⏱️2-Minute Break with … Erik Varney
Who has the coolest job at Verizon? Erik Varney thinks he does.
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He might be right.
⏱️Erik Varney is a Sr. Director in the Industrial IOT (Internet of Things) and Auto group. He and his team meet with companies of every shape, size and specialty to help design and deliver mobile capability for their products – from toys to sporting goods to appliances and vehicles.
🧢 I have to ask – are you related to [comedian] Jim Varney?
[Laughs] Yes and no! I am not related to the “Hey, Vern!” guy, but my dad’s name is actually Jim Varney! My wife thinks it’s hilarious.
📆 How long have you worked for Verizon?
23 years. I started right here [near Salt Lake City] in Utah as a Data Solutions Manager, which means we did technical integration and implementation for the teams serving business customers.
📸 When did you start working with connecting devices?
Back in 2011 and 2012, people started wanting connectivity for devices that were not phones or tablets– things like cameras. Back then data was a little slower and a little more expensive.
👮 And when did things start to take off?
In 2013-14 we helped a company create an ankle bracelet that could track people with a cellular chipset. These were for people who did some not-very-nice-things and had to be monitored by authorities. It took us three years to get our first million connections, and by 2017 we were adding about a million connections a year.
📈 And today?
We add about 1.5 million gross new devices every month. It's a “quiet” business for Verizon that is surprising to see how many connections are out there.
🐦 What’s an example of a device that we might not expect to have a connection?
Well, we’re currently working on connected birdhouses. People want to see the little visitors and know who’s snacking on the seed.
🫁 Do you have a favorite device?
We have a lot of medical devices, from C-PAP machines to glucometers, but my favorite was one that helped kids with cystic fibrosis. It was a vest that could tell if they were having trouble breathing, and if so, it vibrated to break up the congestion in their lungs.
🛴 Did you ever have a device take off that you really didn’t expect to?
You know those motorized kick scooters where you just download an app, put in your credit card and go? I never thought you’d see those in every big city on the planet.
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