Chris Penn

• Responsible for leading a team within the Advanced Technical Experts (ATEx) team to deliver Tier 3 technical solutions and innovation by supporting, collaborating and empowering our partners.
• Supported CARE, Tech & Speciality, Verizon Business Group (VBG) Executive Relations Team (ERT), Strategic Partners Channel (SPC) and Porting, Activations and Credit Team (PACT) by fixing real-time switch orders that are impacting our customers.
• Identified and escalated root causes for highly technical switch errors to key stakeholders as part of our cross functional partnership with Vision Response Team (VRT), Order Rewire (OR), MTAS and others by collecting, reviewing, and validating information to facilitate the effective resolution of real time customer impacting issues.
• Managed a team responsible for providing technical support to our Mastec and Asurion vendors for VHI installation and repair support, network support to our ERT Partners and key technical insights to our frontline CARE and Tech Partners for feedback and coaching sessions.
• Manage Analyst performance through effective leadership
• Created tracking documents for use in recommendations and business decision-making such as the trackers used for switch error trends during the 2022 Apple and Google iconic device launches.
• Manage Switch Error staffing to ensure our 3 workstreams are appropriately being monitored and worked.
• Developed materials and facilitated the training of new team members by use of excellent organizational, written and verbal communication skills
• Regularly present Verizon branded Google Slides presentations to executive leadership to communicate what the team has been performing and any project updates

Spotlight Accomplishments

• Slack Workflow Creation for Switch Error Support that has been used over 90k times during 2023. This is the most used workflow in the Company per Slack developers.
• Developed a Ride Along Experience (RAE) for ATEx Analysts & Frontline Supervisors
• Created an ATEx Website by utilizing Google Sites
• Supported Apple & Google Iconic Launches for Switch Error Support
• Overhauled OST Resolving Switch Errors (ACSS Modernization)
• Developed and executed Action Plan for a Switch Error Outage to reduce the impact to our customers
• Lead a Disconnect Pilot initative by partnering with Tech Supervisors to discover trends and commonalities amongst 5G Home disconnects
• Lead and coordinated multiple different outbound call campaigns partnering with the the Network Repair Bureau (NRB)

• Responsible for the ongoing operations of Verizon Wireless voice and data network infrastructure and all network components
• Responsible for engaging other departments that can contribute to triaging and troubleshooting network events which include Network Assurance, VZB (Verizon Business Group), e911 Translations, DSO (Data Service Ops), NRB (Network Repair Bureau) and external vendors such as AT&T, CenturyLink, Spectrum, Fiber Light, Windstream, etc for various ethernet backhaul issues.
• Identified and escalated root causes for major impacting network events to key stakeholders to efficiently resolve or minimize customer impacting issues throughout our network by utilizing tools such as Alert Manager, Outage Characterization Tool, IOP, Duko, SANE, SevOne, Granite, WB360 and Kirke
• Manage all outages that are customer impacting and responsible for sending out company wide ECHO's that meet the organization's criteria so CARE and TECH Departments are aware of current events.
• Developed and executed action plans to effectively reduce the outage time by communicating to different vendors to ensure the impacted site was fixed in a timely manner.
• Manage the functions of a group of NMC Engineers to assure the provision of high quality service to Verizon Wireless customers by diagnosing and correcting all network troubles
• Provide a timely response to all network troubles, both service affecting and non-service affecting- - Share best practices and mentoring to share knowledge of telecommunications equipment and technologies.

Spotlight Achievements

• Developed an Organizational Development Plan to encourage NMC Engineers to invest in themselves and become better at their craft.
• Developed a NMC Plan on the Verizon Degreed page. This is a resource page that Engineers are able to use to view different education material on various applications in order to promote Career and Personal development.

