Recent News & Press Coverage
Stay informed with official news and updates from The ASCII Group. This section features company announcements, strategic initiatives, and industry coverage that reflect our continued commitment to the MSP community and the broader IT channel. Press inquiries: Contact alysia@ascii.com
The ASCII Group Unveils New Website and Member Portal to Support the Evolving MSP Community
Washington, D.C. – July 17, 2025 – The ASCII Group, North America’s original vendor-neutral community for Managed Service Providers (MSPs), has launched a redesigned corporate website and a new member portal, delivering a more connected and engaging experience for today’s MSPs.
These updates reflect a broader initiative to elevate the ASCII experience—streamlining access to programs, enhancing peer collaboration, and building on the vision of ASCII’s late founder, Alan Weinberger, who championed the power of community in the IT channel.
The new website features improved navigation, refreshed content, and a clearer representation of ASCII’s vendor-neutral position in the market. It also provides easier access to information on member benefits, industry events, and peer programs.
“The new site is a true reflection of the community we serve,” said Jerry Koutavas, CEO of The ASCII Group. “It reinforces our commitment to helping MSPs grow and stay competitive, while better showcasing the breadth and depth of what ASCII offers.”
Earlier this year, ASCII also introduced its member benefit portal—a centralized platform for real-time community engagement. Built to support meaningful peer interaction, the portal enables members to submit subcontracting requests, exchange vendor recommendations, explore acquisition opportunities, and offer or receive support during service disruptions or emergencies.
“The member portal brings to light what has always existed within our community—MSPs supporting each other in practical, business-focused ways,” added Koutavas. “By formalizing that collaboration, we’ve made it easier for members to connect, share, and solve challenges together.”
Both the website and portal were developed with direct input from ASCII members and are part of the organization’s ongoing effort to remain the most accessible, trusted, and community-driven resource for MSPs in the channel.
About The ASCII Group, Inc.
Founded in 1984, The ASCII Group is the original IT community of the channel, uniting Managed Service Providers (MSPs) across North America. As a vendor-neutral organization, ASCII provides unbiased resources and a collaborative environment to support business growth. Members span the U.S. and Canada, ranging from SMB-focused MSPs to international solution providers. ASCII offers leveraged purchasing programs, education, marketing support, peer networking, and more, complemented by a vibrant ecosystem of technology vendors. Learn more at www.ascii.com.
Press Contact:
Alysia Vetter
Chief Marketing Officer
Tel: 800-394-2724 x131
Email: alysia@ascii.com
Web: www.ascii.com
The ASCII Group Extends Dedicated Discussion Rooms on Popular Peer to Peer Exchange Forum
Bethesda, Maryland – July 23, 2014 — The ASCII Group, a membership-based community of independent MSPs, VARs and Solution Providers, is pleased to announce the creation of dedicated rooms available on its ASCII-Link forum.
Having exceeded over 240,000 posts on the listserv, the popular members-only community forum lets users freely discuss technical information, vendor recommendations, and business advice. Over 800 users make more than 3,500 posts per month on average on ASCII-Link, which successfully uses a listserv format to generate quicker responses and more participation than would occur using other available formats.
Because users asked for an additional venue to post more detailed questions about vendor products, The ASCII Group created several additional listserv rooms exclusively dedicated to specific vendors. Rooms are designed to help users share their experiences and solutions with the vendor so that members can help each other maximize the benefits of using the products. Vendors are not permitted access to ASCII-Link and posts are not moderated by The ASCII Group, allowing for a free exchange of information.
“Every vendor has a robust product with an array of features and functions that not all users may be aware of. With the creation of specific vendor rooms on ASCII-Link, members are teaching each other in real time how to best use these products and instantaneously solve issues,” said Doug Young, COO & Senior Vice President, The ASCII Group.
The current dedicated vendor rooms in ASCII-Link include Autotask, Connectwise, Continuum, GFI, Labtech, and Tigerpaw.
For more information on membership, visit www.ascii.com.
