CompTIA Opens New Chapter As 2014 Annual Member Meeting Closes

New open access model makes association’s resources available to more companies and people

CompTIA, the leading non-profit association for the information technology (IT) industry, used the occasion of its 2014 Annual Member Meeting here this week to introduce a new membership model, making its content, programs and resources available to a broader audience.

More than 250 IT channel executives and leaders were on hand as CompTIA unveiled its new open access model. Designed to advance the IT industry and help make channel partners more successful, the new model provides registered users with no-cost access to a wide selection of web-based content. Premier members have access to the full array of CompTIA content, plus additional benefits.

We want to help more companies and more individuals make more informed decisions about technology and the IT channel,” said Nancy Hammervik, senior vice president, industry relations, CompTIA.

CompTIA Communities Meet
Several CompTIA member communities held breakout sessions during the Annual Member Meeting. These groups of subject matter experts and leaders in technology solutions and market segments help set the direction for future CompTIA initiatives and programs. The CompTIA Blog has highlights from some of this week’s community meetings.

Keynote speaker and author Todd Henry urged attendees to be both “productively passionate” and “fiercely curious” to produce brilliant work.

“Don’t short circuit the creative process just to get something done,” Henry said. “We can easily fall prey to settling. Brilliance demands the discipline and the bravery to push on and not settle.”

The meeting also featured three Power Talks, on The New IT Decision Makers, Business Agility: Preparing for What’s Next and Killer Apps, Technologies and Games Changers that Will Rock the Channel. Recaps of these sessions are found on the CompTIA Blog.

Awards and Honors
This week’s gathering of IT channel executives and business owners also included recognition and honors for three industry leaders.

David P. Smith, vice president for field services at Dallas-based CompuCom Systems, Inc. received the CompTIA Lifetime Achievement Award for his many years of service to the association and the IT channel.

“We’ve done a lot of good things for the industry,” Smith said in accepting the award. “We’ve had one common goal. All we’ve wanted to do was improve service for our customers.”

Two new members were inducted into the IT Hall of Fame this week. Artist Susan Kare is the designer of many typefaces, icons and marketing materials for the original Macintosh operating system and other computer products. Also inducted was Robert Faletra, chief executive officer of The Channel Company, a leading media outlet covering the IT channel and industry.

For more details about CompTIA’s new open access model, or to become a CompTIA registered user or premier member, visit https://www.comptia.org/members.aspx.

About CompTIA
CompTIA is the voice of the world’s information technology (IT) industry. Its members are the companies at the forefront of innovation; and the professionals responsible for maximizing the benefits organizations receive from their investments in technology. CompTIA is dedicated to advancing industry growth through its educational programs, market research, networking events, professional certifications, and public policy advocacy. For more information, visit www.comptia.org.