logo
Zones' Ashley Flaska Spotlighted on 2025 Women of the Channel Power 80 Solution Provider List

Zones' Ashley Flaska Spotlighted on 2025 Women of the Channel Power 80 Solution Provider List

Business Wire19-05-2025
BUSINESS WIRE)-- Zones, a global provider of end-to-end IT solutions, today announced that CRN ®, a brand of The Channel Company, has recognized Ashley Flaska, Vice President of Marketing, as one of its 2025 Women of the Channel Power 80 Solution Provider list. This prestigious honor highlights an elite subset of influential solution provider leaders chosen from the CRN 2025 Women of the Channel list.
This annual CRN list celebrates women from vendors, distributors, solution providers and other channel-focused organizations who make a positive difference in the IT ecosystem. The CRN 2025 Women of the Channel honorees are innovative and strategic leaders committed to supporting the success of their partners and customers.
The annual Power 80 Solution Provider list honors the most influential women in leadership at some of the country's most prominent IT integrators, managed service providers, value-added resellers and consultants for their channel advocacy and dedication to helping their customers and technology partners thrive.
Flaska brings more than 20 years of experience in B2B marketing. A business-savvy, results-driven self-starter, she has a proven track record as a top-tier executive with a deep understanding of global business dynamics. Whether leading business development, driving AI integration, or fostering strategic partnerships, Flaska combines a positive attitude with sharp, strategic thinking and a pragmatic approach—qualities that have earned her a respected seat at the leadership table.
'It's an honor to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of these women, who are leaders and change-makers in the IT channel,' said Jennifer Follett, VP, U.S. Content and Executive Editor, CRN at The Channel Company. 'Each woman spotlighted on this list has shown exceptional dedication to building creative strategies that propel transformation, growth, and success for their organizations and the entire IT channel. We are pleased to spotlight their important contributions and look forward to their future success.'
"Ashley is an exceptional leader whose strategic mindset and unwavering drive continue to elevate the Zones brand and deepen our customer and partner relationships," said Doug Eckrote, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Zones. "Her ability to blend creativity with business acumen has made her an invaluable asset to our team, and this acknowledgement from CRN is a well-earned testament to the impact she's making in the channel."
"The recognition from CRN is deeply meaningful to me because it reflects not just individual effort, but the collective passion of a team focused on transforming what's possible in technology," said Ashley Flaska, Vice President of Marketing at Zones. "Throughout my career, I've been driven by a belief that marketing can be a powerful force for clarity, connection, and change. At Zones, I'm fortunate to work alongside people who share that vision—and together, we're committed to finding ways to turn complex technology into meaningful solutions for our customers.'
About The Channel Company
The Channel Company (TCC) is the global leader in channel growth for the world's top technology brands. We accelerate success across strategic channels for tech vendors, solution providers, and end users with premier media brands, integrated marketing and event services, strategic consulting, and exclusive market and audience insights. TCC is a portfolio company of investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital, a New York City-based private equity firm. For more information, visit thechannelco.com.
About Zones
A global provider of end‑to‑end IT solutions and managed services, Zones is backed by an unmatched supply chain and more than 35 years as a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE). Operating in over 150 countries, Zones delivers complete IT Lifecycle Services that cover every stage of technology—from strategic planning and procurement through deployment, management, optimization, and secure retirement. This lifecycle expertise amplifies Zones' robust portfolio across its business practices, which include Cloud & Data Center, Digital Workplace, Networking and Security. Powered by the highest partner certifications with Microsoft, Apple, Cisco, Lenovo, Adobe, and more, Zones has mastered the science of building and sustaining digital infrastructures that transform how modern organizations do business.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Russia's struggle to build commercial jets reflects deeper industrial malaise
Russia's struggle to build commercial jets reflects deeper industrial malaise

