TOP STORY

Tech Leaders Flock to Chicago in April

More than 240 technology leaders already have registered for CompTIA’s inaugural Annual Member Meeting, and another 58 are expected at the co-located CompTIA Colloquium in Chicago this week.

CompTIA members will help define the direction the IT industry will take, and CompTIA’s new communities will meet to build partnerships and share best practices. Some of the sessions include candid discussions about where the channel is headed and how CompTIA can pave the way; proven approaches to vertical and niche security markets; and what IT solution providers need to do to capitalize on cloud computing.

Top executives in the technology training world gather each year at the invitation-only Colloquium symposium, which helps shape the future of tech learning. Executives from leading IT training, content, publishing and testing companies gather to discuss trends in learning technologies, global workforce development issues and what is on the horizon.

All attendees can network at the joint Welcome Reception on April 7 and participate in the CompTIA Educational Foundation’s Charity Miniature Golf Classic. Pearson VUE and Xerox are the title sponsors for the event, where CompTIA members and technology leaders will help fund training for the disadvantaged and disabled. Attendees also can match shots with George McLeod, the second highest ranked professional mini-golfer.

Not signed up? Register for the Annual Member Meeting or Colloquium.

Learn about the Mini-Golf Classic.

TOPICS IN FOCUS

Healthcare IT

Stimulus Funding Could Be a Boon to Healthcare IT

The HIT funding through the U.S. economic stimulus package includes $2 billion in immediate, discretionary funding for the Office of the National Coordinator and an estimated $29 billion to be paid out through Medicare and Medicaid incentives.
Read the whitepaper (CompTIA members only)

IT Security

Building a Better Business Model for IT Security

Many VARs and MSPs offer security applications to their clients, but could use help developing this expertise and in transitioning from a reactive focus on security to a proactive approach.
Read the blog post
Hear more tips from security experts at AMM

IT Services & Support

Benchmarking Services Performance

On average, IT Services and Support Community members state that between 50-80% of their total net profit margin comes from services. How can we benchmark success?
Read more

Managed IT Services

No Longer a Niche Offering, But a Core Market

MSP Partners has just published its 2010 IPED managed services research and education courses and the emerging industry trends are truly compelling.
Read more

Green IT

New Certificate and Tools to Go Green

Organizations increasingly factor "green" into their decision making processes. Check out the CompTIA Webinar that covers green IT market potential, sales strategies, and both existing and proposed environmental regulations.

View the Webinar
Learn about the new CompTIA Strata Green IT certificate

Small Business Owners

BOOM! 7 Choices for Blowing the Doors Off Business-As-Usual

BOOM! is about creating a culture of commitment and accountability—one choice at a time!

Hear from author Kevin Freiberg at AMM

COMPTIA EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

All the Key Players Going to Texas

The top VARs, vendors, distributors and IT media will be in San Antonio this August for CompTIA Breakaway, North America's premier event for the IT channel. Watch for updates to the agenda and more details coming soon.
Sign up to get the latest Breakaway news

Breakaway Booth Included with Vendor Membership

Technology vendors who join CompTIA — for as little as $625 a year — receive a FREE 10x10 booth at CompTIA Breakaway (valued at $5,000). In addition, CompTIA provides monthly show specials for vendors to layer on more visibility at no extra cost! In our effort to facilitate more networking opportunities, CompTIA’s new My Breakaway site provides an innovative online matchmaking service for the IT channel, vendors and the media to engage and network before the event.
Read the press release
Learn more about CompTIA Breakaway 2010

New EU Benchmark Helps Companies Evaluate Performance

CompTIA’s new Cost-to-Serve Benchmark for technology services companies in the European Union measures some 50 key performance indicators to help providers gain insight into how optimized their service operation is compared to others in the industry.
Read more

CompTIA Returns to its Roots

In the 1980s CompTIA originated as an organization that allowed like-minded individuals to sit around the same table and look for ways to help the industry grow through group action. The CompTIA of today has rediscovered those roots. Learn about CompTIA’s recent accomplishments and its goals for 2010.
Download your copy of the Annual Report

Regional Workshops Focus on Strategy and Execution

Feel an immediate positive impact on your business. Workshops designed to help technology solution provider companies develop and implement strategic plans will be offered in six cities this year by CompTIA.
Learn more and register for the workshops

MEMBER PROGRAMS

New Recurring Payment Plan for VARs

Resellers can save $10 a year on a CompTIA membership by signing up for the new CompTIA recurring payment plan. Small business owners can now pay just $20 a month instead of the $250 annual fee! Spread the word...
Join CompTIA

Save Money on Your Credit Card Processing

First National provides CompTIA members with a payment processing solution that provides competitive rates and unparalleled customer service.
Read more

IT WORKFORCE

CompTIA Strata Green IT Exam Now Available Worldwide

Green IT is at the heart of virtually every aspect of sustainability, from the power grid, smart buildings and environmental control systems to telepresence, telecommuting and virtualization. To fulfill the promise of green IT, technology professionals must add new skills unique to its environment.
Read more

Chicago Academy Challenges Students to Think Big

To lead the way for the industry and help transform the lives of students who lack socioeconomic advantages, CompTIA donated $150,000 to the Chicago Academy for Advanced Technology, (CAAT), a new Chicago public high school pioneering the college and career-prep approach to education for the city’s underserved youth.
Read more
Donate to the Academy (email us)

Teachers: Nominate Outstanding Students for IT Merit Awards

IT teachers can recognize their outstanding students who have trained for and received a CompTIA certification and help them win at least $250 to further their pursuit of an IT career. Nominations for the CompTIA Educational Foundation’s spring IT Merit Awards are open until May 1. Nominate a student
Endow a scholarship

RESEARCH & TRENDS

CompTIA Research: E-Discovery Trends and Practices

As Dwight Schrute would say, “Fact: the small and medium size business (SMB) sector is critically important to the IT industry.” From the sheer number of SMB establishments to the 60 million plus Americans who work in small or medium businesses, the sector represents a large and diverse market for IT products and services. But, the SMB market is not without its unique needs and challenges, as any IT firm operating in the space will tell you. Join Tim Herbert, VP of research at CompTIA, Tuesday, April 27, from 1-2 p.m. CT if you are focused on strategic planning, sales, or marketing and looking to better understand the SMB market.
Learn more and register for the Webinar

POLICY WATCH

Liz Hyman Named New Head of CompTIA Public Advocacy

Liz Hyman will be responsible for the Association’s outreach to members of Congress, the Executive Branch, government agencies and other organizations at the federal, state and local levels of government that shape and influence public policy affecting the IT industry. “We intend to strongly convey to both elected officials and government executives the impact, importance and value of the IT industry,” Hyman said.
Read more

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