Why Wasabi: Craig Yonge TAPS Integrated Surveillance Solutions

Our #WhyWasabi series focuses on highlighting different members of the Wasabi team to get to know more about them, what they do, and how they are helping Wasabi transform the cloud storage industry. Next is Craig Yonge, Wasabi’s Senior Alliance Marketing Manager in Video Surveillance. Despite being new to Wasabi, Craig has already hit the ground running, focusing on Wasabi’s surveillance Technology Alliance Partners (TAPs) to help promote the robust, integrated solutions we deliver in conjunction with their industry-leading video management systems and other solutions. The Bucket editorial team sat down with Craig to chat about his Wasabi journey so far, and what he sees in store for the video surveillance industry.

Q. Could you tell us about yourself? What were you doing before joining Wasabi?

A. Before joining Wasabi, I’ve had my share of experiences from partner marketing within the security industry to organizing events for resellers in the wholesale business to developing programming for a city’s Parks and Recreation Department. I even spent six years teaching rock climbing to children and adults of all ages! While the industries have changed over the years, I’m proud to have worked for organizations encouraging a collaborative environment that values innovation and openness. After about a month here at Wasabi, I can proudly say the tradition continues!

Q. How did you first enter the video surveillance space?

A. I’ve worked within the video surveillance space for about seven years and within a channel model for over a decade. I developed an understanding of and appreciation for partners of all kinds working with resellers, distributors, and technology partners. I joined the industry initially with Axis Communications, where I focused on promoting training programs and field marketing activities. From there, I took over marketing with key strategic partners to develop and promote various solutions across countless verticals, working most recently with some all-star distributor partners. I’m excited to jump into a role that will help me grow my knowledge within a new industry (cloud storage) with a solid connection to an industry I’ve come to call home (surveillance!)

Q. What do you think Wasabi is offering to customers of surveillance systems that aren’t already out there?

A. Wasabi has turned its attention and resources to optimizing its powerful cloud storage for surveillance at such a crucial time for the industry. Security professionals are increasingly looking to reduce direct costs and the total cost of ownership associated with the traditional on-premises storage options or with the more expensive options offered by some big players in the cloud storage space. Wasabi offers cloud storage solutions that provide the same level of data protection as the hyperscaler cloud providers but with more accessibility to that data, and without the unpredictable costs for egress or transaction fees, all at a better price.  Finally, by tailoring our specialized Wasabi Surveillance Cloud solution to help scale capacity-strained on-premises surveillance storage, our partners and customers can more confidently and seamlessly deploy cloud storage as part of a truly hybrid and integrated end-to-end surveillance solution.

Q. How has the video surveillance industry changed since you started working?

A. For many years, the video surveillance industry was a niche industry, somewhat siloed from other technologies. Over the years, video surveillance has become a more significant part of conversations with those outside of security, including IT, loss prevention, operations, and even marketing. Today, surveillance solutions are often part of the IoT (the internet of things) space and integrate with more technologies than ever to create location safety, provide business insights, and improve operational efficiencies. Looking to the future, video surveillance opportunities are becoming part of every IT or security practitioner’s arsenal, and the opportunity for growth within the channel is virtually limitless.

Q. What excites you the most about working in video surveillance?

A. Video surveillance is an ever-changing industry. What I like about the industry is how it impacts everyone’s lives. From securing a kindergarten classroom to improving traffic flow in major cities to life-saving monitoring in the healthcare field, surveillance impacts and improves our lives every day.

Q. Tell us more about your role and how you engage with our video surveillance Technology Alliance Partners and customers.

A. My main focus at Wasabi is to work with our TAPs in video surveillance to develop and highlight the unique differentiators our joint solutions can offer our customers. Our TAPs allow us to create storage solutions with some of the industry’s best-of-breed technology to improve how our customers do business. It’s all about getting the right solution to the right person at the right time and place. If we’re doing our jobs right, our joint solutions will find you when you need them.

Q. Describe the Technology Alliance Team in three words.

A. Creative, collaborative, and accountable–and a bit quirky!

Q. What about the future and growth of Wasabi in the video surveillance space excites you the most?

A. I’m excited for the surveillance industry to have a cloud option that encourages a hybrid approach to cloud storage. By incorporating the right mix of on-premises storage with cloud-based backup and redundancy, customers can meet multiple storage needs with a simple solution that ties right into their video management software. Recently, I was on a call with a technology partner who talked about their customer’s major ongoing problem, and Wasabi Surveillance Cloud was the perfect solution! He couldn’t wait to let his customer know of the simple yet effective solution Wasabi is able to deliver. As cloud storage continues to develop as an integral part of a surveillance solution, the future is bright with opportunities for partners and users alike.