Our Team

Larry Walsh is one of the most recognizable figures in the IT channel and security communities, and is considered one of the more forward-thinking leaders in the industry. He personally oversees the development and implementation of research, collaboration and content programs at The 2112 Group, which he founded to advance the state of the art in the technology marketplace and channel community.

Larry is the founder and executive director of the Channel Vanguard Council, a collaborative group of technology channel executives formed in cooperation with the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA). CVC is dedicated to aiding the maturation of business models and partnership relationships in the channel community. It’s members include high-ranking vendor channel executives and solution provider leaders.

Prior to founding The 2112 Group, Larry was an award-winning technology journalist and publisher.

At Ziff Davis Enterprise, he service as vice president and market expert for channels and security, developing and guiding strategic engagement and research programs for IT vendors. He wasalso the publisher of Channel Insider, a leading online technology channel publication. And was the editor of Baseline Magazine, an award-winning journal of technology project management.

Larry was the editor of VARBusiness and GovernmentVAR magazines, leading strategic publications for the IT channel community. At VARBusiness, Larry personally oversaw the major research and awards programs, including the VARBusiness 500, the GovernmentVAR 100, the VARBusiness Annual Report Card, and the Technology Innovators Awards program.

Before entering the channel, Larry was editor of the award-winning and market-leading Information Security Magazine. During his tenure, he developed a reputation for driving new thinking to threat management and IT security issues. He earned national recognition for his exposes on Microsoft security issues.

Diana L. Mirakaj, COO

Diana Mirakaj a seasoned marketing, operations and business management professional with a steep history in financial services, business consulting and research. As 2112’s chief operating officer, she’s responsible for the oversight of operations, finance and business development.

Prior to joining 2112, Ms. Mirakaj was responsible for global marketing and corporate development at BTM Corporation, a management solutions provider whose products and services focus on innovation, growth and value-creation across the Fortune 500, midmarket and public sector. In that position, she focused on corporate messaging, branding, and design of an integrated corporate development strategy through their various partnerships and alliances.

Ms. Mirakaj was with UBS Investment Bank, where she worked in the International Equity Capital Markets Group and the Corporate Client Services Group. In both roles, she acted as a liaison between clients, corporate finance, other investment dealers, and the market. She was involved throughout the process from origination to execution, including oversight of road shows, investor feedback, demand management, and final pricing and allocation of the issue.

She gained start-up experience at Monarch Worldwide Investments, an exclusive fund that traded commodities for high net worth individuals and family funds. She focused on regulatory issues and investor relations, in addition to day-to-day operational aspects of the business. She developed marketing strategies to attract additional investors, while maintaining existing accounts with customized services tailored to each individual.

Ms. Mirakaj built a high-performing event management foundation while at Fujisankei Communications International, a member of The Fujisankei Group, one of the world’s largest media conglomerates. The events highlighted the arts, media and entertainment and were held worldwide. They ranged from premier exhibits at the Ueno Royal Museum in Tokyo and MoMA in New York, to opening ceremonies at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

Ms. Mirakaj earned her degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. She is a co-author on The Power of Convergence: Linking Business Strategies and Technology Decisions to Create Sustainable Success (AMACOM, 2011).

Susan Kostbar is a channel sales veteran who oversees client engagements and business development for The 2112 Group’s professional services and media products. She has worked in technology and channel services, events and media sales for much of the past three decades. She most recently served as strategic account director at Channel Partners magazine, a publication of Virgo Publishing. Prior to Channel Partners, Kostbar was the channel sales manager of Channel Insider, formerly a Ziff Davis Enterprise publication. She also held other management and sales roles at UBM Channel, including associate publisher of the now-defunct VARBusiness magazine.

Ginger Stevenson is a marketing and creative services veteran, with extensive experience in branding, Web design and operations, graphic design and corporate marketing. At 2112, Ginger oversees the customer relationships, product development and fulfillment, and Web operations for Channelnomics and Web properties developed and managed by 2112. She has the rare combination of sound strategic thinking and exceptional design talent. She has a proven track record for delivering creative communication that breaks through the clutter, delivers powerful impact and inspires desired consumer reactions.

Over the years, she has helped unify the corporate image, strengthen product positioning and communicate differentiating personalities for many distinguished brands. Her client relationships include Abbott Laboratories, Ameriprise Financial, Bayer, Beam Industries, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Hy-Vee, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Iowa State University, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Palisade Systems, Pioneer Hi-bred International, Time Warner Cable and UCB Pharma.

Ginger has received several honors for creative expertise, including national TELLY and NAMA awards; national and regional Addy Awards, including the 2003 Best of Show honors in the local competition; and local recognition from the Art Directors Association of Iowa (ADAI), the Iowa Motion Picture Association (IMPA) and the Central Iowa Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). The Des Moines native has a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from Grand View College.

The 2112 Group’s Editorial Vice President Chris Gonsalves is an award-winning career business and tech journalist, most recently serving as executive editor of TechTarget’s CIO and IT Strategy Media Group, where he covered all matters of concern for today’s senior technology and business leaders. Chris has served in senior editorial positions at Ziff Davis’ PC Week, eWeek, Baseline and Channel Insider, and CMP’s VARBusiness and GovernmentVAR. His work includes reporting and newsroom management stints at Newsmax Media, the Providence (R.I.) Journal, and the Dow Jones-owned Standard-Times in New Bedford, Mass. He has also done content development work for major technology vendors including IBM, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Oracle and Sun Microsystems. Chris is a graduate of Penn State University and a military veteran who served in South Korea and worked at the prestigious U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. He’s authored two books on paranormal history.

Amber Plante is a content and communications expert with a decade of experience working in both print and digital media, with specialties in information security and social networking. Her experience includes work with Captivate Network, the leading digital place-based media company; and IT juggernaut Tech Target, where she managed the market-leading Information Security magazine. Amber’s education includes bachelor’s degrees in journalism and anthropology, and a stint working with the government of Belize as an archaeologist. She is also a novelist currently represented by Curtis Brown Ltd. in NYC, and really enjoyed writing this in the third-person.

Robert Dutt is a leader in developing online news platforms for the Canadian audience. With 2112, he will focus on content and serving the Canadian channel with news and analysis. He has been steadily covering the Canadian IT channel since December 1997, leading the development of eChannelLine and overseeing a redesign and new strategy for CRN Canada’s online properties. In October 2010, Robert launched ChannelBuzz.ca, the first news and analysis blog platform for the Canadian IT channel community with the goal of cutting through the noise for Canadian VARs and MSPs.

Stefanie Hoffman comes to the 2112 Group after four years as a security editor for CRN, where she covered major security companies and honed her expertise writing about high-profile malware attacks, data breaches and other salient threats. Prior to that, she toured the U.S. as a writer for a travel trade pub and worked as a beat reporter. Several of her stories earned her first-place awards in Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association’s annual contest. Stefanie holds a master’s degree in magazine journalism from the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication and a bachelor’s from Cornell College. When she’s not writing about the channel, Hoffman can be found on the salsa dance floor.

Niki Matyok oversees all project management and operational processes at 2112, in addition to supporting strategic research programs and customer relations. She is a seasoned project manager with extensive experience in software development, customer relationship management, finance and budget management, and professional services. In previous positions, Niki has built a track record of success in professional services and operations management, as well as training program development. Based in Miami, Niki is widely known for her skills in the local kickball league and is an avid fisherman.