Michael Wilson
Olathe,KS
Summary
Accomplished and devoted EdTech revenue leader with a consistent, proven upward track record in 15 dynamic years serving Higher Ed. An expert in sales leadership and public speaking, distilling complex market challenges and value propositions into compelling stories for keynote stages and small internal meetings. I come to work with all my mind, heart and soul and find fulfillment in the success of my employees, my fellow leaders and my customers.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
VP of Client Success
Ad Astra Information Systems
04.2026 - Current
- Immediately began team transformation to create distinct roles in renewal/retention management, expansion sales and a migration plan for the company's new platform
- Tripled the team's sales bookings in my first quarter compared to pervious quarter
- Delivered keynote speech at regional conference to Provosts and Registrars in my 2nd month at the company
Sr. Director of Sales
Global Payments, Higher Education
12.2025 - 04.2026
- Wrapped the fiscal 2025 sales year as the 2nd best in the company's 30-year history, adding more than $15million in new ARR
- Drove and shepherded all five of Global Payments' pilot customers for new credentialing and payment systems in campus dining halls, cited as the key initiative for the company's medium-term growth prospects
- Led the "chair of radical candor" talk for Global Payments' Software SKO to more than 300 enterprise-level quota-carrying team members across four distinct vertical markets
Director of Sales
Global Payments Higher Education (TouchNet and ECSI)
01.2024 - 12.2025
- Led new organizational unit to deliver over $20 million in contract value in its first year
- Built diverse team of ten with six specialty roles across two companies, quickly creating a productive culture of trust and commitment
- Continued unbroken streak of sending reps to Global Payments President's Club (5 times in 5 years)
- Emceed the division's user conference to provide a warm and thought-leading presence to 500+ attendees
Director of New Sales
TouchNet and ECSI
01.2019 - 12.2023
- Built, led and partnered with high-leverage team of "hunter" sales professionals to sign more than $100 million in contract value with more than 200 colleges and universities in five years
- Initiated "coffee talk" style of personal and team leadership through the remote environment necessary in a pandemic, which became a model for other teams
- Presented many conference workshops and keynote sessions with rooms up to 1,000 attendees, plus the highest-attended webinar in company history
- Succeeded in launching top performer into a skip-level promotion to VP in the company
Multiple Manager Roles
TouchNet
08.2011 - 12.2018
- Launched payment processing division at TouchNet, starting with a team of one and leading to incubation into the company portfolio in three years after delivering +$40 million in contract value
- Built a team from scratch from internal transfers of non-salespeople, and took two of them to Rome for President's Club in their first full year of selling
- Spoke at more than 100 conferences on topics ranging from compliance to Gen Z and broad tech trends
- Led intrapreneurial research projects for future lines of business with $5 million annual potential
Director, Client Development
Pinnacle Financial Strategies
01.2005 - 05.2011
- Started with Renewals team and eventually grew to lead all Revenue teams in the company and its spin-off
- Inherited a team in a tough bloat situation and reduced costs by 30% in the first year while increasing top-line sales
- Specialized in late-stage, high-pressure negotiations with regional and super regional banks and credit unions, since our top 10% of deals were nearly 50% of the new revenue
Education
MBA - Corporate Strategy
Rice University
Houston, TXBBA - International Business
Harding University
Searcy, ARSkills
- Sales leadership and training
- Building high-performance teams
- Public speaking
- Pipeline management
- Partner/channel optimization
- Forecasting systems and skill development
- Change management
- Business analytics
- Culture cultivation
Timeline
VP of Client Success
Ad Astra Information Systems
04.2026 - Current
Sr. Director of Sales
Global Payments, Higher Education
12.2025 - 04.2026
Director of Sales
Global Payments Higher Education (TouchNet and ECSI)
01.2024 - 12.2025
Director of New Sales
TouchNet and ECSI
01.2019 - 12.2023
Multiple Manager Roles
TouchNet
08.2011 - 12.2018
Director, Client Development
Pinnacle Financial Strategies
01.2005 - 05.2011
MBA - Corporate Strategy
Rice University
BBA - International Business
Harding University