If there is one thing everyone in the IT channel has in common, it’s our ability to adapt and conquer as our industry evolves. After a successful rebrand of our association and an exciting CEO announcement, the Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) is gearing up for our best ChannelCon yet—making it the year to join us July 29-31 in Nashville.
Haven’t registered yet? Get your spot today.
Our new CEO, Dan Wensley, talks a lot about the four pillars GTIA is centered around: People, resources, community and advancement. The ChannelCon 2025 agenda has been shaped around these four pillars, across four educational tracks designed for IT solution providers (ITSPs) and MSPs, vendors, distributors and everyone in between.
Let’s take a look at what you can expect at ChannelCon 2025!
View the full ChannelCon agenda.
GTIA Welcome and Member of the Year Lunch
Join us as GTIA CEO Dan Wensley along with MJ Shoer, chief community officer, kick off ChannelCon. Dan will share our new GTIA mission focusing on four key pillars and the duo will announce our GTIA Member of the Year, recognizing a single member who, in the prior 12 months, demonstrated outstanding service and impact through his/her commitment, passion, professionalism and leadership in assisting GTIA as it advances the IT industry.
State of the Industry and Annual Member Meeting
Dan Wensley will take the stage again with the GTIA Board of Directors as they discuss trends impacting the IT channel, and how they’re addressing each within their own organizations. Hear how GTIA is strengthening the channel ecosystem through philanthropy and what we’re doing to connect, educate and equip you to drive technological innovation. We’ll also highlight the work of the GTIA Foundation and plans moving forward as we continue to increase our charitable giving.
Keynote Presentation: Noelle Russell, Leading AI Innovator & Practitioner
It’s easy to think of artificial intelligence (AI) as anti-human. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. For AI to deliver intentional outcomes, it needs human guidance and leadership. That’s the overarching theme of ChannelCon 2025: The future is human, and our dynamic keynote presentations embody that very idea. Read more.
Keynote Presentation: Kim Scott, Leadership & Culture Expert
We all work in technology, and we all get excited about how technological innovations are shaping the future in real time. But we also understand that technology doesn’t replace human connections. In fact, when done right, technology amplifies our ability to reach each other. Read more.
Take a Look: ITSP/MSP Success Track
Learn about the latest sales and marketing strategies that will keep your customers (and your bottom line) happy. Hear from industry experts about the trends and best practices that will elevate your business.
Here are a few session highlights:
What’s Up with Your Customers? Exploring SMB Tech Buying Trends 2025
Historically, SMB-sized customers have comprised the sweet spot of the typical channel firm’s customer base. And though smaller in size, over the years these customers have exhibited a healthy appetite for technology as a strategic asset to their business. Does that hold true for 2025? If you want to better understand what today’s SMBs are prioritizing in their tech purchasing plans; how much and on what they plan to spend; what types of providers they buy from; and how current economic conditions like tariffs are impacting their decision-making, this is the session for you. Carolyn April, vice president, research and market intelligence, GTIA, will present new research offering a view into a wide range of SMB tech- and business-related findings that today’s channel firms will find essential to best target and serve this fruitful ecosystem.
AI-Powered Sales Mastery: Unleashing Generative Magic for MSP Lead Generation and Appointment Setting
In today's hyper-competitive sales landscape, the power of AI is indispensable for sales professionals seeking to identify ideal prospects and streamline appointment-setting processes. Join Erick Simpson, chief strategist, Channel Mastered, as he equips you with the tools and strategies necessary to leverage generative AI effectively for managed services and cybersecurity lead generation and appointment setting.
Next Wave of MSP Threats & Opportunities with Shadow IT & GenAI
The emergence of generative AI, exemplified by solutions like ChatGPT and DeepSeek, has sparked a transformational wave of shadow IT unlike anything we’ve seen. Because these tools often come with a simple website login and minimal oversight, employees are embracing them at an unchecked velocity. Meanwhile, security, compliance and business continuity all hang in the balance. In this session, John Harden, director, strategy and technology evangelism, Auvik, will dissect unique published data drawn from user behaviors to illustrate how AI and SaaS usage patterns are evolving within client environments.
Take a Look: Cybersecurity Track
Your best defense against cyber threats is a solid cybersecurity framework that everyone in your business buys into. Today’s cyber strategies must be embedded in your company culture. Learn from security leaders about how to identify the latest threats and respond proactively to keep your business and your customers safe.
