CompTIA Newsroom

Channel Chief and Industry Influencer Honored for Career Accomplishments and Continued Advocacy of Partner Success

Downers Grove, Ill. – Frank Vitagliano, among the information technology (IT) industry’s most influential and respected leaders for the better part of four decades, will join the IT Hall of Fame as the sole inductee for 2017, CompTIA and The Channel Company announced today.

An awards ceremony honoring Vitagliano is taking place Aug. 15^th during The Channel Company’s XChange 2017 conference in Orlando, Fla.

“Being inducted into the IT Hall of Fame is an extraordinary honor that I share with my family, friends and colleagues,” said Vitagliano. “Success in the IT channel is achieved by showing up, doing what you say you’re going to do and building real relationships you can count on.”

“With more than four decades in the IT industry, it’s been my honor to serve as a Channel Chief, and now as CEO of one of the top channel partners and a proud member of the IT Hall of Fame,” Vitagliano continued. “Thank you to CompTIA, The Channel Company and all those who have supported me and inspired me throughout my career. You have influenced my career in so many ways and I am forever grateful.”

“Frank is one of the most genuine, insightful and trusted Channel Chiefs in our industry,” said Robert Faletra, CEO, The Channel Company. “His career success speaks volumes for doing right by the partner and the value of staying true to your word and building relationships that stick. Frank set the bar for partner engagement and raised it each year as Channel Chief for IBM, Juniper and Dell. As the CEO of Computex, he is changing the conversation between solution providers, vendors and distributors, and we will all be the better for it.”

“CompTIA is thrilled to see Frank Vitagliano join this exclusive group of industry luminaries, game changers and visionaries,” said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO, CompTIA. "Frank’s no-nonsense, down-to-earth leadership at several of the channel’s premier companies has contributed greatly to the growth of the industry, which today is a $3.4 trillion contributor to the global economy. On a personal level, Frank has proven time and time again that demonstrating integrity, being engaged, establishing relationships, and delivering results lead to lifelong friendships and career success.”

From his early start in IBM’s mail room to his retirement 33 years later as a senior IBM channel executive, Vitagliano always made it a priority to “show up and get things done.” In 2003, Vitagliano’s career accomplishments at IBM earned him the Lifetime Achievement Award from VARBusiness Magazine. He retired from Big Blue in 2005, and in early 2006 joined Juniper Networks as senior vice president and global channel chief. Over the next seven years, Vitagliano and his “dream team” of well-known and extremely competent channel executives established and expanded Juniper’s channel success, solidifying the vendor’s position as a channel-friendly networking and security leader.

In 2008, Vitagliano became the first and only vendor executive inducted into the Ingram Micro VentureTech Network (VTN) Hall of Fame. Looking to build another best-in-class channel, Vitagliano joined Dell as vice president of global channel strategy and programs in 2013. Over the next three years, Dell’s channel business experienced consistent growth and its distribution sales and channel community engagement skyrocketed.

Today Vitagliano is enjoying his second career act as CEO of Computex Technology Solutions, one of the top-performing, industry-leading solution providers in the nation, and continues to serve as an advisor, board member, and unofficial coach and mentor to many companies and individuals in the IT channel community.

Founded in 1997 by CRN, the IT Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions or provided exceptional service to the IT channel, as well as those responsible for outstanding technology innovations or business transformations. The IT Hall of Fame has been administered by CompTIA since 2010.

Visit the IT Hall of Fame digital museum for industry history and a complete roster of inductees https://www.comptia.org/it-hall-of-fame/. CRN’s complete coverage of Vitagliano’s induction into the IT Hall of Fame can be found online at www.crn.com/frank-vitagliano.

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The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is the world's leading technology association, with approximately 2,000 member companies, 3,000 academic and training partners, over 100,000 registered users and more than two million IT certifications issued. CompTIA's unparalleled range of programs foster workforce skills development and generate critical knowledge and insight – building the foundation for technology’s future. Visit CompTIA online, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to learn more. 

About The Channel Company
The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. Follow the Channel Company on www.thechannelco.com.

Contact:
Steven Ostrowski
CompTIA
630-678-8468
sostrowski@comptia.org