Top Verizon Partners: Intelisys, ConectUS, Ingram Micro, More

Verizon doled out awards to partners who have performed the best selling offerings across its portfolio.

Top Verizon partners earned recognition in the carrier's annual partner awards. In addition to application-based awards that focus on impactful projects that partners performed, Verizon recognized top performers at both the distributor and seller level.

Connected Solutions Group (CSG) and Ingram Micro continued to rack up hardware as top value-added reseller and value-added distributor, respectively.

On the business agent side, Black Box and Nuvo Solutions won subagent of the year for wireline and mobility, respectively.

Technology services distributors Intelisys and Telarus triumphed in wireline and mobility, respectively.

Axe Elite won in the alternate channel category as well as taking home honors for its social impact.

Verizon's Mark Tina

“Our partners are an integral part of the fabric of our success, and we’re excited to recognize their incredible accomplishments,” said Mark Tina, Verizon Business' vice president of indirect partner sales. “The work they do is driving innovation every day, and we’re proud to collaborate with the smartest minds in the industry and use this platform to celebrate their work.”

Expanded Verizon Partner Awards

The 2023 list of 12 honorees doubles the number of partners Verizon recognized last year.

Notably, the awards specifically recognize the top performers in different partner categories, including alternate channels, agents and subagents, and value-added resellers and distributors.

When Tina took on the role of channel leader last summer, Verizon placed its different indirect programs under his oversight. But he said expanding the partner awards recognizes the diverse routes to market that the Verizon Partner Network accommodates.

"Since I've started in this role, more channel pieces have come together under one umbrella. There are awards for each partner type ... You've got to recognize within each type, because how do you compare a value-added distributor to a brick-and-mortar distribution point?"

"Consolidation" has been a key term Verizon channel leaders have said to describe how its various partner programs are evolving. But for Tina, consolidation doesn't mean reducing partner programs. The idea behind consolidation, rather, is to have a leader over the different programs who can help partners of all kinds make the most out of the Verizon Partner Network.

"We're trying to make the mix coming through channel grow and expand. So when we say 'consolidate,' it's bringing it all into one place so that we can leverage resources and find efficiencies. Because a lot of these partners actually play in multiple programs," he said.

He pointed to Sova, which resides in Verizon's exclusive Mobility Co-sell Program, but also sells Verizon in an agent model.

Partner Collaboration

Tina said that in other cases partners need to leverage partners from other programs. For example, wireline business agent of the year Intelisys leverages ConectUS Wireless for backend wireless support. And a hardware-focused VAR that excels at selling routers might turn to an agent for help with wireline.

"If you're going go talk to any customer and be able to provide a holistic solution, you've got to be able to do both wireless and wireline. Or you've got to have a trusted partner you can bring with you to take care of whatever it is you can't," Tina said.

Growing the Pie

Tina said Verizon Business leadership views the indirect motion as a force multiplier. And it's a force multiplier that will get more investment going forward.

"At the end of the day, the industry is changing. Costs are rising. Things are more competitive than ever. You're going to see a shift to more indirect distribution than you've historically seen from Verizon. And it'll nicely complement our direct distribution," Tina said.

He noted however, that the company doesn't want to engage in share shift.

"It needs to be incremental and not supplemental," Tina said. "We're not looking to just take the pie and shift some more over to indirect. We need to grow the pie incrementally."

Verizon Partner Awards: The Full List