Global distributor Ingram Micro Inc.’s partnership event, Fall ONE 2015, is happening in Nashville November 16 to 19 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort. The event connects all of Ingram Micro’s solution providers, along with members of five elite solution provider communities, for a networking and technology education event with partners from across the distributor’s ecosystem.
In conjunction with Fall ONE, Ingram Micro Inc. announced a strategic alliance with Apollo Education Group Inc. and its subsidiary, University of Phoenix, to offer channel partners training and degree programs focused on growing critical business skills within their organizations. The new education services will be available to all Ingram Micro channel partners in the U.S., and are part of the IT business leader’s fast-growing Professional Services organization.
Pre-day happenings on Monday included a variety of Alliance and advisory council meetings, a welcome reception, and several sponsored after parties.
The event opened on Tuesday with a welcome to attendees, followed by keynote speaker Jim Collins, author of Good to Great.
Next up were Paul Bay, executive vice president and chief executive, Ingram Micro U.S. and Miami Export; and Alain Monié, CEO, Ingram Micro Worldwide, in a Q&A.
Kerry Bailey, senior VP worldwide indirect sales, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, followed, telling the audience that HP is committed to partners. He introduced Meg Whitman, who thanked all the partners via video for the continued growth in the SMB space.
Ingram Micro execs then took the stage. Highlights include:
- Bay discussed† how to change like HP, and how to think and act differently.
- Kirk Robinson, SVP Commercial Markets and Global Sales US, discussed how so many of the vendors in the industry like Microsoft and Dell are changing and are working together. He told the audience not to worry about the changes because Ingram Micro has their back.
- Tim Ament, SVP, Advanced Solutions, and Eric Kohl, VP advanced solutions, security business unit, discussed security breaches and the risk of not putting in the right security solutions to protect your data.
- Rene Bergeron, VP, Global Cloud Computing, talked about shortening the sales cycle with Ingram Micro Cloud.
The afternoon included a variety of education sessions, workshops, and breakout sessions. At the end of the day attendees could browse the solutions showcase, followed by happy hour and dinner.
Wednesday opens with the Trust X Alliance General Session, followed by Trust X Alliance: Our New Direction, with presenters Peter Belyea, U.S. co-president; Jason Gorjan, Canada co-president; and Jim Veraldi, Ingram Micro executive sponsor.
Keynotes follow from Lenovo, as well as member-to-member, manufacturer, and community keynotes.
There is also a variety of vendor sponsored lunch and learns, educational sessions, solutions showcase, topped off by happy hour and then a dinner out on the town in Nashville.
On Thursday the conference wraps up, including a half-day of Hewlett Packard Enterprise training.
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