Image Gallery: Synnex Varnex Fall 2018 Featuring HP
Palm Springs was the place to be.
A tight-knit community of resellers is still talking about their visit to Palm Springs.
Synnex hosted its fall Varnex conference at the desert locale’s J.W. Marriott last week.
The event occurred in the same week and location as the Cloud Catalyst Conference, so a wide variety of Synnex executives were in attendance. Varnex also featured a concurrent for Canadian resellers.
The week was an opportunity for partners to meet and learn from vendors, engage with Varnex personnel, take part in intensive education sessions and to collaborate with one another. As Bob Stegner, senior vice president, North American marketing, told us, “You get out of Varnex what you put into it.”
Scroll through the nine images below to see what went down in Palm Springs.
Opening Reception
Resellers, vendors and Synnex employees gathered in the "The Grove" behind the J.W. Marriott for an evening of leisure. Attendees socialized, sipped adult beverages and munched on food. There was a wide variety of grub available, including mac 'n' cheese, sliders and a colorful assortment of desserts.
Resellers, vendors and Synnex employees gathered in the "The Grove" behind the J.W. Marriott for an evening of leisure. Attendees socialized, sipped adult beverages and munched on food. There was a wide variety of grub available, including mac 'n' cheese, sliders and a colorful assortment of desserts.
Meals
Attendees enjoyed buffets for breakfast and lunch at the conference. The conference listed 260 as the official number of reseller attendees, but that doesn't account for vendor partners. Synnex also hosted its Cloud Catalyst Conference at the same hotel earlier in the week.
Attendees enjoyed buffets for breakfast and lunch at the conference. The conference listed 260 as the official number of reseller attendees, but that doesn't account for vendor partners. Synnex also hosted its Cloud Catalyst Conference at the same hotel earlier in the week.
Stegner
Bob Stegner went full hipster Thursday morning. The senior vice president of North American marketing served as emcee for the event, and ran a "Weekend Update"-esque news desk where he interviewed partners and colleagues about the state of their busineses.
Stegner joined Synnex from Ingram Micro in 2007 and is one of the chief architects of the Varnex group.
Bob Stegner went full hipster Thursday morning. The senior vice president of North American marketing served as emcee for the event, and ran a "Weekend Update"-esque news desk where he interviewed partners and colleagues about the state of their busineses.
Stegner joined Synnex from Ingram Micro in 2007 and is one of the chief architects of the Varnex group.
Steve Jow
The Synnex senior vice president of sales talked about leadership in his keynote. He emphasized the strides Synnex reseller partners have made to grow their businesses and shared numbers of the growth of Synnex and Varnex. He also reported that the distributor's acquisitions of Westcon-Comstor and Convergys are correlating with improved quarterly financial numbers.
The Synnex senior vice president of sales talked about leadership in his keynote. He emphasized the strides Synnex reseller partners have made to grow their businesses and shared numbers of the growth of Synnex and Varnex. He also reported that the distributor's acquisitions of Westcon-Comstor and Convergys are correlating with improved quarterly financial numbers.
HP
David Lary, HP's vice president of Americas supplies sales, walked on stage Thursday to discuss the vendor's relationship with Synnex and resellers. HP says 87 percent of its sales happen through the channel; Lary said the company's business with Synnex has increased 27 percent in the last year.
David Lary, HP's vice president of Americas supplies sales, walked on stage Thursday to discuss the vendor's relationship with Synnex and resellers. HP says 87 percent of its sales happen through the channel; Lary said the company's business with Synnex has increased 27 percent in the last year.
The JWM
Synnex hosted the conference in balmy Palm Springs, California. The fine folks at the J.W. Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa played host to attendees. The hotel offered no shortage of shops, restaurants and outdoor activities.
Oh, and they have a pool in their lobby.
Synnex hosted the conference in balmy Palm Springs, California. The fine folks at the J.W. Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa played host to attendees. The hotel offered no shortage of shops, restaurants and outdoor activities.
Oh, and they have a pool in their lobby.
Peter Larocque
The Synnex president of North American technology solutions briefed partners on his company's growth. He emphasized the distributor's heightened focus on cloud, mobility and IoT, and he echoed Steve Jow in praising recent M&A.
"The existing teams on the Westcon-Comstor side and our vendor partners and our customers have worked with us, been loyal to us and have muscled through changes in roles and changes in systems," he said.
Read more of his comments in our event recap.
The Synnex president of North American technology solutions briefed partners on his company's growth. He emphasized the distributor's heightened focus on cloud, mobility and IoT, and he echoed Steve Jow in praising recent M&A.
"The existing teams on the Westcon-Comstor side and our vendor partners and our customers have worked with us, been loyal to us and have muscled through changes in roles and changes in systems," he said.
Read more of his comments in our event recap.
Branding
Scott Stratten, who with his wife recently wrote a book called "UnBranding," gave undoubtedly the funniest speech of the week. Stratten gave several examples of businesses that used unconventional yet extremely personable strategies to win the loyalty of customers.
If you'd like an example, read the Huffington Post's piece on Joshie the Giraffe, a stuffed animal that received king-like treatment from the Ritz-Carlton.
Scott Stratten, who with his wife recently wrote a book called "UnBranding," gave undoubtedly the funniest speech of the week. Stratten gave several examples of businesses that used unconventional yet extremely personable strategies to win the loyalty of customers.
If you'd like an example, read the Huffington Post's piece on Joshie the Giraffe, a stuffed animal that received king-like treatment from the Ritz-Carlton.
Friendly Host
A couple of parrots greeted attendees as they went up to their rooms. The J.W. houses two birds in its lobby.
A couple of parrots greeted attendees as they went up to their rooms. The J.W. houses two birds in its lobby.
