BTA IGNITE Orlando 2026 Educational Sessions
CEO Insights: Marketplace Changes, Tariffs, Tough Choices & the Future of the Office Technology Industry
March 20, 9:45 to 10:45 a.m.Moderated by Bob Goldberg, BTA ambassador
Forget the spreadsheets and the white papers. This is not a technical briefing — it is an exclusive, high-energy conversation with the top executives from the office technology industry. This session will use current end-user shifts, tariffs, economic conditions and declining demand as a launchpad to explore the high-stakes decisions being made in real time. Hear directly from top industry executives as they share:
- The Unfiltered View: What is the single biggest opportunity and threat facing the industry?
- Artificial Intelligence (AI): Does AI have a role in their plans?
- The Pivot Point: How are manufacturers directing capital and R&D spend to mitigate industry challenges and further technology innovation?
- The Human Factor: Managing employee morale and talent retention when market stability is constantly under siege.
Goldberg is of counsel with the firm Schoenberg, Finkel, Beederman, Bell & Glazer, located in Chicago, Illinois. He is a recognized authority in the areas of trade regulation, antitrust, franchising, distribution channels, contract relations and complex litigation. Goldberg advises several major corporations, individuals and numerous trade associations. He has served as an assistant attorney general in the Antitrust Division, as well as a staff attorney for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Goldberg is a frequent lecturer who is well received by audiences throughout the world for his knowledge and wit. He previously served 47 years as general counsel for the Business Technology Association. Panelists:
Laura Blackmer is president of dealer sales at Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Inc., is responsible for the sales and management of the company's dealer network that represents and sells products and managed IT services. Her extensive experience includes 19 years in management and executive positions with Hewlett Packard Company, Intermec Corp. and Sharp. In December 2017, Blackmer joined the executive team at Konica Minolta. She has been awarded "Best Female Executive" seven times at the Frank Awards, The Cannata Report's annual awards that highlight excellence in office technology. Blackmer has ranked on Tigerpaw Software's Top 100 Influencers in the managed print industry list two years in a row. She has also been named to CRN's Women of the Channel list six times, is a four-time Channel Chief and a two-time CRN Inclusive Channel Leader. Blackmer is also a member of the Colorado State University Business Leadership Council.
Karl Boissonneault is president of North America channels at Xerox Corp., responsible for growth strategies and programs related to Xerox's network of channel partners. He has been awarded the CRN Channel Chief three years in a row, recognizing Boissonneault's significant contributions to the channel. Previously, he held the position of senior vice president for the North American channels and SMB business. Boissonneault played a significant role in the acquisition and integration of Digitex and Groupe CT, two of Canada's largest independent print solution providers. With more than 20 years of experience in sales and marketing in the technology industry, and 10 years in senior leadership roles, he brings deep knowledge and experience in partnering to deliver higher-value solutions to clients. Boissonneault joined Xerox in 2014, leading the Canadian eastern and central agent operations. No stranger to the channel, he also led an independent Xerox dealership in Bermuda and founded his own startup telecom company in the early 2000s. Boissonneault's extensive experience and innovative leadership continue to drive Xerox's success in the region.
Jim Coriddi is chief dealer officer at Ricoh USA Inc. He previously served as vice president of the Ricoh Family Group U.S. Dealer Division. He has been with Ricoh for 39 years, serving in various sales and marketing positions in both the field and operational aspects of the business. Coriddi has a strong background and extensive experience as a leader in both Ricoh's dealer and direct channels. Prior his current role, he was responsible for coordinating the Ricoh field integration efforts associated with the IKON acquisition. Coriddi worked closely between headquarters and field personnel to convert and upgrade the customer base while maintaining a stable selling environment for all Ricoh channels. In 2004, he began leading the dedicated IKON Division, responsible for all aspects of sales, service and marketing operations. Coriddi was named vice president of Ricoh dealer sales in 2001, managing a network of 300-plus Ricoh dealers to strong growth over three years in the position. Prior to that, he was appointed vice president of Ricoh marketing support, in charge of marketing communications and advertising. Additionally, Coriddi led the consolidation of Ricoh's first dealer acquisition; developed and led an innovative consumables sales program; and initiated a field marketing initiative to provide training and support for Ricoh's first digital multifunction product in the U.S. He graduated from Montclair State University in 1983 with a bachelor's degree in communications and marketing.
As president and CEO of Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America, Mike Marusic is responsible for the strategic direction and performance of Sharp's B2B division in the Americas. He has more than 25 years of experience in both the document and computer peripheral businesses. Prior to Marusic's current position, he was COO for Sharp Electronics Corp. and the executive vice president of marketing, operations and technical services for all B2B products. In these roles, Marusic was responsible for bringing new products to market, identifying customer needs and improving operational processes to maximize Sharp's business opportunities. Prior to joining Sharp in 2002, he led the marketing group for Panasonic's copier and computer peripheral division. He received an MBA from Fordham University and a bachelor's degree from Siena College.
