CDN and founding sponsor Ingram Micro Canada, celebrated the most successful andinfluential women in the solution provider channel at the second annual CDN Women in the IT Channel recognition luncheon.
At that luncheon, CDN honoured five extrodinary women executives:
Click below for a video with interviews of the five honourees.
Barb Cummings is the Director ofBusiness Development and a SolutionConsultant at Brodie Computes Inc., an awardwinning CRM and xRM solution provider based in Guelph, Ont. A graduate of the University of Waterloo, Barb joined Brodie 16 years ago, transitioning to IT from a career in the environmental consulting sector.
As a key member of the Brodie team she has managed client relationships and led numerous successful CRM/xRM projects. In addition she has been a guest speaker at Microsoft Convergence and sought for next version product input and focus group collaboration.
Bonnie Huckstep, the Business Development Manager for Insite Computer Group Inc.
Huckstep is no stranger to managing, servicing and delivering the needs of her clients and vendors for the past 23 years.
Bonnie understands that every client’s needs are unique. She is a good listener which empowers her with the ability to understand and deliver the appropriate solutions to meet customer requirements and exceed expectations. She treats her customers as she would like to be treated. She is compassionate, ambitious, and positive and has a high level of energy. Her patience, determination and genuine care for each customer are just a few of the characteristics that make Bonnie one of the best in IT.
The bottom line is, her customers trust and depend on her. Bonnie provides services to every vertical market ranging from small to medium and large accounts. Her customer needs range from simple IT requirements to the very complex, including managed services, cloud computing and more.
Cheryl Stookes is the Director of Sales for SHI Canada. She is responsible for managing SHI’s overall Canadian sales effort, with oversight of all Commercial, Enterprise, and Public Sector Sales and Partner Management personnel. Cheryl joined SHI in 2008 from the Enterprise Council on Small Business where she was the Director of Business Development. Prior to that, Cheryl spent four years at Softchoice Corp. in a variety of sales and leadership roles. Cheryl graduated with distinction from Queen’s University with an H.B.A. in Political Studies.
Laura Tsingos is the Director of Operations of HighVail Systems Inc.
Tsingos started working in IT in 1986 for Wood Gundy as a Database Coordinator. She left there to work for The Toronto Stock Exchange and was hands on in migrating staff from dedicated word processors to a new technology for the time: the PC. Those were exciting times for Laura, since the trading floor was still live, with “real humans” and at times she was required to troubleshoot computer hardware on the trading floor itself.
After two company buyouts and the quick formation of a new company – HighVail Systems – Laura took on the role of Director of Operations. After nine years, she still enjoys working with the team at HighVail.
Cathy Vankesteren is the Senior Vice President of End to End Networks.
A leap of faith launched Vankesteren’s career in technology over 20 years ago and she has never looked back.
After completing a degree in economics, Cathy was geared up for the world of finance when she was presented with an exciting opportunity to work for a data communications VAR. Despite limited knowledge, she was fascinated by the opportunities and knew she wanted to be part of a team, and an industry, that was entrepreneurial, innovative and growing exponentially.
The adventure continued when Cathy Vankesteren was invited to join End to End Networks in 1993 to help lead and execute the managed service strategies. This was the vision of the company, and a new direction in the IT industry.
Her experience in technology has enabled her to develop approaches relative to business direction, driving new sales, partner relationships and service profitability.
As Senior Vice President of End To End Networks, Cathy spearheaded initiatives that helped the company be recognized as an innovator and leader in the Canadian IT community.
Women today are increasinglydelivering excellence and leading thecharge across the high tech sectoras Channel Chiefs, Vice Presidents,Directors and leaders of their ownsolution provider organizations;making significant contributions totheir organizations and deliveringexcellence to the channel communityas a whole.
