Quick Answer: ChannelCon 2026 took place August 3–5 in San Diego, where GTIA launched local chapters for local member networking, formed the Consortium for Responsible IT Services with Texas A&M to build cybersecurity standards for IT services, introduced the Managed Intelligence Alliance to set standards for AI delivery, and was selected by the United Nations to host "AI for Good" events in the United States and UK. GTIA also named Brook Lee of Rev.io its 2026 Member of the Year and announced ChannelCon 2027 will be held in Orlando, July 27–29.
ChannelCon 2026 brought the IT channel together in San Diego, and the energy matched the setting. IT service providers, MSPs, vendors and distributors connected across sessions covering AI, cybersecurity, community and growth strategy—and the conversations didn't stop when the sessions ended. There was a lot packed into a few days. Whether you were with us in San Diego or missed it, here are 10 things you may have missed at ChannelCon 2026.
GTIA Launches Local Chapters
Members have been telling us the same thing for a while: They love the global GTIA community, but they want more ways to connect close to home. At ChannelCon 2026, we answered that with the launch of GTIA local chapters—member-led, member-run groups that create space for local meetups, collaboration and peer networking right where members live and work. GTIA funds the chapters, so there's no added cost to participate. Sixteen chapters are already forming worldwide, and four have already held their first meetings, in Tempe, AZ; Toronto, ON; and Adelaide and Sydney, Australia.
Consortium for Responsible IT Services Launches
Unregulated IT services won't define the next era of this industry—our members will. That's the idea behind the new Consortium for Responsible IT Services, formed by GTIA and Texas A&M's Global Cyber Research Institute to establish a Self-Regulatory Organization (SRO) for IT services. The SRO will define the cybersecurity, operational, professional and technical standards that govern IT service providers, with a focus on cyber resilience. GTIA members get visibility into the Consortium's work and early access to its outputs. Founding participants The 20, New Charter and Pax8 have already joined, with more expected to follow. The Consortium's first meeting takes place this October, alongside the Texas A&M Global Cyber Research Institute Summit.
Managed Intelligence Alliance Sets Out to Define AI Standards
Every organization is figuring out how to use AI, and how to deliver it responsibly—but there's no shared framework for what "good" looks like yet. GTIA's new Managed Intelligence Alliance aims to change that. The Alliance's mission is to make the delivery of managed intelligence repeatable, governable and trustworthy at scale. Members get a seat at the table while the standards for this category are still being written, and GTIA is inviting organizations across the channel to join.
AI Essentials Training Library Now a Member Benefit
Building AI capability takes practical training, not just good intentions. That's why GTIA partnered with CompTIA to bring the AI Essentials Training Library to members, launching at ChannelCon. The library gives every role in an organization—technical teams, sales, marketing and leadership—access to hands-on AI training and CompTIA competency certificates that validate real skills. It's included with membership, so entire teams can take advantage.
Innovate Award Winners Recognized
ChannelCon introduced the first-ever Innovate Award finalists, with attendees voting on the winners. The awards celebrate IT service providers who have put AI solutions to work with measurable business impact—proven results, not pilots. Congratulations to this year's winners:
Best Internal AI Solution: Nucleus
Best Customer AI Solution: Sentry Technology Solutions
GTIA Selected to Host UN's "AI for Good" Initiative
GTIA has been selected by the United Nations to host the "AI for Good" initiative in the United States and the UK, a natural fit with GTIA's mission to drive innovation and technical standards, expand digital access and advance AI solutions that improve lives and communities. For members, this opens doors most organizations can't access on their own: Early visibility into emerging technologies, insight into evolving standards and a platform to showcase innovation globally. Three virtual and hybrid AI-focused events will run each year in the U.S. and UK, each with an open call for solutions. Top performers from both markets will compete at the UN "AI for Good" annual summit in Geneva next July.
Brook Lee Named GTIA 2026 Member of the Year
Brook Lee will tell you she's not special—she'll say it plainly, describing how she walked back into the IT workforce after years away and simply decided that was a problem to solve, not a reason to stop. As senior director of community and channel at Rev.io, a SaaS platform built for MSPs, Brook has spent four years proving that mindset inside GTIA: Chairing the North America Global Women in Technology (GWIT) Interest Group, co-chairing the North American Executive Council, authoring an industry guidebook, building a scalable program toolkit and participating in—and replicating—GTIA's mentorship program. For all of it, Brook Lee is GTIA's 2026 Member of the Year. Read more.
Channel Visionaries Power Panel Tackles What's Next
Top executives took the stage for the Channel Visionaries Power Panel to unpack the forces shaping the channel's future. It's worth a watch for anyone thinking about where the industry is headed next. Read more.
Keynotes Brought Star Power and Real Insight
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard joined GTIA's Tracy Pound for a conversation on collaborative leadership and creative evolution, sharing how staying true to a vision requires the flexibility to evolve and the courage to embrace new tools. Bestselling author Alex Banayan brought his acclaimed Third Door™ framework to the ChannelCon stage, drawing on interviews with leaders from Bill Gates to Lady Gaga to reveal the mindsets behind breakthrough success.
ChannelCon 2027 Heads to Orlando
We're headed to Orlando! Join us July 27–29, 2027, at the Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes for ChannelCon 2027.
