Each year, CDN’s editors and writers highlight the individuals who not only made headlines but whose impact is likely to be felt in the channel for years to come. Below are the 25 who made a difference in 2003.
1. Doug Cooper, Country Manager, Intel Canada
12/22/2003 2:42:19 PM – He speaks on everything from PCs to copyright, but this year Doug Cooper made his mark on the industry by giving WiFi a national boost. Through imaginative marketing Canadians are now hunting for wireless hotspots and demanding Centrino-based laptops.
2. Jim Estill, CEO EMJ Data Systems
12/22/2003 2:43:54 PM – Call him an opportunist if you want, but this chief executive simply likes to keep busy and with a major acquisition that will see his company literally double in size, plus a slew of new product distribution agreements, 2003 will be another hectic year for EMJ’s boss
3. Nick Tidd, President of 3Com Canada
12/22/2003 2:40:36 PM – When 3Com was looking for an executive to lead the Huawei integration it turned to a Canadian. The promotion has changed his life dramatically, making him cross the globe many times this year.
4. Rick Reid, President of Tech Data Canada and Paul Girard, President of Seanix Technology
12/22/2003 2:57:21 PM – Tired of watching sales slip to Dell, Seanix Technologies and Tech Data Canada teamed up to offer resellers quick build-to-order desktop and notebooks PCs.
5. Serge Godin, CEO CGI Group
12/22/2003 3:00:20 PM – CGI boss pulled the trigger on the year’s biggest reseller acquisition (Cognicase). But the CEO is steadfast in his goal to be an integration leader in the market place
6. Mary Percat, Channel Manager Apple Canada
12/22/2003 3:04:32 PM – Several product launches including Panther OS X Server allowed Apple Canada to re-enter non-traditional markets in 2003. Through the VAR recruitment program, Apple Canada’s channel strategy and development manager formed new partnerships with resellers that would have shunned Apple a few years ago
7. Frank Clegg, President of Microsoft Canada
12/22/2003 3:06:57 PM – With major releases of Office System, CRM, Small Business Server, Windows Server 2003 and the opening of a brand new state of the art headquarters, Microsoft Canada’s president had a very eventful year, but that is not the sole reason he is a top newsmaker
8. Ralph Tang, President of BenQ America
12/22/2003 3:11:35 PM – From the ashes of Acer Peripherals came BenQ, a company with a name that initially was awkward to pronounce. But the display and peripherals manufacturer overcame that with a keen eye towards branding itself and establishing roots in Canada
9. Paul Kent, COO Xwave Solutions12/22/2003 3:15:16 PM – Paul Kent may have thought he was entering the lion’s den when he accepted the position of Xwave COO, but instead he looks at the job as an opportunity to reinvigorate his workforce and to strengthen the company bond with Aliant Inc.
10. Shad Young, Founder of CLIC
12/22/2003 3:17:49 PM – Like many other people Shad Young was concerned about SCO’s actions because Linux is his livelihood. Which is why he created the Canadian Linux Interests Coalition to combat SCO and its controversial claim on open source
11. <a href=http://www.itbusiness.ca/index.asp?theaction=61&sid=54452Paul Tsaparis, President of HP Canada
12/22/2003 3:40:50 PM – Tsaparis took up the battle against media levy in 2003, while tweaking the Partnerone.ca channel plan and opening a PC facility
12. Murray Wright, Vice-President and GM of Ingram Micro Canada
12/22/2003 3:43:03 PM – Ingram Micro Canada boss continues to further the distributor’s e-commerce commitment with iBiz10
13. Steve Simmons, VP of channels, Cisco Canada
Cisco delivered the most significant channel program this year. A plan based on fairness and profitability
14. Andy Aicklen, President of PeopleSoft Canada
12/22/2003 3:55:00 PM – The Canadian PeopleSoft chief was caught in the middle of one of the biggest mergers in IT history. Managing the union with J.D. Edwards in Canada, when his own CEO was being challenged on all fronts by Larry Ellison of Oracle, was quite the achievement
15. <a href=http://www.itbusiness.ca/index.asp?theaction=61&sid=54455Derek Burney, CEO Corel Corp.
12/22/2003 3:48:11 PM – After struggling for years, Corel’s chief struck a deal with a U.S. venture capital company to take the software firm private — then announced more layoffs
16. Doug McLaren, Channel Manager, Computer Associates Canada
12/22/2003 3:50:53 PM – Computer Associates’ new channel partner program trimmed the fat and put the emphasis on profit for its major software product lines thanks to some Canadian content
17. Harry Hart, CEO Hartco
12/22/2003 4:00:51 PM – The chairman of the Hartco empire appointed Patrick Waid to run day-to-day operations, but kept the CEO title for himself
18. Barbara Klein, CFO CDW
12/22/2003 4:09:52 PM – Resellers start shaking in your boots because CDW is coming to town after acquiring select assets from Microwarehouse Canada
19. Kevin Krempulac, VP Channels Symantec
12/22/2003 4:12:01 PM – Serious lack of security-focus VARs was a challenge picked up by Symantec Canada’s head of channels this year
20. Sean O’Mahoney, CEO FatPort
12/22/2003 4:20:23 PM – WiFi service providers like FatPort are bringing wireless internet connectivity to bars, hotels and even hospitals
21. Brad Keates, Channel Manager Sun Microsystems Canada
12/22/2003 4:15:46 PM – Sun sharpens its Blade strategy but not at the expense of its reseller base thanks to this newsmaker
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