OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. – The Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) today announced the launch of the PeerTrust Circles program for IT service providers (ITSPs) during the GTIA North America Community & Councils Forum and Spotlight Awards in Chicago. Purpose-built for today’s security-driven channel ecosystem, the program establishes a new model for peer collaboration rooted in member-defined trust metrics, objective benchmarking, and GTIA’s globally recognized cybersecurity resources.
By leveraging GTIA’s unbiased expertise in research, standards, education, and community engagement, PeerTrust Circles establish a trust-centric environment that enables members to candidly discuss issues, benchmark leadership qualities, and access role-specific insights. As an impartial and confidential platform, the PeerTrust Circles are structured to facilitate development through targeted leadership initiatives and pathways, supported by GTIA programs and peer contributions, thereby fostering a committed community where executives can share challenges and promote professional growth and accountability.
“GTIA is proud to introduce the PeerTrust Circles program as a new member benefit,” said MJ Shoer, Chief Community Officer of GTIA. “Peer collaboration has always been an integral part of the GTIA mission, and this program responds to our members’ desire to come together in more intimate and impactful ways. This program elevates members by placing trust, resilience, and security maturity at the center of the experience. By aligning trust metrics with our Cybersecurity Trustmark standards, participants gain meaningful, practical insight that strengthens both their organizations and the wider channel community.”
Setting a New Standard for Trust and Security in Peer Collaboration
The security-first approach of the PeerTrust Circles program incorporates real-time GTIA ISAO threat intelligence, GTIA’s Cybersecurity Trustmark, and security maturity benchmarking education into peer discussions, alongside anonymized data and case studies.
Launching first in North America, the program will ultimately encompass GTIA's global and multi-regional framework leveraging six international communities, namely ANZ, ASEAN, Benelux, DACH, North America, and the UK & Ireland, to foster regional peer circles that promote cross-pollination of best practices and market insights across various time zones.
The PeerTrust Circles initiative also provides a clear pathway for GTIA members toward industry recognition, linking participation to enhancements to GTIA’s Cybersecurity Programs and increased visibility at prominent events such as ChannelCon.
“Collectively, these distinguishing features establish GTIA’s PeerTrust Circles as a comprehensive, reputable, and internationally focused platform dedicated to professional, operational, and cybersecurity excellence and leadership,” added Shoer.
Introducing the GWIT C-Suite PeerTrust Circle
The inaugural PeerTrust Circle to be launched is a specialized PeerTrust circle designed exclusively for female C-suite leaders. The GTIA GWIT (Global Women in Tech) C-Suite PeerTrust Circle looks to address substantive executive challenges, enhance accountability, and develop a scalable support model that elevates leadership standards across the industry.
“The PeerTrust model creates a level of trust and candor I haven’t experienced elsewhere,” said Jennifer Roy, CEO of Nucleus, who was instrumental in the development of the program. “Within the GWIT C-Suite PeerTrust Circle, GTIA has established a forum whereby senior executives can openly discuss challenges, confidently benchmark, and exchange insights with organizations globally. This initiative not only enhances our individual businesses but also promotes the industry's overall maturation and underscores the notable contributions of female leaders in advancing the IT channel.”
Membership Structure and Engagement Model
Membership in an ITSP PeerTrust Circle is exclusively for GTIA members who operate in different geographic markets or have different service specializations to ensure non-competition. Each PeerTrust Circle will consist of 8 to 10 members with aligned revenues to ensure peer relevance. Meetings will be held quarterly as 90-minute virtual sessions, culminating in an in-person gathering at ChannelCon or ChannelCon EMEA annually.
Participants must commit to a 12-month term with the option to renew. Facilitation is provided by GTIA staff or trained facilitators. All participants agree to adhere to the Chatham House Rules for confidentiality.
More information and an interest list for the GTIA PeerTrust Circles is available here.
About the Global Technology Industry Association
The Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) is the only vendor-neutral, 501(c)(6) nonprofit membership community connecting and representing the worldwide IT channel. We set our members up for success by providing benefits that include trusted resources and networking opportunities. In addition, the association sets industry standards that enable companies to build sustainable, secure and profitable businesses in an ever-changing technology landscape. Internationally, GTIA represents hundreds of thousands of professionals from more than 2,500 ITSPs, vendors, distributors and other companies serving the IT channel.
For more information, visit gtia.org.
Media contact:
Suzanne Collier , WhiteFox Marketing for GTIA
