IM Ingram Micro Inc. (delisted)

More than 700 solution providers and channel executives gather at Ingram Micro's Fall VentureTech Network Invitational in San Diego to share best practices, network and discuss IT trends and services SAN DIEGO, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrating ten years as the IT channel's leading solution provider community, Ingram Micro Inc. (NYSE:IM) today welcomed more than 700 of the IT industry's top channel partners and executives to its VentureTech Network (VTN) Fall Invitational event in San Diego. Unrivaled in the industry, Ingram Micro's VTN Invitational brings together hundreds of the IT channel's most successful and innovative solution providers, industry consultants, business experts and technology manufacturers to network and learn from one another. During the event, VTN members both lead and participate in valuable workshops, panels and roundtables on strategies, tools and tactics to grow their businesses, extend their footprints, and expand their professional services and technology expertise. "For six years VTN has served as a growth catalyst to our business, positioning us among the top solution providers in North America," says VTN council member Tom Rash, president of Northwest Computer Support, a regionally focused service provider who recently made the 2008 Inc. 5000 list and is noted by CRN as one of the fastest-growing IT service providers in the U.S. "The partnership opportunities and knowledge sharing that occurs within the VTN community, on the Zone, and at our partner Invitationals are second to none." According to Ingram Micro's vice president of channel marketing, Kirk Robinson, more than 90 percent of Ingram Micro's 470+ VTN members partner with one another as a means to grow their business and extend their reach and expertise. "VTN is a community driven by growth, partnership and opportunity," says Robinson. "Our job is to accelerate the success of our VTN members by providing them with the visibility, tools, training, technology and resources necessary to grow their businesses faster, smarter and more profitably. We view their success as our success and in the end that is what makes for a great partnership." VTN Raises the Bar, Attracts the Industry's Top Influencers and Channel Chiefs Keeping the event focused on partner enablement, Ingram Micro's VTN event is jam packed with a number of interactive business acumen and technology workshops led by industry influencers such as Tiffani Bova of Gartner, Christina Richmond of IDC, Heather Clancy of SWOT Management Group and Paul Dippell of Service Leadership. Several IT channel chiefs including Cisco Systems' Wendy Bahr, HP's Ramona Thibeault, IBM's Harris Warsaw, and Microsoft's Robert Deshaies are also set to engage with the VTN community and present their growth strategies and product roadmaps throughout the event. In addition, Ingram Micro's CEO Greg Spierkel and COO Alain Monie are attending and will host an open Q&A with VTN members. The 2008 VTN Fall Invitational also marks the debut of Ingram Micro's expanded Innovative Technology Solutions corners which consist of VAR-led live technology demonstrations on new and emerging technologies such as virtualization, unified communications/VoIP, security, digital signage, Apple design solutions (demonstrated by Ingram Micro Creative Services), data capture and point-of- sale (POS), digital home, mobility and The Electronic Classroom. Unlike a typical tech fair, these VAR-led technology demonstrations are designed to showcase the manufacturers and corresponding IT solutions with which VTN members are seeing the most traction and opportunity. "We pride ourselves on listening to our partners and ensuring these events showcase what matters most to them and what will ultimately enable them to be more successful, especially in today's challenging marketplace," says Robinson. "Our 2008 VTN Fall Invitational represents the technologies, training and trends that our partners feel are most critical to their business and will help them achieve their goals. I really can't think of a better time than right now for this elite group of partners to come together and discuss how they are going to continue to move the needle and grow in this current environment." For more information about Ingram Micro's VentureTech Network, solution providers and manufacturers should contact their Ingram Micro sales or marketing representative. About Ingram Micro As a vital link in the technology value chain, Ingram Micro creates sales and profitability opportunities for vendors and resellers through unique marketing programs, outsourced logistics services, technical support, financial services, and product aggregation and distribution. The company serves 150 countries and is the only broad-based global IT distributor with operations in Asia. Visit http://www.ingrammicro.com/. DATASOURCE: Ingram Micro CONTACT: Marie Meoli of WhiteFox Marketing & Communications, +1-714-680-0335, , for Ingram Micro Web site: http://www.ingrammicro.com/

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