In-Person Event

May 5 - 6, 2026 | Schaumburg, Illinois

2026 ChannelPro DEFEND: Chicago

Hyatt Regency Schaumburg Chicago

2026 ChannelPro DEFEND: Chicago

Ready to reach your next million in cybersecurity revenue? ChannelPro DEFEND is the two-day security event you can’t afford to miss. Built for MSPs, MSSPs, and other IT channel partners, this in-person experience features business-building strategies and threat landscape intel you won’t find anywhere else.

NEW in 2026! Our Day 1 DEFEND Cybersecurity Workshop provides a fully curated journey through four focused tracks: Risk Mitigation, Cybersecurity Response, Business Growth, and Cutting-Edge Tools.

These interactive courses, designed by industry experts and successful MSPs, deliver the secrets to building an IT business that lasts. Plus, you’ll connect with the channel’s top vendors, see exclusive product demos, meet new referral partners, and have a ton of fun.

100% free for qualified channel partners, ChannelPro DEFEND: Chicago will feature insights from the IT Channel’s leading practitioners and renowned strategists. Join us to learn:

  • Actionable strategies for selling cybersecurity solutions
  • Critical tips on preventing catastrophic data breaches
  • Insight into the latest AI-powered tech to strengthen your security posture
  • Best practices and tactics for positioning your business as a trusted security partner

Join your fellow IT providers from throughout the region to network. It’s also a golden opportunity to meet the industry’s most innovative vendors, discover new cybersecurity tools, and strike deals that fuel growth.

Event Details

Dates

May 5 - 6, 2026

Multi-Day Event
Location

Schaumburg, Illinois

Venue

Hyatt Regency Schaumburg Chicago

Cost

Free for Qualified Channel Partners

Registration
Event Schedule
Speakers
Sponsors
Cancellation
Additional Info

Event Registration

Event Schedule

May
5
May
6

Sessions for Tuesday, May 5, 2026

1:00 PM
Registration opens - AGENDA SUBJECT TO CHANGE - watch this space
2:15 PM
The Bourbon Icebreaker: How to Choose the Right Security Tools
Join us for a candid conversation about choosing the right security tools with a twist. Between sips of bourbon, our experts will break down how to choose, stack, and justify the right security tools for your clients. If you want to scale without overspending, this discussion is can't-miss.
2:45 PM
Breakout Session: Evaluating the Threat Landscape: Actionable Intelligence for IT Providers
In this powerful breakout session, our experts dig into new data from the industry's biggest threat reports and translate it into what actually matters for MSPs on the ground. You’ll hear the numbers, the trends, and—most importantly—the real-world impact behind them so you can adjust your defenses, guide clients, and stay ahead of what’s coming next.
2:45 PM
Breakout Session: Sticky by Design: How to Leverage Security to Build Client Loyalty
Landing security clients is one thing—keeping them is the real game. During this breakout session, we're diving into the habits, communication rhythms, and service touches that install confidence and ensure contract renewals. Walk away with practical ways to grow business relationships without constantly re-proving your value.
3:20 PM
A Unified Path to MSP Profitability: Escaping the Reactive Treadmill
Sponsored by Cylerian
3:20 PM
Build a High-Margin Growth Engine with Modern BCDR Solution
Sponsored by Slide
Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery (BCDR) is your best and last line of defense against cyber attack. Is your BCDR strategy a cost center or a revenue driver? Join us for a 30-minute deep dive into building a modern backup strategy designed specifically to boost your MRR. We’re breaking down the essential business and tech components you need along with the sales playbooks required to upsell current clients and land new ones. Let’s turn your MSP into a high-margin growth engine.
3:55 PM
Sponsor presentations, product demos, partner program updates and more!
6:10 PM
Vendor Preference Directory - Cast Your Vote!
6:25 PM
New Realities and Risks: How MSPs Can Protect Their Bottom Line
Sponsored by Channel Hunters
Sponsored by Cylerian
Sponsored by Seceon
Sponsored by Keepit
Sponsored by Ciardi, Ciardi & Astin
Sponsored by Slide
Sponsored by Beauceron Security
Let's pull back the curtain on the biggest forces reshaping the MSP business today. In this panel discussion, we're putting vendor experts on the hot seat to discuss the trends that matter most: consolidation, compliance demands, tool sprawl, pricing, and more. Bring your questions and walk away with a sharper understanding of where the IT industry is going and how to stay profitable.
7:00 PM
Welcome Cocktail Reception in the Exhibit Hall
Sponsored by Ciardi, Ciardi & Astin

