Sharpening Their Skills: The 2016 CRN Tech Elite 250

Expanding Skill Sets

Some serious tectonic shifts are under way in the channel. Solution providers are evolving into strategic service providers, for example, while IT purchasing authority is shifting to line-of-business managers. All the while the pace of technology change continues to accelerate.

For solution providers, the key to keeping up with these changes --– and profiting from them -- is maintaining and expanding their skill sets. That means staying abreast of the latest technologies, not just on how to implement, integrate and operate them, but also on how to help clients get the most out of their IT to be competitive and successful.

One way solution providers and strategic service providers can maintain their technology edge is by taking advantage of the training and certification programs offered by the IT vendors they partner with. Such certifications not only help secure a solution provider's bond with IT vendors, and reap higher levels of benefits and incentives, but they serve as a badge of a solution provider's expertise in specific technologies and business practices.

CRN's annual Tech Elite 250 list honors an exclusive group of North American IT solution providers that have earned the highest number of advanced technical certifications from leading technology vendors. Here is a sampling of the solution providers on this year's list. The complete list is available for purchase by contacting Laurie Condon on the East Coast ([email protected]) or Nora Uriarte on the West Coast ([email protected]).

Business IT Source

Bob Frauenheim, CEO

Vernon Hills, Ill.

www.businessitsource.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Select, Infrastructure; Citrix: Silver; Dell: Premier, Preferred, Storage, Infrastructure; EMC: Advanced, Storage, Velocity SP; HP: Gold, Silver, Business, Infrastructure/Storage Specialist, PartnerOne; IBM: Member, Premier; Symantec: Registered; VMware: Professional

Continental Resources (ConRes)

Mary Nardella, CEO

Bedford, Mass.

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Gold, Advanced DC Architecture Specialization, Advanced Routing and Switching, Advanced UC, Advanced Security; Citrix: Silver; Dell: Preferred; EMC: VCE, Velocity SP; HP: Platinum, HP Software/Networking/Printing/Server/Storage Specialist; IBM: Premier, System x; NetApp: Platinum; Symantec: Platinum; VMware: Premier, Desktop/Infrastructure Virtualization

Corus360

Steve Johnson, President

Norcross, Ga.

www.corus360.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Premier, Communication Services, Software Defined Data Center, Infrastructure; Citrix: Silver; Dell: Premier, Registered, Storage, Infrastructure; EMC: Advanced, Storage, Velocity SP, Affiliate Elite; HP: Platinum, Infrastructure/Storage Specialist, Virtualization/Networking Elite, PartnerOne; IBM: Cloud & Smarter Infrastructure, Premier, SoftLayer; NetApp: Gold, Software-Defined Data Center; Symantec: Silver; VMware: Enterprise, Professional, vCloud Air, Desktop/Infrastructure Virtualization

Derive Technologies

Kirit Desai, CEO

New York

www.derivetech.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Premier, Registered, Communication Services, Infrastructure, Express Foundation, Advanced Wireless LAN, Advanced Routing and Switching; Citrix: Silver; Dell: Registered; HP: Platinum, Infrastructure/Storage Specialist; IBM: Premier; NetApp: Star; Symantec: Registered; VMware: Premier, Enterprise, Academic Specialization, Desktop/Infrastructure Virtualization

Ergonomic Group

Kim Girards, President

Westbury, N.Y.

www.ergogroup.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Gold, Premier, Express Foundation, Advanced Wireless LAN, Advanced Routing and Switching, Advanced DC Networking Infrastructure, Master Unified Communications; Citrix: Silver; Dell: Premier; EMC; Velocity SP, Service Implement, VCE Coalition Partner; HP: Platinum; IBM: Premier, System x; NetApp: Platinum; Symantec: Platinum; VMware: Enterprise, Infrastructure Virtualizaiton

ESI Information Technologies

Greg Rokos, President, CEO

Montreal, Quebec

www.esitechnologies.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Silver, Communication Services, Infrastructure, Master Security, Advanced Unified Computing Technology, Cloud Application Integrator, Advanced DC Networking Infrastructure; Citrix: Member; Dell: Registered, Storage; EMC: Platinum, Storage, Velocity SP; HP: Gold, Infrastructure/Storage Specialist; IBM: Advanced, Premier SoftLayer; NetApp: Platinum, Software-Defined Data Center, SolidFire; Symantec: Gold; VMware: Enterprise, vCloud Air, Desktop/Infrastructure Virtualization

Forsythe

William Brennan, President, CEO

Skokie, Ill.

www.forsythe.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Gold, Master Security, Cloud Builder Infrastructure, Advanced Wireless LAN, Advanced Routing and Switching, Master Unified Communications, Advanced Security; Citrix: Gold; Dell: Premier; EMC: Converged Infrastructure, VSPEX, Velocity SP, VCE Coalition Partner; HP: Platinum, Computer/HP Software/Infrastructure/Networking/Server/Storage Specialist; IBM: DI Elite, Virtualization & Consolidation, Premier, System x; NetApp: Star; Symantec: Platinum; VMware: Premier, Professional, Desktop/Infrastructure Virtualization, Cloud IaaS

