In the six months since its spin-off from CompTIA, the Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) has rolled out an impressive transition. It redefined the organization’s mission, restructured governance, and renewed its commitment to serving IT channel partners — especially MSPs. The momentum was on full display at ChannelCon 2025 in Nashville, TN.
And members didn’t just buy in, they amplified that message.
Dan Wensley
When asked if he could describe his overall feeling from the three-day event, GTIA CEO Dan Wensley said just one word: Blessed.
“This has been such a culmination of great work done by so many people over those 200 days — and I’ve only been here half of that,” shared Wensley, who stepped into the CEO role a little more than three months ago. “What’s incredibly humbling is to see the membership come together. They’re the ones who are creating the hype. We created the platform, the nice signs, and all of that. But without the members jumping on board and coming on this new journey of GTIA with us, it would have fallen flat.”
He also emphasized that GTIA’s strength comes from aligning around two simple priorities: what’s possible and growth. “I no longer want [GTIA] to be the best-kept secret in the industry. We can do more.”
Redefining the Value of Community
GTIA formed as an independent organization fully dedicated to channel professionals after CompTIA sold its training and certification arm early this year. But the transition wasn’t just about rebranding. Rather, GTIA’s renewed mission took center stage at this year’s ChannelCon.
That shift translated into a more practical approach for everything from course design to event programming.
Dan Wensley at ChannelCon 2025
“We are a nonprofit trade association, but our members are not nonprofits. Our members are in business to make money,” GTIA Chief Community Officer MJ Shoer told ChannelPro. “We constantly have to keep that in mind when we’re thinking about the benefits that we’re developing, whether it’s courses, research, or these events, everything has to help them. Our business goal is to serve the members and we want to do more for more of them.”
That commitment was visible at ChannelCon’s well-attended pre-day on July 28, which attracted 10 adjacent communities such as MSP Geek and the Tech Degenerates. “It was the most successful pre-day I’ve seen,” Shoer said.
Mission, Vision, and Vibe
At the Executive and Board Keynote on July 29, GTIA unveiled a new mission statement: To advance the people and businesses of the global IT channel with trusted, unbiased resources as an inclusive community that drives growth.
The organization’s new core values are:
- Member First
- Growth-minded
- Build Together
- Share the Vibe
Members across the organization already have embraced these values, Wensley said. “Share the Vibe,” in particular, resonated with members. “It’s a little abstract, a little weird for an association, maybe, but it’s about the energy; the momentum. So everybody leaned in to share the vibe. It’s got the share aspect of community, and the vibe is, hey, what are we thinking about? What are we doing? And let’s have some fun while we do it.”
MJ Shoer
Shoer agreed. “There’s something contagious about the vibe. We really feel like we’ve reached the transition point. We’re no longer launching the brand. We’ve launched the brand. Now, we’re focused on results and tying the brand to results that matter to our members.”
From Transition to Traction
GTIA’s reboot happened faster than many expected — and perhaps much more than anyone planned.
GTIA presented Nashville, TN-based Black Lemonade with a $50,000 check as part of its giving back efforts.
“If a college professor gave you that as a business case study in an MBA course, you’d be like, ‘That’s a real good work of fiction because there is no way that happened in that timeline,’” Shoer said. “But it did. It really did.”
Despite the compressed timeframe, GTIA has already stood up a new board, marketed its international ChannelCon EMEA event, and expanded its grantmaking via the GTIA Foundation.
At the Executive and Board Keynote on July 29, GTIA Board Chairman Scott Barlow, chief evangelist and global head of community at Sophos, emphasized the shift in mindset and mission.
Scott Barlow
“We are at a position now, from a board of directors perspective, that the membership, all of you, you’re no longer part of the story. You are the actual story,” Barlow told the audience during the keynote. “Every single person on the board is dedicated to helping you grow your business, improve your operational efficiency, and take your business to the next level. That is what I’m super excited about, helping drive GTIA to the next level.”
Shoer described Barlow’s enthusiasm, as well as that of all the GTIA executives and board members, as a calling. “This is not a job. It’s a passion; it’s giving back; it’s trying to do for others what this community has done for all of us.”
The Takeaway for MSPs
Corey Kirkendoll
The new GTIA is still member-driven. But now, it’s also member-empowered. The association has more resources, a clearer direction, and a fresh focus on helping MSPs and other channel professionals connect, grow, and give back.
“It was great to see that our message across the board was consistent,” said Corey Kirkendoll, president and CEO of 5K Technical Services and an active GTIA member, who presented at ChannelCon. “We’re going to make sure that the channel continues to do what’s right, do good things, be smart about it, and continue to lean on each other.”
As Wensley put it, “The incredible endowment we have through the sale of CompTIA gives us all the resources we need. We already had great people. Now, we can grow this and give more value to our members.”
Anjali Fluker is senior channel editor for The ChannelPro Network, where she covers news, trends, and best practices for the MSP community. She specializes in telling the stories that matter to IT providers serving the SMB market. When she’s not reporting on the latest in managed services, she’s connecting with channel pros at industry events across the country.
Images: Anjali Fluker/ChannelPro, GTIA, Sophos, 5K Technical Services
