The ChannelPro Network has named Oli Thordarson, founder and CEO of Alvaka Networks, the winner of its 2022 Peer of the Year award, which recognizes channel pros who have shared especially powerful peer-to-peer business advice.
Each month during the calendar year, ChannelPro invites a successful MSP, value-added reseller, or solution provider to share his or her story in the Peer to Peer feature that runs in the digital and print issues of ChannelPro magazine. The column provides actionable advice on topics such as growing a business, improving operations and service delivery, developing new lines of business, hiring and retention, building sales and marketing strategies, creating and nurturing corporate culture, and more.
All 12 stories in 2021, along with additional nominations received from the ChannelPro Network audience of readers and vendors, were considered for the award by the publication’s editors, who selected the one they believe readers could learn the most from and immediately apply to their own business. Thordarson’s story detailed how he created a rapid response cybersecurity brand for Alvaka Networks and built out a network operations center as part of the company’s “always-on” business model.
“Oli’s story in our February 2021 issue describes how Alvaka changed its approach to identity and branding, establishing a unique differentiator for the business,” says Rich Freeman, executive editor of The ChannelPro Network. “He also provided some straightforward advice about what it takes to invest in and build out a 24/7/365 network operations center as part of that effort. All of our readers can benefit from his experiences and insights.”
Thordarson, who founded Irvine, Calif.-based Alvaka Networks in 1982, has 40-plus years’ experience in the IT industry. He is a member of The ASCII Group, CompTIA, FBI InfraGard, HTCIA, and ISC2. Thordarson is also a board member of the OPDA Technology Alliance and Discovery Cube Orange County. He holds an MBA from Babson College in Massachusetts.
Alvaka Networks has been a long-time industry leader in advanced network management (managed services). Its Irvine facility provides industry-leading physical and environmental control features, and increased capacity and scalability to meet the growth needs of midmarket companies. Alvaka Networks was named as a 2021 Top Workplace by the Orange County Register.
“I am flattered to be recognized as ChannelPro Peer of the Year,” says Thordarson. “I love my peers in the IT profession. We all work so hard to make our clients number one, and to keep them running efficiently and securely. I have benefitted immensely from the advice of my friends in the business. To be provided the opportunity to give back is the most rewarding highlight of the year.”
“The ChannelPro Network is honored that Oli chose to share his story with our readers, offering them a how-to guide to rebranding and building a service to reinforce that brand,” says Michael Siggins, president and publisher of The ChannelPro Network. “The competition was fierce, as all of the candidates were compelling sources of insight and inspiration for our readers. Therefore, we are pleased to present Oli with our third annual Peer of the Year award.”
