Thomas D. Coates

Dynamic Field Service & Sales Leader | Commercial Equipment • Telecom • Enterprise SaaS

3416 Warren Place, Virginia Beach, VA 23452📞 (757) 374-3539 ✉️ tdcoates@gmail.com LinkedIn

Executive Summary

Field Service & Sales leader with 30+ years driving technical excellence, operational continuity, and customer retention across commercial equipment, telecom, and enterprise SaaS environments. Combines advanced hands-on expertise in TurboChef (Bullet, HHD), conveyor systems, diagnostics, and electrical with consultative B2B selling, Salesforce pipeline rigor, and uptime-focused service delivery. Recognized for rapid response, SLA adherence, and workflows that reduce downtime while advancing revenue and retention.

Core Competencies

Technical Expertise: TurboChef, HHD, conveyor ovens, high-voltage & electrical systems, diagnostics & component replacement, preventive maintenance protocols.

Operations & Leadership: Rapid-response dispatch logistics, inventory & parts forecasting, cross-functional project management, field technician training & coaching.

Sales & Client Success: Salesforce CRM, consultative B2B sales, enterprise account management, pipeline optimization, customer retention & upsell strategy.

Technology & Data: Network infrastructure (VPN, server, DNS), Excel/Google Sheets reporting, analytics dashboards, workflow automation.

Professional Experience

General Manager – Field Services
2023–Present
New Coaco LLC – Commercial Equipment Restoration
Virginia Beach, VA
  • • Lead technician and operations manager for multi-state coverage (VA, NC, MD) delivering rapid-response restoration for commercial cooking systems under SLA.
  • • Specialize in TurboChef (Bullet, HHD) and conveyor oven repair; execute warranty replacements and field retrofits for OEM-certified components.
  • • Maintain zero-backlog dispatch readiness; complete same-day resolutions when parts are available.
  • • Built insured, mobile LLC model supporting after-hours, rural, and overflow deployments to stabilize uptime.
  • • Consistently praised for reducing downtime and restoring production-critical systems under SLA pressure.
Inbound Sales Advisor
2023–Present
Cox Communications
Virginia Beach, VA
  • • Provide consultative solutions to SMB and enterprise clients, aligning telecom, internet, and managed network services with business outcomes.
  • • Leverage Salesforce for real-time pipeline management, sales analytics, and performance tracking.
  • • Surpass quarterly targets via needs-based assessments and tailored cross-service bundles that lift revenue and retention.
Business Development Manager
2017–2023
CoStar Group (Apartments.com)
Norfolk, VA
  • • Drove market share and profitability through advanced client analytics, targeting, and strategic presentations.
  • • Built integrated CRM dashboards and Excel/Sheets reporting to enable data-driven decisions for property clients.
  • • Partnered across marketing, product, and sales ops to deliver scalable solutions and expansion campaigns.
Secondary School Educator & Coach
2009–2017
City of Virginia Beach Public Schools – Bayside High School
Virginia Beach, VA
  • • Delivered adaptable instruction across multiple disciplines while maintaining high participation and feedback scores.
Network Communications Manager (Consultant)
2004–2009
Dendrite International / NetTelcos
Norfolk, VA
  • • Administered multi-application servers, DNS configurations, and telecom provisioning for regional enterprises.
  • • Deployed hosted VoIP/cloud communications, authored documentation, and established uptime SLAs.
Sales Manager
2003–2004
Charter Communications
Chesapeake, VA
  • • Directed regional team generating over $2.8M in new B2B revenue within 12 months.
  • • Oversaw digital product rollouts and customer success initiatives, improving satisfaction by 17%.
National Account Manager
1992–2003
AT&T Corporation
Norfolk, VA
  • • Managed Fortune 500 voice/data portfolios totaling $15.3M annually.
  • • Coordinated service orders, network escalations, and SLA enforcement across multi-site enterprises.
  • • Streamlined implementation cycles, improving provisioning turnaround by 28%.

Education

B.S., Political Science – Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA
Minor: International Relations

Community & Interests

National Geographic MyShot Contributor (Photography & Field Imaging).