Leidos, TasNetworks, Katana1 scoop NetApp ANZ partner awards

Storage vendor NetApp has honoured its top performing partners for 2020, honouring those who have gone strength to strength within the company’s partner network.

The company honoured six partners who have “demonstrated resilience and tenacity” in the channel by working with customers to adapt to the challenges of 2020, and foster innovation and optimisation of operations.

NetApp also handed out awards to 11 individuals for demonstrating excellence, including new additions Rising Star and Deal of the Year.

Partner awards:

Converged Infrastructure/Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure Excellence – TasNetworks
New Partner of the Year – Gammer Group
Partner of the Year: Gold – Cube Networks
Partner of the Year: Platinum – Katana1
Cloud Provider of the Year – Digital Sense
Global Systems Integrator of the Year – Leidos

Individual awards:

Alliance Partner Champion – Aggie Grom (Veeam)
Sales Excellence (Joint Winners) – Jim Zelener (Thomas Duryea Logicalis) and Steve de Celis (Katana1)
Technical Excellence – Shane Ferris (Arrow)
Rising Star — Josche Stuart (Arrow)
Data Visionary of the Year – Kevin Rapson and Adrian Hall (Citrus)
Marketing Excellence – Catriona Walkerdon (Thomas Duryea Logicialis) and Jacqueline Leech (ASE)
Deal of the Year – Matt Powell (Meridian IT) and Paul Floro (Fujitsu)
Hall of Fame – Nathan Vandenberg (NTT Australia)

The awards were presented virtually, hosted by NetApp ANZ director of channels and alliances Neville James, along with NetApp APAC exec Wendy Koh and NetApp CEO George Kurian.

“This year threw up many unforeseen challenges, and yet the high calibre of entries shows just how passionate our partners are, and how hard they have worked to be able to meet our customers’ needs,” James said.

“Our customers tell us that they need partners, who are subject-matter experts and who can help them successfully design and implement their digital transformation projects. These awards commemorate the commitment from our partners to help solve our customers’ biggest challenges – together with NetApp.”