First-time contenders stand out as IBM partner awards finalists

Newcomers and previous winners are among the finalists in this year's competition

A large number of first-time contenders will challenge past winners in this year’s annual IBM Business Partner Awards.

Many former winners are among the finalists, announced today, as well as a raft of newcomers.

The 2008 IBM Business Partner Awards, held in association with New Zealand Reseller News, aims to recognise and reward the outstanding achievements of IBM business partners and IT resellers. This is the event's third year.

This year's awards were extended with the inclusion of four new categories – Best Energy Efficient Solution, Rookie of the Year, Best Co-Marketing Campaign and People’s Choice Reseller award.

The new categories helped to attract a record number of entries, as well as many first-time entrants, says Reseller News associate publisher Bill Bennett.

“We have a very wide spread of entries with many companies appearing as finalists for the first time. We have also had a huge response to People’s Choice Reseller award.”

Newcomers to the awards include large integrators Eagle Technology and Maclean Computing, which is a finalist in three categories – Infrastructure Optimisation, Best Growth Driven Solution and Best Energy Efficient Solution.

However, there are also a big number of smaller entrants among the finalist, including Fusion5, OneNet, Computer Forensics and Viti Technology Solutions, which is also a finalist in two categories – Best Co-Marketing Campaign and Infrastructure Optimisation.

Leading the charge for the smaller newcomers are the two finalists in the new Rookie of the Year category - Intrical and Password.

The Rookie of the Year award aims to recognise an up and coming reseller’s excellence in delivering and supporting IBM’s solutions and services.

Meanwhile, last year’s overall Supreme Award winner Integral Technology Group is also a finalist in two categories – Information Management and Best Energy Efficient Solution.

Winner of the inaugural awards in 2006, Solnet Solutions appears as a finalist again this year, in the Workplace Collaboration category.

The 2008 IBM Business Partner Awards will be presented at a ceremony on Thursday, November 6.

Voting in the People’s Choice Reseller award remains open until 9am on October 31.

For more details visit: http://ibmbpawards.co.nz

Below is the full list of finalists:

Rookie of the Year
Intrical
Password

Best Built on Express
Pulse IT
Fusion5

Best Growth Driven Solution
Crossware
OneNet
CDP Group
Maclean Computing

Best non-IBM Business Partner
Sentient Software
Computer Forensics

Best Co-Marketing Campaign
Viti Technology Solutions
Eagle Technology Group
OSS

Workplace Collaboration
Certus Solutions
Solnet Solutions
Crossware

Infrastructure Optimisation
Maclean Computing
SAS IT
Viti Technology Solutions
Smart Computer Systems

Information Management
Tenzing
CDP Group
Integral Technology Group

Best Energy Efficient
Maclean Computing
Integral Technology Group