AT&T is giving two channel partners top marks for a consecutive year.

The AT&T Alliance Channel honored 70 companies with “Solution Provider Champion” status, but only four companies earned platinum elite recognition: BCDR Solutions, Presto Tech Solutions, Spearhead Networks and Nordicom Technologies.

It was a repeat victory for BCDR and Presto Tech. Presto Tech has now won the top category five years in a row. Spearhead improved from gold status in 2018 (although it is no stranger to platinum), and Nordicom moved up two levels from the silver category.

Platinum was previously the highest award, but AT&T added platinum elite this year. AT&T awarded platinum elite, platinum, gold, silver and bronze awards to 70 companies based on fiscal year 2018 performance.

“In return for the investments made by AT&T, we asked the solution providers to deliver more,” said Kevin Leonard, vice president of alternate channels for AT&T Business. “They rose to the challenge and exceeded expectations by doubling sales production.”

AT&T’s Kevin Leonard

Leonard wrote in a blog that new AT&T investments included a new commissions structure and new tools and platforms.

“At the core of it all, these changes were about putting the solution provider in the middle of everything we do — making it easier and faster for our solution providers to sell more AT&T services, as well as more rewarding by offering them a choice of compensation plans,” he said.

Leonard recognized the 70 “champions” on stage at a private event last fall, alongside Zee Hussain,senior vice president and channel chief of AT&T Partner Solutions, and Anne Chow, president of national business for AT&T Business.

BCDR got a taste of the spotlight last fall when one of its executives took the stage at AT&T Fusion in November. Chief operating officer Mark Bruno shared the surprising growth challenge Zee Hussain gave the company.

“He told us, ‘It’s not good enough, guys. We need you to do more,” Bruno said. “While you had a great 2017, we need you to at least double next year and then triple in 2019. We were taken aback; we thought we were doing a good job.”

Below are some of the 2019 AT&T Alliance Channel Solution Provider Champions. Read AT&T’s blog to see the silver and bronze winners:

Platinum Elite

Platinum

Gold