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With more than 20 years of experience in the emergency power business, Kevin McKinney currently serves as the Director of Sales – Diesel Systems North America at Rolls-Royce Solutions America. In his role, he is responsible for sales in North America for the company’s diesel systems business, which includes Rolls-Royce’s mission critical solutions for data center applications. Kevin is responsible for two separate teams handling this business, an indirect sales team that supports the company’s extensive distribution network and a direct sales team that interacts with the data center and mission critical 7×24 organization. This team supports the largest data center operators in the world.
Career in the Mission Critical Industry
Kevin has spent his career in the emergency power business, starting by working for Generac Power Systems and then ASCO Power Technologies (now owned by Schneider Electric). He joined MTU (now Rolls-Royce Solutions America) in 2007, working as a regional sales manager in the exciting world of mission critical backup power, providing emergency power solutions for the world’s largest hyperscale data center operators.
In 2013, Kevin was promoted to senior manager for data center sales. At that time, he saw the data center business achieve tremendous growth, which gave him and his team the opportunity to build strong partnerships with their customers in the market.
Starting Jan. 1, 2022, Kevin was promoted to his current position as Director of Sales.
“My career would not have been possible without the coaching, mentoring and family support that I have been so grateful to receive over my career,” said Kevin.
The Future of the Industry & Inspiring the Next Generation
“We are at an interesting time as we look towards renewable energy sources for backup power systems,” said Kevin. “Rolls-Royce / mtu has been manufacturing diesel engines for over 100 years and while that will continue well into the future, there are new technologies like HVO fuel for our diesel engines, and carbon-free hydrogen solutions like fuel cells that will complement today’s backup power solutions, which I think will first be adapted in the data center markets.”
One of the most important parts of inspiring the next generation of talent for Kevin is focusing on mentoring and coaching individuals and helping them develop new skills. Working for a company that is focused on allowing team members to be at their best every day, Rolls-Royce works to build teams that encourage employees’ strengths to enable them to prosper in their careers. Kevin has witnessed the great benefits of senior team members mentoring the next generation of talent.
-Kevin McKinney
Involvement with 7×24 Exchange
Kevin values the relationships he’s built through conferences and chapter events. 7×24 has been a great source to find new sales opportunities, receive feedback on products in the field and even search for new talent.
