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The annual Network Group Gala Awards Dinner and Exhibition returned for a fourth year last week and saw members come together to reward those partners for their success and support of the group throughout the past year.
This year’s ceremony praised some of the biggest names from within the channel, including Entatech vice president Jon Atherton, who was awarded the Network Group’s prestigious Special Recognition award.
Presented by Group Chairman Wayne Cockerill, Atherton was recognised for the award as a result of his contributions and support of the Network Group.
Other big winners on the night included Samsung, which took home the Vendor of the Year award, whilst Micro-P was given the nod as Distributor of the Year.
"It gave me great pleasure to host a perfect evening of reward and recognition for all those that helped the group to deliver 21 per cent growth against a market that continues to be fiercely competitive and very challenging," said Cockerill.
Taking place at Whittlebury Hall, Northamptonshire, the event once again kicked off with the exhibition, as the Network Group’s vendors showcased their latest products for those resellers and additional members in attendance.
The day also saw nine breakout session take place, which granted members the opportunity to meet and engage with key vendors to discuss the market’s growing trends and developments, including the likes of cloud solutions and managed print.
"We are looking forward to continuing to offer our partners added value from Network Group next year with plans in place for more recruitment, grow our business, and continue to embrace new and emerging technologies," continued Cockerill.
The Group’s black tie Gala and awards were hosted by actor Kevin Johns and saw entertainment by Live from the Apollo favourite Nina Conti, who had those in attendance in fits of laughter with her ventriloquist performance.
The evening also played host to a charity auction, with prizes donated by a number of the Group’s key names, and saw a total of £2500 raised for Marie Curie Cancer, the Group’s chosen charity.
A full list of the 2013 Network Group Awards winners can be seen below.
Vendor of the Year – Samsung Electronics (UK) Ltd
Distributor of the year – Micro Peripherals Ltd
B2B Reseller – Tandem Solutions Group Ltd
Retailer of the year – Netgear Ltd, Gibralter
Specialist vendor of the year – GFI
Distribution account manager – Lee Reed
Vendor account manager of the year – Chris Berntsen
Product of the year – Microsoft Windows 8
Personality of the year – Mike Harris
Special Recognition – Jon Atherton
