The Microsoft Canada Impact Awards marked the debut of sorts of Mark Dodds, the new vice-president of small business, mid-market solutions and partners for Microsoft Canada. Dodds was front and centre at the tenth annual Impact Awards, which recognizes excellence within the Microsoft technology partner community in Canada. The event was held at the Four Seasons Hotel, in Toronto.
At the event, Montreal-based solution provider Thinkmax surprised many by winning the 2012 Microsoft Dynamics ERP Partner of the Year award. Dodds said that Impact Awards showed him that there is tremendous momentum in the Canadian partner community because stronger customer relationships are being built. “Technology Partners like Thinkmax are always finding new and exciting ways to develop and deliver innovative technology solutions, making them true leaders in their respective fields.”
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Many surprise winners at the Microsoft Impact Awards
Marc Belliveau, President of Thinkmax Consulting Inc., said he was pleased to receive this recognition of Thinkmax’s work in implementing Microsoft Dynamics AX solutions for our clients. “Our clients face growing and evolving challenges in terms of margins, competition, regulatory, and other factors. Meeting these challenges with timely, accurate, and relevant automated business solutions is critical. At Thinkmax, we ensure our clients achieve these goals in the most effective manner and I believe that’s why Microsoft chose us as Partner of the Year.”
While Thinkmax triumph was a surprise, the Distributor of the Year award winner did not shock many.
Tech Data Canada won the award over notable rivals by developing a Microsoft Specialized Business Unit, which included a new sales strategy, focus on training, and promotions for all sales levels. As a result, Tech Data Canada was able to achieve its 35 per cent growth goal by the end of the second half of the year.
Rick Reid, Tech Data Canada president, said this award is a culmination of the ongoing success of our partnership and engagement with Microsoft’s partner community. The winner in the Hosting Partner of the Year category proved to never give up. SoftCom Inc., a Toronto solution provider won the Hosting Partner of the Year award. This is the second year in a row that SoftCom was nominated by the Microsoft Canada initiative that identifies excellence within the Canadian Microsoft technology partner community, and the first year SoftCom has won.
“SoftCom has been dedicated to hosting innovation since its inception 15 years ago,” said Turker Sokullu, CEO and co-founder of the company. “This award is a source of tremendous pride, as it validates the commitment of our employees, the caliber of our partnership and speaks to the benefit we offer our customers.”
The Hosting Partner of the Year Award recognizes a Microsoft partner who demonstrates solution innovation and exemplary commitment to engaging with Microsoft. Over the past year, SoftCom took part in the technology adoption program (TAP) for Microsoft System Centre 2012 SP1 and the rapid deployment program (RDP) for Windows Server 2012, propelling the company to be one of the first Microsoft partners in North America to launch the new product into the market.