High Performance Technologies

Victor Smith, CEO

Charlotte, N.C.

www.highperftech.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Premier, Select, Software Defined Data Center, Infrastructure, Master Security; Citrix: Gold; EMC: Silver, Software Defined Data Center, Storage, Velocity SP; HP: Platinum, Infrastructure/Storage Specialist; Symantec: Registered; VMware: Enterprise, Professional, vCloud Air, Software-Defined Data Center

ISG Technology

Ben Foster, President, CEO

Lenexa, Kan.

www.isgtech.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Premier, Communication Services, Infrastructure, Master Security, Advanced Unified Computing Technology, Advanced Wireless LAN; Advanced Routing and Switching, Advanced Unified Communications, Advanced Security; Citrix: Gold; Dell: Premier, Storage; EMC: Advanced, Storage, Velocity SP; HP: Platinum, Infrastructure/Storage Specialist, Services Sales Elite, Networking Elite; IBM: Member, Premier, SoftLayer; NetApp: Gold, Silver, SolidFire; Symantec: Distribution Partner; VMware: Premier, Professional, vCloud Air, Software Defined Data Center

Logicalis

Vince DeLuca, CEO

New York

www.us.logicalis.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Gold, Master Security, Master Collaboration, Master Cloud Builder, Advanced DC Architecture Specialization, Advanced Routing and Switching, Master Unified Communications; Managed Service Master; Citrix: Silver; Dell: Preferred; EMC: Converged Infrastructure, VSPEX, Velocity SP, VCE Coalition Partner; HP: Gold, Cloud Builder/Computer/Software/Infrastrucure/Networking/Printing/Server/Storage Specialist; IBM: DI Elite, Information Infrastructure DI Elite, Virtualization & Consolidation, Premier; NetApp: Star, Platinum; Symantec: Platinum; VMware: Premier, Desktop/Infrastructure Virtualization

Mavenspire

Michael Tanenhaus, CEO

Annapolis, Md.

www.mavenspire.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Registered; Citrix: Silver; Dell: Premier, Storage, Infrastructure; HP: Business; VMware: Enterprise, vCloud Air, Software -efined Data Center

Netsync Network Solutions

Diane Gonzales, CEO

Houston

www.netsyncnetwork.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Gold, Communication Services, Software-Defined Data Center, Infrastructure, Master Security; Citrix: Silver; Dell: Preferred, Registered; EMC: Silver, Storage, Velocity SP; HP: Platinum, Infrastructure/Storage Specialist, PartnerOne; IBM: Member; NetApp: Gold, SolidFire; VMware: Professional, Desktop Virtualization, Software-Defined Data Center

OnX Enterprise Solutions

Mike Cox, CEO

Thornhill, Ontario

www.onx.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Gold, Advanced DC Architecture Specialization, Advanced Unified Computing Technology, Cloud IaaS, Advanced Routing and Switching, Advanced DC Storage Networking, Cloud and Managed Services Master, Advanced Security; Citrix: Gold; Dell: Premier, Registered; EMC: Cloud Service Provider, Converged Infrastructure, VCE, Velocity SP; HP: Platinum, Computer/Software/Infrastructure/Networking/Printing/Server/Storage Specialist; IBM: Cloud & Smarter Infrastructure, Premier; NetApp: Star; Symantec: Platinum; VMware: Premier, Enterprise, Business Continuity, Desktop/Infrastructure Virtualization

Paragon Development Systems

Asif Naseem, President, CEO

Brookfield, Wis.

www.pdsit.net

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Gold, Advanced Collaboration Architecture, Advanced Unified Computing Technology, Cloud Builder-Infrastructure, Advanced Routing and Switching, Advanced Unified Communications, Advanced Security; Citrix: Gold; Dell: Preferred; EMC: Cloud Service Provider, VSPEX; HP: Virtualization Elite, PartnerOne, Scalable Computing Solutions Elite, Networking Elite, Converged Infrastructure Elite, Enterprise Storage Elite; IBM: Premier; NetApp: Platinum; Symantec: Gold; VMware: Premier, Enterprise Desktop/Infrastructure Virtualization, Cloud IaaS, Hybrid Cloud

PCM

Frank Khulusi, Chairman, CEO

El Segundo, Calif.

www.pcm.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Gold, Advanced Collaboration Architecture, Advanced DC Architecture Specialization, Advanced Unified Computing Technology, Advanced Routing and Switching, Cloud and Managed Services Master, Advanced Security; Citrix: Silver; Dell: Premier; EMC: VSPEX, Velocity SP; HP: Platinum, Office Printing Elite, Services Sales Elite, Virtualization Elite, Scalable Computing Solutions Elite, Software Elite, Network Security Elite; IBM: Cloud & Smarter Infrastructure, Premier; Symantec: Gold; VMware: Premier, Desktop/Infrastructure Virtualizaiton, Cloud IaaS, Hybrid Cloud

PKA Technologies

Felise Katz, CEO

Suffern, N.Y.