Yahoo

time3 days ago

  • Yahoo

Russia's struggle to build commercial jets reflects deeper industrial malaise

Russia's struggle to build commercial jets reflects deeper industrial malaise By Gleb Stolyarov and Alexander Marrow (Reuters) -Russian aircraft makers have delivered only one of 15 planned commercial jets this year, data from Swiss aviation intelligence provider ch-aviation shows, as sanctions on foreign components stall production and high interest rates crimp investment. Since Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Western sanctions have cut off access to foreign-made aircraft and spare parts. With a fleet of more than 700 planes dominated by Airbus and Boeing jets, Russian airlines now rely on complex, indirect import routes to source critical components. "There is no component base, no technology, no production facilities, no engineers," said one Russian aviation industry source, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter. "To create all this from scratch takes years, if not decades." Given Russia's geographical challenges as the world's largest country, it depends on commercial aircraft for domestic freight and passenger transport across its 11 time zones. Recent major incidents highlight an urgent need to prevent the fleet degrading. In late July, a Soviet-era Antonov An-24, built in 1976, crashed in the country's far east, killing all 48 people on board. Days later, flag carrier Aeroflot grounded dozens of flights following a crippling cyberattack. The aviation sector's struggles to become self-sufficient are part of a broader industrial slowdown. Russia's factory output contracted at its fastest pace since March 2022 in July, according to Purchasing Managers' Index data, and industrial growth continues to decelerate. High interest rates have played a part in dwindling car production, coal sector bankruptcies, slowing export volumes of commodities like metals and oil products, as well as the missed plane-building targets, officials and businesses have said, contributing to slowing economic growth. "Industry is being hit faster and harder by tight monetary policy," said Dmitry Polevoy, head of investment at Astra Asset Management, warning that the industrial sector was on the brink of recession. PRODUCTION DELAYS AND NEW TARGETS In 2021, Russia added 52 new commercial aircraft to its fleet — including 27 from Airbus, three from Boeing, and 22 Sukhoi Superjets built with imported parts - for airlines including Aeroflot, S7, Red Wings, Rossiya, and Ural Airlines, data from ch-aviation shows. Since then, only 13 new planes have been added: 12 Superjets used by several Russian airlines and one Tupolev Tu-214, a twin-engine, narrow-bodied jet designed for medium-haul flights, the data showed. The Tu-214 is being used by First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, according to a person familiar with the matter, FlightRadar24 data, and Russian media reports. The government has repeatedly revised its production goals. In mid-2024, it cut the 2024–2025 delivery target to 21 from 171 aircraft. Last month, officials said targets would be revised again, citing high interest rates, which have made financing more expensive and slowed production. State conglomerate Rostec, which oversees production of the Superjet-100s, Tupolev Tu-214s, Ilyushin passenger planes and the new Yakovlev MC-21 jet, has struggled to meet deadlines. Rostec CEO Sergei Chemezov told Reuters last year that Russia would produce its own passenger planes, but delivery dates have repeatedly slipped. The MC-21 aircraft, built entirely with Russian-made parts, was much heavier than the version built with imported parts, reducing range and fuel efficiency - so airlines have been reluctant to adopt it, according to the Russian aviation source. On Tuesday, Chemezov told Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin that serial production of the MC-21, SJ-100, and IL-114 jets would begin in 2026, two years later than originally planned. United Aircraft Corporation, the Rostec subsidiary that manages all the conglomerate's aircraft production, did not respond to a request for comment. SANCTIONS AND SUPPLY CHAIN Despite efforts to localise production, Russia continues to rely on foreign suppliers. Customs data seen by Reuters shows that parts worth at least $300,000 were imported in 2024 via intermediaries in Turkey, China, Kyrgyzstan, and the UAE. These included components from France's Safran, U.S. Honeywell, and Britain's Rolls-Royce. There is no evidence of these companies having violated sanctions. Russia has developed a system of parallel imports, allowing goods to enter the country through third parties without the manufacturer's knowledge or consent. Safran did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Honeywell said it is not providing any equipment, parts, or products to any company in Russia and is "actively working to identify and interrupt any possible diversion of our products into Russia via third parties." Rolls-Royce said it does not do business with sanctioned persons or entities. "We also operate an active and robust sanctions compliance programme which includes counter-party screening and actively monitoring and reporting suspicious enquiries to government regulators," a spokesperson said. Russia is trying to solve a unique and "hypercomplex" problem, Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov said last month. "No other country in the world produces fully import-substituted planes," Alikhanov said. Reduced aircraft supply while demand remains high is pushing up prices for consumers, with ticket prices rising steadily throughout 2023 and 2024, Rosstat data shows. Meanwhile, Moscow has been forced to get creative, asking airlines from Central Asian countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to run domestic Russian routes. Solve the daily Crossword

Are You Listening When the Oracle Speaks?
Are You Listening When the Oracle Speaks?

Yahoo

time4 days ago

  • Yahoo

Are You Listening When the Oracle Speaks?

