“One of the most valuable aspects of the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference is the relationships that are cultivated there, and the subsequent collaborations that take place long after the conference is over,” says Allison Watson, vice president, Worldwide Partner Sales and Marketing. “We strive to host an annual conference that leads the pack in terms of providing highly relevant information to the industry partners who develop, sell and service innovative solutions based on the Microsoft platform.”

The 2005 Worldwide Partner Conference is being held in Minneapolis and brings together 6,000 Microsoft partner representatives from around the world, according to Microsoft. Collaborations borne of the conference, Watson says, illustrate the direct correlation between business success and solid relationships. “Microsoft’s industry partners are in a unique position to support each other,” she says. “Today’s businesses often require complex, innovative approaches to developing technology that meets their needs. And, to meet those needs, Microsoft’s worldwide network of industry partners offers an incredible range of product, industry and geographic specializations and expertise that present a unique opportunity for collaborations.”

Per Werngren is CEO of IDE, a systems integrator based in Stockholm, Sweden, that specializes in migrations to the latest Microsoft platform as well as outsourcing. IDE is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. While the core of IDE’s business is in , Werngren says that attending Microsoft’s partner conference – this year marks his fourth – always reminds him that business opportunities don’t end at the shores of the Baltic Sea.

“Sometimes at the partner conference I meet people I can do business with, and sometimes I just learn a lot,” he says. “A fellow from Australia might have some valuable tips for me based on the experiences he’s had in his country.” In addition to attending Microsoft’s partner conference, Werngren is also president of the International Association of Microsoft Certified Partners (IAMCP), which was formed in 1994 and currently has 1,600 members around the world.

Another commonality Breslin shares with Werngren is playing a leadership role in the IAMCP Breslin is currently president of the association’s U.S. board of directors.

Breslin says membership in the partner association is an excellent vehicle for extending the value of Microsoft’s partner conference into all 12 months of the year.

“A lot of us who are Microsoft partners are small and midsize businesses ourselves,” he says. “Because of our size we can’t do it all, but we hate to say no to clients. By working with partners who are also members of our association we’re able to work hand-in-hand with a Microsoft partner who is equally committed to living based on the ethics statement we all sign when we join the association. There is a strong sense of assurance that comes from collaborating with someone with standards as high as your own.”

Allison Watson

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer heads a lineup of Microsoft executive keynote speakers. Conference tracks this year include advanced/network infrastructure, business leadership, security, custom development solutions, information worker and ISV sessions, learning solutions, and a number of marketing and regional sessions. Allison Watson, Microsoft's VP of Worldwide Partner Sales and Marketing, is also among the featured speakers.