Hippo Virtual Care™ (HVC) platform, allowing clinicians to collaborate remotely with frontline medical staff in the field.
Unlike traditional telehealth, which is only suitable for simple primary care consultations, the Hippo Virtual Care solution combines voice-activated, wearable headsets at the point of care with a clinical-grade platform to deliver a “through the eyes of the clinician” viewpoint, allowing First Responders to a trauma scene or remote healthcare workers at a rural clinic or patient home to livestream what they are seeing and doing to specialist colleagues who may be back in the hospital, for real-time consults on complex cases. This not only increases access to specialty care in rural areas, but also results in faster diagnosis and treatment, improving patient outcomes and dramatically reducing the overall cost of care.
“By simultaneously connecting physician specialists in the hospital and clinicians in the field with an immersive experience, Hippo Virtual Care enables advanced remote collaboration to deliver the right diagnosis and treatment the first time, every time,” says Dr. Patrick Quinlan, CEO and Co-founder of Hippo Technologies, Inc. “With Advantix connectivity, we can ensure continuous uptime in rural and remote locations that don’t have access to WiFi. This can often be critical when dealing with trauma patients in the field.”
Hippo will be leveraging the Advantix SmartSIM, which provides universal WAN connectivity with auto-failover by seamlessly connecting to leading carriers in the U.S., and more than 600 providers globally. With SmartSIM, if your connection fails, the device will hunt for and connect to the next-available carrier, ensuring seamless connectivity and uptime.
“Hippo is a fast-growing virtual care company with forward-thinking leadership and solutions that make a difference for clinicians and their patients worldwide,” says Natasha Royer Coons, principal and CRO of Advantix. “We are thrilled to start this partnership and play a role in helping first responders and remote healthcare workers more efficiently and cost-effectively serve patients.”
Hippo has Virtual Care deployments across diverse clinical settings including the U.S., U.K., China, Guatemala, Nigeria, Uganda and South Africa. The addition of a global roaming solution will enable Hippo to address a multitude of remote specialty care needs enabling more efficient and better quality care delivery, particularly in underserved and rural communities.
For more information on Hippo Technologies, Inc., and Hippo Virtual Care please visit www.myhippo.life Follow Hippo Technologies, Inc., on LinkedIn and Twitter, and in Latin America visit Hippo HIVE on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
About Hippo Technologies, Inc.
Hippo Technologies, Inc., is a global virtual care company servicing the healthcare and medical education industries. The next-generation Hippo Virtual Care™ platform combines the most advanced voice-activated, Assisted Reality headsets and clinical-grade software allowing clinicians to collaborate remotely in real time to deliver patient care or train healthcare professionals. In addition to supporting the delivery of specialist care in the field, Hippo can integrate seamlessly with hospital systems and connected devices for a multitude of use cases in the hospital ER, OR, ICU, inpatient wards, outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, and in the home. With staffing shortages and clinician burnout taking their toll on the healthcare workforce in the wake of COVID-19, Hippo’s solution effectively overcomes the barriers of time, distance and training to deliver specialist care wherever the patient is located. For more information on Hippo Technologies, Inc. and Hippo Virtual Care, please visit: myhippo.life.
About Advantix
Advantix delivers a managed connectivity experience by leveraging its proprietary SaaS platform and telecom expense management (TEM) tools to help partners and end clients proactively fulfill, optimize, manage and report on any SIM or circuit, any device or hardware type, any plan type or service, and any invoice or spend. The company’s platform integrates carrier APIs, network management and BI dashboarding, enabling partners and customers to activate, access and manage any telecom asset in real time. For more information about Advantix, please visit: advantixsolutions.com.
International Courier Deploys SmartSIM to Give Drivers a Boost
Advantix deploys SmartSIM in handheld computers to give drivers at international courier a boost.
Advantix Adds ServiceNow Integration Support
Strategic Partners and Customers Can Create a Two-Way Integration Between AdvantixBLITZ™ and ServiceNow
Advantix, a global provider of technology expense management (TEM) and wireless connectivity solutions, has added a ServiceNow ticketing system to its AdvantixBLITZ™ platform. The update allows customers and strategic partners to create a two-way integration between Advantix and ServiceNow so they can submit orders and requests through ServiceNow in real time with status updates flowing in both directions.
Many enterprises utilize ServiceNow’s IT service management (ITSM) platform to manage digital workflows seamlessly across their organization. Advantix has made it easier for either partners or end customers to add ServiceNow with built-in API integrations to the AdvantixBLITZ™ platform. This will substantially reduce the investment in time and resources required to utilize the ticketing system as the front end, with the orders and requests sent and received in real time to all major wireless carriers on the back end.
“With a little development, partners and end users will have the ability to execute numerous transaction types in either platform and the systems will remain synchronized,” says Brian Nuckels, CIO at Advantix. “Orders and requests will flow in both directions, supporting their unique service models.”
A customer can submit a request for an iPhone and a new line of service through ServiceNow. Once the procurement has been approved by the customer’s purchasing manager, the order is sent to Advantix via API and fulfilled. Advantix obtains the number, activates the phone and sends the information back to ServiceNow so the data can be captured by the customer’s IT department.
Everything is enabled through Advantix’s automated BLITZ API, which communicates with carrier systems to give partners and customers multi-carrier access to device inventory, equipment, plan catalogs, billing data, payment processing, orders and more in real time.
“We can repeat this two-way integration with any partner or customer that has invested in ServiceNow to integrate the power of their preferred ticketing system with AdvantixBLITZ for a real-time and comprehensive workflow” says Nathan Brown, co-founder and COO of Advantix.
About Advantix
Advantix, a global leader in telecom lifecycle management solutions, leverages its expense management software, carrier APIs, full-service audit team, 24×7 helpdesk, and end-to-end professional services expertise to integrate, connect and manage any device and network for midsize and enterprise business customers.