Here are a few session highlights:
Beyond the Cyber Checkbox: Building Real Security & Resilience in the MSP Ecosystem
Compliance frameworks set the baseline—but they don’t make organizations secure. In today’s evolving threat landscape, ITSPs and their clients must go beyond the checkbox to build true cybersecurity resilience. Jason Rorie, CEO, Triad InfoSec, will unpack the critical gap between compliance and security, revealing why passing an audit doesn’t mean a business is safe.
Hardwired for Resilience
Misconfigurations are one of the most persistent and preventable threats facing managed environments today. In this session we’ll explore how standardized secure configuration management can help ITSPs move from reactive firefighting to proactive control. You’ll learn how configuration drift creates risk and overhead and why locking in your baseline is one of the most high-impact things you can do for both your clients and your own margins. Zachary Kromkowski, vice president, config integrity, Senteon Managed Endpoint Hardening, will lead a talk packed with real-world lessons and tactics to help you harden your stack streamline your services and reduce ticket noise without increasing your workload.
The Risk Report Your Clients Will Actually Read
Most small business clients don't understand threat vectors—but they do understand risk to their bottom line. John Tippett, vice president, marketing, Cytracom will share strategies to present external and internal cyber risk in a way that connects with decision-makers. This session will show how leading ITSPs are using simple, visual reporting to drive QBRs, renewals and upsells.
Related content: Cybersecurity to Take Center Stage in Nashville
Take a Look: Community Insights
Get peer advice from GTIA member leaders on overcoming professional challenges, reaching career goals and getting involved in GTIA member groups like women in technology, DEI and mentorship opportunities.
Here are a few session highlights:
How Will AI Agents Revolutionize the MSP Industry and What Should You Do About It?
The MSP industry stands at the brink of a transformative shift driven by AI agents. As AI-driven automation rapidly gains traction within MSP operations, forward-thinking MSP owners must understand, adapt and leverage this game-changing technology to stay competitive. Daniel Wang, CEO, MSPbots.ai, will share how AI agents are already reshaping day-to-day MSP operations—from proactive ticket triaging and intelligent automation to real-time customer interactions and predictive analytics. More importantly, you'll learn practical steps to ensure your MSP business is prepared to fully harness the potential of AI agents.
Take a Look: Vendor Education
ITSPs and other tech businesses are always looking for new tools to build innovative solutions but knowing how to use the tools can be a challenge. As a tech vendor, learn how to engage in meaningful discussions with partners and get valuable insights to build, and invigorate, successful relationships.
Here are a few session highlights:
Managing the Technology Channel Part 1
Managing the Technology Channel Part 1 offers those in channel management roles the opportunity to further develop the skills and knowledge needed to lead initiatives and investments that drive indirect sales revenue. Stacy Whitley, sr. CAE, marketplace and telco, Sophos will lead the eight-module bootcamp designed to give participants the mindset, concepts, knowledge and skills to grow into an “evolved channel manager.”
- - Module 1: Defining a Successful Channel Account Manager (CAM)
- - Module 2: Developing a Partner Value Proposition
- - Module 3: Aligning and Prioritizing Partners
- - Module 4: Evaluating and Accelerating Productivity
- - Module 5: Building a Ramp Plan
- - Module 6: Managing Channel Partners
- - Module 7: Marketing with Channel Partners
- - Module 8: Partner and Customer Experience
Managing the Technology Channel Part 2
Building on the foundations of Part 1, Managing the Technology Part 2 is an eight-module bootcamp led by Greg Plum, principal, PlumUC, that prepares channel account managers (CAMs) to improve the vendor value proposition through strategic partner planning, enabling recurring revenue and developing a better understanding of the partner experience and customer experience.
- - Module 1: Conducting Partner Assessments
- - Module 2: Strategic Partner Planning and Methodology
- - Module 3: Understanding the Buying Process
- - Module 4: Value Proposition Statements
- - Module 5: Understanding Systems
- - Module 6: Understanding Partner Business
- - Module 7: Identifying Recurring Revenue Strategies
- - Module 8: Developing Financial Acumen
Channel Connections: The Final Course
Don't pack your bags just yet! The most valuable connections often happen over a great meal. Join ChannelCon vendors as they host exclusive dinners where partnerships are forged and opportunities are served alongside exceptional cuisine.
At these vendor-hosted Channel Connections dinners, you'll have direct access to vendors in a relaxed setting, making it easier to discuss your business challenges and discover tailored solutions. Learn about game-changing partnerships, exclusive promotions and insider knowledge that can give you competitive advantages.
These vendor-hosted dinners represent the culmination of ChannelCon—as vendors confirm their dinner details, check back here for a listing of hosted dinners and details to RSVP.
