Executive Moves: CoreSite, DRT, CoreLink, Telx

It's been an active week for executive news in the data center industry, with comings and goings involving veteran executives at leading providers. Here's a roundup:

CoreSite Hires Jarrett Appleby as Chief Operating Officer - CoreSite Realty Corporation (NYSE: COR) said Tuesday that Jarrett Appleby will join the company as Chief Operating Officer, effective May 7. Appleby joins CoreSite after more than three years at Equinix, where he served as Chief Marketing Officer. Prior to Equinix, Appleby was with Reliance Globalcom LTD as chief strategy and marketing officer. “We are pleased to have Jarrett join our executive team and help lead CoreSite’s next phase of growth," said CoreSite CEO said Tom Ray. "Jarrett brings tremendous domain expertise in network-centric colocation as well as deep experience in the communications and broader technology industries. As a 25-year industry veteran, he has a keen understanding of market dynamics, customer needs and operational requirements.” From press release.

Brent Behrman Departs Digital Realty - Digital Realty Trust announced Tuesday that Brent Behrman, Senior Vice President of Sales, has resigned from the company, effective April 20. Behrman joined Digital Realty in January 2006. "Over the years, Brent has played a key role in building our sales team into an organization that possesses an extraordinary depth of experience and expertise in the data center industry," said Michael Foust, Chief Executive Officer of Digital Realty. "We deeply appreciate the contribution he has made to Digital Realty." From press release.

Telx Names Shawn Kaplan as GM for Financial Services - Shawn Kaplan has joined colocation provider Telx as General Manager, Financial Services. Kaplan brings more than 15 years of marketing, sales and business development experience within financial technology organizations to his new position, where he will focus on maximizing market penetration and bringing new products and solutions to market. Kaplan joins Telx from ACTIV Financial, where he served as Director of Business Development and was responsible for marketing and communications strategy. Prior to his work with ACTIV Financial, Kaplan oversaw marketing and product development for Reuters, strategically positioning their Wealth Management, Asset Management, and Online Portal product lines for long-term growth. Before joining Reuters, Kaplan drove market data distribution strategies at Telerate and Dow Jones Newswires. "Shawn's extensive knowledge and proven track record of success at driving business growth in financial markets makes him a valuable addition to our team," said Ron Sterbenz, vice president of marketing, Telx.

Chris Bennitt to Head Seattle CoreLink Facilities - CoreLink Data Centers has announced the appointment of telecom industry veteran Chris Bennitt as Manager of its two Seattle- area facilities. Seattle native Bennitt joins CoreLink having served in a variety of managerial and leadership positions at Qwest, MCI and Panasonic Avionics, a provider of customized electronic equipment to airlines. As Data Center Manager, Bennitt will support CoreLink’s Seattle sales and customer service efforts, assisting existing sales and technical staff. He will also oversee the short- and longer- term expansion of the company’s two Seattle data centers. From press release.

Graybar Announces Organizational Changes - Graybar, a leading distributor of electrical, communications and data networking products has announced key organizational changes. Bob Siegel has been appointed to the position of vice president, investment and inventory management, effective April 1. Siegel has nearly 28 years of experience and previously held the position of vice president, product management. He replaces Tom Van Ash, who is retiring from the company after more than 30 years of service. Garry Acker has been appointed to the position of vice president, product management, effective May 1. Acker has 31 years of Graybar experience and previously served as vice president, corporate accounts.