Computer Vision Software Engineer – University Graduate

Verkada's 2026 leadership exodus: what it means for security integrators and channel partners. August 6, 2026 If you sell, install, or recommend Verkada, you've probably noticed something this year: your rep changed. Maybe more than once. That's not a coincidence - it's a pattern, and it's well-documented. Over the past several months, Verkada has lost its Head of Global Channel, a channel VP, an 8.5-year sales SVP, several of its highest-producing account executives, and finance leadership - all detailed in a series of reports from IPVM, the independent physical security research firm. For a security distributor like GSS, and for the installers and integrators Gssdvr work with every day, this isn't just industry gossip. Channel continuity, deal registration, and vendor support all run through the people in these roles. When those people leave in waves, it's worth understanding why - and what it means for your business. Here's what's actually been reported, and what it means if Verkada is part of your line card. The channel leadership vacuum. The most directly relevant departure for GSS's world: Micah Deriso, Verkada's Head of Global Channel, and Caleb Augustin, VP of Channel Sales for the Americas, both exited in quick succession in 2026 - leaving Verkada without permanent channel leadership, according to IPVM's reporting. This wasn't the first time the channel seat had changed hands recently, either. Ryan Bettencourt, one of Verkada's most tenured sales executives, had run SVP of Global Channel Sales himself from May 2024 to March 2025 before being moved into a mid-market sales role - meaning the channel org had already cycled through leadership once before Deriso and Augustin's departures. Bettencourt announced his own exit from Verkada entirely in August 2026, after 8.5 years, saying simply that it was "time for my next chapter." For partners, a revolving door at the top of the channel organization typically shows up as inconsistent deal registration rulings, MDF and program changes, slower escalations, and new account teams who don't have the institutional history your old rep did. A broader pattern, not an isolated exit. IPVM has tracked this as a sustained trend, not a one-off. Recent departures worth knowing about: * Ryan Bettencourt - SVP Mid-Market Sales, previously SVP of Global Sales and SVP of Global Channel Sales, 8.5 years at the company, left in August 2026 without naming his next employer. * Micah Deriso - Head of Global Channel - and Caleb Augustin - VP of Channel Sales, Americas - both departed in 2026, leaving no permanent channel leader in place. * Chris McDonough, Senior Director, also exited in 2026. * Ryan Young, Verkada's very first sales hire and the architect of its early sales culture, left in June 2026 to become head of sales at Netic, an AI-powered revenue platform serving HVAC, plumbing, and electrical companies. * Dylan Chesney, a six-year account executive and one of Verkada's top 40 all-time revenue producers, followed Young to Netic in July 2026, along with Hunter Lott, who had generated roughly $9.5M in lifetime bookings. * Chase Schaaf, a 5.5-year senior sales manager who helped open Verkada's Phoenix office, left for Axon in July 2026 - notably, Verkada's Phoenix office and Axon's Scottsdale headquarters sit blocks apart, making it a literal cross-street move. * Varun Bhave, Director of Strategic Finance & Business Operations, departed after four years to join Cognition, an AI software company, showing the turnover isn't confined to sales. A few details stand out across these moves: * Verkada's own top sales talent is now clustering at a single competitor. Ryan Young has pulled several of Verkada's best-performing reps to Netic since taking the head-of-sales seat there. * Destinations skew toward AI startups, not physical security rivals - Netic and Cognition both fit that mold - with Axon as the one direct competitor named. * It's not confined to sales. Bhave's exit from a senior finance role suggests the churn runs wider than the go-to-market org alone. The numbers behind the headlines. According to IPVM's turnover analysis, Verkada maintained roughly 27% annual turnover in 2025 - nearly double the ~15% industry average - with turnover accounting for about 77% of total hires, against only around 9% net headcount growth. Separately, IPVM has reported that at least a dozen senior-level employees left the company within the past year. IPVM also points to a structural factor worth knowing: Verkada uses a 10/20/30/40 equity vesting schedule, where employees vest 10% of their equity in year one, 20% in year two, 30% in year three, and the remaining 40% in year four. IPVM notes a recurring pattern of employees departing at or shortly after their four-year mark - consistent with, though not proven to be caused by, completing their vesting. Is this a red flag, or a pre-ipo reset? To be fair to Verkada, turnover at a hypergrowth company approaching a potential IPO isn't automatically a bad sign. Some sources close to the company have suggested to IPVM that turnover among longer-tenured sales leaders may not be entirely unwelcome internally - the thinking being that a changeover in legacy sales leadership could actually help the organization as it works toward going public. That's a reasonable read. But for a channel partner, the reason behind the turnover matters less than the effect: new faces, new processes, and less institutional memory about your account, your deal