Horizon Data Center Solutions Announces Executive Structure Changes to Accelerate Growth

DALLAS, July 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Horizon, the fast-growing, colocation, managed services and IaaS firm, announces today changes to the roles and responsibilities of its senior executive team. Effective immediately, Lance Black, former EVP of Operations for Horizon, will assume the role of President and COO.

Mr. Black will take over day-to-day performance responsibility for operations, as well as sales and marketing functions and employee development. Continuity and development of key vendor and partner relationships, such as with data center developers Digital Realty Trust and PowerLoft, will also fall under Mr. Black’s role, as will delivering new managed services products and building out Horizon’s cloud computing offerings. He will also immediately lead the process of building a new NOC and selection of new office space to bring Horizon’s Dallas offices into one location.

“We’ve been impressed with Lance Black and his ability to collaborate and build win-win relationships with our customers, vendors and partners, as well as his ability to provide internal thought leadership regarding the direction of Horizon,” said Steve Chancellor, Horizon board member. “As we position the company to achieve our growth plans, we’re extremely confident in his ability to lead the team to deliver those results.”

Prior to his work with Horizon, Mr. Black founded Horizon’s first acquisition, Mareechi, the managed services and IT outsourcing provider. He took Mareechi from start up to an impressive managed services and IT outsourcing provider with hundreds of clients across three continents. Before founding Mareechi, he worked with Computer Associates.

Chuck Smith, a Horizon co-founder, will now report to Lance Black. Working closely with Mr. Black, he will continue to set the strategic and visionary direction for Horizon for new product and customized client solution development. He will continue to be responsible for top line revenue growth and revenue diversification, including maturation of alternative sales channels, such as real estate brokers who specialize in mission-critical facilities. “Brokers play a large and valuable role in connecting enterprises in need of quality colocation data centers with providers. Our data centers are perfect for this group and I look forward to building relationships locally and across the country,” said Smith.

CEO Lance Smith will turn his attention to financing the growth of Horizon, as well as strategic mergers and acquisitions, in support of the previously announced “tri-coastal” strategy that calls for colocation data centers in each of the three national power grids, as well as potential new locations in Internet Data Center markets. “Our commitment to the original business model remains firm, and these changes reinforce the commitment. Our company has grown in talent and capacity over the past two years and we are ready to see our early vision fulfilled. This structure will play a key part in making that happen,” says Smith. These changes follow a recent announcement of three key appointments for Horizon. Jeff Crawford was named National Sales VP, Richard Nordberg, JR was named General Manager of the Eastern Region, and Tom Escher, Director of Channel Sales earlier this year.

About Horizon Data Center Solutions

Horizon Data Center Solutions has changed the way data centers operate by offering customers a better way to do business. The Horizon team is led by experts in the data center industry who are focused on delivering enterprise quality colocation and managed services to clients both large and small. Horizon is focused on a true partner relationship in data center services. For more information, contact Horizon at 866.620.7516 or visit www.horizondcs.com.

SOURCE Horizon Data Center Solutions