Tech Data's New DLT Solutions Leader Pledges Expanded Government Channel Business

DLT Solutions, which in the last few years transformed from a government-focused solution provider to a government-focused distributor before being acquired by Tech Data, is now being led by Chris Wilkinson.

Tech Data subsidiary DLT Solutions on Thursday said it has promoted Chris Wilkinson as its new president in a move the company said will strengthen the two distributors' focus on channel partners' government clients.

Wilkinson, who until recently served as DLT Solutions' vice president of sales, is taking over for Brian Strosser, who served as president of DLT Solutions for nearly three years and who led to DLT's acquisition by Tech Data late last year. The deal closed early December.

DLT Solutions for years was a large solution provider dedicated to serving the federal government and SLED (state and local government and education) markets

[Related: GTY Closes Six Acquisitions Targeting State, Local Government Digital Transformation]

However, the company in the past few years before the acquisition by Tech Data transformed into a distributor focused on the government market, solution providers said.

DLT turned out to be a good distribution partner for government business, said Adam Robinson, CEO of Govplace, a Reston, Va.-based solution provider with a focus on the government market.

"We were always friendly with the leadership team there that lead DLT in the direction that eventually made it a part of Tech Data," Robinson told CRN. "They did a nice job of building DLT as a federal government-focused distributor, particularly in cybersecurity and cloud offerings."

DLT is a specialized federal distribution partner with all the needed federal contracts, blanket purchase agreements, and tools needed to compete, Robinson said.

"Tech Data historically has been more of a broadline distributor," he said. "The acquisition of DLT makes sense, just like when Ingram Micro purchased Promark or Arrow purchased immixGroup."

Brad Moore, president and CEO of North Sioux City, S.D.-based government-focused solution provider Sterling, said DLT Solutions became a strong distributor for the government market because that company's years of experience of direct sales to government customers.

"Part of what makes DLT an interesting partner is that they've lived in our shoes for much of their life," Moore told CRN. "Now it's a distributor, and it's doing well with software and emerging technologies."

Moore has yet to meet with Wilkinson, but said he has heard that Wilkinson has a wealth of federal government experience as well as experience with cybersecurity.

"That's very important for our clients, but it's also a heavy lift for partners," he said. "Having a partner like DLT focused on security is key."

Wilkinson first joined DLT Solutions in 2017, and said during his time at the company he focused on driving value in the public sector and the people who serviced it, including tech vendors, channel partners, and government sector organizations.

He said he plans on continuing to expand DLT Solutions' focus on the government sector together with Tech Data.

"When we combine the scale of Tech Data with the specialization of DLT for government customers, we are significantly enhancing the value of the services we provide and the spectrum of technology we bring to customers, including hardware, software, and next-generation consumption-based models."