• Managed a team of unionized Field Technicians in the most populous county in Maryland focusing on FiOS installation and maintenance.
• Collaborated with cross functional departments in order to care for the needs of our customers which include, Dispatch Readiness Center (DRC), Fiber Solutions Center (FSC), Real Time Support, Force and Load and MDU Team.
• Responsible for making good business decisions for the company by driving metrics which include but not limited to HPD (Hours Per Dispatch) and FDR (First Dispatch Resolution)
• Responsible for all aspects of supervising the performance and development of 20+ technicians which include monitoring performance objectives, establishing daily and weekly work assignments, conducting quality and safety inspections, providing coaching and mentoring, etc
• Responsible for completing quality inspections in order to drive change in non-compliant safety practices as well as providing real time coaching to my technicians on how to be efficient with their time on the job
• Responsible for tracking the job status of technicians on the job in order to make sure there are no roadblocks present that may prevent them from completing the job.
• Assisted with escalating network and back-end issues to FSC (Fiber Solutions Center) to ensure that non-physical and equipment issues were cared for in a timely manner.
• Conducted weekly team meetings to discuss best practices, safety items, metrics and new products and services.
• Used operational experience and knowledge to develop field standards and processes to maximize operational productivity and better evaluate the overall performance of my team

Spotlight Achievements

• District POC for DDPA (Data Driven Process Analysis) Trial before it will be released to the entire field for MA-South Region.
• COVID-19 Return to Work POC- Responsible for ordering and distribution of PPE for my turf
• Building Engineer for the Rockville GWC
• Responsible for submitted Real Estate and Fleet Tickets when a non-compliance issues is identified
• Inspect fire extinguishers monthly and results are entered into the BCEM database - Served as the Safety SPOC for the County
• Coordinate unannounced safety blitzes across the county to ensure proper safety procedures are being followed.
• Assisted with the logistics, labor concerns and vehicle needs associated with home garaging during the early stages of COVID-19. This allowed greater flexibility and proper social distancing of the workforce amid health and safety concerns associated with the pandemics.
• Developed various metric google sheets that are currently being utilized by current Area Manager and Local Managers in order to drive results and move the business forward.

• Responsible for the installation and maintenance of the FiOS network
• Utilized Tech Tablet 2.0 to manage my daily workload in order to be efficient and meet customer arrival windows set forth by the company
• Utilized DTI Circuit View in order to triage and troubleshoot our customer’s In-Home Network in order to deliver the best customer experience possible
• Collaborated with cross functional departments in order to care for the needs of our customers which include, Dispatch Readiness Center (DRC), Fiber Solutions Center (FSC) and Real Time Support.
• Used sales techniques to upsell FiOS products to fulfill any gaps of services our customers may be experiencing
• Performed construction work safely throughout the day which include but not limited to ladder climbing, voltage detecting, pulling and stinging fiber optic on poles, drilling, etc
• Read and interpreted engineering plans and vendor specifications - Operated, maintained and organized an assigned truck daily in order to be efficient and smooth throughout the work day

Spotlight Achievements

• Served as Acting Manager when Local Manager was out of office
• Responsible for adjusting technician's workloads in order for the team to meet arrival windows and be efficient
• Handled high level escalations to ensure the team did not miss a beat when our Local Manager was out of the office
• DOT and VersaLift Trained in 2017 to assist other technicians or jobs that may require bucket support
• Trained new hires to prepare the employee to work effectively, efficiently and safely by themselves- Fusion and Mechanical fiber splice trained

• Completed a 6 year contract with Maryland Army National Guard as a 11B Infantryman apart of a SCOUT/SNIPER platoon in 1-175th Infantry Battalion.
• Completed a nine-month deployment in Afghanistan participating in Operation: Enduring Freedom in 2014; conducted numerous foot patrols and day/night missions as a Team Leader.
• Completed 2 OCONUS tours on Active Duty orders at USAG Bavaria, Hohenfels which supported the training of numerous combat ready units to prepare for upcoming deployments to Afghanistan.
• Provided significant dismounted and mounted reconnaissance that enabled higher headquarters to quickly and decisively employ combat power
• Made real-time, independent, risk-based decisions to ensure the safety of my soldiers and accomplish the goal of the mission.
• Responsible for manager soldier's performance through effective leadership
• Used operational experience and strategic vision, developing and implementing unit and platoon based SOPs for new and current soldiers to ensure our standards and procedures were met
• Conducted ground reconnaissance and reported to leadership for strategic planning
• Led detailed trainings on weapon systems for subordinates, enhancing overall team safety and cohesion

Spotlight Achievements

• Selected to support the 20th Special Forces Group with Unique Mission Cell missions regarding technology advancement for the Army
• Team Leader for 5 soldiers from February 2014 to April 2018
• Completed various military schools such as Basic Leadership Course, Advanced Leadership Course, Mountain Warfare School, Air Assault School, and many more