Ingram Micro's New SMBA Peer Groups Give Solution Providers and Vendors a Real Business Advantage
December 15 2008 - 8:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
Leading distributor teams with Heartland Tech Groups to provide
business-focused peer groups to SMB Alliance (SMBA) community SANTA
ANA, Calif., Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Helping IT solution providers
strengthen their business models, Ingram Micro Inc., (NYSE:IM)
today announced it has teamed with Heartland Tech Groups
(http://www.heartlandtechnologies.com/) (HTG) to launch and manage
its new SMBA Peer Groups. Available to IT solution providers within
Ingram Micro's SMB Alliance (SMBA) partner community, these new
peer groups offer participants access to an organized network of
like-minded IT solution provider professionals who support and
challenge each other in an effort to improve business metrics and
develop personal leadership qualities. Vendor sponsorship is also
available for Ingram Micro's SMBA Peer Groups. With more than
twenty peer groups already underway, Ingram Micro and HTG have hit
the ground running and are eager to build upon their success in
2009. "Ingram Micro is always pursuing new ways to help IT solution
providers, especially those who are active in our four communities,
drive more business growth and establish business excellence," says
Ryan Grant, director, channel marketing, Ingram Micro U.S.
"Together with HTG's leadership, we developed the SMBA Peer Groups
to provide members of SMB Alliance with a trusted advisory board
that helps them run their business smarter and process issues and
resolve challenges more effectively. HTG has a proven track record
for successfully managing peer groups and establishing the
camaraderie, leadership and business development resources channel
partners need to grow their business. We are thrilled to be working
with them to bring such a valued resource to our SMB Alliance
community." Starting January 2009, Ingram Micro's new SMBA Peer
Group members will meet four times annually to discuss their top
business issues with the group for support and business advice.
Founding leader Arlin Sorensen and CEO of HTG says the value IT
solution providers receive from joining the groups is priceless.
"We run our Peer Groups using active listening, mirroring and
skills such as 'focusing' to support each person and drive higher
accountability," says Sorensen. "We've seen great success, not only
in building these groups, but more importantly in helping
individual members achieve personal and professional
accomplishments they didn't think were possible. At times, business
owners can feel all alone with overwhelming responsibilities --
especially in today's challenging economy. These Peer Groups help
them to realize others are facing the same challenges and together,
they will find creative ways to manage through and create more
efficiency within their business." "Ingram Micro's SMBA Peer Groups
are exactly what we've been looking for," says SMBA member Ben
Rife, president and CEO, Integrity Networks in Troy, MI. "It's
tough to run a business, much less grow it. As a business owner,
there has been no greater impact on growth for my business than
this group." "There are obviously other peer groups out there you
can join, but none offer you the same in-depth understanding of the
challenges and opportunities we tackle everyday as an IT service
provider," says SMBA member Bobby Welch, president, ACCI in
Birmingham, Al. "These peer groups are worth their weight in gold
and bring tremendous value to me as a business owner." To join,
SMBA members must meet the membership qualifications, pay a $100
monthly membership fee, and adhere to the operations code
established among the SMBA Peer Groups. "There is an absolute field
of growth and opportunity within the SMB Alliance membership," says
Grant. "Our partners are eager to learn more and poised to deepen
their technology solution expertise. These new SMBA Peer Groups
will be a catalyst for even more value shared among the members and
vendor partner sponsors." For more information about Ingram Micro's
SMB Alliance community or the new SMBA Peer Groups, contact your
Ingram Micro sales representative or check out
http://www.ingrammicro.com/smb. IT vendors who are interested in
sponsoring the SMBA Peer Groups can contact their Ingram Micro
sales representative. For more information on HTG, details are
available at http://www.htgmembers.com/. About SMB Alliance As one
of Ingram Micro's fastest growing customer communities, SMB
Alliance was established to encourage partnering and business
growth within the small-to-midsize business sector. Members attend
annual invitational meetings and regional meetings to network,
share business experience and exchange views on ways technology
enables small business advancement. SMB Alliance membership
currently boasts 4,000 members with more than 40 manufacturer
sponsors who are committed to driving technology and business
growth among the member base. 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 Inc. CONTACT:
Marie Meoli of WhiteFox Marketing, +1-714-680-0335, , for Ingram
Micro Web site: http://www.ingrammicro.com/
http://www.heartlandtechnologies.com/
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