Sessions for Wednesday, May 6, 2026

7:00 AM
Networking Breakfast
8:15 AM
Adopting a Security Framework: Guarding Against the Most Dangerous Cyberattacks
Security frameworks aren’t paperwork. They’re the blueprint that helps you safeguard clients, detect and respond to threats, and recover when the #@$% hits the fan. In this session, we’ll break down how to choose the right framework, map it to real threats MSPs face every day, and translate it into actionable steps you can take as soon as you get home.
8:45 AM
Sponsor presentations, product demos, partner program updates and more!
9:55 AM
Break
10:05 AM
How to Automate Your MSP and Scale with AI
Many MSPs want to hop on the automation hype train, but the biggest gains come from fixing workflows and adopting AI internally first. This session will show how to target the right processes and get quick wins without sacrificing security.
10:35 AM
Sponsor presentations, product demos, partner program updates and more!
12:00 PM
ROI Lightning Round
1:05 PM
Product & Services Expo Luncheon
2:35 PM
Channel’s Got Talent: Cybersecurity Pitch Edition
Want to avoid the after-lunch food coma? In this fast and fun showdown, four brave attendees will pitch their cybersecurity services. After getting honest (and perhaps slightly silly) feedback from our judges, they'll try again with a stronger, sharper pitch. The crowd will vote, one champion will emerge, and the winner earns bragging rights and eternal glory.
3:30 PM
Who Is Liable When AI Fails?
AI and automation tools promise efficiency, but when they misfire, MSPs are left holding the legal bag. In this session, Brad Gross, one of the nation’s leading MSP attorneys, reveals the hidden liabilities of AI adoption, and how to draft protective language into your MSAs and SOWs before disaster strikes.
4:10 PM
Sponsor Awards Voting
4:20 PM
The 4th Quarter Speech: Adjustments You Need to Make to Win the Game
This is the locker-room talk every MSP needs before heading back onto the field. In this inspirational featured session, we'll tie the lessons you've learned at ChannelPro DEFEND to practical next steps. We'll deliver a concrete plan to confront the challenges in your business, implement the right strategies, and coach your employees to success.
4:50 PM
Partner in Excellence Award
Help us celebrate greatness at our Partner in Excellence Award Ceremony. We'll recognize a local IT channel legend for their leadership, innovation, camaraderie, and commitment to building the industry.
5:25 PM
Closing Remarks, Sponsor Awards & Attendee Giveaways!

Speakers

Speakers

Founder & Principal Advisor
SolveCXO

Chris Buckingham is a former MSP founder who built, scaled, and successfully exited his IT services company. Chris and his team grew from a garage startup to a boardroom-level organization before selling through acquisition. Today, he helps MSP owner-operators escape operational chaos and build scalable, execution-focused businesses. Chris works with founders who are strong technicians but overwhelmed by growth, buried in decisions, inconsistent processes, and reactive service delivery. Through SolveCXO, he brings structure to leadership teams, aligns service models and technology stacks, and installs operational cadence that drives accountability and profitability. His focus is simple: help MSP leaders move from firefighting to scalable growth by tightening operations, clarifying roles, and aligning technology with business outcomes.
Breakout Session: Sticky by Design: How to Leverage Security to Build Client Loyalty
May 5, 2026 2:45pm
Channel’s Got Talent: Cybersecurity Pitch Edition
May 6, 2026 2:35pm
Managing Editor
The ChannelPro Network

Anjali Fluker is Senior Channel Editor at The ChannelPro Network. She is an award-winning reporter and editor in the news industry for 25 years, specializing in topics including sports, local government, real estate and development, restaurants, and transportation for publications in Detroit, MI, and Orlando, FL.
The Bourbon Icebreaker: How to Choose the Right Security Tools
May 5, 2026 2:15pm
President
Law Office of Bradley Gross, PA

Brad Gross is the founding partner of the Law Office of Bradley Gross, P.A., a law firm that specializes in transactions involving technology service providers, solution resellers, IT professionals and technology companies worldwide. Brad is one of the leading international legal authorities in cloud transactions, having counseled thousands of MSPs nationwide for over 23 years. He has been listed on fifteen occasions to the national list of Super Lawyers in IT & Technology Law. Brad has his own podcast, TechnologyBradcast.com, that covers security, licensing, and contract issues for MSPs, and sits on the Board of Digitunity, a non-profit organization that helps close the digital divide. He is also the founding partner of MSPTerms, a cloud-based document management platform engineered for MSPs.
The Bourbon Icebreaker: How to Choose the Right Security Tools
May 5, 2026 2:15pm
Who Is Liable When AI Fails?
May 6, 2026 3:30pm
President/CEO
5K Technical Services