About The ASCII Group, Inc:
The ASCII Group is a vibrant reseller community of independent MSPs, VARs, and other solution providers. Formed in 1984, ASCII has more than 70 programs that provide turnkey cost-cutting strategies, innovative business building programs, and extensive peer interaction. ASCII members enjoy benefits such as marketing support; educational information; group purchasing power; increased leverage in the marketplace; and multiple networking opportunities. These programs enable ASCII members to increase revenue, lower operating costs, and grow service opportunities. You can learn more at www.ascii.com or by calling 800-394-2724.
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Press Contact
Alysia Vetter
Director of Communications
Tel: 800-394-2724
Email: alysia@ascii.com
Web: www.ascii.com
ASCII In The News - Member Articles (Summer 2014)
Read the latest articles written by ASCII members for top industry publications.
Tech Target
How to explain managed services pricing to customers by Jeremy Nelson, President, FCS Inc. and member of The ASCII Group since 2013.
Business Solutions
Adding These 3 Services Will Build Sticker Customer Relationships by Larry Nicholson, President, Nicholson Network Services Inc. and member of The ASCII Group (Canada) since 2014.
7 Reasons NOT to Offer Service Package Options by Raffi Jamgotchian, President/CTO, Triada Networks and member of The ASCII Group since 2008.
How To Fire A Client by Andrew Harrover, CEO, Matrix Computer Consulting and a member of The ASCII Group since 2012.
ASCII In The News - ChannelPro
CEO & Founder Alan Weinberger sat down with Michael Siggins from ChannelPro at our IT SMB Columbus Summit to reflect on ASCII and the last 30 years!
The ASCII Group Reflecting on 30 Years
ASCII In The News - IT SMB Summit | Business Solutions Magazine
Read the full coverage of our IT SMB Columbus Summit, as covered by Business Solutions Magazine. Check out the Inside ASCII web page on BSM for even more community information.
From ASCII Columbus: Creating An Effective Marketing Plan
From ASCII Columbus: MSP Marketing Golden Nuggets
How To Sell Backup? Stop Pitching Fires, Floods, And Famine
MSP Questions For Quantifying Objectives And Risks
From ASCII Columbus: How To Stand Out In A Crowded Market
From ASCII Columbus: Channel Trends — And Anti-Trends — To Watch
From ASCII Columbus: Increase Your Sales Through Neuromarketing
ASCII Announces Columbus Success Summit Awards
Read ChannelPro Networks coverage here:
ASCII Group’s IT SMB Success Summit Hits Columbus, Ohio
ASCII In The News
TechVoice Alliance Partner, ASCII Group, testifies before the U.S. House of Representatives House Committee on Small Business about “The Biggest Tax Problems of Small Businesses”.
Read more http://bit.ly/1iDbtQA
The ASCII Group Announces Members of New Advisory Committee
Bethesda, Maryland – April 10, 2014 — The ASCII Group, a membership-based community of independent MSPs, VARs and Solution Providers, today announced the formation of a new Advisory Committee. The Committee, comprised of representatives from ten member businesses from across the country and various sectors of technology, will work with ASCII headquarters on a regular basis to discuss new alliances, member programs, peer-to-peer networking opportunities for the members, and overall ways to bring value to the group. These initiatives would add to the more than 70 value-add programs ASCII currently provides to its members.
“Input from ASCII members is crucial. Solution providers are a bedrock of the industry, and we are committed to helping them continue to grow and thrive,” said Doug Young, COO and Senior Vice President of The ASCII Group. “Instead of us solely trying to determine the needs of our members, the Advisory Committee informs us what issues our community faces. We can then create solutions that help our members meet challenges and take advantage of innovative technologies.”
