Intelisys Channel Connect Brings All New Format to Monterey, CA

More than 1,100 attendees traveled to new host city
Petaluma, CA (October 09, 2017) – Technology Services Distributor Intelisys Inc., a ScanSource company and the nation’s leading Technology Services Distributor, celebrates the close of its annual partner conference, Channel Connect, held in Monterey, CA, for the first time. The event, which welcomed more than 1,100 Sales Partners, Supplier Partners and guests, covered three event-packed days of all-new content and scheduling, and was capped by the company’s annual Partner Awards Dinner, which featured a keynote speech by NBA legend and businessman Earvin “Magic” Johnson.
“As Intelisys reaches new growth milestones and morphs into a truly next-generation company, Channel Connect remains a steadfast occasion for our incredible partner community to gather, connect, share, learn and celebrate with each other,” said Jay Bradley, Intelisys President. “It’s an honor to see so many faces, to shake the hands of Partners we’ve been working with for sometimes two decades or more. And for our newer Partners – both on the sales and supplier sides – Channel Connect provides an unmistakable glimpse into what makes this community special. We’re thrilled to welcome new Partners to Channel Connect for the first time, as much as we are to put our arms around those coming back for the fifteenth.”
At the awards night dinner, six Sales Partners were celebrated for reaching Platinum status in 2017: LAM Technology, PeakView Communications, BroadReach Communications, Schafer Management, Agnostic Networks and ROI Communications. New to achieving the elite status of Platinum Plus in 2017 were RDS Solutions and D&M Enterprise Group.
In total, 190 Intelisys Sales Partners have been awarded Club TPC Memberships for significant 2017 achievements in billings, a more than 18 percent increase on the previous year. Additionally, 76 Sales Partner organizations were awarded Club TPC Trips for growing their revenue base by a designated percentage – 26 for the first time – and will be celebrating this achievement in January 2018 at the Ritz Carlton in Cancun, Mexico.
This year’s award celebration featured the inaugural Chuck Mache Award, named in honor of Intelisys’ beloved business coach, mentor and friend. The award recognizes an individual who embraces the hard work of getting better. “That’s all Chuck ever wanted,” Jay Bradley told the audience, “to use his unique gifts to help us be better business people, and to be better human beings.” It was bestowed upon Karla Roarty, Intelisys’ Director of Partner Sales for the Southeast Region for her tireless efforts at improvement and exceeding excellence since joining the company in 2009, and it honors the special relationship Roarty and Mache shared.
Also introduced for the first time in Monterey were a round of Supplier awards that recognized both financial achievements and relationships. The Intelisys Sales Partners, internal sales team and support teams voted for regional channel managers from among the Intelisys Supplier Partner portfolio, based on their efforts and achievements in supporting the Intelisys Sales Partner community.
Winners included:

Top Regional Channel Manager Recipient
Southeast Region Nick DuPree, Nextiva
Southwest Region Jeremy Jiura, CenturyLink
Pacific Northwest/Mountain Regions Sarah Bost Manley, ACC
West Region Joann Amaral, XO/Verizon
Northeast Region Robert Viccari, Spectrum Business
Midwest Region Robert Williamson, Spectrotel
2017 Top New Supplier RingCentral
2017 Top % Growth Supplier Rackspace
2017 Top Revenue Growth CenturyLink

“Our Suppliers prove time and again their commitment to both the channel and our Sales Partner community,” said Carol Beering, SVP Sales Operations for Intelisys. “We are so grateful for these relationships and feel compelled to honor those who have demonstrated particularly exceptional value and effort.”
“The new venue and format for Channel Connect were tremendously successful,” said Jim Suss, Co-Founder of LAM Technology, and Intelisys Platinum Sales Partner. “We brought additional members of our team this year, and my only regret is that we didn’t extend that even further. The Education Breakout Sessions have been a fantastic learning experience, and have allowed us to tackle a large number of topics as a team. Intelisys’ hospitality is unrivaled, and we look forward to getting back to Monterey in 2018.”
Channel Connect 2017 broke sponsorship records and reflected the growing Supplier Partner portfolio. ScanSource vendors Polycom and Plantronics joined 102 Intelisys Supplier Partners, five business builder vendors, and dedicated Cloud Services University and Audex 360 representatives in the largest Supplier Fair in the event’s history.
Attendees this year twice visited the historic Golden State Theater for General Session. After morning General Session content, Sales Partners dispersed to two days of Education Breakout Sessions, covering 24 different topics across six rounds. Cloud proved to be the big attraction, with sessions like “Cloud Fundamentals”, “Uncovering Cloud Opportunities”, “Cracking the CCaaS Code”, and “The Evolution of Cloud Technology” drawing major crowds. This strategic focus on customizable education was implemented to provide each Sales Partner with the most effective and beneficial conference possible.
“I am awed by what Channel Connect has come to represent, and privileged to be part of it. To our Sales Partners and Supplier Partners – we are so grateful to have welcomed you again to Channel Connect; we do this for you,” stated Rick Dellar, Intelisys Co-Founder. “To my esteemed colleagues, to our visiting speakers, to Dexter Howard Events and everyone who has worked tirelessly to make this event happen – I am in your debt. Congratulations each and every one. You’ve raised the bar again.”
 
