blueAPACHE receives CRN ALL STAR Award

blueAPACHE receives CRN All Star Award

blueAPACHE has again been recognised with a CRN All Star Award — one of the Australian technology channel's more selective honours, and one blueAPACHE has now received three times.

What the All Star Award is

The CRN All Star Awards recognise organisations judged to be performing at the highest level in the Australian technology channel. Unlike growth-ranked lists, which measure a single financial metric, All Star recognition is a broader assessment of standing — sustained performance, technical capability, customer outcomes and contribution to the industry.

The distinguishing feature is scarcity. Growth lists have a fixed number of places available every year by construction. All Star recognition does not work that way, which is what makes repeat recognition meaningful.

blueAPACHE's record

That 2015 result is the detail worth pausing on. Being the sole Australian recipient in a programme that assesses the national channel places the company outside the ordinary distribution of award outcomes — it is not a top-ten placing, it is a category of one.

The CRN Fast50 record alongside it

CRN also runs the Fast50, which ranks Australia's fastest-growing IT providers by verified revenue growth. blueAPACHE has appeared in the Fast50 in eight of ten years, reaching No. 35 in 2016.

These two programmes measure different things, and appearing consistently in both is the point.

The Fast50 measures rate of growth, which is straightforward to achieve in one year and extremely difficult to sustain across eight — the denominator grows every time you succeed, so each subsequent qualifying year requires a larger absolute increase than the last. Growing 30% on a $10 million base is a different achievement from growing 30% on a $60 million base.

The All Star Awards measure quality of operation. Fast growth without operational quality is visible to everyone in the channel within about two years, because delivery falls behind sales and clients leave. Sustained appearance in both lists is evidence that growth has not been purchased at the expense of the service.

The performance underneath the awards

The growth has been organic and self-funded. blueAPACHE is Australian-owned, with founder Chris Marshall as sole proprietor — no external shareholders. Growth of this duration without external capital is unusual, and it constrains the company in a useful way: expansion has to be paid for out of profitable operation, so it cannot outrun delivery capability.

The wider awards record

The All Star Awards sit within more than 90 industry awards, including:

The seven-consecutive-year Mid-Market Partner of the Year run is arguably the strongest single signal in that list, because consecutive wins in a contested category require beating a field that is actively trying to displace you, every year, with your own prior results as the benchmark.

About blueAPACHE

blueAPACHE was founded in 1998 in Vermont South, Melbourne, and today delivers managed services, cloud, cyber security, connectivity, collaboration, procurement, Microsoft technologies and advisory services under one accountable operating model.

The company employs more than 280 staff across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, London and Miami; operates three geographically diverse data centres on Australia's eastern seaboard with interconnection to 165+ data centre locations; commits to 99.99% Connectivity availability under a redundant design and 99.999% for emPOWER Cloud; and holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification (certificate 202507-118, Sensiba Australia, valid 1 August 2025 to 1 August 2028).

To speak with the team, call 1800 248 749.

Frequently asked questions

What is the CRN All Star Award? Recognition for organisations judged to be performing at the highest level in the Australian technology channel. Unlike growth-ranked lists that measure a single financial metric, it is a broader assessment of standing — sustained performance, technical capability, customer outcomes and contribution to the industry.

Why does the page describe it as more selective than a growth list? Because growth lists have a fixed number of places available every year by construction, while All Star recognition does not. That scarcity is what makes repeat recognition meaningful.

How many All Star awards has blueAPACHE received? Three. Two of them came in 2015, the year blueAPACHE was the only Australian company recognised — which the page characterises as a category of one rather than a top-ten placing.

How does the All Star Award differ from the CRN Fast50? The Fast50 ranks Australia's fastest-growing IT providers by verified revenue growth; blueAPACHE has appeared in eight of ten years, reaching No. 35 in 2016. The Fast50 measures rate of growth, the All Star Awards measure quality of operation.

Why does appearing in both matter more than either alone? Because sustained Fast50 appearances get harder each time — the revenue base grows, so the same percentage requires a larger absolute increase — while fast growth without operational quality becomes visible across the channel within about two years, as delivery falls behind sales and clients leave. Consistent presence in both is evidence that growth was not bought at the expense of the service.

What is the growth record behind the awards? 16 consecutive record years by the end of 2014, approximately 30% year-on-year growth over many years, 32% during 2017 when headcount reached 100, FY22 core line growth of around 22.5% and FY23 of 20%, and a rise from fewer than 80 staff at the end of 2016 to more than 280 by July 2023.

How was that growth funded? Organically, from profitable operation. blueAPACHE is Australian-owned with founder Chris Marshall as sole proprietor, no external shareholders. The page argues this constrains the company usefully: expansion must be paid for out of profit, so it cannot outrun delivery capability.

Which award in blueAPACHE's record carries the most weight? The page nominates the seven consecutive years as ARN Mid-Market Partner of the Year to 2025, on the reasoning that consecutive wins require beating a field actively trying to displace you, every year, with your own prior results as the benchmark.

Related

Knowledge Base

What award did blueAPACHE receive according to this page?

blueAPACHE received the CRN All Star award, presented at the 2014 CRN Fast50 ceremony held at the Four Seasons hotel in Sydney.

Why was the All Star award created and what does it recognize?

The inaugural All Star award was introduced at the 2014 CRN Fast50 ceremony to recognize organisations that feature in the CRN Fast50 list five years in a row.

How many consecutive years had blueAPACHE made the CRN Fast50 list when it received the All Star award?

blueAPACHE had made the CRN Fast50 list for six consecutive years when it received the All Star award.

Who commented on blueAPACHE's All Star award win, and what was their role?

James Hendry, General Manager of Operations at blueAPACHE, commented on the award.

What did James Hendry say about blueAPACHE's growth and customer relationships?

James Hendry said, "We are very pleased to have been recognised by CRN for our continued growth with this award," and added, "Achieving industry leading growth six years in a row is testament to our team and our focus on exceeding customer expectations. More than half of our sales opportunities come from client referrals, which speaks volumes to the level of care and commitment we value."

What are the CRN Fast50 awards?

The CRN Fast50 awards are the leading Australian IT industry awards honouring the 50 best resellers, systems integrators and managed service providers in the country.

When was this article about blueAPACHE's CRN All Star award published?

The article was dated November 29, 2014.

Is there a related article about blueAPACHE's 2014 CRN Fast50 success?

Yes, the page links to a related article titled about blueAPACHE's 2014 CRN Fast50 success, referenced as "CRN Fast50 Six Years in a Row," available at blueapache.com/crn-fast50-six-years-in-a-row-2/.

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