CLEARWATER, Fla., April 27, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TechSelect, Tech Data Corporation‘s (Nasdaq:TECD) community of IT solution providers dedicated to supporting the technology needs of small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in North America, hosted its Spring Partner Conference on April 21-24, 2015 at the Hilton Riverside in New Orleans, La. Approximately 300 channel partners were in attendance at the sold-out event, which was focused on four of the TechSelect community’s pillars of business: sales, finance, people, and leadership/culture. The conference offered attendees business enablement activities, strategy sessions, and networking opportunities with vendor partners, peers, and Tech Data representatives.
“TechSelect remains fundamentally focused on enabling the success of our channel partners, while coming together as a community to collaborate and raise funds for a worthy cause,” said Marty Bauerlein, senior vice president, U.S. Sales. “TechSelect partner conferences are some of the premier events in the IT channel, providing unparalleled access to vendor and Tech Data executives. Our Spring event in New Orleans was no exception, offering great opportunities—and a great time—to our TechSelect members.”
At the event, Tech Data introduced its new TechSelect Loyalty Program, which provides additional benefits to TechSelect members in recognition of their commitment to the TechSelect community and Tech Data. Championed by the TechSelect Advisory Council, the TechSelect Loyalty Program is a point-based system in which members can achieve Loyalty status of Platinum, Gold, and Silver. Based on their Loyalty status, members are awarded credits toward TDEducation training and travel credits to TechSelect events, including partner conferences and TechSelect University. TechSelect members earn points in the Loyalty Program based on four components:
- Growth: year-over-year growth percentage with Tech Data
- Investment: percentage of revenue with sponsoring TechSelect vendor partners
- Engagement: number of TechSelect events attended
- Loyalty: market share with Tech Data
The TechSelect team will be sending communications to members who have achieved Loyalty status. Currently, there are 10 Platinum members, 20 Gold Members, and 40 Silver members out of the community’s more than 400 members in the United States.
“Our new TechSelect Loyalty program is aligned with TechSelect’s goal of creating a level playing field for our members, regardless of the size of their business,” said Kaye McMillan, director, Sales Planning and TechSelect at Tech Data. “We are proud to reward our members with educational and training opportunities based on their commitment to the TechSelect community. It’s truly a win-win for Tech Data and our TechSelect solution providers.”
Also at the conference, the TechSelect community appointed Audrey Levi, partner at ITPointe, as president of its Advisory Council. With her appointment, Levi becomes the first female president of a Tech Data community program.
“I am excited about the opportunities ahead for the TechSelect community,” said Levi. “TechSelect represents the DNA of Tech Data and their commitment to building long-term partnerships in the channel. I look forward to bringing more diversity into the organization and growing the overall profile of the TechSelect membership, while continuing to embrace new vendor partners and cutting-edge technologies.”
The TechSelect Partner Conference featured keynote presentations from Frank Vitagliano, vice president, World Channel Strategy and Programs at Dell; Frank Rauch, vice president, Americas Partner Organization at VMware; Phil O’Reilly, chief technology officer at Brocade; Joe Quaglia, president, the Americas at Tech Data; and Bauerlein. Attendees were also treated to a dynamic performance by the Passing Zone, a comedy juggling duo that has been featured on America’s Got Talent.
Through the TechSelect Partner Conference’s charity fundraiser program, the TechSelect community raised more than $10,000 for Covenant House New Orleans, which provides a safe haven for homeless and at-risk youth ages 16-21. Since 2008, the TechSelect community has raised more than $250,000 in monetary and product donations to help various charitable organizations in the host cities of its events.
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