South Plainfield, NJ – March 5, 2026 – Touch Dynamic announced the launch of its #SafeToSpeakUp Campaign in response to Episode 148 of RSPA Trusted Advisor, a podcast hosted by Jim Roddy, the President and CEO at the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA). Roddy sheds light on the injustices and harassment that women in the channel face. The episode, titled “A Call to Action for Retail IT Channel Men,” urges men in the channel to actively protect, support, and advocate for women in the industry to promote safer spaces for all. Touch Dynamic stands firmly behind that call with a formal pledge: #SafeToSpeakUp.

The company is encouraging both men and women across the Retail IT Channel to take an active role in protecting one another and to ensure that both women and men feel empowered to speak up if something isn’t right and advocate for one another.

Industry Representation Evolution

Then: 2001

“When I started Touch Dynamic back in 2001, there were barely any women in this industry,” said Craig Paritz, President of Touch Dynamic. “You’d walk tradeshows and the demographic was an astounding 95% men, at least.”

In the early 2000s, representation of women in the Retail IT Channel was minimal. Industry events, executive panels, and leadership positions reflected a stark imbalance. Women were rarely seen on stage, rarely in decision-making roles, and often lacked visible support networks within the channel.

This underrepresentation contributed not only to limited opportunity, but also to environments where inappropriate behavior too often went unchecked.

Now: 2026

Within the channel itself, progress is visible. For the first time ever, the board of the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA) is majority women, with 7 of 13 board seats, or 54%, held by women in 2026. “Now we see more women than ever on stage and involved in retail IT channel events. And for the first time ever, the RSPA board is majority women.” Roddy notes in Episode 148. This milestone represents a significant win for women across IT and the channel community. 

Representation is growing, leadership is diversifying, and visibility is improving, but growth also brings responsibility.

The Reality Behind the Progress

Despite measurable gains, Episode 148 sheds light on a troubling truth. “Events in our industry in the retail IT channel should be safe spaces for everyone,” Roddy states. “But the reality, as you can see from those stories, they’re not.”

The five stories shared in the episode represent only a fraction of what many women have experienced. For every story told publicly, countless others remain unspoken. Many women stay silent out of fear: fear of career repercussions, reputational harm, lost business relationships, or being labeled “difficult.” In too many cases, silence has felt like the cost of survival. But, as Roddy emphasized, “the channel needs everyone to thrive”, and there shouldn’t be any consequences of speaking out. A thriving channel cannot coexist with intimidation, harassment, or fear.

Leadership Is Not Optional

Episode 148 outlines clear behavioral expectations for men in the channel, not as suggestions, but as standards of leadership:

• Act appropriately at all times.
• Limit alcohol consumption at industry events.
• Tell women explicitly that you have their back.
• If you see something, say something, even if the offender is a customer or prospect. Ask if the woman is okay. Stay until the situation is safe.
• Be welcoming, supportive, and proactive allies.

Touch Dynamic believes these principles are not optional. They define what it means to be a High Character Leader.

Official Statement from Touch Dynamic’s President

"I found the stories shared in this recent podcast deeply troubling, and they should be a wake-up call for our entire industry. Harassment and mistreatment of women have no place in our channel, period.

Touch Dynamic has a zero-tolerance policy for this kind of behavior. When concerns have been raised in the past, we have taken action, including working with partners to address inappropriate conduct and remove individuals. That same standard applies internally: anyone, at any level, who makes a woman feel unsafe would be terminated without hesitation.

But first and foremost, we are calling on other high-character leaders to commit to this pledge with us.

We are also taking action by making it mandatory for our teams to watch this podcast, take the pledge to protect the women of our channel, and actively encourage anyone who feels unsafe to speak up. We've got your back.

We stand with those who came forward, and we are committed to building an industry grounded in professionalism, mutual respect, and accountability, not silence”, said Craig Paritz.

Touch Dynamic’s Official Pledge: #SafeToSpeakUp

Our Commitment

Touch Dynamic calls on:

• Retail IT Channel executives
• Event organizers
• Vendors and partners
• Men and women in leadership roles

To publicly commit to being High Character Leaders. “It starts with us,” said Paritz. The future of the Retail IT Channel depends not only on innovation but on integrity.

Take the pledge. Stand up.
Be #SafeToSpeakUp on both sides. Be a High Character Leader.