25 Faces Through the Years: A Channel Partners Retrospective
We dug through our archives for some of the best photos of Channel Partners participants from the last 25 years.
March 28, 2022
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As group publisher for PHONE+ in 1997, Mike Saxby spearheaded the launch of the AgENt Conference & Expo in 1997. For the next 13 years, he helped plan and execute the conferences, serving as a host, speaker and whatever other role was required of him. Saxby moved to TBI in 2010 and is now vice president of managed mobility services provider vMOX.
A channel veteran of more than 30 years, Khali Henderson is probably the best-connected individual in the industry. And during her years with PHONE+ and then Channel Partners, she was the best-known face at events — both internal and external. Reporter, editor-in-chief, moderator, speaker and mentor — she’s done it all. Henderson is now senior partner at BuzzTheory, a full-service channel marketing agency. She is also a member of the board and chair of the public relations committee for Women in the Channel.
If Channel Partners Conference & Expo ever establishes a Hall of Fame, Ted Schuman will be one of the first inductees. The founder and CEO of PlanetOne has been with Channel Partners events since the very beginning. From actively supporting the creation of the AgENt Conference & Expo to hosting the first-ever VIP Meet & Greet 13 years later, Schuman has been instrumental in event execution and evolution. He will be a featured speaker at this year’s Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas.
And no, the Willy Wonka costume isn’t from a Channel Partners event, it’s from a 2014 PlanetOne event to which we were invited. But we couldn’t resist the opportunity to share it.
After founding WTG in 1996, Vince Bradley went from leading the khaki pack in 2005 to being honored with the Circle of Excellence in 2016 and 2017. During the years in between, he served as a moderator, speaker and panelist at Channel Partners, in addition to hosting some of the best parties on record. WTG was acquired by AppSmart in 2018. Today Bradley is founder and CEO of Abundant IoT.
Recently described on LinkedIn as “a legend of the channel,” Ken Mercer, then senior vice president of TBI, was promoting TBI to channel partners in 2005. This year, as manager of channel strategy for Telesystem, he’s promoting the Wi-Fi engagement and analytics training the company will be providing in Las Vegas at Channel Partners.
A frequent presence on the stage at Channel Partners, Adam Edwards is CEO of Telarus, which he founded with friend and fellow entrepreneur Patrick Oborn in 2002. (For a real blast from the past, check out our video interview with Edwards and Oborn from the floor of the Expo Hall in 2008.) Edwards was named to the Circle of Excellence in 2017.
Edwards will be a featured speaker at the 2022 Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas.
The other half of the Telarus equation, Patrick Oborn has also been part of Channel Partners events, both here and across the pond. He was part of the inaugural Channel Evolution Europe in 2019. In 2020 he was named to the Circle of Excellence.
Comcast Senior Vice President and Channel Chief Craig Schlagbaum can always be counted to provide expert insights and advice at Channel Partners. At this point, he must be running out of room in his trophy case. In addition to being named to the Circle of Excellence in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2021, he was named a Channel Influencer in 2018 and 2022.
Like many others in the channel, Ken Bisnoff has been on the move during his career, but he always comes back to Channel Partners. After more than 20 years with TPx, he is now senior vice president and channel chief at GTT.
Fun fact: In the late ‘90s Michelle Kadlacek was Sweetheart of the Radio at the Waco 100 radio station in Texas. Today she’s vice president of Spectrum Enterprise channel sales. Along the way, she’s covered every angle of Channel Partners, from hosting a booth for Deltacom in the Expo Hall to taking the stage in the keynote room and at Women in the Channel meetups. In 2018, she was inducted into the Circle of Excellence and she is one of the Channel Influencers named in 2022.
It was at a Channel Partners event in 2010 that Nancy Ridge co-founded the Alliance of Channel Women with Jan Sarro. Her focus on technology and service, along with her dedication to supporting other women in the ICT channel, has taken her from executive vice president at Technology Source to founder and president of Ridge Innovative.
Unfailingly upbeat and informative, Mike Schmidtmann also just happens to be a spectacular business coach. Through his Trans4mers organization, he shows business owners and leaders how to realize the best hires, higher profits, better practices and a culture of accountability for results.
Schmidtmann will be a featured speaker at the 2022 Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas.
Another fun fact: Andrew Pryfogle is co-owner of TIPS Roadside in Kenwood, California. TIPs is the first brick-and-mortar restaurant for food truck owners. Oh, and he’s also founder and CEO of CX Effect, a technology outfitter focused on customer experience. Inducted into the Circle of Excellence in 2016, Pryfogle was named a Channel Influencer in 2020.
It’s the stated goal of Michael Bremmer, CEO of Telecomquotes (TQI) to make technology “roll up it sleeves and go to work.” And he’s more than happy to show just how that’s done. Energetic, outspoken and unpredictable, Brenner can best be described as “ubiquitous” when it comes to Channel Partners events. Expect to find him anywhere from the keynote stage to leading an education session or panel discussion to making the rounds in the Expo Hall.
Always a distinguished presence, whether on the keynote stage, in a VIP lounge or leading a discussion, Kevin Leonard led the AT&T Alliance Channel for more than a decade. He stepped down from that role in March 2020. He was named to the Circle of Excellence in 2016 and 2018.