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About Intelisys
Intelisys, a ScanSource company, is the nation’s leading Technology Services Distributor of business communications services, including voice, data, access, cable, collaboration, wireless and cloud. Intelisys is dedicated to one thing – serving the needs and accelerating the success of the industry’s top producing telecom sales agents, IT Solution Providers, VARs, MSPs and integrators, as they leverage the power of recurring revenue in their businesses.
Today Intelisys is leading the way as its Sales Partners make the pivot and experience the shift away from traditional telco services into a new era of cloud-based solutions. Under contract with more than 130 of the world’s leading telecom carriers, cloud services providers and technology partners, Intelisys delivers the services end users demand exclusively through a network of Sales Partners, supporting those Sales Partners via the most exceptional back office support team ever assembled in the channel. To learn more, visit www.Intelisys.com or talk to Intelisys at 800-615-8330.
Intelisys was acquired by ScanSource, a leading global provider of technology products and solutions, in August of 2016. www.scansource.com
About Intelisys Cloud Services University
Intelisys Cloud Services University launched in February 2015 as the only cloud university built exclusively for channel sales professionals. The self-paced, online training and education platform offers official certification for channel sales professionals across key technology areas.
To learn more, visit www.CloudServicesUniversity.com.
Media Contact: 
Jessica Maria
jmaria@intelisys.com
707-596-5183

Ken Mills

President

Ken Mills serves as President of Intelisys and is committed to driving growth for Intelisys and our partners. As a distinguished technology executive with over two decades of experience, Ken has previously held leadership roles at EPIC iO, Dell Technologies and Cisco, and served as a fellow with the U.S. Department of State. His strategic mindset has been an integral part of launching innovative products and solutions in the fields of AI, IoT, and 5G. Ken is driven by his curiosity and passion for groundbreaking technology and complex problems, and constantly explores new frontiers in the world of technology.

Monica Lutes

Manager, People & Culture, ScanSource, Inc. and Intelisys

As Manager, People & Culture, Monica has worked closely with Intelisys employees and leaders since 2018 and has worked with ScanSource companies since 2016. A Human Resources professional with 11 years of experience encompassing all areas of HR, especially employee relations, recruiting, compliance, and training, Monica approaches her role as Manager, People & Culture from a consultative perspective. Her goal is to provide advice and guidance to leaders so they can focus on growing the best teams for the business while also supporting employees’ goals.

Ansley Hoke

SVP Marketing, ScanSource, Inc. and Intelisys

Ansley Hoke is the Senior Vice President of Marketing at ScanSource, Inc., a role she has held since 2019, and extended her leadership to include Intelisys in 2023. She joined the company in 2001, serving in merchandising leadership roles for ScanSource POS and Barcode, including acting Vice President of Merchandising and then later VP of Merchandising for ScanSource Catalyst and overall VP of ScanSource Catalyst. She oversaw sales, supplier relations, and services. Known for her pivotal role in creating effective marketing strategies, Ansley has been integral in driving demand, enhancing partner programs, and significantly contributing to the company’s revenue growth and channel relationships.

Mike Baur

CEO of ScanSource, Inc. and Interim President of Intelisys

Mike Baur serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at ScanSource. Mike has served as the Company’s President or CEO since its inception, as a director since December 1995, and as Chairman of the Board since February 2019. Mike has developed a deep institutional knowledge and perspective regarding ScanSource’s strengths, challenges and opportunities. He has more than 30 years of experience in the IT industry, having served in various leadership and senior management roles in the technology and distribution industries before joining ScanSource. Mike brings strong leadership, entrepreneurial, business building and development skills and experience to the Board.

Stephanie Bouras

Regional Vice President, Southeast

Driven by a partner-first philosophy and a passion for innovation, Bouras embodies a leadership style that’s both compassionate and data-driven. As the Regional Vice President, Southeast, at Intelisys, she’s leveraged her extensive marketing and sales experience to propel her team to new heights. A firm believer in aligning herself with her partners, she sees herself as a collaborator and an integral part of their business. This perspective has allowed her to forge deep connections and drive success. A Florida native, Stephanie’s attention to detail and unwavering commitment to her partners have been key factors in her success.

Michael Raspanti

Regional Vice President, Northeast

Michael joined Intelisys in June of 2020, as a long-time channel veteran. He is responsible for leading the Northeast Region, helping continue the tremendous momentum in one of our strongest markets while also recruiting new up and coming partners that will be the growth engine of our future success.

Kristy Thomas

Vice President, Partner Experience and Enablement

Thomas is responsible for Sales Partner enablement and education for all our technology segments, including CX, managed security, mobility, and connectivity. With over 20 years of executive background in telephony, UCaaS, CCaaS and Cloud services, Kristy enables her customers to think broader and deeper as she guides them through their decision journey. Some of the biggest deals in the channel have become a reality thanks to the expertise and humble excellence Kristy brings to her client’s projects.