www.pkatech.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Premier, Select, Cloud Provider; Citrix: Silver; Dell: Registered; HP: Platinum, Infrastructure/Storage Specialist, Vertica; Symantec: Silver; VMware: Enterprise, Professional, Infrastructure Virtualization, Software Defined Data Center

Pomeroy

Chris Froman, President, CEO

Hebron, Ky.

www.pomeroy.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Gold, Communication Services, Software-Defined Data Center, Infrastructure, Master Security, Advanced DC Architecture Specialization, Cloud Provider, Advanced Unified Communications, Advanced Security; Citrix: Silver; Dell: Premier, Preferred, Storage, Infrastructure; EMC: Advanced, Software Defined Data Center, Converged Infrastructure, VCE, VSPEX, Velocity SP; HP: Platinum, Computer/Software/Infrastructure/Networking/Printing/Server/Service/Storage Specialist; IBM: Cloud & Smarter Infrastructure, Premier, SoftLayer; NetApp: Gold, Silver, SolidFire; Symantec: Platinum; VMware: Premier, vCloud Air, Desktop/Infrastructure Virtualization, Software-Defined Data Center

ProSys

Michelle Clery, Founder, President

Norcross, Ga.

www.prosysis.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Gold; Cloud Builder-Infrastructure; Citrix: Platinum; Dell: Premier; EMC: VCE, VSPEX, Velocity SP; HP: Platinum, Infrastructure/Networking/Server/Storage Specialist; IBM: Premier; NetApp: Star; Symantec: Registered; VMware: Premier, Business Continuity, Desktop/Infrastructure Virtualization

Rolta Advizex Technologies

Fred Traversi, President,& CEO

Independence, Ohio

www.advizex.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Premier, Select, Advanced DC Networking Infrastructure, Advanced DC Storage Networking; Citrix: Gold; Dell: Registered; EMC: Platinum, Software-Defined Data Center, Converged Infrastructure, VCE, VSPEX, Velocity SP; HP: Platinum, Cloud Builder/Computer/Software/Infrastructure/Networking/Printing/Storage Specialist, Vertica; Symantec: Gold; VMware: Premier, Enterprise, Professional, Desktop/Infrastructure Virtualization, Software-Defined Data Center

SHI

Thai Lee, President, CEO

Somerset, N.J.

www.shi.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Gold, Advanced Collaboration Architecture, Advanced DC Architecture Specialization; Dell: Premier; EMC: Cloud Service Provider, VSPEX, Velocity SP; HP: Platinum, Cloud Builder/Computer/Software/Infrastructure/Networking/Printing/Server/Storage Specialist; IBM: Cloud & Smarter Infrastructure, Premier; NetApp: Star; Symantec: Platinum; VMware: Premier, U.S. Federal Specialization, Desktop/Infrastructure Virtualization, Cloud IaaS, Hybrid Cloud

Sysorex

Nadir Ali, CEO

Palo Alto, Calif.

www.sysorex.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Registered, Master Security; Dell: Premier, Storage, Infrastructure; EMC: Advanced, Storage; HP: Platinum, Infrastructure/Storage Specialist, Vertica; NetApp: Silver, Software-Defined Data Center, SolidFire; Symantec: Distribution Partner; VMware: Enterprise, Software Defined Data Center

United Data Technologies (UDT)

Henry Fleches, President, CEO

Doral, Fla.

www.udtonline.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Gold, Cloud Provider, Advanced Routing and Switching, Advanced DC Storage Networking, Advanced Unified Communications, Advanced Security; Citrix: Silver; Dell: Premier; EMC: Silver, Velocity SP, VCE Coalition Partner; HP: Platinum, Virtualization Elite, PartnerOne, Healthcare Elite, Scalable Computing Solutions Elite, Networking Elite, Converged Infrastructure Elite, Enterprise Storage Elite; IBM: Advanced; NetApp: Gold; Symantec: Gold; VMware: Premier, Enterprise, Academic Specialization, Desktop/Infrastructure Virtualization, Elite

Valcom

Rich Linton, CEO

Salt Lake City

www.vlcmtech.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Dell: Premier, Storage, Infrastructure; HP: Platinum; VMware: Premier, NSX, vCloud Air, Academic Specialization, Desktop/Infrastructure Virtualization, Hybrid Cloud, Software-Defined Data Center

Vology

Barry Shevlin, CEO

Oldsmar, Fla.

www.vology.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Citrix: Platinum; Dell: Premier, Preferred; HP: Platinum, PartnerOne, ASP; NetApp: Gold; VMware: Premier

Zunesis

Steve Shaffer, President, CEO

Lone Tree, Colo.

www.zunesis.com

HIGHLIGHTS OF CERTIFICATIONS:

Cisco: Premier; Citrix: Silver; Dell: Registered; EMC: Advanced, Storage, Affiliate Elite; HP: Platinum, Cloud Builder/Computer/Software/Infrastructure/Networking/Printing/Server/Storage Specialist, Vertica; IBM: DI Elite, Business Resiliency, Premier, System x; VMware: Premier, Enterprise, Academic Specialization, Desktop/Infrastructure Virtualization, Cloud IaaS, Hybrid Cloud, Software-Defined Data Center