Welcomed wherever he goes at Channel Partners events, Shane Stark has represented Carrier Access as a session presenter, an award recipient and a great golfing buddy. He has been with Carrier Access for 18 years, serving as CEO since January 2020.
There’s no better friend to Channel Partners than Janet Schijns. Now founder and CEO of JS Group, Schijns has presented one-of-a-kind keynotes as vice president of global channels for Verizon Enterprise Solutions and executive vice president of Office Depot. A tireless advocate for the channel, Schijns is a recognized leader in partnerships, channels, alliances and ecosystems. She was named a Channel Influencer in 2018 and 2022 and was Channel Influencer of the Year in 2019. She also serves on the Channel Futures & Channel Partners Conference & Expo Advisory Board.
Schijns will be a featured speaker at the 2022 Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas.
Data is essential for smart business decisions — but only if you can understand what it means. That’s where Carolyn April, senior director of industry analysis for CompTIA comes in. Her keynotes and classes break it all down for channel partners. She is also a member of the Channel Futures & Channel Partners Conference & Expo Advisory Board.
As senior vice president of marketing at Telarus, Amy Bailey works with suppliers, regional vice presidents and partner support managers in crafting the Telarus message. Providing marketing and management tips, as well as being actively involved with the Alliance of Channel Women keeps Bailey on the run at Channel Partners events. She was inducted into the Circle of Excellence in 2019 and is a member of the Channel Futures & Channel Partners Conference & Expo Advisory Board.
Anyone with the Twitter handle @digitalcloudgal belongs front and center at Channel Partners events. And that’s where to find Jo Peterson, vice president of cloud and security services for Clarify360 and co-founder of Cloud Girls. A member of the CompTIA Advisory Board for Infrastructure and the HPE Independent Analyst Council, Peterson also served on the Channel Partners advisory board. She was named a Channel Influencer in 2018.
Nearly 20 years ago, Hilary Gadda joined TelePacific Communications, serving as director of channel sales. TelePacific is now TPx and Gadda is their director of national channel sales and development. As the representative for TPx’s senior executive and national sales leadership, as well as being active in the Alliance of Channel Women, Gadda is well-known and liked throughout the channel. She was among the first Channel Influencers named in 2018, the same year she was inducted into the Circle of Excellence.
Gadda will be a featured speaker at the 2022 Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas.
“The leading edge” is like home for Drew Lydecker. He’s co-founder and president of Avant, a company at the forefront of the born in the cloud era. As the company states on their website, “Our vision was and is still today to be the global leader in powering next-generation technology decisions.” To that end, Lydecker and the Avant team can be counted on to bring in the newest at Channel Partners events. A tip for identifying Lydecker: Look for flashy suits and even flashier socks. He was named to the Circle of Excellence in 2016.
Lydecker will be a featured speaker at the 2022 Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas.
Perhaps the best-known thought leader in the channel, Jay McBain never fails to produce on-target keynotes to keep channel partners on track. As Forrester’s principal analyst of channels, partnerships and ecosystems, McBain combines intellectual acuity and analytic prowess to track trends and determine their significance. He’s been named a Channel Influencer in 2018 and 2022, was Channel Influencer of the Year in 2021 and is a member of the Channel Futures & Channel Partners Conference & Expo Advisory Board.
Something of a trail blazer for women in the channel, Tiffani Bova is a recognized expert on sales and business growth. In addition to being the global growth and innovation evangelist for Salesforce, Bova is a bestselling author, podcast host and popular keynote speaker.
The best way to be a great leader is to be a great example. And John DeLozier is proof of that. The president of Intelisys loves his role as a disruptor in cloud communications and loves working with partners — who feel the same about him. For DeLozier, it’s all about relationships; doing what needs to be done when it needs to be done. No wonder then that he was in the premiere group of Channel Influencers in 2019 and Channel Influencer of the Year in 2020 as well as the being named to the Circle of Excellence 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021. He is also a member of the Channel Futures & Channel Partners Conference & Expo Advisory Board.
DeLozier will be a featured speaker at the 2022 Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas.
The best way to be a great leader is to be a great example. And John DeLozier is proof of that. The president of Intelisys loves his role as a disruptor in cloud communications and loves working with partners — who feel the same about him. For DeLozier, it’s all about relationships; doing what needs to be done when it needs to be done. No wonder then that he was in the premiere group of Channel Influencers in 2019 and Channel Influencer of the Year in 2020 as well as the being named to the Circle of Excellence 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021. He is also a member of the Channel Futures & Channel Partners Conference & Expo Advisory Board.
DeLozier will be a featured speaker at the 2022 Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Las Vegas.
During its first quarter century, the Channel Partners Conference & Expo has made a lot of friends. Many of them are still taking an active part in events.
Technologies advance, companies change, markets fluctuate, work environments transform, leaders retire and are replaced by the next generation. Through it all, one thing remains the same: It takes a village. Or more precisely, it takes a community.
The Channel Partners community consists of newbies and veterans, thought leaders, experts, innovators, disruptors, visionaries and more. Many of them have something they need to say. All of them have something they need to hear. For the past 25 years, our events have been where the channel community can get together to speak, to listen, to learn, to teach and to share.
Register now to join 6,500 fellow attendees at CP Expo, April 11-14, in Las Vegas. You can also interact with more than 300 key suppliers and technology service distributors. |
In the gallery above, we take a look at 25 of the better known (and most frequently photographed) participants in Channel Partners events from our first 25 years.
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