CLEARWATER, Fla., June 25, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tech Data Corporation (Nasdaq:TECD) today announced that Charles Kriete, the Company's Executive Vice President, TDMobility, has been recognized by UBM Channel as a part of CRN's 2012 "100 People You Don't Know But Should" list. The second annual list recognizes individual professionals who are responsible for driving the behind-the-scenes efforts in channel marketing, operations and sales. According to CRN, "the '100 People You Don't Know But Should' are the Directors, Vice Presidents and Officers who lead their channel program without fanfare, exhibiting the strength, determination and creativity required to support solution providers on a daily basis."
Kriete has served as Executive Vice President of TDMobility, a joint venture between Tech Data Corporation and Brightstar, since 2011. In this position, he is responsible for sales, marketing, business development and implementation of the company's mobility growth strategy. Prior to TDMobility, Kriete was President, CEO and co-founder of OTBT, where he led the company's growth from the start-up phase to the leading master distributor in the IT Channel. Prior to founding OTBT, he held various positions with CDW Corporation. He holds a B.A. from Lake Forest College.
"Charles has propelled Tech Data to change the game in our industry with the launch of TDMobility," said Joe Quaglia, senior vice president, U.S. Marketing and president, TDMobility at Tech Data. "He is an industry expert with broad knowledge of the mobile market and a deep understanding of the latest trends in mobile technology, which enables him to help develop the best tools for our reseller customers. The early success and adoption of TDMobility is a testament to Charles' leadership and the efforts of our entire TDMobility team, and we look for continued success in this rapidly growing market."
TDMobility simplifies resellers' entry into the mobile market, providing the industry's first end-to-end platform encompassing mobile hardware, software, service plans, activation and billing, regardless of the carrier. Tech Data has key agreements in place with today's leading wireless carriers, enabling resellers to activate and manage lines on behalf of each mobile carrier. TDMobility features two flagship offerings, CellManage™ and TDActivateTM, designed to streamline end-users' wireless infrastructure and save reseller customers both time and money. Additionally, the Company has armed its resellers with access to TDMobility University, which includes sales and product training and access to demo programs.
"I'm pleased to deliver our second annual list of '100 People You Don't Know But Should' by continuing to honor the unsung leaders in the IT channel," said Kelley Damore, vice president and editorial director, UBM Channel. "This list recognizes the behind-the-scenes influencers who are making a significant impact on their company's channel program, and the channel as a whole, by working in any capacity necessary to drive profit and success. While solution providers may already be aware of an organization's channel chief, many are still unaware of the individuals behind the chiefs – the home office shot-callers responsible for delivering a successful channel program. I'm pleased to bring attention to their contributions."
A sample of the list will be published in print and online at www.CRN.com on June 25, 2012.
About Tech Data
Tech Data Corporation is one of the world's largest wholesale distributors of technology products. Its advanced logistics capabilities and value added services enable 125,000 resellers in more than 100 countries to efficiently and cost effectively support the diverse technology needs of end users. Tech Data generated $26.5 billion in net sales for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012, and is ranked 109th on the Fortune 500®. To learn more, visit www.techdata.com.
The Tech Data Corporation logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=10666
About UBM Channel: (www.ubmchannel.com)
UBM Channel is the premier provider of IT channel-focused events, media, research, consulting, and sales and marketing services. With over 30 years of experience and engagement, UBM Channel has the unmatched channel expertise to execute integrated solutions for technology executives managing partner recruitment, enablement and go-to-market strategy in order to accelerate technology sales. UBM Channel is a UBM company. To learn more about UBM Channel, visit us at www.ubmchannel.com.