Bob Venero (pictured), CEO of Holbrook, N.Y.-based solution provider Future Tech - No. 119 on the 2017 CRN Solution Provider 500 – on the appointment of Antonio Neri as president of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, which launched speculation that he's next in line to become CEO of the $28 billion company.

"This clearly lines up Neri to be the next in line to take the reins of HPE; there is no question about it. This looks like it is [CEO Meg] Whitman staying true to her statement that the next CEO of HPE would be born and bred in the HPE family."