Scenes From Tech Data's Channel Link Show: Go, Daddy-O

Tech Data's Channel Link Conference

Tech Data earlier this month attracted more than 300 solution providers and 80 vendors to its first Channel Link conference in Orlando. The crowd represented the "lion's share of SMB and midsize resellers" for Tech Data who aren't in the distributor's TechSelect organization, said Joe Quaglia, senior vice president of U.S. marketing at Tech Data.

"We're going deeper into the [solution provider] stack. We're looking to communicate the right connections from the vendor community to resellers to the end user," Quaglia said. "It's a chance to see people you've done business with but never had a personal connection."

Building Relationships

(From the left), Roy Garton of TotalCare IT, John Schwing of Eaton, Raj Patel of Future Computing Solutions, and Scott Mela, a business development representative for Tech Data, enjoy a chat in the beautiful Florida weather.

Women of the Channel

Stephanie Young, vice president of distribution operations for Xerox North American reseller sales, hosts a Women of the Channel Luncheon at Channel Link.

Vendor Showcase

Reseller attendees stop by one of the 80 vendors booths at the show. Tech Data plans to host another Channel Link event in September in Los Angeles and 15 regional events across the country, Quaglia said.

"We're not really looking to create another [TechSelect] community but to provide outlets to stay in touch and have a more personal connection with Tech Data," he said.

Opportunity Knocks

A couple of solution providers compare notes during a vendor breakout session. Channel Link split sessions into business building and solutions topics, and then into peer connection, business enablement, business connection and vendor breakout groups, Quaglia said. Topics included cloud, data center virtualization, mobility, digital signage, software and health care. "These are transformational IT opportunities hitting the market," Quaglia said

Money Talks

Scott Tillesen, Tech Data’s director of credit, (left), explains the distributor's credit and leasing options to one solution provider.

Big Bad Quaglia Daddy

Quaglia had the honor of introducing the night's entertainment, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, a Los Angeles-based swing band that has performed at halftime of the Super Bowl.

Go, Daddy-O

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy get things swingin’ at Channel Link.