Celebrating 25 years of the Channel Awards

Today marks the launch of the 2018 Channel Awards and we are also celebrating our 25th birthday

The Channel Awards, launching today, are 25 years old this year.

And we intend to celebrate in style. We are going to be asking you to share your memories, pictures and experiences of the various channel awards over the years (if you can remember them) as we lead up to the celebration itself in November.

The theme of the awards this year is everything 90s, and there should be some surprises on the evening itself - this year taking place on Thursday 15 November at the Battersea Events Arena.

Of course, the serious message behind the awards is that we have spent the last 25 years celebrating the greatness of our industry and there is still plenty to celebrate for many years to come.

The channel is at the cutting edge of the technology market, and despite many naysayers predicting its demise over the years, it is actually stronger than ever and multi-faceted.

As a result, we have continued to morph the categories themselves to reflect the changing face of the channel and you will notice that there are a few new ones this year, mainly based on feedback and suggestions from those closest to the channel. You.

In the reseller category, we have split the Reseller of the Year award into two, to give the smaller players a chance to shine in their own right, rather than being overshadowed by their larger rivals.

We have done the same with the distributors, again giving the smaller and more niche firms a platform of their own to compete on.

There is also a brand-new Editor's Choice Award this year - Channel Chief of the Year - and we are asking resellers to nominate their favourite vendor channel chief with a brief explanation as to why. Please see General Criteria for more information. The entries will not be judged, but instead decided by CRN editors. So get nominating!

There really is something for everyone.

This article is the first of many dedicated to the 25 years of the Channel Awards. Please keep an eye out on the hub and social media for more features and dig out your old photos and memories. We want them all!

To find out more about the awards, visit the dedicated Channel Awards Page here, or the editorial Channel Awards hub here.

Please note that if shortlisted for any of the following awards: Reseller of the Year (£51+m turnover), Reseller of the year (sub £50m turnover), Distributor of the Year (sub £200m turnover) Distributor of the Year (£201+m turnover) and Vendor of the Year, you will be required to attend the judging day in person to present to the judging panel. That is taking place on Thursday 11 October in central London.