Let’s start by stating the obvious: 2009 was a tough year. Recession, uncertainty, declining IT spending, disruptive technologies and services, and fierce competition all added up to one of the most challenging business years in industry history.

And yet many vendors and solution providers thrived. Investment, ingenuity, innovation and dedication propelled successful leaders and organizations forward in spite of the challenges hobbling others around them. 

Channel Insider will recognize those select vendors, solution providers, distributors and support organizations with its first Bull’s Eye awards. These awards are community driven, meaning that Channel Insider will accept nominations for the slate of 23 categories. Nominations can be submitted by clicking here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=N1T3RzEGbj0d5fwDCgemXw_3d_3d. Nominations will remain open through Nov. 20, 2009.

Channel Insider will publish nominations on its blog – [CI] Blog – for open community vetting and comment. A blue-ribbon panel that will include VARs, vendors, solution providers and other instructive representatives will review the nominations and select winners from each category. Channel Insider will announce the award winners in December and publish winner profiles on www.channelinsider.com.

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS

The following are the awards categories:

VARs/Solution Providers Awards

Solution Provider of the Year
This award is conferred to the solution provider, value-added reseller, integrator or service provider that exemplifies itself with the comprehensive execution of business best practices, superior technology implementation, service delivery and revenue-generating marketing.

Managed service provider of the year
This award goes to a solution provider whose primary business (at least 35 percent of total annual revenues) comes from managed services. The MSP of the year exemplifies itself with a mastery of process automation and repeatability, diversity in the services it offers, demonstrated consultative/services-based sales and profitability.

Vertical practice of the year
This award goes to the solution provider, value-added reseller, integrator or service provider that best exhibits deep domain expertise in one or more vertical markets resulting in differentiation that has driven revenue increases and profitability.

Innovator of the year
This award goes to the solution provider, value-added reseller, integrator or service provider that has demonstrated the highest-level of creativity, either via a new product or technology or a sales/operational strategy that benefited the organization.

Solution of the year
This award goes to the solution provider, value-added reseller, integrator or service provider that displayed superior ingenuity devising a multifaceted technology solution that solved a customer problem, reduced customer’s costs or drove customer sales.

Deployment of the Year
This award goes to the solution provider, value-added reseller, integrator or service provider that best overcame an adverse technology environment to implement a successful solution for the customer.

Partnership of the year
This award goes to the two or more solution providers, value-added resellers, integrators or service providers that exemplified the hallmarks of a successful partner-to-partner relationship with complementary skills and offerings, increased profitability and revenues.

Marketing Program of the Year
This award goes to the solution or service provider that produced a marketing program that produced measurable results in raising brand awareness, net-new customers and business opportunities.

Blog of the Year
This award goes to the solution or service provider that demonstrates thought leadership, technology or market expertise, and dialogue with customers and partners.  Blog can be written by multiple authors, a fictional character or branded under the company name.

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS

Vendors Awards

Channel Executive of the Year
This award goes to the vendor, distributor or industry association executive that demonstrates superior leadership in channel development and management, commitment to partner growth and profitability, and fostering collaboration amongst partners on all levels.

Channel Account/Partner Manager of the Year
This award recognizes the commitment and service of channel account managers, partner account managers and channel field sales representatives for their interaction with solution and service providers in developing their territories, uncovering sales opportunities, resolving supply and pricing issues and facilitating vendor-partner collaboration.

Vendor Partner Program of the Year
This award goes to the vendor that exemplifies partnership through a program that provides superior attributes in partner sales support, marketing, technical assistance, collaboration, channel conflict management, consistency in rules of engagement, and provides a high return on investment for partner engagement.

Managed Service Enabler of the Year
This award goes to the software vendor, hosted service provider or master managed service provider that exemplifies excellence in fostering growth and execution in enabling solution and service providers to deliver managed services and grow managed services practices.

Cloud Computing Program of the Year
This award goes to the cloud computing service or program that best enables solution providers to deliver cloud computing with performance assurances, sales and marketing support, and programs that provide profitability on services sales and after-market opportunities.

Distributor of the Year
This award goes to the broad-line, specialty or value-added distribution that provides the channel community with superior support in product logistics, solution building, training, sales and marketing support, peer networking and

Partner Conference of the Year
This award goes to the vendor, distributor or industry association that produced the best single partner event, event series or virtual event that provided a superior mix of technology and business training, market insights and peer collaboration.

Product of the Year
The product of the year award goes to the vendor that released a new hardware or software product in 2009 that provides resellers with good sales margins, integration and deployment opportunities and after-market services. The product should address pressing end users needs and be interoperable with deployed technologies.

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS

Industry Awards

Channel Public Relations/Marketing Specialist of the Year
This award goes to the public relations or media specialist that best represents the strength and value of a vendor, solution provider, integrator or service provider’s business or channel program. The award recipient will demonstrate a track record for problem solving, media management and responsiveness to media issues. The award is open to in-house public relations specialists and managers, in-house bloggers, marketing managers, and agency representatives.

Association/Community of the Year
The Association/Community of the Year award goes to the industry association, collaborative group, training network and partner community that exemplifies excellence in bringing solution providers together for collaboration, knowledge exchange, resource sharing, business development and alliance building.

Turnaround of the Year
The Turnaround Award goes to the vendor or solution provider that has made the most dramatic recovery in channel performance, fiscal health, product performance and service delivery.

Channel Support Service of the Year
The Channel Support Service of the Year award goes to the channel marketing, consultancy, business development, communications, research firm or training service that has provided measureable benefits to the consumers of their services and programs.

Editor’s Choice Award
The Editor’s Choice Award goes awarded by Channel Insider’s editorial team to the individual channel executive, solution provider, vendor, distributor or industry association that demonstrates outstanding leadership or has gone above and beyond the call of duty.

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS