Recent News & Press Coverage

Bethesda, Maryland – October 24, 2014 — The ASCII Group, a membership-based community of independent MSPs, VARs and Solution Providers, is pleased to announce the winners for its annual ASCII Cup, where awards are given for the ASCII Cup winner, Top Contenders and Esteemed Noble Partners.  The awards are presented each fall to technology companies that have showcased channel goodwill and a commitment to helping ASCII members grow their businesses more efficiently.  Winners are voted upon by ASCII members at regional events, and the Cup and awards were presented at the ASCII Success Summit on October 23, in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The humble beginnings of the ASCII Cup are unknown; some say it was discovered after packing up the last box of the final Comdex show, while others think it was discovered in the secret tunnels under a certain campus in Redmond.  Some even believe it has been handed down by the Knights Templar.  Regardless of its origins, the ASCII Cup has power.  As the legend goes, for those who are bestowed to guard it, they will prosper from its keeping.  For those who drink from it, they will flourish from its power. 

ASCII Success Summit attendees vote for the vendors in 11 different categories: Best Software Solution; Best Hardware Solution; Best New Product; Best Cloud Solution; Best Revenue Generator; Best Channel Incentive; Best Channel Program; Best Partner Commitment; Best Customer Support; Best Distribution Sales Support; and Best in Show. The winners at each show are selected based on the votes by the solution providers; at the end of the year the winner of the ASCII Cup is determined from the results of all the shows.  The 2014 winners of The ASCII Cup, Top Contenders and Esteemed Noble Partners were announced at a private industry gathering at Dusk Night Club.

The ASCII Group is pleased to honor the recipients of this year’s ASCII Cup, for they exemplify the principles on which the Cup was established.

The 2014 ASCII Cup Vendor of the Year is Datto.

Knighted as the Top Four Contenders for The ASCII Cup are GFI MAX, HP, Lenovo and LogMeIn.

Knighted as The Distributor of the Year was D&H for getting the most votes throughout the year in this category.

Recognized as Esteemed Noble Partners are AVG, HIPAA Secure Now, JetStream Networks, RapidFire Tools, and StorageCraft.

“The ASCII Group and its community wholeheartedly congratulate Datto as this year’s ASCII Cup recipient.  We would also like to recognize the Top Contenders, Esteemed Noble Partners, and all of the companies featured at our Success Summits, for remaining committed to delivering value and significance to the channel,” said Jerry Koutavas, President, The ASCII Group, Inc.

Photos and video of the celebration will be made available on The ASCII Group and The ASCII Cup Facebook pages.

For more information, please 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 x 131
Email: alysia@ascii.com
Web: www.ascii.com

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

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.

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

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.

BSM’s Inside ASCII Web Page

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

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

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

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

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.

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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