Corey Kirkendoll, President and CEO of 5K Technical Services, heads a leading Managed Service Provider (MSP) serving SMBs in North Texas. With over 30 years of experience in Information Services and technology, Corey held pivotal roles at IBM, Cisco Systems, Dell, EMC, and VMware. Recognized for expertise in IT and Cyber Security, Corey's leadership drives rapid growth and industry benchmarks for MSPs nationwide. Corey prioritizes process-oriented excellence in security and compliance, setting industry standards. Beyond corporate duties, he is a prominent speaker and author, contributing to CompTIA and serving on various boards promoting diversity and inclusion. As former chair of CompTIA Managed Services Executive Council, his influence extends to Channel Advisory Boards and garnered accolades like the CompTIA Community Leadership award and ChannelPro Peer of the Year. Corey, a Tech Titan, holds certifications including CCIE, CISSP, and CCSA, and multiple degrees from Jones International University. Engaged in continuous learning, he graduated from SBA Emerging Leaders and Goldman Sachs SB 10K Programs.
Adopting a Security Framework: Guarding Against the Most Dangerous Cyberattacks
May 6, 2026 8:15am
The 4th Quarter Speech: Adjustments You Need to Make to Win the Game
May 6, 2026 4:20pm
Project Manager
Databit

Ronnie Parisella is a Sr. IT Pro with over 25 years experience working in NYC IT Services. Before branching out, Ronnie worked for Charles Schwab & Co., the McGraw-Hill companies, Scholastic Books, MTV, and the New York New Media Association (NYNMA). After co-founding and running a successful MSP for 10 years, he has been a consultant to the industry fitting in where needed, from Help Desk (Have you tried turning it off and on?) to Management Consulting (Have you tried turning yourself off and on?). He has helped build or rebuild over a dozen MSPs and now is focused on excellence in Project Management through tight tracking and controls. He's a frequent contributor to numerous industry publications and was named a leading CTO under age 40 by VAR Business magazine. When not helping others build MSPs, Ronnie collects comics and shoots pool in Upstate NY.
The Bourbon Icebreaker: How to Choose the Right Security Tools
May 5, 2026 2:15pm
How to Automate Your MSP and Scale with AI
May 6, 2026 10:05am
Founder, Publisher
The ChannelPro Network

Michael Siggins is the founder and publisher of The ChannelPro Network. Since March 2007 the network has been providing targeted business and technology information for the IT channel. Via its print and online properties, the network delivers expert opinion, analysis, news, product reviews, and advice vital to business success. Michael is also president and publisher of ChannelPro: The Insider’s Guide to SMB, the only channel media property dedicated to the needs of channel professionals working in the SMB marketplace. Prior to founding The ChannelPro Network, Michael worked for more than 14 years at IDG, the world’s leading technology media, events, and research company.
Opening Remarks
May 5, 2026 2:00pm
Opening Remarks
May 6, 2026 8:00am
CEO
3rd Element Consulting

Dawn Sizer is a CEO and technologist with security, training, and policy specializations. She can make complex technical information relatable for any audience. This is showcased in her writings, speaking engagements, her MSP (3rd Element), and podcast (Rebel Executives). 3rd Element incorporated in 2005 and has made CRN’s MSP 500 list for the last four years. Dawn has been nominated as one of the top women in the channel for the last three years, holds an MBA in IT, as well as industry standard certifications. She sits on Partner Advisory councils of five of the top distributors, security, and cyber insurance companies in the space, as well as The Channel Company for XChange and Women of the Channel. Dawn has been married for more than 25 years to her husband and partner in everything. They have two boys and two goofy dogs, Pilot and Odin.
Breakout Session: Evaluating the Threat Landscape: Actionable Intelligence for IT Providers
May 5, 2026 2:45pm
How to Automate Your MSP and Scale with AI
May 6, 2026 10:05am
CEO
Ironstone Strategy

Kelly Stone is a creative marketer with a wide variety of experience in the channel, helping small- and medium-sized businesses tell their stories in ways and places that sell.
The Bourbon Icebreaker: How to Choose the Right Security Tools
May 5, 2026 2:15pm
Breakout Session: Sticky by Design: How to Leverage Security to Build Client Loyalty
May 5, 2026 2:45pm
Channel’s Got Talent: Cybersecurity Pitch Edition
May 6, 2026 2:35pm
Cofounder
Rocket Fuel Factory

