CRN Exclusive: Passportal Promotes Channel Chief To President

After more than a year as the company’s channel chief and strategic advisor, Dan Wensley has been appointed president of security vendor Passportal, which wants to grow its roster of partners.

"[Wensley] has got that invaluable experience. … He understands the ins and outs of the channel and can help us to expand," said Colin Knox, CEO and founder of Passportal, based in Calgary, Alberta.

In the past year, Knox said, Wensley has helped Passportal become more successful in the channel, more than doubling its partner base to about 600.

[Related: Passportal Takes Password Management Software To ConnectWise]

Passportal's product is a cloud-based, white-label, password management solution geared toward managed service providers. It allows customers to internally manage passwords in real time.

Passportal -- a CRN Emerging Vendor for 2015 -- has grown more than fivefold over the last year Knox said, and has started building relationships with several vendor partners, such as Autotask, Datto, Tigerpaw and Connectwise.

"We are super proud of what we have done," Knox said, attributing much of that achievement to Wensley's tenure with the company.

Initially, Wensley started with the Canadian security vendor as a strategic advisor, Knox said. But over time, he became increasingly invested in the company, moving from a weekly advisor to a daily consultant before joining the company officially as a channel chief.

"Frankly, I wasn’t looking to step back into this role," Wensley said, referring to 20 years he has spent as an executive in the channel at such companies as MCI Worldcom, Net Integration Technologies and MSP Partners.

"But, I am here because I have an absolute belief that this is a great solution that will benefit the channel," he said.

Wensley said that as he starts his new role, he wants to build Passportal’s recognition in the channel, alerting both partners and vendors to the company’s product. He said that as more solution providers become aware of the solution, he’s confident customers will see the value in it.

Passportal is a fully channel-focused business focused on the MSP market. "The company's mantra is 'Made for MSPs by an MSP,' " Wensley said. "We want to make sure we are communicating that we not only want to be a partner. … We want to be in that trusted advisor role."

PUBLISHED NOV. 6, 2015