NATHANIEL J. LITTLE
Springfield,MO
Summary
Results-driven Technical Sales Engineer with 25+ years of experience designing and selling advanced telecommunications and optical network solutions. Expertise spanning optical transport, Carrier Ethernet, DWDM/CWDM, FTTP, and wireless backhaul systems. Adept at translating complex technical concepts into clear business value while ensuring scalability, reliability, and ROI.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
Work History
Renewable Energy Consultant (Independent)
Springfield, MO
03.2020 - Current
- Consulting and sales for renewable energy start-ups across the Midwest, specializing in solar, microgrid, AI arbitrage, and carbon credit tokenization. Work includes USDA REAP grant management for small business and agriculture.
- Key Achievements:
- Closed 25+ residential and 5 commercial solar systems.
- Developed microgrid and carbon credit monetization strategies for grocery and hospitality clients.
- Enabled service providers to accelerate ROI through automated validation and tokenization of green-energy data.
Sr. Sales Engineer
Hitachi (Apresia)
San Jose, CA
09.2015 - 03.2020
- Technical lead for the North American launch of Hitachi’s Carrier Ethernet switch/router line. Collaborated with Japan-based software teams to align products with U.S. market requirements.
- Key Achievements:
- Built and managed a test lab to validate and demonstrate solutions.
- Drove proof-of-concept wins with Tier-2 providers.
- Surpassed all measurable sales and engagement goals.
Sr. Sales Engineer
Cyan Inc.
Petaluma, CA
01.2012 - 09.2015
- Designed and managed transport and access network sales for Windstream’s engineering offices.
- Key Achievements:
- Exceeded quota by 130%+ in first year.
- Engineered Texas’s largest Cyan ROADM deployment.
- Delivered 3500+ rural DSL bandwidth expansions and LTE backhaul networks.
Sr. Sales Engineer
Tellabs
Naperville, IL
07.2007 - 12.2011
- Subject-matter expert for FTTP and Carrier Ethernet across Tier-2 accounts (Windstream, TDS, Frontier).
- Key Achievements:
- Earned Sales Eagle and Sales Champion CAPtains awards.
- Sold first 7300 Carrier Ethernet Aggregation Switch in North America.
- Engineered multi-product IP upgrade enabling DSL to run to rural markets.
Vice President
RKL Communications Inc.
Lamar, MO
01.1997 - 01.2007
- Founded and scaled EF&I telecom integration company supporting national carrier deployments.
- Key Achievements:
- Grew revenue 25%+ year over year for a decade.
- Deployed equipment in 100+ central offices and 500+ remote sites.
- Managed hiring, training, and technical delivery across all business operations.
Education
A.A.S. - Telecommunications Technology
Lincoln Trail College
Robinson, ILSkills
- Optical Transport
- Carrier Ethernet
- Network Design & Architecture
- Sales Strategy
- Solution Engineering
- Customer Engagement
- Project Management
- Energy & Sustainability Solutions
- Strategic Partnerships
- Consultative Selling
- Emerging Technologies (AI, Microgrid, Tokenization)
Timeline
Renewable Energy Consultant (Independent)
03.2020 - Current
Sr. Sales Engineer
Hitachi (Apresia)
09.2015 - 03.2020
Sr. Sales Engineer
Cyan Inc.
01.2012 - 09.2015
Sr. Sales Engineer
Tellabs
07.2007 - 12.2011
Vice President
RKL Communications Inc.
01.1997 - 01.2007
A.A.S. - Telecommunications Technology
Lincoln Trail College