Kevin Rhodes recalls one of the earliest lessons in his finance career. “I wanted to understand the business,” he tells us, describing his decision to ride along with a Waste Management truck crew. Clipboard in hand, he meticulously recorded stop distances, tonnage collected, and time spent at each location. By the end of the week, he had compiled a customer-by-customer profitability analysis.
The results were clear—routes with clustered stops were highly profitable, while distant, scattered pickups drained resources. When he shared his findings, leadership encouraged him to gather more data. The insights led to an initiative that incentivized sales teams to densify routes, improving efficiency and making Rhodes’s business unit one of the most profitable in the region. The approach became a company-wide standard.
Read MoreThis hands-on, data-driven mindset has shaped Rhodes’s leadership across multiple CFO roles. After earning his MBA at Babson College—while working full-time and supporting a growing family—he stepped into his first CFO position at age 32. Since then, he has focused on transforming finance functions beyond traditional reporting, using analytics to guide resource allocation, operational efficiency, and revenue growth. Now at Extreme Networks, Rhodes applies these principles to simplify complex networking solutions and optimize recurring revenue streams. His career illustrates how finance leaders can drive strategy by immersing themselves in operations, leveraging data insights, and aligning financial decisions with long-term business value.
Rhodes Looks Back:
“I would push myself earlier to understand all aspects of my prior company’s GTM strategy—from positioning and messaging to strategic pricing and sales motions. Now, I believe there is no more important activity. A company’s GTM strategy, if effective and coupled with innovative technology, can make a significant impact. …The other thing I would tell myself is to make decisions more quickly. My only regrets have been not acting fast enough. Once you realize something isn’t right, make the necessary changes without delay. …Lastly, I would remind myself to relax—you’ll be successful. You don’t need to work 90 hours a week.” —Kevin Rhodes, CFO, Extreme Networks
Made Possible By
CFOTL: Tell us about Extreme Networks—what does the company do, and what are its offerings today?
Kevin Rhodes: Extreme Networks is a leader in simplifying the complexity of building and managing both wireless and wired networks. We serve as the connective tissue of modern society, providing the foundational infrastructure that enables enterprises, schools, airports, museums, hospital systems, and manufacturing environments to function seamlessly. Nearly every technology within an organization relies on a stable and efficient network, whether for mobile devices, computers, or critical business operations.
Read MoreAt Extreme, our goal is to make networking easy. We provide solutions that allow organizations to design and deploy networks that meet their specific needs so they can focus on achieving their business objectives. We operate in a highly competitive market alongside companies like Cisco, HPE, and Juniper Networks. While we are a smaller player in this space, we embrace our position as a challenger brand.
What sets us apart is our commitment to simplicity. We don’t just compete on technology—we prioritize making our solutions intuitive and easy to use. We focus on delivering an exceptional customer experience, ensuring that organizations can efficiently manage their networks without unnecessary complexity. At Extreme Networks, we aim to be the easiest company to do business with, providing solutions that are as simple and effective as possible.
Extreme Networks | www.extremenetworks.com | San Jose, CA