Henry Timm is a technology executive, cybersecurity advocate, and community builder focused on one clear mission: build stronger businesses, stronger communities, and a stronger IT industry. As CEO of Phantom Technology Solutions, Henry leads a performance-driven Managed IT Services Provider supporting compliance-focused SMBs across the Midwest. His firm partners with manufacturing, healthcare, and other regulated organizations to modernize, stabilize, and secure their technology environments with solutions designed for long-term reliability and accountability. He is also the cofounder of Rocket Fuel Factory, a business accelerator and incubator built to help MSPs, vendors, and IT consultants scale through community, coaching, and disciplined execution. Through education, strategic partnership, and practical enablement, Rocket Fuel Factory equips leaders to grow with intention rather than drift with the market. Henry is one of the original cofounders of The Tech Degenerates, a global community of MSPs, IT operators, and technology leaders committed to honest conversations, peer accountability, and raising operational standards across the channel. The community is known for cutting through noise, rejecting hype, and creating a space where experienced professionals can challenge each other, share lessons learned, and strengthen the industry from the inside out. With more than two decades of experience spanning IT leadership, cybersecurity, support, and software development, Henry operates at the intersection of technology strategy, operational discipline, and community engagement. He is known for addressing hard truths, guiding teams through meaningful change, and helping organizations build resilience that holds up under pressure. Henry serves in leadership on the GTIA Cybersecurity Executive Council and on the GTIA Global Leadership Committee. He is also an active member of FBI InfraGard. He advises vendors, nonprofits, peer groups, and event organizers committed to raising the bar for professionalism and security across the IT channel. He regularly cohosts MSP Community Live, a livestream series dedicated to elevating the broader IT community, and is a frequent podcast guest and industry contributor sharing insights on leadership, cybersecurity, compliance, and channel trends. His recognitions include CRN MSP 500 and Pioneer 250, Michiana Forty Under 40, the GTIA Community Leadership Award, a nomination for the GTIA Cybersecurity Leadership Award, and nominations for both the CompTIA Community Leadership Award and the Ernestine M. Raclin Community Leadership Award. Outside of his professional work, Henry remains active in initiatives supporting economic development, veterans, disaster relief, and civil rights advocacy. He welcomes opportunities to collaborate with leaders who are serious about building well, serving others, and moving the industry forward with integrity.
Breakout Session: Evaluating the Threat Landscape: Actionable Intelligence for IT Providers
May 5, 2026 2:45pm
Adopting a Security Framework: Guarding Against the Most Dangerous Cyberattacks
May 6, 2026 8:15am
Technical Editor
ChannelPro

Matt Whitlock is responsible for the strategic direction and technical content of ChannelProNetwork.com. He brings more than 20 years’ experience working in the technology industry to his reviews, analysis, and general musings about all things gadget and gear. Matt’s decade of experience in online media, community management, and web development has been instrumental in propelling the ChannelPro brand into the digital future. Matt also lends his vocal talent (and sense of humor) as host for the ChannelPro Weekly Podcast, a weekly audio program specifically tailored for resellers, VARs, MSPs, and system builders. His spare time is devoted primarily to his wife and two wonderful children as sports cheerleader, amateur chauffeur, opener of jars, target for NERF bullets, maker of coffee and sandwiches, changer of AA and AAA batteries, and fixer of computers.
Channel’s Got Talent: Cybersecurity Pitch Edition
May 6, 2026 2:35pm

Sponsors

Cancellation

Registration Cancellation

ChannelPro events are free for qualified MSPs and IT channel partners. Our staff reviews all registration information, and if the business details you provide on the form do not meet the required qualifications, your registration will be canceled.

If you need to modify or cancel your registration, please email us at events@channelpronetwork.com.

Additional Info

Event Location:

Hyatt Regency Schaumburg Chicago

📍 1800 East Golf Road - Schaumburg, IL 60173

The Hyatt Regency Schaumburg offers modern upscale accommodations just 15 minutes from O’Hare Airport, 30 minutes from downtown Chicago, and minutes from Schaumburg business offices. Stay at the best upscale hotel in Schaumburg near Woodfield Mall.

 

Parking

Parking is free at the hotel.

Registration Terms and Conditions

Our sponsors make ChannelPro Events possible: We are proud to present a showcase of vendor solutions at every event to provide additional learning opportunities and enable channel pros to get one-on-one advice on employing new technologies and services to better serve their clients and their own businesses. Contact information of event registrants is shared with sponsors to allow them to keep you up to date on their solutions. By attending this event, you consent to being photographed or filmed for promotional use, such as on social media, marketing materials, and our website, to capture and share memorable moments. All registrants are enrolled in the ChannelPro Insider program and are eligible for free resources. You can unsubscribe at any time. If you are a resident of California, you can click here CCPA form.

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ChannelPro Code of Conduct

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CyberRisk Alliance privacy policy. The ChannelPro Network is part of CyberRisk Alliance, LLC.

About ChannelPro

The ChannelPro Network is a media company providing targeted business and technology information for IT decision makers and channel partners. Via its websites, live events and quarterly special reports, The ChannelPro Network delivers expert opinion, analysis, news, product reviews, and advice for IT decision makers and channel partners. Perspectives from partners, vendors, distributors, and analysts are spotlighted daily.  

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