Awarded: Small Business Specialist of the Year!

I’m elated to announce that we’ve been chosen by Microsoft as their Small Business Specialist of the Year! This is a world-wide award and only 1 company is awarded. Of the 3,000 partners that submitted a portrait of their company, customers and solutions, they chose Harbor Computer Services.

While I’m beyond excited, I’m also stunned. Our submission titled, Modern Architecture for a Cloud Influenced World, highlighted our efforts to bring the best of Internet technologies and software subscription programs to our clients while co-mingling these new technologies with on-premise solutions for a rock-solid best of both worlds approach to IT. I believe that this is the path that will help our clients keep the competitive advantage by maximizing return on IT investment.

Andrea Russell, global channel development manager, wrote to me afterwards, “As the Lead Judge, I can attest there were many outstanding submissions in your category but your entry, above all others, demonstrated a unique solution that not only helped the customer meet business goals, but set them on the path to computing in the future…”.

I’ve been getting email from Microsoft’s highest global executives congratulating us and just not in a form letter way but in a way that makes me think they actually read what I had to say about our clients. This is what has always impressed me about Microsoft as a company; they recognize that you don’t have to be big to make an impact. Since I have no desire to be big, working with software companies that respect what we do and are trying to achieve for our clients is very important to me. Without that kind of support for us, we could never support you as well as we do.

We will continue to work with suppliers that get small business and understand that you don’t have to be big to be doing significant things in your industry. We are just like you, small but mighty, and we extend this award to you. Without our valued clients, each doing interesting things in their chosen industry, we couldn’t be who we are. So I thank you for continuing to give us the opportunity to help make small businesses they best they can be.

In July I will be attending the Microsoft World-Wide Partner conference in Washington DC to accept the award.