Channel Brief: Ingram Micro Adds AWS to Xvantage AI Platform

You likely saw that the CompTIA brand, training and certification products will be acquired by investment partners H.I.G. Capital and Thoma Bravo (hopefully, you read about it here). The sale, expected to close in Q1 2025, will create two new separate and distinct organizations.

Unfortunately, there has been confusion about the future of the 501(c)(6) membership-based nonprofit association that serves the IT channel. CompTIA has clarified that, with execs weighing in.

“The association itself is not being sold,” said Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO, CompTIA, in a statement. “Only the CompTIA certification and training business, which has grown substantially in the last 10 years, is part of the transaction. The investment income on the endowment created by the sale proceeds is sufficient to cover the association's operating costs, increased charitable giving, as well as be an engine of growth, for the association in the future.”

The 501(c)(6) membership-based nonprofit association will continue to serve the IT channel and be governed by the same volunteer Board of Directors. The association’s annual budget, previously supported by certification and training sales revenues, will instead be derived from the investment income generated each year by a significant endowment from the sale proceeds. This funding model is similar to how many universities and non-profits operate.

As always, drop me a line at [email protected] if you have news to share or want to say hi!

Grab your coffee. Here's what you need to know today.

Today’s Tech, Channel and MSP News

1. Ingram Micro integrates hyperscalers into Xvantage platform: Ingram Micro is onboarding hyperscaler marketplaces into Ingram Micro's Xvantage platform, starting with AWS, the distributor announced at its Ingram Micro ONE Innovation Summit this week. The AWS Marketplace is the first to be integrated into Ingram Micro’s AI-powered Xvantage digital experience platform, followed shortly thereafter by other hyperscaler providers, according to the company. Ingram Micro customers in the U.S. can now access the AWS Marketplace via Xvantage, with other markets planned to come online in the months ahead.

2. NinjaOne creates new CxO advisory board: PSA and RMM platform NinjaOne announced the NinjaOne CxO Advisory Board with three inaugural members; Mike Anderson, chief digital and information officer at Netskope, Nick Colisto, senior vice president and chief information officer at Avery Dennison, and John Collier, senior vice president and chief information officer at Wawa. The CxO Advisory Board was specifically designed to ensure the success of NinjaOne customers and partners as they grow by adding a new dimension of feedback to research and development, go-to-market strategy, and other programs in addition to the voice of the customer, according to a statement from the company. 

3. Rewst adds client-facing HR and workflow solutions integrations: Automation platform Rewst has introduced new prebuilt integrations with QuickBooks Online, Xero, BambooHR, and ADP, the company said in a statement. Integrating with common accounting and HR platforms like these enables MSPs to expand their service portfolios and generate new revenue streams by delivering automation services to their clients, Rewst said. This marks the first in a series of steps aimed at enabling MSPs to deliver automation-as-a-service by applying their expertise in automating internal processes to building and monetizing automations for clients.

4. EasyDMARC available on Pax8 Marketplace: EasyDMARC today announced its integration with Pax8 Marketplace, the company said in a statement. This integration makes EasyDMARC one of the first DMARC solution providers on Pax8, and comes as Google highlights impressive results in email security from improved authentication measures for bulk senders. With this integration, customers can access centralized billing, automated provisioning, and the ability to bundle EasyDMARC with complementary security solutions.

5. Exterro expands leadership team with new execs: Data risk management software vendor Exterro has appointed Jim Cox as Chief Revenue Officer and John Vincenzo as Chief Marketing Officer, the company said in a statement. Cox has more than 20 years of experience building sales teams that focus on execution and cultivating outstanding partnerships. During more than a decade in cybersecurity, Jim built a network of CISOs and executive relationships that, while at Proofpoint, helped the organization scale from $100M to $1.4B in just over six years. As CRO at Exterro, one key area will be the increased focus and expansion of the company’s partner programs. Vincenzo has led both public and private technology companies’ marketing teams. He has spent the last 25+ years in technology industries, most recently with cybersecurity companies such as the privately held Nozomi Networks; Silver Peak (acquired by HPE/Aruba Networks) in the software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) space; and global networking leader 3Com (acquired by HP). As CMO, Vincenzo will be responsible for increasing the visibility of the company and accelerating revenue growth by working closely with the sales teams and the Exterro Partner ecosystem. Congratulations!

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