5 Stars Shine at the 2024 Channel Leadership Awards

Ingram Micro’s Kirk Robinson headlined this year’s honors by winning the 2024 Channel Lifetime Achievement Award; other honorees include HP’s Mary Beth Walker, ServiceNow’s Divya Rajagopalan, and Proofpoint’s Joe Sykora.

The channel community’s best and brightest gathered for an evening of celebration at the 2024 Channel Leadership Awards ceremony, held during Channel Focus in Dana Point, California. The ceremony brought together industry pioneers, emerging innovators, and channel veterans to recognize exceptional achievements that have shaped the technology channel landscape over the past year.

The Channel Leadership Awards, facilitated by Channelnomics and hosted by Baptie & Co., honors exceptional channel organizations and professionals who have demonstrated outstanding innovation, delivered remarkable experiences, and made significant contributions to both the industry and their communities. These awards celebrate those who push boundaries, set new standards, and exemplify leadership in the channel ecosystem, recognizing their efforts in driving progress and fostering a collaborative spirit within the industry. This year’s awards celebrated pioneers who are reshaping the channel landscape through technological innovation, strategic vision, and unwavering commitment to partner success.

Channel Vendor Excellence Award: Mindmatrix

Leading the celebrations was Mindmatrix, recipient of the Channel Vendor Excellence Award. The company’s groundbreaking Bridge™ platform has revolutionized channel management by offering the industry’s first truly unified solution that seamlessly integrates channel management, sales enablement, and partner marketing. Since 1998, Mindmatrix has been at the forefront of channel innovation, and the company’s comprehensive approach to ecosystem enablement has set new standards for how businesses manage and optimize their partner relationships.

Channel Rising Star Award: Divya Rajagopalan

The Channel Rising Star Award recognized Divya Rajagopalan, an emerging talent who has already made significant waves in the industry. At ServiceNow, Rajagopalan’s development of a revolutionary homegrown Partner Relationship Management (PRM) platform showcases the kind of innovative thinking that drives the channel forward. Her solution has gained such recognition that ServiceNow is considering its productization, marking an extraordinary achievement for someone early in their career.

Channel Innovator of the Year: Mary Beth Walker

HP’s Mary Beth Walker earned Channel Innovator of the Year for her transformative work in partner program development and sustainability initiatives. As the architect of the HP Amplify program, Walker has reimagined traditional partner program structures while placing sustainability at the core of channel relationships. Her leadership of HP Amplify Impact has created a framework that proves environmental responsibility and business success can go hand in hand, setting new standards for channel program development.

Channel Leader of the Year: Joe Sykora

Joe Sykora of Proofpoint was honored as Channel Leader of the Year, recognizing his exceptional leadership and consistent ability to drive partner success. With over two decades of experience and a track record of achieving year-over-year growth exceeding 75%, Sykora has distinguished himself through his unique combination of charismatic leadership and operational excellence. His role on the Channel Executive Council advisory board further demonstrates his commitment to elevating the entire channel community.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Kirk Robinson

The evening’s highest honor, the Channel Lifetime Achievement Award, was presented to Kirk Robinson, recognizing his remarkable 31-year career at Ingram Micro. Robinson’s journey from sales executive to executive vice president and president of North America exemplifies the dedication and vision that have shaped modern IT distribution. His signature mantra, “get comfortable being uncomfortable,” became a guiding principle for partners navigating industry changes, while his leadership in developing initiatives like the Xvantage digital experience platform demonstrated his commitment to innovation until his recent retirement.

 

This year’s award recipients represent the best of channel leadership, from emerging talents to lifetime achievers. Their contributions continue to shape the future of channel partnerships and set new benchmarks for excellence in the technology industry. As the channel continues to evolve, these leaders’ innovations and dedication will undoubtedly inspire the next generation of channel professionals.

To learn more about the Channel Leadership Awards program, including information about past winners, nomination criteria, and how to submit nominations for next year’s awards, visit Channelleadershipawards.com. The website offers detailed insights into each award category and showcases the outstanding achievements of channel professionals who continue to drive innovation and excellence in our industry.