Channel Partners Conference this year will include winners of two major awards programs – one an established program and the other brand new. The Channel Partners Circle of Excellence returns for the 13th year, while the Channel Partners Tech Advisors (TA) Thought Leaders makes its debut on the conference stage.

Presented each year during the conference, the Circle of Excellence recognizes channel leaders for outstanding dedication and contributions to the entire channel ecosystem. The Circle of Excellence honors executives for their vision and mentorship within the channel community and their innovation and advocacy of the indirect technology and communications channel.

These winners come from every facet of the entire channel ecosystem and are honored during a special awards ceremony at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo. The award recognizes channel professionals who are strategically invested in creating business value for their channel partners.

The Channel Partners Team recognizes channel professionals who are promoters of their organizations and industry showcasing the economic and strategic benefits of leveraging the indirect sales channel. These executives are advocates of the indirect sales channel and are dedicated to supporting their partners’ needs and growth. They support initiatives like the Channel Partners Conference & Expo and MSP Summit that serve as the largest gathering places for the channel community to receive education, training and sourcing of new solutions to support their end-user client’s needs.

The goal of the awards is to inspire and empower channel professionals to advocate for their partners and develop and support their companies’ indirect sales & marketing programs.

The 12 2025 Circle of Excellence winners include six channel leaders, two CEOs of the year, two channel executives of the year, one distribution executive of the year and a channel sales leader.

They were:

• CEOs -- Michelle Accardi, Liongard; Joan Logan, GTT
• Channel Executives -- Rick James Stapp, ConnectUS Wireless; Eric Torres, Engagement, Pax8
• Distribution Executive -- Jennifer Dimas, Telarus
• Channel Leaders -- Tim Barton-Wines, HaloPSA; Ken McCray, Fortinet; Louise McEvoy, Trend Micro; Michael Quince, NICE; Kristy Thomas, Vonage; Mark Tina, Verizon.
• Channel Sales Leader -- Alicia Richter, T-Mobile for Business

You can find more about last year’s winners here, and all previous winners since 2014 are listed here.

As with the Circle of Excellence, the TA candidates are in the judging stage and winners will be selected soon.

While the Circle of Excellence winners recognize vendors and execs from all around the channel, the new TA Thought Leader awards are specifically for TAs and agents – a segment of the channel that often goes under-appreciated in the overall industry. This new program will shine a spotlight on the trailblazers, innovators, and visionaries who are redefining the communications channel and setting new benchmarks for excellence.

Check this site and Channel Partners social media to find the 2026 winners for the Circle of Excellence and TA Thought Leaders. And watch for news about how they will be honored during the Channel Partners Conference April 11-13 in Las Vegas.