Oracle (ORCL) shows strong technical momentum, hitting new 52-week highs as recently as July 31. ORCL maintains a 100% 'Buy' opinion from Barchart indicators. Fundamentals are robust, with double-digit revenue and earnings growth projected for the next two years and a $718 billion market cap. Analyst sentiment is overwhelmingly bullish, with most major firms rating Oracle a 'Buy' and price targets above current levels. Today's Featured Stock Valued at $718 billion, Oracle (ORCL) is one of the largest enterprise-grade database, middleware, and application software providers. Oracle has expanded its cloud computing operations over the last couple of years. The company offers cloud solutions and services that can be used to build and manage various cloud deployment models. What I'm Watching I found today's Chart of the Day by using Barchart's powerful screening functions to sort for stocks with the highest technical buy signals; superior current momentum in both strength and direction; and a Trend Seeker 'buy' signal. I then used Barchart's Flipcharts feature to review the charts for consistent price appreciation. ORCL checks those boxes. Since the Trend Seeker signaled a buy on May 12, the stock has gained 63.1%. More News from Barchart Supermicro's Earnings Selloff Explained: Should You Buy SMCI Stock Now? Amazon's $36M Bet on Quantum Computing: What Investors Need to Know AMD Stock Slips After Q2 Earnings, But Here's Why It's a Buying Opportunity Get exclusive insights with the FREE Barchart Brief newsletter. Subscribe now for quick, incisive midday market analysis you won't find anywhere else. ORCL Price vs. Daily Moving Averages: Barchart Technical Indicators for Oracle Editor's Note: The technical indicators below are updated live during the session every 20 minutes and can therefore change each day as the market fluctuates. The indicator numbers shown below therefore may not match what you see live on the website when you read this report. These technical indicators form the Barchart Opinion on a particular stock. Oracle shares hit a new 52-week high on July 31, touching $260.87 in intraday trading and closed Wednesday, Aug. 6 within 1.7% of that high. Oracle has a Weighted Alpha of +98.97. ORCL has an 100% 'Buy' opinion from Barchart. The stock has gained 100.01% over the past year. ORCL has its Trend Seeker 'Buy' signal intact. Oracle is trading above its 20-, 50-, and 100-day moving averages. The stock made 5 new highs and gained 8.05% in the last month. Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 68.52%. There's a technical support level around $253.15. Don't Forget the Fundamentals $718 billion market capitalization. 51.96x trailing price-earnings ratio. 0.78% dividend yield. Revenue is projected to grow 16.29% this year and another 19.62% next year. Earnings are estimated to increase 12.50% this year and an additional 20.75% next year. Analyst and Investor Sentiment on Oracle I don't buy stocks because everyone else is buying, but I do realize that if major firms and investors are dumping a stock, it's hard to make money swimming against the tide. It looks like Wall Street analysts are bullish on ORCL, and so are most major advisory sites. The Wall Street analysts tracked by Barchart have issued 25 'Strong Buy,' 1 'Moderate Buy,' and 10 'Hold,' opinions on the stock. Value Line gives the company its above-average rating and has a price target of $304. CFRA's Market Scope rates the stock a '4 Star Buy.' Morningstar thinks the stock is overly valued by 24% with a fair value of $205. 200,520 investors monitor the stock on Seeking Alpha, which rates the stock a 'Hold.' The Bottom Line on Oracle ORCL currently has momentum and is hitting new highs. Many investors and analysts think the double-digit projections of revenue and earnings growth will continue. I caution that ORCL is volatile and even speculative in the current environment, which means investors should use strict risk management and stop-loss strategies. Today's Chart of the Day was written by Jim Van Meerten. Read previous editions of the daily newsletter here. Additional disclosure: The Barchart of the Day highlights stocks that are experiencing exceptional current price appreciation. They are not intended to be buy recommendations as these stocks are extremely volatile and speculative. Should you decide to add one of these stocks to your investment portfolio it is highly suggested you follow a predetermined diversification and moving stop loss discipline that is consistent with your personal investment risk tolerance. On the date of publication, Jim Van Meerten did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Sign in to access your portfolio

Acronis RMM Recognized for Redefining Security-First Automation for MSPs
Acronis RMM Recognized for Redefining Security-First Automation for MSPs

