I was on a run with Tech Data Canada executive Ed Galassoto Stanley Park here in Vancouver. I’ve been to Vancouver many timesbut never went to see this georgeous park. Galasso and I wereinterested in a simple 10 K run and as I passed the statue of Harry Jerome,a three-time Olympian and world record holder in the 100 metre dash,the thought occurred to me on how fast the TechSelect group ofresellers have grown in the last little while.
Galasso just completed the Around the Bayrun in Hamilton and is training for the half marathon in Mississauga,Ont.. He told me that this event is the biggest the distributor’s hasdone in Canada.
I am always asked to compare TechSelect with Ingram Micro’s VentureTech Network. I hate being put on the spot like that, but it’s fair game since I do it all the time with executives.
Itreally doesn’t matter who is better because both organizations havebeen able to significantly improve each member’s business. Combinedboth organizations would have the purchasing power of well over $3billion. Both TechSelect and VTN are growing; TechSelect maybe a littlefaster. Galasso announced at the conference new members Group Level 1from St. Laurent, Que., Scalar Decisions from Toronto, Sudden Servicefrom Vancouver and Graycon Group from Calgary. These four solutionproviders join FusionOne from Toronto, Les Systems ACCI from QuebecCity, Net Cyclops from Mississauga, Ont. And Technology Solutions fromToronto who joined TechSelect last year for a total of 57 members.
VTNdoes have more members in Canada with 70, but if VTN raced againstTechSelect the outcome would see everyone coming in first place.
One quick hits before I go. Pradyumna Samal,the CEO of Seattle-based IT consultant Minecode is headed for threemonths stint of home confinement for all things destroying a client’sWeb site following a contract dispute. Samal, who at one time workedfor Microsoft, is fortunate he did not end up in the slammer. Hisclient, an online wine retailer went out of business because of thedestroyed Web site.