history, and your market. What this means for your business. If Verkada is part of your product mix - or you're considering adding it - here are the practical questions worth asking before your next quote or renewal: * Who is my current channel contact, and how long have they been in that role? If it's changed twice this year, plan for it to change again. * Is there a single, empowered Head of Channel right now? As of this writing, that seat has been vacant. * How is deal registration and MDF handled during the transition? Get commitments in writing, not just verbally from a rep who may not be there next quarter. * What's my backup plan for support continuity? A multi-brand distributor relationship - rather than a single-vendor dependency - gives you somewhere to turn if your account team disappears mid-project. How GSS can help. This is exactly the kind of situation a distributor should be watching on your behalf. GSS works with a broad line card of cloud and on-prem physical security manufacturers - including Hanwha, IDIS, Vivotek, Teledyne FLIR, and VIDISKY - so your business isn't tied to the fortunes of any single vendor's internal reorg. Browse its full surveillance and access control & alarm lines, or request a quote to talk through alternatives. If you're currently selling Verkada and want a second opinion on deal support or how to structure a project to reduce vendor-side risk, contact your GSS account manager - Gssdvr is happy to walk through your options. Not yet a dealer? Sign up for a wholesale account to get started. Faq. Why are so many Verkada employees leaving in 2026? IPVM has reported a sustained wave of departures across sales, channel, and finance leadership throughout 2025 and into 2026, including the Head of Global Channel, a longtime sales SVP, and several top revenue producers. Verkada's overall turnover rate has run close to double the security industry average during this period. What is Verkada's employee turnover rate? According to IPVM's analysis, Verkada's annual turnover was approximately 27% in 2025, compared to roughly 15% industry-wide, with turnover accounting for about 77% of total hires that year. Who leads Verkada's channel program now? As of the most recent reporting, Verkada's Head of Global Channel (Micah Deriso) and VP of Channel Sales for the Americas (Caleb Augustin) have both departed, and IPVM reports the company was left without permanent channel leadership. Where are departing Verkada employees going? Several have moved to Axon, a direct competitor. Others - including Verkada's first-ever sales hire - have moved to AI startups such as Netic and Cognition rather than to traditional physical security competitors. Should integrators stop selling Verkada? Not necessarily - but it's a good reason to diversify your line card and confirm who your current channel and support contacts are before committing a customer to a long-term platform decision. See its full brand lineup for alternatives worth evaluating.

A familiar face. A broader mission. Cloudconnextions is excited to welcome Ryan Pinke back to Cloud Connextions. Many clients and partners first came to know Ryan through VideoConferenceGear, where the mission was straightforward: make AV and collaboration technology easier to understand, easier to deploy, and easier to support. That same practical, client-first approach continues at Cloud Connextions - now with a broader mission. Today, organizations are navigating a much wider range of connected technology needs, including audiovisual systems, collaboration platforms, access control, video surveillance, physical security, managed services, and technology standardization across multiple locations. After spending the past several years working closely with OEM manufacturers and technology partners, Ryan returns with an expanded perspective on where the industry is heading - and, more importantly, how emerging technologies can be applied to solve real operational challenges. His approach remains simple: listen first, understand the need, simplify the options, and help clients build reliable solutions around the way their people and organizations actually work. Whether you are refreshing meeting spaces, improving video conferencing, upgrading physical security, standardizing technology across locations, or preparing for a larger rollout, Ryan and the Cloud Connextions team are here to make the process clearer, easier, and more valuable. For former clients and partners, this is a great opportunity to reconnect. For those meeting Ryan for the first time, Cloudconnextions look forward to introducing you to the practical, technically informed, and easy-to-work-with approach that has always defined the way he serves his clients. Welcome back, Ryan. Your next move towards better security starts now. At Cloud Connextions, Cloudconnextions is passionate about helping organizations like yours achieve unmatched security, confidence, and peace of mind. By partnering with Verkada, Cloudconnextions deliver more than just cutting-edge technology - Cloudconnextions deliver a solution tailored specifically to your needs, backed by a team dedicated to your long-term success. Now is the time to take the next step toward transforming your physical security. Contact Cloudconnextions today to explore how the combined power of Verkada's advanced solutions and its proven expertise can work for you. Whether you're upgrading your existing system or starting from scratch, Cloudconnextions is ready to guide you every step of the way.