Larry White is president and CEO of Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc.
Practical Uses for AI in Your Dealership
March 20, 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.Moderated by Laura Blackmer, president of dealer sales, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Inc.
During this dealer panel, gain valuable insight into how dealers are using artificial intelligence (AI) to drive productivity and profitability.
Blackmer is president of dealer sales at Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Inc., is responsible for the sales and management of the company's dealer network that represents and sells products and managed IT services. Her extensive experience includes 19 years in management and executive positions with Hewlett Packard Company, Intermec Corp. and Sharp. In December 2017, Blackmer joined the executive team at Konica Minolta. She has been awarded "Best Female Executive" seven times at the Frank Awards, The Cannata Report's annual awards that highlight excellence in office technology. Blackmer has ranked on Tigerpaw Software's Top 100 Influencers in the managed print industry list two years in a row. She has also been named to CRN's Women of the Channel list six times, is a four-time Channel Chief and a two-time CRN Inclusive Channel Leader. Blackmer is also a member of the Colorado State University Business Leadership Council. Panelists:
Chelsea Bode is CEO of Pearson-Kelly Technology, headquartered in Springfield, Missouri.
Lauren Hanna-Masuga is president of BTA member Blue Technologies, Cleveland, Ohio.
Jenna Stramaglio channel development manager at ConnectWise.
How Is Your Culture?
March 20, 3 to 3:45 p.m.Moderated by Mike Marusic, president and CEO, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America
Hear from the dealer panelists as they describe how the culture in their dealerships is driving not only employee satisfaction, but also customer satisfaction.
As president and CEO of Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America, Marusic is responsible for the strategic direction and performance of Sharp's B2B division in the Americas. He has more than 25 years of experience in both the document and computer peripheral businesses. Prior to Marusic's current position, he was COO for Sharp Electronics Corp. and the executive vice president of marketing, operations and technical services for all B2B products. In these roles, Marusic was responsible for bringing new products to market, identifying customer needs and improving operational processes to maximize Sharp's business opportunities. Prior to joining Sharp in 2002, he led the marketing group for Panasonic's copier and computer peripheral division. He received an MBA from Fordham University and a bachelor's degree from Siena College. Panelists:
Anthony Cucco is COO of Impact Networking, headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois.
Anthony DelGrosso is regional vice president and general manager at Milner Inc., Peachtree Corners, Georgia. With nearly 20 years of experience, he has driven growth for companies like Milner, FloTech (a Flex Technology Group company) and Carr, a Xerox Company, particularly in major marketplaces throughout the northeast and southeast. DelGrosso is an expert presenter on a variety of professional topics and has spoken at multiple GLET Conferences on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as events such as BPCA meetings, the Executive Connection Summit and the Xerox Global Leadership Conference. He has also been a panelist on emerging technology at the Latin Builders Association Annual Conference. DelGrosso's leadership and contributions have earned him numerous awards, including the prestigious Man of the Year Award from The Needlers Foundation in 2014. Most recently, DelGrosso was honored as one of the ENX Difference Makers of 2024. He holds a degree from Brookdale College, where he was an NCAA Division I Men’s Varsity Baseball Player and a College World Series participant.
John Lowery is CEO of Applied Innovation, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Keynote Address:
How Leadership Affects Customer Service & How Customer Service Affects Your Bottom Line
March 21, 10:45 to 11:45 a.m.Don Crawley, IT customer service author and speaker
Technology businesses are tough. Technology is always changing. Customers are more demanding every day. In this fast-paced, interactive keynote, you will learn the five principles of customer service success, how compassion and empathy work hand in hand to create happy customers, techniques to be a better listener, and how to treat others with dignity and respect, even when they are not acting that way. Crawley is a former manager, IT trainer and consultant with decades of hands-on experience in technical environments. He is the author of "The Compassionate Geek," a widely used guide to improving soft skills and professionalism in technology. As an internationally recognized speaker and trainer, Crawley has helped thousands of technology professionals worldwide become more productive, collaborative and easier to work with.
Crawley, DTM, CSP, is the author of "The Compassionate Geek," "The 5 Principles of IT Customer Service Success" and seven other books for IT professionals on subjects ranging from Cisco firewalls to Linux servers. His message is about bringing humanity into the world of technology. Crawley has spoken for audiences in all 50 states, Canada, Great Britain, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, India and Oman. He is a lifetime geek, holding multiple technical certifications and having been involved with technology since the 1970s. When Crawley is not working with technology, he stargazes, plays the pipe organ, and laughs with his family and hound dog Sam.
