Hundreds gather at Ingram Micro's SMB Alliance Invitational to share and learn more about new market opportunities, technologies and best practices

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Ingram Micro Inc. (NYSE: IM) today welcomed approximately two hundred of the IT industry's fastest-growing channel partners to its SMB Alliance (SMBA) Partner Invitational event in Charlotte, N.C. Established in 2002, Ingram Micro's SMB Alliance community stands out above competing signature partner communities by focusing its efforts exclusively on enabling the success of IT solution providers who sell to small and midsize businesses (SMBs) throughout North America.

With accelerating partners' growth a priority, Ingram Micro has focused its 2009 SMBA Invitational on a handful of key areas, including business management, branding and marketing, partner collaboration, sales growth, and high-opportunity technologies and initiatives such as digital signage, IMStimulus, mobility and managed services.

"Our team at Ingram Micro, and the SMBA community at large, are fired up and looking forward to the main event here in Charlotte," says Ryan Grant, director of channel programs and the executive host of the 2009 SMBA Invitational. "We've focused this year's Invitational on growth and put into play an agenda that ensures our SMBA members will walk away energized and armed with the insight, resources, partnerships and support they need to grow their business more profitably, now and in the future."

Staying true to the event's theme, "Together We Grow," the 2009 SMBA Invitational will be preceded by a full day of SMBA Peer Group meetings. Facilitated by HTG (Heartland Technology Group), these peer groups will come together to share best practices that will ultimately help each business owner run his or her company more effectively.

The three-day SMBA Invitational will also feature a number of compelling speakers, including a keynote from HP's Mike Parrottino, vice president, PSG sales and business management solution partners organization, on key SMB trends that are driving growth for the IT channel. Additional speakers include Arlin Sorenson, HTG's founder; Mark Snider, Ingram Micro Canada's vice president and general manager; and Jeff Marks, Ingram Micro U.S.'s vice president, VAR sales.