RSPA Establishes Steve Cuntz Memorial Scholarship, Requests Donors

RALEIGH, NC – The Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA) Scholarship Fund has established the Steve Cuntz Memorial Scholarship, the association first announced at its RetailNOW trade show and conference July 29 in Las Vegas.

The late founder and CEO of BlueStar and one of the most influential executives in the retail IT channel, Cuntz passed away Nov. 4, 2024. He was an unwavering supporter of the channel and the RSPA, and he was a fierce advocate for small businesses. Cuntz was inducted into the RSPA Retail Technology Hall of Fame posthumously this year.

Steve’s scholarship has received the blessing of Vicki Cuntz and BlueStar leadership. Thanks to efforts before RetailNOW, Steve’s scholarship fund is already over 50% of the final fundraising goal thanks to initial donations by:

  • Agora
  • BlueStar
  • Citizen
  • Honeywell
  • J3 POS
  • MicroTouch
  • NCC
  • PamiTV
  • Round 2 POS
  • SpacePole
  • Star Micronics
  • Touch Dynamic
  • Zebra
  • Mark & Denise Fraker
  • Dave & Norma McCarthy

When fully funded, the plan is for Cuntz’s scholarship to be available to the children and grandchildren of all RSPA members, and it will be awarded to a student pursuing a degree in finance, business, or entrepreneurship which were Steve’s passions.

The intent of the RSPA Scholarship Board is to raise over $75,000 to create a major RSPA scholarship that will honor Steve in perpetuity beginning in 2025. RSPA will raise funds for Cuntz’s scholarship through Dec. 6 and will officially announce his scholarship at the RSPA Inspire Leadership Conference in January 2025.

To donate, go to www.GoRSPA.org/scholarship and then follow the link to donate to the Scholarship Program. Or email the RSPA Member Services Team of Ashley Naggy, Peggy Fry, and Nicole Greene at Membership@GoRSPA.org.

Since the inception of the RSPA Scholarship Program, the RSPA has awarded over 2,000 merit scholarships and nearly $3 million to families of member companies. The children and grandchildren of RSPA members are eligible for merit-based scholarships to help ease the costs associated with post-secondary education.

For more information on the RSPA Scholarship Program, visit www.GoRSPA.org/scholarship or email Membership@GoRSPA.org.  

About RSPA (Retail Solutions Providers Association)
The RSPA is North America’s largest community of VARs, software providers, vendors, and distributors in the retail, restaurant, grocery, and cannabis verticals. The mission of the RSPA is to accelerate the success of its members in the retail technology ecosystem by providing knowledge and connections. The organization offers member-to-member warm introductions, education, legal advice, industry advocacy, and other services to assist members with becoming and remaining successful. RSPA is most well-known for its signature events, RetailNOW® and Inspire®, which provide face-to-face learning and networking opportunities. Learn more by visiting www.GoRSPA.org.