20 Scenes From 2008 CRN Fast Growth 100 In The Windy City

Solution providers and vendors from across the country gathered at the 2008 CRN Fast Growth 100 Executive Summit in Chicago on October 15. The event was held at the InterContinental Chicago, steps away from the city's "Magnificent Mile" shopping district. Here, the view from Michigan Avenue.

Everything Channel Senior Vice President and Editorial Director Robert DeMarzo welcomes attendees to the event, which included over 100 solution provider executives.

CRN Industry Editor Craig Zarley moderates a panel discussion on strategies for growth in tough times.

CRN Fast Growth 100 solution provider executives shared their insights on growth in a tight economy. "One strategy to get bigger is to buy revenue and products. Sometimes, companies buy others and retain two-thirds of what they bought. When things go badly, it's more like one-half," said Jane Linder, principal at NWN. "We took what we bought and grew them. That's an art. It's one of the things that you're not supposed to be able to do." From left to right: NWN's Linder, Dave Gilden, COO and partner, Acuity Solutions and Chris Damvakaris, vice president of sales and business development at Apptix.

Stoney White, channel business development manager at Panasonic, showcased the vendor's line of Toughbook laptops to solution providers during a World Premiere presentation.

Attendees listened to the Panasonic World Premiere session at the CRN Fast Growth Executive Summit.

Jennifer Follett, CRN's managing editor of technology, leads a discussion on hot technologies for the channel during an Industry Insight Session, including mobile security, 802.11n wireless networking and unified communications.

Brian Fuher, VARassist program manager at SoftwareOne, and other solution providers attend an Industry Insight Session on hot new technologies.

Chris Kurpeikis, co-founder of B2B Computer Products, catches up with a copy of CRN during some downtime.

Richard Maris (left) of Cynergi Systems and Daniel Wang of Chicago Computer Club chat during the VIP Networking Lunch.

Mark Hilz (left), president and CEO of INX, and Raymond Hall, principal consultant at Raymond V. Hall Training and Consultant Services, share ideas at the VIP Networking Lunch.

Ted Cole, vice president of channel sales for the enterprise networks division of networking vendor Adtran, delivers a presentation during the VIP Networking Lunch.

Terrence Doheny (left), CEO of Beyond If Solutions, participates in an Industry Insight Session on surviving the credit crunch.

Becky Hacker (right), channel marketing manager at Adtran, answers questions in the vendor's Demo Room during the 2008 CRN Fast Growth 100 Executive Summit.

Frank Keogh (left), regional sales manager with Oki Data, shows off the vendor's printers to Bob Hood, president and owner of Hood Consulting Group, during a Demo Room session.

Ritchie Williams of Arrow Electronics talks with Demo Room attendees about the distributor's portfolio.

Al Bezirgan (right), account executive with Toshiba, shows off one of the vendor's latest systems during a Demo Room session.

Attendees mingle during a cocktail reception ahead of the 2008 CRN Fast Growth Awards presentation.

Oki Data's Jeff Thorburn and Jeff Steed and Leo Vigeant, CTO of solution provider Park Place International, attend a reception during the 2008 CRN Fast Growth Awards event.

Winners of the 2008 CRN Fast Growth Awards gather with their trophies after the event. For a closer look at the award recipients, click here.