By: Linda Rosencrance
Microsoft this week announced the winners and finalists of the Microsoft 2016 Partner of the Year Awards. The annual awards recognize top Microsoft partners demonstrating excellence in innovation and implementation of customer solutions based on Microsoft technology.
This year, Microsoft acknowledged partners in 37 categories in each of the core partner competencies, including cloud technology, public sector, citizenship and many more. The finalists and winners were selected from more than 2,500 nominations representing 119 different countries based on their commitment to customers, the impacts of their solutions on the market and exemplary use of Microsoft technologies, according to company officials.
A few of the key Microsoft Dynamics Partner of the Year Winners and Finalists follow, including summaries provided by Microsoft. A complete list, including the Microsoft Country Partner of the Year Award winners for 2016, is available at https://partner.microsoft.com/en-us/wpc/awards.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Partner of the Year
Winner: Columbus. A few years ago, Columbus committed to transform its business and the businesses of its customers to the digital world. Columbus has been an early adopter in Microsoft Dynamics ERP move to the cloud. The company has a number of certified cloud solutions as well as early adopter customers of Microsoft Dynamics AX Online.
Finalists:
- K3 Software
- mcaConnect LLC
- UXC Eclipse
Cloud Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Partner of the Year
Winner: Sonoma Partners. This partner specializes in deployments where customers want to leverage Microsoft Dynamics CRM to transform their sales, marketing, and customer service organizations. The company has developed industry solutions for professional services and manufacturing, and are dedicated to empowering customers with their mobile applications.
Finalists:
- Cloud2020 Ltd.
- Computer Engineering & Consulting Ltd.
- PowerObjects, and HCL Company
Microsoft Dynamics Industry Partner of the Year
Winner: AEC360 Holdings. AEC360 is comprehensive business development solution for architects, engineers, construction companies, building owner/developers and the manufacturers of building products that is built on Microsoft Dynamics CRM. In just two years, AEC360 formed an industry advisory council, built a vertical solution and quickly started filling its sales pipeline and closing deals, becoming one of the fastest growing partners in Dynamics history.
Finalists:
- Accenture/Avanade
- INFOMA Software Consulting GmbH
- SAGlobal
Internet of Things (IoT) Partner of the Year
Winner: BlueMetal. BlueMetal is an interactive design and technology architecture consulting firm. Among its offerings are cloud-based, data-driven systems of connected devices across a variety of industries and on a wide range of technology platforms. BlueMetal claims that in development, it focuses upon reducing total cost of ownership by architecting the solution to ensure that it is flexible, scalable, and upgradeable, while maintaining high performance and security.
Finalists:
- eBECS
- JCI
- MOQDigital
Modern Marketing Partner of the Year
Winner: PowerObjects, an HCL Company. This award highlights a sophisticated understanding of the role of marketing in an organization, with clear goals and ROI measures. PowerObjects showed how it keeps a prospect and customer engaged across the customer journey. The video award submission was a nice touch and demonstrated visibly how this partner exemplifies modern customer experience.
Finalists:
- MediaValet
- Qorus Software
- RedPixie*
“The 2016 Partner of the Year Award winners and finalists represent the most innovative and transformative work being done across our partner community,” stated Microsoft’s Gavriella Schuster, general manager, Worldwide Partner Group (WPG). “It is important to recognize and celebrate the value and opportunity these solutions create for our mutual customers. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners and finalists on this tremendous achievement.”
The winners and finalists from around the world will be recognized at the 2016 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) taking place July 10-14, 2016, in Toronto, Canada.