ChannelCon 2025.
Overt Channel was present at ChannelCon for the first time this year. This year’s conference convened the broad spectrum of the IT channel – MSPs, vendors, distributors, consultants, and security professionals – all under one roof at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, TN.
Conference Content.
Sessions
ChannelCon offered a full slate of educational sessions — grouped into four distinct tracks tailored to the needs of the IT channel:
- MSP / ITSP Success — business growth strategies for managed service providers.
- Cybersecurity — timely, high-impact discussions on how to build and embed security into service offerings.
- Community Insights — sessions designed to share real-world experiences, challenges, and lessons from leaders in the channel.
- Vendor & Partner Education — for vendors and distributors to learn best practices around partnerships, go-to-market strategies, and vendor management.
Keynotes
ChannelCon 2025 upped the ante by featuring two headline speakers in critical, forward-looking spaces:
- AI Innovation: Noelle Russell — a recognized AI innovator — spoke about leveraging AI thoughtfully and responsibly.
- Leadership & Culture: Kim Scott of Radical Candor fame addressed how teams should lead and grow in a rapidly evolving tech world.
Networking
ChannelCon 2025 is widely celebrated for its community vibe. Over ~1,300 participants — MSPs, solution providers, vendors, distributors, and industry partners — gathered for three days of connection, collaboration, and exchange.
The event provided — beyond traditional sessions — spaces for relationship building: vendor fairs, informal meetups, “New Member” mixers, and even curated experiences like one-on-one advisory sessions.
One key element worth highlighting: GTIA’s renewed focus on serving members as businesses — not just nonprofits — means programming is designed for pragmatic value: business growth, cybersecurity readiness, go-to-market strategy, and more.
Great Vibe
See for yourself in the video below:
What Stood Out — Unique Highlights from ChannelCon 2025
Philanthropy & Social Impact: GTIA committed to $1.5 million in charitable giving in 2025 — including a $50,000 grant to a Nashville-based nonprofit — signaling that the new association is about more than just profit and tech; it aims to uplift communities where they operate.
Mix of Big Picture + Tactical Takeaways: From high-level AI, leadership, and channel-vision panels to tactical sessions on MSP growth, cybersecurity frameworks, and vendor alignment — the spectrum offered both inspiration and actionable content.
Human-Centered, People-First: The repeated emphasis on “people over tech” felt meaningful — a recognition that relationships, collaboration, trust, and culture are as important as tools and platforms.
Walking into the ballroom at ChannelCon 2025
GTIA, the organization.
Is the name “GTIA” unfamiliar? That’s because it didn’t exist until this year (January 2025). The for-profit training arm of the organization CompTIA was sold, leaving the membership-based component of the organization adrift. This component of the organization became GTIA – a vendor neutral, non-profit membership association.
The renaming of CompTIA’s industry-facing channel organization to the Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) represents far more than a branding update — it marks a strategic reset for the entire IT channel. After separating from its parent organization, the newly independent GTIA repositioned itself around a mission that speaks directly to the needs of modern MSPs, solution providers, vendors, and cybersecurity professionals. The new name signals a broader, more inclusive vision: one focused not just on certification or technology advocacy, but on elevating the entire global ecosystem of companies that build, deliver, secure, and support technology for businesses around the world.
Under the GTIA banner, the organization has adopted clearer values—Member First, Growth-Minded, Build Together, and Share the Vibe—that reflect its renewed commitment to collaboration, community, and practical business support. This evolution was immediately visible at ChannelCon 2025, where GTIA demonstrated its intent to serve as a trusted, unbiased hub for education, networking, research, and industry alignment. The name change ultimately reflects a maturing channel, one that requires an association deeply aligned with the realities of business growth, emerging technologies, cybersecurity pressures, and the human connections that drive long-term success.
For more information, check out GTIA at https://gtia.org/.