Yahoo

time5 days ago

  • Yahoo

Acronis RMM Recognized for Redefining Security-First Automation for MSPs

Named a 2025 Tech Innovator by CRN, Acronis is celebrated for its unified platform, enabling secure, autonomous, and scalable operations for service providers Acronis RMM SHAFFHAUSEN, Switzerland, Aug. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Acronis, a global leader in cybersecurity and data protection, today announced that Acronis RMM (Remote Monitoring and Management) has been selected as the winner in the MSP RMM Platforms category of the 2025 CRN Tech Innovators Awards. Honored for its AI-powered, security-first RMM solution, Acronis continues to drive operational efficiency for modern managed service providers (MSPs). This milestone reflects the company's momentum in building solutions that simplify complexity, consolidate workloads, and empower MSPs to scale securely. Unlike traditional tools, Acronis RMM is built from the ground up with security at its core, not as an add-on. It helps MSPs simplify operations, reduce risk, and drive scalable efficiency. Rather than existing as a standalone tool, the RMM is fully integrated into Acronis' broader cyber protection platform, consolidating backup, EDR, antivirus, and patch management under one agent, one policy, and one console. The result is a unified, natively integrated platform that helps MSPs improve their security posture and operational agility without adding additional overhead. Importantly, native RMM integration allows MSPs to effectively protect and manage more laptops, desktops, and servers without increasing staff. Designed to meet the evolving needs of MSPs, Acronis RMM delivers: AI-powered Automation and Autonomous Operations: Combined with workflow orchestration to boost technician efficiency. Security-first approach and extensive security features: AI-assisted patch management, secure scripting with self-defense, secure remote access, native integration with EDR, and more. Native Integration: Integrated cyber protection services and endpoint detection & response (EDR) to reduce supply chain risks and enable faster, smarter service delivery for protected workspaces. 'We're seeing more and more MSPs step into what the industry is calling - the MSP 3.0 era - where security is expected as a core service, not an add-on. And it must be built in from the start,' said Gerald Beuchelt, CISO at Acronis. 'MSPs are under pressure to do more with fewer resources, which makes automation essential. That's where AI, workflows, and platform integration make a difference. Acronis is investing heavily in both areas—strengthening security and expanding automation—and we're rolling out regular enhancements to help our partners enter the MSP 3.0 era with confidence to operate more securely and scale more efficiently.' Most recently, Acronis introduced two new AI-powered features in its RMM platform—AI-based patch stability scoring and Copilot for software deployment setup—designed to help MSPs work more efficiently while reducing risk. AI-based patch stability scoring uses AI-generated risk labels like 'stable' or 'critical issues,' based on global incident data and threat intelligence, allowing technicians to prioritize safe updates and avoid problematic patches. Each label links to a detailed view with summaries, known issues, technician feedback, and remediation tips, helping reduce downtime and reactive troubleshooting. Copilot for software deployment streamlines the setup of custom packages by automatically generating install/uninstall commands, return codes, and metadata, cutting down on manual input and configuration errors. With deployment errors accounting for nearly half of software rollout failures, Copilot can reduce those errors by up to 90%. 'The Acronis RMM platform has completely transformed how we operate,' said Mark Wiener, CEO at BizCom Global. 'We've gone from needing multiple people managing alerts all day to one person handling it—and now, it takes only about 50 percent of their time. The consolidation of tools has made a big difference. Instead of juggling disparate systems, we have one platform with unified visibility and control, which is critical to our efficiency. The vulnerability assessments and fail-safe patching tools are incredibly valuable—they allow us to push major patches with confidence. Greater efficiency means we're able to grow without adding overhead. We're scaling services, not costs.' Acronis RMM is being honored for its technical innovation in delivering a fully integrated platform that reduces tool sprawl, improves technician-to-endpoint ratios, and embeds security as a core architectural component. This highlights the growing market traction behind Acronis' consolidated approach, where automation, patch management, endpoint protection, and backup converge within a natively integrated single agent and console to optimize MSP workflows and strengthen service delivery. 'Tool consolidation and AI-driven automation are essential for improving managed services productivity and customer experience,' said Phil Goodwin, research vice president, IDC. 'Acronis is taking a platform-first approach to address the operational and security challenges MSPs are facing, helping them scale efficiently, reduce complexity, and improve outcomes. Congratulations to Acronis for the recognition from CRN.' To learn more about Acronis RMM and how it supports secure, autonomous operations for MSPs, visit: For more information on Acronis' recognition as a winner of the 2025 CRN Tech Innovators Award, please visit the Acronis blog: The Tech Innovators Awards winners will be featured in the August issue of CRN and can be viewed online at beginning August 6. About Acronis: Acronis is a global cyber protection company that provides natively integrated cybersecurity, data protection, and endpoint management for managed service providers (MSPs), small and medium businesses (SMBs), and enterprise IT departments. Acronis solutions are highly efficient and designed to identify, prevent, detect, respond, remediate, and recover from modern cyberthreats with minimal downtime, ensuring data integrity and business continuity. Acronis offers the most comprehensive security solution on the market for MSPs with its unique ability to meet the needs of diverse and distributed IT environments. A Swiss company founded in Singapore in 2003, Acronis has 15 offices worldwide and employees in 50+ countries. Acronis Cyber Protect is available in 26 languages in 150 countries and is used by over 21,000 service providers to protect over 750,000 businesses. Learn more at Acronis Press Contact: Julia CarfagnoSenior Global Communications A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store