CompTIA to launch new programs, including channel-neutral community 6 August, 2009 By Chris Talbot

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Todd Thibodeaux, president and CEO of CompTIA, unveiled the new initiatives during his keynote speech at the organization's annual Breakaway conference in Las Vegas.

"The future is very bright for our industry," Thibodeaux said. "The world counts on your work to make it all happen. New alternative energy sources won't be developed without IT. Electronic health records are a pipe dream without IT. The next generation of medications and cures won't happen without IT. And the intelligent transportation and power grids of the future won't happen without IT."

One of the new programs being designed is the CompTIA Channel Community (C3), which is intended as a channel-neutral online community.

"C3 will aggregate the best thinking on business solutions, trends, and discussion forums with rich, deep and exclusive content, Webinars, whitepapers and business intelligence," Thibodeaux said. "We're making this an open platform and we invite other existing forums to become part of C3."

Another program is the CompTIA IT Pro Community, which will provide a place for individuals looking to enter or advance their IT careers to get expert advice, network with peers, and find critical tools and resources. One of the resources will be the CompTIA Career Center, which will match certified job seekers with employers trying to fill IT jobs.

The organization also plans to collaborate with Channel Insider, a source for IT channel intelligence and analysis, to form the Channel Vanguard Council. The council will be made up of invited executives of IT vendors, distributors, service providers and solution providers, who will deliberate on a variety of issues, including technologies, services, business models, business processes, business practices, market influences, market conditions and supplier relations.

"The forum will be a collaborative, moderated community exploring issues affecting the IT channel community today and in the future; and producing clear, actionable guidance for the overall channel community," Thibodeaux said.

CompTIA also announced the creation of CompTIA PAC political action committee, which Thibodeaux said will "focus on the interests of the people in the IT sector as well as the needs of those who own and work for America's 32,000 VARs."

Another new program is the CompTIA Member Resource Center, where members can find companies providing services in finance, logistics, human resources, channel consulting, training, public relations, marketing, research and more.

"Our goal is to aggregate an industry-trusted and vetted database of the best of the best in business services," Thibodeaux said.

CompTIA also plans to relaunch its annual member meeting in April 2010. The meeting will bring together members who make up the CompTIA Sections, Executive Forums and Advisory Councils.