Breakout Sessions
Sales Vs. Service: The Heavyweight Showdown
March 20, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.March 20, 3:45 to 4:30 p.m.
Sarah Henderson, regional director of North America, Nexera
Sales and service teams have been trading jabs for years, battling it out for margin, recognition and control — sales in one corner, service in the other. But in today’s competitive market, these teams cannot afford to fight — they need to fight together. Step into the ring for an unfiltered look at the biggest rounds of conflict that divide sales and service, and discover how to coach your teams toward alignment. Leaders will gain actionable strategies to build trust between departments, reduce friction and turn rivalry into a profitable alliance. No fluff. No excuses. Just real-world solutions to unify your corner and boost the bottom line.
Henderson serves as the regional director of North America for Nexera. Named a Women’s Influencer in 2024 by the Cannata Report, she serves on the Education Committee of the Managed Print Services Association (MPSA). Henderson's 20-year career in the imaging channel includes leadership roles in marketing, operations and sales. At Nexera, she is working to bring new data sets and solutions to help dealers make more data-driven decisions.
The Practical Use of Power BI to Monitor Key KPIs
March 20, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.March 20, 3:45 to 4:30 p.m.
Jack Duncan, owner, Jack Duncan Consulting, and Mike Kirkpatrick and Gary Lavin, partners, CEO Juice
During this breakout session, Duncan, Lavin and Kirkpatrick will show you how to use critical Power BI reports built during the e-automate Elevate event to monitor productivity and profitability.
Duncan's career in the office technology industry spans more than 50 years, beginning in 1972 after his return from the Vietnam War. Beginning as a service technician in Kansas City, Missouri, he rose to service manager and then spent time as a senior regional technical manager for Ricoh. From there, Duncan spent 15 years at a large dealership in Arkansas, where he was responsible for all service, supply and inventory operations, and moved from director of service to vice president of service. During that time, Duncan also became active in the OMD User Group, where he began teaching classes as well as serving on its board of directors.
After the Arkansas dealership was purchased, Duncan moved to the Dallas, Texas, area, where he implemented the OMD software system, as well as served as a service manager and vice president of service.
Thanks to Duncan's love for teaching, in 2004 he started JDC – Jack Duncan Consulting, which is still in operation today. He developed and taught classes beginning with Service Managers University, as well as classes on optimizing inventory and more. During this time, Duncan also worked with NEXERA (BEI) and Digital Gateway on many projects. He estimates that he has taught approximately 350 to 400 students during his career, and still actively works with two dealerships.
Kirkpatrick started working in the office technology industry in 1982 as a consultant working on installs for a product called FasTrack. He was IT director at AEG Olympia during the early 1990s for a few years and was a partner in Critical Network Technologies, reselling and troubleshooting 500- to 1,000-plus-user Novell networks. He then went to work as CIO for Standard Office Systems of Atlanta (SOS). In 1997, SOS signed up for e-automate and Kirkpatrick spent two years with the lead e-automate developer to add all the FasTrack features to the software. He was the primary catalyst in starting the e-automate Users Group (EUG) and was its president for the first few years. Kirkpatrick met Lavin at EUG and the two formed CEO Juice in 2009.
Born and raised in Ireland, Lavin started selling copiers for Xerox in 1983. In 1993, he moved to San Diego, California, where he founded Color Systems, a dealership focused on the color copier/MFP marketplace with a separate division focused on IT services. Lavin grew it to $10 million in revenue in five years, and added locations in Los Angeles and the Bay Area before selling the company in 1999. In 2003, he started Imaging Technologies. Lavin grew this business to $6 million in just over four years before selling it to KMA in 2008. He invested in e-automate back when it was known as Cash Ops, installing version 1 and became an avid fan of Digital Task Force (DTF) shortly after it was launched by Mike Kirkpatrick. Passionate about using technology to solve problems and understanding the need for process in a successful business, Lavin connected with Kirkpatrick at the e-automate User Group where they discussed the potential DTF had and the challenges in implementing it. They formed CEO Juice together in 2009 to overcome those challenges. Today, CEO Juice has 98% of medium/large office technology dealerships as clients.
How to Be a Better Listener
March 20, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.March 20, 3:45 to 4:30 p.m.
Don Crawley, IT customer service author and speaker
Being a good listener gives you a competitive advantage. Most people do not listen to, understand and remember what the other person is saying. When you listen well, you will automatically build better relationships with customers, coworkers, and vendors. Listening well matters. A common complaint about customer service reps is that they do not listen. Your ability to listen well will earn respect and allow you to solve problems more quickly.
In this fast-paced breakout session, you will learn:
- Ten tips to improve your listening skills immediately
- The five levels of listening
- The most common mistake people make as listeners
- How to be a good listener when you are not really interested
- Why listening matters