After receiving awards and posing for the obligatory photo, this year’s
winners could not wait to share with CRN what it meant to receive a
Channel Award.
With 22 awards to dish out, the presentation ceremony could have been a lengthy
affair, but host Dara O’Brien kept things running swiftly.
Winning a total of four awards, the night clearly belonged to
Computer
2000 (C2000), who picked up the Distributor of the Year Award for a record
ninth successive year.
Managing director Andy Gass, told CRN: “We’re absolutely delighted
about the feedback from customers. We’re delighted that we’re achieving the
things our customers want from us. Our job going forward is to find ways to
deliver more to customers, to help them and us grow even faster. Our job now is
to celebrate tonight, listen tomorrow and deliver for the next 364 days.”
Winning both the Systems and the Vendor of the Year Awards for the third year in
a row,
Fujitsu
Siemens Computers (FSC) also had a good night. Gary Fowle, director of
marketing at FSC, said: “We are really happy to win both awards three years in a
row because we still believe 100 per cent in the channel. We are always trying
to grow the channel and are so pleased that our resellers and partners vote for
us every year.”
Nick Gorringe, managing director of
Basilica,
which won Reseller of the Year, said: “We are delighted that Basilica has been
recognised for its own achievements and for it to be replicated under the
ownership of BT. It’s a seal of approval from the judges and readers who must
think we’re doing okay. The award is for every single person at Basilica who
have all worked hard for it.”
Chosen solely by CRN’s editor, Sara Yirrell, this year’s Channel
Personality of the Year trophy went to Joe Hemani, chairman of
Westcoast.
Although unable to attend the Channel Awards due to overseas business
obligations, Hemani told CRN: “This was completely unexpected for me.
It’s a great honour. I have worked in this industry for 25 years. I started
Westcoast from scratch and to be recognised like this shows I have done
something right. The award is not just about me, it’s about the whole team at
Westcoast.”
The other Editor’s Choice Award was for Emerging Company of the Year, which went
to specialist distributor
Varlink.
Set up at the end of 2005 to specialise in mobile computing products, the
York-based distributor now deals with more than 400 resellers and has 18
vendors.
Mike Pullon, MD of Varlink, said that winning the award was recognition that
Varlink is now a serious contender in the channel.
“Winning a Channel Award will help with three things: attracting more vendors;
proving to people that we are what we said we were; and helping us attract more
good people to work at Varlink.”
The Specialist Reseller of the Year Award went to
Khipu
Networks. Managing director Andrew Brimson said: “We have only been going
for two years so it is recognition that we have done something right - and that
is down to our staff and customers.”
He added that there would be commercial benefits from winning the award. “We
were over the moon to be shortlisted but we’re absolutely made up about winning.
We had not had any prior notice to say that we had won so we thought we could
not have won - to hear our name read out on the night was fantastic.”
Richard Dendle, MD of
Britannic
Technologies, which won Integrator of the Year, said: “This is our first
appearance at the channel awards, so we are absolutely thrilled to have won. We
have been to other ceremonies but CRN has really pushed the boat out
this year. The event is fantastic and we are very impressed.
“Britannic has worked hard to build relationships in the channel, and this award
shows we are moving in the right direction. It makes all the hard work worth
it,” he added.
Microsoft
won Software Vendor of the Year for the second year in a row. Claire Barclay,
director of partner strategy and programmes said: “Microsoft is thrilled to be
recognised for its hard work and plans to continue in making the channel more
profitable, identifying new skills and continuing to drive growth.”
Midwich
took the Specialist Distributor of the Year Award for the third year in a row.
Darren Lewitt, divisional director at Midwich, said: “It is an amazing
achievement to win this award because the specialist category is so competitive.
All the shortlisted companies have excelled in their respective sectors and I
have the utmost respect for all of them.
“At Midwich, our people are our differentiator, and this award is a testament to
how hard they have worked to drive emerging technologies into new and existing
channels. Our ability to consistently evolve year on year is the key to our
longevity. I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thanks for the
role that our customers, staff and vendor partners have played in our
achievement,” added Lewitt.
Netgear
achieved a hat-trick by picking up the Networking Vendor of the Year Award. Dave
Rennie, channel sales manager at Netgear, said: “Winning again is fantastic. To
have won it twice was excellent, but three years in a row is amazing.
“A lot of our competitors are doing good things in the channel at the moment so
it makes this a bit more special. We’ve put a lot of hard work in over the past
year and this is the perfect reward. Our target after last year was to continue
improving the business, and it’s great that resellers have acknowledged our hard
work.”
Many felt it was refreshing to see a smaller player like
Email
Systems win an award in the Security Vendor of the Year category. Ian Moyse,
head of UK channel at Email Systems, said: “A number of our partners said that
this proves this is a genuine award and validates the work we do with the
channel. It is not about how much money you spend on marketing. It is a genuine
award voted for by our partners. They felt that their votes meant something.
Dave Ellis, director of security at
Computerlinks
- Security Distributor of the Year - thinks the awards are the industry event of
the year.
“Nearly 2,000 people are here so to win an award is fantastic for us. It’s
becoming harder and harder to win. The momentum behind the awards in the market
is reflected in the increased competition among vendors and distributors and the
bar is being raised higher and higher.”
“Niche players like Email Systems winning have demonstrated that you do not have
to be big to win,” added Ellis.
Entanet
won the Specialist Vendor of the Year Award. Darren Farnden, marketing manager
at Entanet, said: “For us, it was extra special because it was the second year
we won. A CRN award means a lot because it is not just based on judges
casting a vote, it is what the channel thinks.”
Simon Aron, managing director of
Eurodata,
which won Services Provider of the Year, said: “As far as I’m concerned you have
to be midmarket - small does not work. You have to be a few years into your
business development plan to win, and it’s all about testimonials and
references.”








