Nancy Hammervik on New GTIA Role & Channel Community

The Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) has appointed veteran channel leader Nancy Hammervik as its new channel chief. In an interview with Channel Insider, Hammervik discussed her early priorities, the future of GTIA’s member-first mission, and how she plans to elevate the organization’s role as a unifying force in the global IT channel.

Channel chief role focuses on external-facing opportunities and partnerships

Hammervik’s role is described as focusing on expanding GTIA’s global membership, member value, and strategic partnerships, and on identifying ways to enhance the organization’s growing influence within the IT channel. 

To her, it’s a way to provide GTIA’s members with the resources and experiences they need to move their businesses forward.

“In my role, I am focused on all things channel-facing,” Hammervik said. “The most exciting thing to me about this is the impact I feel I can have for our members and our community.”

“I am thrilled that Nancy will be leading the charge for GTIA to expand our reach across the globe through our member-first approach, unbiased resources and education, and partnerships that drive growth,” said GTIA CEO Dan Wensley in a statement. “Nancy’s experience and knowledge are ideally suited to develop the partnerships and programs to increase the value GTIA provides to members, strengthen the global IT channel, and empower the people and businesses who are leading technological innovation.”

Turning early momentum into lasting value for GTIA members

GTIA was formally established following the sale of the CompTIA training and certification programs to Thoma Bravo and H.I.G. Capital in 2024. The association now has two flagship events behind it, with ChannelCon North America and EMEA in the rearview mirror, and plenty of excitement built throughout the channel.

“For the first time in this organization’s 40-year history, we have a singular focus on our members,” said Hammervik. “I have always wanted to have this kind of focus, and we can feel our members’ excitement, too.”

Moving forward, Hammervik says she and the entire organization are focused on delivering the resources that IT service providers and other members of the GTIA and the channel, broadly speaking, are asking for.

“What we’re hearing more than anything is that people want things to be outcomes-based. They want to see how the resources we provide will impact their businesses,” Hammervik said. “We want to be strategic and consultative with our members and help them apply everything we offer to tangible outcomes. It’s not going to be a one-size-fits-all or a silver bullet that addresses everyone, because we have many different types of businesses and people within our membership.”

“The really cool thing about GTIA to me is that everyone checks their logos at the door and wants to help their peers and grow together,” Hammervik continued.

Building a ‘community of communities’ for the IT channel

MSPs, ITSPs, consultants, resellers, vendors, distributors, marketplaces, and other business types are all welcome to join GTIA and comprise its global membership base. Within each of those areas, there is ample opportunity to connect with peers and participate in group settings.

Hammervik sees that as an opportunity for GTIA, not a potential source of competition.

“I’d like to think we were the OG of communities in some ways,” Hammervik said. “Of course, so many other great communities have popped up over the years, from vendor-specific groups to peer-to-peer opportunities within the community of service providers. We want to be the community of communities, really, because the members of all of those could all be GTIA members. We span across the entire channel ecosystem.”

Now, Hammervik has her sights on building strategic partnerships with vendors and others to ultimately drive value back into the channel. 

“We’re hoping we can be the super-connector between all parts of the channel and that all of those members then contribute back, and we all ultimately grow together,” Hammervik said.

Why Hammervik remains excited about the channel decades into career

Hammervik is no stranger to channel leadership, having served in a variety of roles at CompTIA and on the media side of the industry before taking on the channel chief role at GTIA. 

“Like a lot of people, I kind of fell into this world by accident,” Hammervik said, noting she took computer science courses in college because the University of Delaware required it. “We are a problem-solving industry first and foremost, which I love.”

To Hammervik, because technology and how the channel operates are always evolving, she continues to feel the industry challenge and reward here. Now, as AI and security, among other things, continue to change, she also feels more of a responsibility to shape thoughtful approaches to how tech impacts society at large.

GTIA’s mission: empower, connect, and give back

GTIA has already emphasized giving back as a core pillar of its work. The organization’s charitable foundation has committed millions of dollars in support over the next several years to charities and causes chosen by GTIA members.

The new grantmaking program was announced at ChannelCon in Nashville this past July. The organization says priority will be given to organizations using technology to address resource deficits — such as limited access to healthcare, education, food, or infrastructure — as well as systemic barriers like discrimination, poverty, and geographic isolation, such as:

• Affordable internet initiatives
• Digital skills training
• AI tutoring
• Tech-enabled telehealth access 
• Technology infrastructure support

Hammervik sees this as one of several ways GTIA enables its members to grow and support what matters most to them, whether its related to the success of their businesses or the organizations, communities, and causes they support.