Everything Channel Announces Theme and Agenda Highlights for XChange Solution Provider

FRAMINGHAM, Mass., Feb. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Everything Channel, a UBM company, today announced the theme and agenda highlights for its first channel event of the year, XChange Solution Provider – Succeeding in the New IT Economy – taking place March 5-9 at the Walt Disney Dolphin Hotel in Orlando, FL. XChange Solution Provider will touch a broad cross-section of the IT industry, with more than 75 vendors and 225 solution providers already confirmed to attend.  Platinum sponsors include EMC, HP, IBM, Microsoft, and Samsung. The event also will host the IPED Channel Leadership Forum, where influential Channel executives meet privately to discuss emerging trends, challenges and opportunities in the market.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101026/NY89042LOGO)

Featured event speakers include:

• Randy Schwantz, CEO of the Wedge Group will share winning strategies from his registered selling system
• Gartner Analyst and Vice President Tiffani Bova will discuss new data on the major trends shaping the IT marketplace
• IPED Senior Director Ryan Morris will address how to build and maintain a leading services organization
• Pointivity President and CEO Kent Erickson will highlight ways to create competitive advantage as a cloud integrator

To view the full agenda, visit http://everythingchannelevents.com/xsp11_agenda.

XChange Solution Provider kicks off on Saturday, March 5 with a Channel@Work project.  With the support of Microsoft, the program underwriter, a group of volunteers from the event will converge to build and present bicycles to 20 teens in the Downtown Boys and Girls Club of Orlando program.

"I can think of no greater impact than helping a child reach his or her full potential," said Eric Martorano, sr. director of SMB channels for Microsoft.  "A driving force at Microsoft is to make a positive impact in communities around the world - and right here in Orlando - by giving back with our time, money and technology.  We are honored to be the exclusive underwriter of the Channel@Work initiative and proud to support The Boys and Girls Clubs with a technology donation as well as providing 20 bikes to deserving kids."

The main event culminates on Tuesday, March 8, with an evening of celebration at the awards reception. New this year, the solution provider Tech Elite 250 category winners will be recognized as the industry VARs with both deep technical expertise and premier certifications in the areas of data centers and infrastructure. The vendor community also will receive honors during the presentation of the 21st Annual Channel Champions Awards, announcing the best satisfaction scores in the IPED solution provider survey.  Additionally, the attendee-voted and highly popular vendor XChange XCellence award winners will be revealed.

Wednesday, March 9, is dedicated to the professional development track. Led by industry experts, these sessions are designed to build leadership skills and provide attendees with actionable information.  Attendance is elected, and response this year is more than double that of last year's event. Sessions and speakers include:

• How to Negotiate Like a Pro and Get Exactly What You Want in Business without Compromising – Speaker: Jim Camp, negotiation coach and author of Start with No®
• Maximizing Your Company's Value: M&A Strategies for Solution Providers – Speaker: Frank Helstab, partner, Institute for Corporate Planning & Finance
• The Art of Collaboration: Designing the Cooperative Team You Need to Produce the Results    You Want – Speaker: Gregg Gregory, owner and founder, TeamsRock.com.

For full session descriptions and schedule information about the professional development track, please visit http://everythingchannelevents.com/xsp11_pdt.

Finally, the Channel@Work program will continue its partnership with Dress for Success with a presentation and collection at the Sunday evening welcome reception, sponsored by Microsoft. This is an opportunity to help women who are struggling to thrive professionally.  Everyone in attendance will be encouraged to donate women's business attire, accessories and gift cards to the collection – or to purchase a Dress for Success scarf or tie to support the program.

For more information about XChange Solution Provider, please visit http://www.xchangesolutionprovider.com/.

Everything Channel

Everything Channel is the premier provider of IT channel-focused events, media, research, consulting, and sales and marketing services. With over 30 years of experience and engagement, Everything Channel has the unmatched channel expertise to execute integrated solutions for technology executives managing partner recruitment, enablement and go-to-market strategy in order to accelerate technology sales. Everything Channel is a UBM company. To learn more about Everything Channel, visit us at http://www.everythingchannel.com. Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/everythingchnl.

United Business Media Limited (www.unitedbusinessmedia.com)

UBM (UBM.L) focuses on two principal activities: worldwide information distribution, targeting and monitoring; and, the development and monetization of B2B communities and markets. UBM's businesses inform markets and serve professional commercial communities - from doctors to game developers, from journalists to jewelry traders, from farmers to pharmacists – with integrated events, online, print and business information products. Our 6,500 staff in more than 30 countries are organized into specialist teams that serve these communities, bringing buyers and sellers together, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently.

About Microsoft (http://www.microsoft.com/en/us/default.aspx)

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft serves millions of small and medium-sized businesses in the U.S., helping them start, grow and thrive by leveraging today's powerful and affordable technologies.  At the pillar of these technologies lies cloud computing, in which Microsoft has more than 15 years of experience and understands how to meet the demands of SMBs for simplicity and impact, with enterprise-grade capabilities, flexibility and affordability in a familiar environment.

SOURCE Everything Channel