Sharp Awarded 5-Star Rating in CRN's 2015 Partner Program Guide

Annual guide recognizes the best channel partner programs in the market

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Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA)

Apr 10, 2015, 09:00 ET

MAHWAH, N.J., April 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA), a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation (SEC) has announced it has been awarded a 5-Star rating in The Channel Company's CRN 2015 Partner Program Guide. This annual directory is the definitive listing of technology vendors that service solution providers or provide products through the IT channel. The 5-Star Partner Program rating recognizes an elite subset of companies that offer solution providers the best partnering elements in their channel programs.

In the past three years, SIICA expanded its channel business by more than 500 percent. Led by Mike Marusic, the Sharp team successfully launched and expanded its channel reseller program. The successful initiative focused on a channel sell-through program, which makes it easier for resellers to do business. Sharp also aggressively participates in field-training opportunities to provide product knowledge and training, and when needed, partners can qualify for loaner product units to provide proof of concept to their customers.

To determine the 2015 5-Star recipients, The Channel Company's Research team assessed each vendor's application based on investments in program offerings, partner profitability, partner training, education and support, marketing programs and resources, sales support and communication.

"Solution providers have a lot of choices when it comes to selecting vendor partners. Identifying the right vendor, with the right technologies, and the right approach can make all the difference," said Robert Faletra, CEO, The Channel Company. "Our annual Partner Program Guide and 5-Star rating recognizes the best channel programs available in the market today to help solution providers determine which vendors deliver the best partner elements for their individual business goals."

"This award is a true testament to the quality of our team and the innovation behind Sharp's technologies. We are proud that The Channel has chosen to vigorously support our products," said Mike Marusic, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Business Solutions Group of Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. "We look forward to continuously offering cutting-edge solutions for our valued partners that allow them to offer their customers products that keep them ahead of the curve, and improve their productivity and market competitiveness."

The 2015 Partner Program Guide will be featured in the April issue of CRN, and online at www.CRN.com.

About Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America
Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America, a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, markets the advanced, MX Series multifunction printers (MFP) systems that help companies manage workflow efficiently and increase productivity. Sharp^® MFPs feature the Sharp OSA^® development platform, which seamlessly integrates network applications to create a personalized MFP that can meet virtually any business need, and Scan² technology, which scans two-sided documents in a single pass to enhance scanning reliability and preserve document integrity. To keep documents safe from unauthorized users, Sharp is a leader in the MFP industry in security by offering the most secure suite of MFP applications.

Through U.S. B2B sales channels, Sharp is one of the top selling brands for Large Format Commercial Displays, has the #1 revenue share for 60"+ Commercial Displays, and is the #1 selling brand for 55"+ Commercial Integrated Touch Displays***. Sharp's professional and commercial displays are specially engineered for business applications and are offered in a wide range of sizes. From high-impact displays for digital signage, to our award-winning ultra-thin bezel video walls, to the innovative AQUOS BOARD™ interactive display systems, Sharp products help you communicate, collaborate and disseminate information brilliantly.

***According to Monthly Large Format Commercial Displays Report by DisplaySearch (now part of IHS), January 2015.

For more information on Sharp's energy efficient products, contact Sharp Electronics Corporation, 1 Sharp Plaza, Suite 1, Mahwah, N.J., 07495-1163. For online product information, visit Sharp's web site at www.siica.sharpusa.com.

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About The Channel Company
The Channel Company, with established brands including CRN, XChange Events, IPED and SharedVue, is the channel community's trusted authority for growth and innovation. For more than three decades, we have leveraged our proven and leading-edge platforms to deliver prescriptive sales and marketing solutions for the technology channel. The Channel Company provides Communication, Recruitment, Engagement, Enablement, Demand Generation and Intelligence services to drive technology partnerships. Learn more at www.thechannelcompany.com.

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