The members of the Advisory Committee are:
Matt Adkins – Vanguard Technologies, Toledo, OH
Joe Balsarotti – Software to Go, St. Peters, MO
Scott Brown – TimbukTech, Canton, IL
Howard Cunningham – Macro LLC, Fairfax, VA
Doug Grabowski – Grabowski Group, Inc., Orange, CT
Raffi Jamgotchian – Triada Networks, Northvale, NJ
Ed Mana – Technology On Demand, Yorktown Heights, NY
Francis Poeta – P&M Computers Inc., Cliffside Park, NJ
Tony Stirk – Iron Horse Computers, Springfield, VA
Vince Tinnirello – Anchor Network Solutions, Lone Tree, CO
Advisory Committee member Joe Balsarotti, President of Software To Go has been an ASCII member for over 20 years and welcomes the interaction between ASCII and its members. “I believe these Advisory Committee meetings will have a substantial impact on the success of ASCII and its members,” said Balsarotti. “ASCII is unique in that its primary constituency is solution providers and so the staff definitely listens to our feedback and considers it crucial to the continued success of the organization. Hopefully ASCII will be able to use our ideas and comments to form better programs for all the members.”
The mission of The ASCII Group is to provide solution providers with the tools necessary to survive and grow in the competitive technology market.
About The ASCII Group, Inc:
The ASCII Group is a vibrant reseller community of independent MSPs, VARs, and other solution providers. Formed in 1984, ASCII has more than 70 programs that provide turnkey cost-cutting strategies, innovative business building programs, and extensive peer interaction. ASCII members enjoy benefits such as marketing support; educational information; group purchasing power; increased leverage in the marketplace; and multiple networking opportunities. These programs enable ASCII members to increase revenue, lower operating costs, and grow service opportunities. You can learn more at www.ascii.com or by calling 800-394-2724.
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Press Contact
Alysia Vetter
Director of Communications
Tel: 800-394-2724 x 131
Email: alysia@ascii.com
Web: www.ascii.com
New: Case Studies
Read the latest ASCII case study, profiling member Joe Balsarotti of Software To Go.
MSP Live Webinar: The Band of IT Brothers, Growing Your Business Network
Join Jerry Koutavas, President of The ASCII Group on Thursday, April 10 at 11am PST/ 2pm EST as he explains the opportunities and results that we are generating for MSPs and VARs in our community.
Learn more about how The ASCII Group can help grow your business.
Register here: http://bit.ly/1ebMEpl
The ASCII Group Announces 'Best of Show' Award Winners From Austin Success Summit
Bethesda, Maryland – March 27, 2014 — The ASCII Group, a membership-based community of independent MSPs, VARs and Solution Providers, is pleased to announce the ‘Best of Show’ award winners from its 2014 IT SMB Success Summit in Austin, Texas.
“The ASCII Group is dedicated to exposing our members to the best vendors as part of our mission to help the independent solution provider community expand and thrive,” said Jerry Koutavas. “It is important to acknowledge these companies for their continued support for the channel and their commitment to quality products that allow our members to ably serve their clients.”
The awards are voted on by the attending Solution Providers, and honor the industry sponsors in multiple Best of Show categories.
Best Software Solution: StorageCraft
Best Hardware Solution: Datto
Best New Product: Datto
Best Cloud Solution: JetStream
Best Revenue Generator: GFI Max
Best Channel Incentives: M-Files
Best Channel Programs: HP
Best Partner Commitment: HP
Best Customer Support: APC-Schneider Electric
Best Distribution Sales Support: Pax8
Best of Show: Datto
For 30 years, The ASCII Group has leveraged the power of community to benefit its members. The Austin Success Summit is stop number two on an eight city conference tour drawing solution providers, leading technology vendors and industry experts. Online registration is open for the five remaining 2014 ASCII IT SMB Success Summits at www.asciievents.com.
About The ASCII Group, Inc:
The ASCII Group is a vibrant reseller community of independent MSPs, VARs, and other solution providers. Formed in 1984, ASCII has more than 70 programs that provide turnkey cost-cutting strategies, innovative business building programs, and extensive peer interaction. ASCII members enjoy benefits such as marketing support; educational information; group purchasing power; increased leverage in the marketplace; and multiple networking opportunities. These programs enable ASCII members to increase revenue, lower operating costs, and grow service opportunities. You can learn more at www.ascii.com or by calling 800-394-2724.
-30-
Press Contact
Alysia Vetter
Director of Communications
Tel: 800-394-2724 x 131
Email: alysia@ascii.com
Web: www.ascii.com
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