I missed the October Board meeting as it was two o’clock in the morning (tomorrow) in Australia. So I have an excuse.
NSITSP members can log in and review the Board Minutes here: https://nsitsp.org/minutes/draft-board-meeting-minutes-oct-28-2024/.
The following folks have been elected to run the organization for the next year.
- President: Steve Kazan, a continuing board member.
- Vice President: Heather Johnson, re-elected as VP.
- Secretary: Jeff Grenier, a former board member newly elected to a two-year term.
- Treasurer: Jason Thomas, long-time chair of the Governance Committee and newly elected to a two-year term.
All of these folks have proven, long-term records of serving the National Society. I love the fact that we built a true bottom-up organization. No created a slate of pre-determined candidates so you could rubber stamp the choice. Sadly, that’s how most non-profit associations operate.
Some quick bios of our President and Vice President.
Steve Kazan is the CEO and founder of Inner Onion, a partner consulting firm supporting
B2B technology clients. Steve’s career was spent building partnerships with MSP’s /
MSSP’s, system integrators and GSI’s. Steve has worked at two IPO companies and three
corporate acquisitions, in the technical areas of AI, cybersecurity, cloud, data center, IoT, VoIP and others. Steve was a CRN Channel Chief three times, earning awards for his
channel programs.
He was previously the NSITSP Secretary and spent the last two years as a member and
scribe of the NSITSP Marketing Committee. He resides in San Mateo, CA, with his wife and
two children.
Heather Johnson is the COO of Gozynta, Inc., a software developer focused on helping managed service providers. She has is a long-time board member and has been our Vice President since 2022. She has a great deal of experience working with boards and organizing both groups and events. Heather was one of the very first board members in 2021.
I caught up with Heather and asked her what she’s looking forward to in 2025. As you can imagine, she has a very clear idea of where she’d like us to go. Here’s what she told me:
“In 2025, I see the National Society of IT Service Providers becoming a defining force in our industry, setting standards that elevate the work we do across the board. We need clear, reliable benchmarks—something solid we can point to and say, “This is what top-tier IT service looks like.” And as we continue our efforts in legislation, we’ll see more grassroots initiatives driving our voices forward, giving us the seat at the table we deserve.
To make this vision a reality, we need a stronger, more diverse membership base, welcoming both MSPs and vendors. As we grow, we draw on a broader range of experiences and insights, creating genuine opportunities for learning and support. With our focus on continuing education and skill badges, we’re not just keeping IT professionals up-to-date—we’re equipping them to stand out in a rapidly changing field. After all, it’s not enough to simply be in the game; we want our members to be the ones setting the pace. (Because, let’s face it, “good enough” never inspired anyone.)
Above all, we need to lead with integrity. NSITSP has the chance to set the bar for ethical practices, building trust and accountability within the industry and in every client relationship. In 2025, my vision is for NSITSP to be more than just a professional organization; it’s a force for positive change, a community that makes all of us better, rooted in professionalism, ethics, and a commitment to doing right by our clients and each other.“
Final Note
I do want to say something about departing board members. Our out-going board members (President Amy Babinchak, Larry Mandelberg, and Treasurer Rayanne Buchianico) were all with us from the beginning. They served during the early formation of “nothing” into a growing, vibrant organization. Each of them spent far more hours than they expected at the beginning. And we, as an organization, owe them a debt of gratitude.
It’s rare that you have the opportunity take an idea and create something that operates nationwide, and is known and respected around the globe. These folks played a key role in doing exactly that with the NSITSP. Thank them when you see them.
Amy and Rayanne continue to serve us on committees, so they’re not really going anywhere. Get involved and meet them.
Finally . . .
Please join us November 13th for the big all-member meeting! You’ll be able to meet these folks, and see exactly what we’re up to.
Details here:
https://nsitsp.org/event/q4-all-members-meeting/
November 13th
9:00 AM Pacific
on Zoom
Register today!
🙂