By Nick Wakeman
Diversity is the most apparent hallmark of this year’s 17 Channel Leaders; they come from a range of companies serving the government market.
Large traditional prime contractors such as Harris Corp. and General Dynamics Corp. are represented, down to small information technology services companies, such as STG International Inc. and Ace Info Solutions Inc.
There are also representatives from product companies such as EMC Corp., Red Hat Inc. and Symantec Corp.
The Channel Leaders drawn from their ranks share many traits in common. Chief among these traits is knowing and understanding the customer.
Someone like Michael Byrd, director of government sales at Red Hat, has two sets of customers. One is the user at various government agencies and the other is Red Hat’s business partners.
Although the company would not name its customer because it was an intelligence agency, Byrd worked with Dell Inc. and BAE Systems Inc. to build a data collection and analysis system. He created a structure that simplified the purchasing process allowing the intelligence agency and BAE to concentrate on the mission of tracking sensitive data, not figuring out how to buy the products and services for the system.
Beth Gorko, a project manager at General Dynamics, knew her customer, the Coast Guard, well enough to bring together different offices at that service with related offices at the Navy and the Defense Information Systems Agency. Together they are improving intelligence-sharing capabilities to enhance maritime domain awareness and port security.
Peter Anderson, chief technology officer at Computer Systems Center Inc., spent two years collecting user requirements to build a trusted information infrastructure for classified information at the Defense Department.
Many of the Channel Leaders share that kind of dedication to the customer.
But these people work in the private sector, so they must serve their customers and their companies.
Will Jones created an intelligence solutions team at Carahsoft Technology Corp., and subsequently, revenue from intelligence customers increased fivefold. His work also brought new technology companies into the government market for the first time.
Jim McIntosh, a director at Censeo Consulting Group was the project manager for the Army-Air Force Wireless Strategic Sourcing Initiative, which applied the services’ buying power for wireless devices. The project’s success led to work with other agencies.
For some Channel Leaders, their recognition also is a testament to their companies.
DLT Solutions Inc. gives Dennis Kappeler, a program manager the flexibility he needs to meet family obligations, such as caring for his 6-year-old twins. He regularly puts his children to bed and then goes back to work in his home office.
No matter what hours they keep, this year’s Channel Leaders teach lessons of dedication, resourcefulness and initiative that we all can learn from.
