The Most Powerful Women Of The Channel

Mentor: Mich Mathews, senior vice president of marketing at Microsoft, sponsored Huwe in the Unlimited Potential training organization for women and the Senior Women's Networking at Microsoft.

Executives You Admire: Bill Gates, for his "amazing vision, incredible long-term approach, his perseverance, his genius and his passion, faith and commitment that he can make a difference changing the world from a health and education perspective in the same way he has changed the world with software;" Mich Mathews, for her "perspicacity, brilliant marketing acumen, her ability to rise to a senior leadership position in a company where leadership has traditionally been male dominated, her mentoring of women at Microsoft and championship of women's career development" Allison Watson, corporate vice president for the Worldwide Partner Group and her "fearless leader. Over the past six years, Watson has transformed the Microsoft Partner Program and ecosystem into the largest, most committed, most highly capable channel ecosystem in the industry," Huwe says.

Mentor: For almost four years Ibrahim served as Chief of Staff to Intel Chairman Craig Barrett, a man she says is a "tireless advocate for improving education worldwide and facilitating access to technology for all people." Ibrahim calls him a "mentor and a role model--a man who is able to weather both the worst and best of times with humor and grace."

Executives You Admire: Ibrahim looks up to those with backbone and those who do what's right even when it's not popular. She says she has been fortunate to work for many who are role models in ethics and value, and who listen, learn and grow as leaders no matter how many years of experience they have.

Mentor: Ross Brown, former Citrix channel chief and now vice president of partners at Microsoft, was Kapase's mentor from the start of her channel career and throughout different channel roles at various companies. Brown put in the time to teach her the underpinnings of channel dynamics and how programs work on a large scale, she says. The best way to educate yourself about the channel is to actively listen to partners themselves and ask questions that get to the root cause of their concern or success, Kapase says was something he taught hr. Brown was responsible to sending Kapase to Europe for a year to better understand the uniqueness and similarities of the European channel and then a year in Asia to study differences. "I'm forever grateful for all he guidance and development Ross has provided me throughout my career," she says.

Mentor: Jack Novia

Executives You Admire: Anne Livermore

Mentor: Kim-Isgitt says her mentor is her mother, who along with her father moved to the U.S. in 1970 with only $100. They established the first Korean market in Houston and parlayed this experience into a successful marine supply business with very little knowledge of U.S. culture and language. Her mother's work ethic, passion and "refusal to allow barriers to arrest her progress has been the backbone of my career motivation."

Executives You Admire: Hillary Clinton, for her tenacity in the recent 2008 primaries, she says, along with Meg Whitman, the former CEO of eBay for her 10 years of success in an untapped, unknown market; Gail Berman, former CEO of Paramount Pictures, for "breaking the glass ceiling."

Mentor: Krause credits two individuals for her personal and professional development: her father, David Benni, and her current manager, Mike Valentine, vice president of Americas channel sales. She says both have the qualities she admires--tenacity, innovative spirit, compassion and passion--and have helped make her the person she is today. Krause's father attained an executive-level position in the retirement-home business by building from the ground up and, she says, has shown her that determination, a strong work ethic and compassion are the keys to success. "He also has a strong sense of fairness, was infinitely patient and was unflappable, which led to an innate ability for how to effectively deal with people. Among other things, I believe I inherited my good organizational skills and people management skills today from my father." Krause also says she has worked under Mike Valentine for the past seven years of her career and that she has gained an immense amount of knowledge and a true understanding of the channel from him. "As a 25-year veteran of the channel, I consider Mike to be the 'consummate partner,'" she says. "I believe he embodies the best attributes of a good business partner, leader and friend. He is a man of great passion and conviction; he operates on instinct and is true to his word."

Executives You Admire: Michael Krasny, who founded CDW 24 years ago. He started his computer sales business with just a few people on the phone, Krause says, and today it's a $7 billion company. Krause says Krasny's courage and vision in breaking the traditional reseller model is be very inspiring. She also admires Meg Whitman, former CEO of eBay, and says Whitman has been described as a leader who "leads by not leading, bosses by not bossing and manages by not managing"--something Krause tries to emulate every day.