News

November 2011
focus profile

Sometimes a business owner needs to talk to another owner who will understand. David Binning looks inside one peer review group that’s made support its business

Founder and director of Sydneybased integrator Nortec solutions David Norris had been agonising over how to deal with staff whose negative attitudes had been eating away at company morale and performance.

“It was a poison pill. These two staff were always very negative; I didn’t realise the effect it was having on the rest of the staff,” he said.

Read more: Peers keep partners grounded

November 2011
CRN

Apple Recruiting Microsoft Partners For iPad Integrations

Apple this week is turning up the volume on its campaign to get Microsoft solution providers to join the Apple Consultants Network, a pre-requisite for obtaining the new Mobility Technical Certification.

This week at the HTG Peer Group conference, held in conjunction with the Connectwise IT Nation event, Apple's de facto channel chief Francois Daumard made his pitch to Microsoft partners, a group with which he's already quite familiar from his 12 years at Microsoft.

Why is Apple reaching out like this? Because it needs Windows and Exchange expertise to make sure corporate iPad deployments go smoothly. Microsoft partners, who are probably a year away from being able to deploy Windows 8 tablets, are eager to get a piece of this business.

Read more: Five Companies That Came to Win This Past Week At The HTG Peer Group Meeting Held in Conjuntion With ConnectWise IT Nation

November 2011
Channelpro

Heartland Technology Consultants (HTC), a consulting group serving small and mid-sized IT solution providers and IT vendor companies, is pleased to announce a new addition to its team. Brad Schow has joined HTC as a senior consultant, and from his new position will be helping solution providers, as well as the vendors who supply them, overcome barriers to their growth.

Schow brings a wealth of experience to HTC, having worked for the past 20 years at Compudyne in Duluth, Minnesota. He began his career as a technician there and over the years has worn many hats, including technical support, service manager, general manager, and COO/president. Most recently, Schow held the position of CVO (Chief Visionary Officer), a role in which he built a framework for account management while developing a virtual CIO role.

Read more: Brad Schow Joins Heartland Technology Consultants

November 2011
CRN

Florida VAR Dies After Scuba Diving

Scott Mallet, CEO of Network Technology Solutions, a Pompano Beach, Fla.-based VAR, died Saturday after collapsing while on a scuba-diving trip in the Atlantic Ocean.

According to the Sun-Sentinel newspaper, Mallet had complained of chest pains after a dive on Saturday morning. He collapsed on the boat and attempts by the scuba company's crew to revive him using a defibrillator on board were unsuccessful. Mallet was pronounced dead at North Broward Medical Center. He was 36.

Read more: HTG Mourns Loss of Scott Mallet, CEO of Network Technology Solutions

October 2011
SBWire

The topmost concern of community bankers continues to be keeping their bank records, systems, and customers' data safe. VerityThree, Inc. will be formally presenting various Patch Management strategies at the upcoming IBA 2011 IT Security Conference.  VerityThree will have an exhibitor's booth that attendees can stop by and gather valuable insight on building, implementing, and supporting IT strategies.

McHenry, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/05/2011 -- Information Technology (IT) Security is of prime concern to community bankers everywhere as identity theft and system intrusion continues its incline.  As a leading provider of technology solutions for community banks and a member of multiple community banker associations, VerityThree is looking forward to attending the Indiana Bankers Association (IBA) 2011 Information Technology Security Conference to be held October 12-13 at the Hilton Indianapolis North Hotel in two different capacities.

Read more: VerityThree Will Be Highly Visible at the IBA 2011 Information Technology Security Conference

August 2011
SBWire

Infinity Network Solutions has received the ultimate recognition by receiving the ESGR Patriot Award for doing its part to support their employees' active participation in the Guard and Reserve.

Macon, GA -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/05/2011 -- Just recently spouses and employees were able to nominate who they thought should receive the Patriot Award - the first sequential award issued by the Department of Defense (DoD) Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). This prestigious award was created as a means to recognize employers who demonstrate their support of a strong National Guard and Reserve force. This year Infinity Network Solutions was nominated by a reservist and Infinity engineer, Sheldon High, and won!

Read more: Macon Computer Support Firm Takes Home the Coveted ESGR Patriot Award

July 2011
Redmond Channel Partner

Microsoft will often refer to its  partners as if they belong in one of two camps: lifestyle partners or  growth partners.

The prototypical lifestyle partner is  the IT pro who has built a comfortable business for himself with perhaps an  employee or two and is earning a decent living working as many or as few hours  as he'd like to fit around his family life. The growth partner, on the other  hand, is focused on increasing revenues, improving profits, adding staff,  expanding markets and gaining share with the constant goal of becoming a larger  company. The definitions are fluid. A stalled growth company can become an  unintentional lifestyle company. Some lifestyle companies grow very fast.

Read more: How Arterian Went from Lifestyle Partner to Growth Partner