PGP Director Receives Prestigious CRN Channel Chief Award

Karen Hartsell, Director of Worldwide Channel Marketing at PGP Corporation, won recognition as a Channel Chief by Computer Reseller News (CRN), a division of CMP. "I was thrilled to receive this award,” says Hartsell. “It acknowledges PGP Corporation as a world-class channel company for partners to work with.”

CRN granted the award after considering the major retooling and re-launch of several PGP channel programs during 2007, including the restructured PGP Global Partner Program, the all-new Channel Sales Certification Program, and transition to a new, full-featured PGP Partner Relationship Management system through Salesforce.com.

Hartsell is proud of the highly successful PGP Global Partner Program, which resulted from extensive research with the PGP channel advisory board, a third party channel audit, intensive internal research, collective input, and review before final execution in mid 2007. The new program segments PGP partners according to their skills, which in turn helps PGP customers readily identify the PGP partners best suited to their particular needs. It demonstrates the PGP commitment to building straightforward programs that meet real needs, fostering close collaboration between PGP and its partners worldwide.

The award validates Hartsell’s philosophy that success in channel marketing is built in two ways. First, she believes in persistent, thoughtful communication with partners. By understanding the challenges and nuances of the channel, PGP Corporation can create effective programs that address the realities of the channel. Secondly, she structures programs that are simple to use, recognizing that each channel partner works with dozens, even hundreds of vendors. A straightforward program facilitates business, while a complex one can obstruct growth.