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
2025 ASCII Cup Celebrates Innovation and Excellence in the Channel
RYTHMz Named Vendor of the Year by the MSP Community Washington, D.C.
- October 31, 2025 -
Washington, D.C. – October 31, 2025 – The ASCII Group, the original and premier community of Managed Service Providers (MSPs) across North America, is pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 ASCII Cup. This annual award honors technology companies that have made a lasting impact in the MSP channel through innovation, commitment, and engagement.
The 2025 ASCII Cup was presented in Philadelphia, PA, on October 30, following the final stop of the year for the ASCII Edge conference series. Inspired by Philadelphia’s iconic Rocky legacy, the evening highlighted the strength and perseverance that define the IT channel.
Throughout 2025, ASCII members voted at eight regional ASCII Edge events across the U.S. and Canada, evaluating technology vendors across 12 categories such as innovation, partner program excellence, and overall value. This peer-driven process ensures the companies recognized are those making the greatest impact on MSPs.
The 2025ASCII Cup award recipients are:
- 2025 ASCII Cup Vendor of the Year – RYTHMz
- First Runner-Up – Pax8
- Third Place – SonicWall
- Fourth Place – BLOKWORX
- Fifth Place – Microsoft
- Sixth Place – Kaseya
- Seventh Place – Monjur
- Eighth Place – DefensX
- Ninth Place – FutureSafe
- Tenth Place – SuperOps
“The ASCII Cup reflects the voice of MSPs,” said Jerry Koutavas, CEO of The ASCII Group. “Recognizing RYTHMz as Vendor of the Year, along with the other companies honored, underscores the vital role our industry partners play in helping MSPs succeed.”
“It is with sincere gratitude that we accept this recognition from The ASCII Group and its members. As a former member myself, I understand the profound impact this community has on an MSP’s journey,” said Steve Copeland, CEO and Founder, RYTHMz. “Our industry is at a pivotal moment—evolving from ‘Managed Services’ to ‘Managed Solutions.’ Through this shift, one truth remains: connectivity is your brand. RYTHMz is proud to help lead this evolution alongside our partners in the ASCII community, and we’re truly honored by this recognition.”
The celebration also honored the late Alan D. Weinberger, founder of The ASCII Group, whose vision for a vendor-neutral community of IT professionals continues to guide the organization today. For more than 40 years, ASCII has connected IT business owners with resources, programs, and a trusted peer network to help them grow stronger companies. The 2025 ASCII Cup reflects this spirit of collaboration and the vital role technology partners play in MSP success.
For photos and highlights from the 2025 ASCII Cup, please visit The ASCII Group’s Facebook page.
About The ASCII Group, Inc.
The ASCII Group is the premier community of North American MSPs, MSSPs and Solution Providers. The Group has members located throughout the U.S. and Canada, and membership encompasses everyone from credentialed MSPs serving the SMB community to multi-location solution providers with a national and international reach. Founded in 1984, ASCII provides services to members including leveraged purchasing programs, education and training, marketing assistance, extensive peer interaction and more. ASCII works with a vibrant ecosystem of leading and major technology vendors that complement the ASCII community and support the mission of helping MSPs to grow their businesses. For more information, please visit www.ascii.com.
Press Contact
Alysia Vetter
Chief Marketing Officer
Tel: 800-394-2724
Email: alysia@ascii.com
Web: www.ascii.com
Reflexion Named Vendor Of The Year By The ASCII Group, Business Solutions Magazine, August 4, 2009
The ASCII Group, the largest community of independent computer resellers in the world, today announced that it has bestowed the coveted ASCII Cup on Reflexion Networks as its “Vendor of the Year.” Reflexion is a provider of hosted email and web security, compliance and business continuity services for small and midsize businesses worldwide.
Read More….
http://bsminfo.com/article.mvc/Reflexion-Named-Vendor-Of-The-Year-By-The-ASC-0001
Koutavas Named Predident of ASCII Group, Channel Insider, July 30, 2009, by Lawrence Walsh
Jerry Koutavas is moving up from his role as head of business development to president of the large community of solution and service providers.
Read More….
http://www.channelinsider.com/c/a/News/Koutavas-Named-President-of-ASCII-Group-515743/
IT Industry Groups, MSP Partners and ASCII Group, Announce Membership Agreement, Business Solutions Magazine, January 26, 2009
MSP Partners, an alliance founded by Cisco, Ingram Micro, Intel, Level Platforms and Microsoft, and supported by Autotask Corporation, EMC, HP, Kaseya and Xerox, with the active participation of over 15 other leading IT vendors, and thousands of solution providers offering managed services today announced a cooperative agreement with The ASCII Group, Inc. (ASCII), North America’s oldest and most established community of independent computer integrators, solution providers and resellers. The agreement allows members of MSP Partner and ASCII to expanded access to the many benefits offered by these two major IT industry groups.
Read More….
http://bsminfo.com/article.mvc/IT-Industry-Groups-MSP-Partners-and-ASCII-Gro-0001
ASCII Group Helps Google Find Place in the Channel, Channel Insider, October 3, 2007, by Michael Vizard
Opinion: It’s encouraging to see Google at channel events, but assigning a few people to manage the channel is a long way from actually having a channel.
Read More….
http://www.channelinsider.com/c/a/News/ASCII-Group-Helps-Google-Find-Place-in-the-Channel/
Walling Data Systems Provides New Value To ASCII Members: Free Dedicated Support And Higher Margins On AVG Internet Security Solutions, Business Solutions Magazine, September 13, 2007
The ASCII Group, a membership organization of over 2,000 computer resellers based in Bethesda, M.D., recently announced they have renewed their endorsement of Grisoft’s AVG Internet Security software for distribution to its members, through a partnership with Walling DataSystems, the leading US Authorized Grisoft AVG Distributor, based in North Carolina.
Read More….
http://bsminfo.com/article.mvc/Walling-Data-Systems-Provides-New-Value-To-AS-0001
Found In Translation: Great Insights From Eastern Europe By Heather Clancy, CRN March 30, 2007
It’s hard to report on an event you didn’t actually attend, but I heard such great things about the CMP Channel Group’s inaugural XChange Eastern Europe event that I begged some phone numbers and brushed up on my international dialing skills.
Here’s what I discovered: Just like their U.S. counterparts, solution providers from Eastern Europe are eager to share….
read more...
http://www.crn.com/news/channel-programs/198701430/found-in-translation-great-insights-from-eastern-europe.htm
When It Comes To Google, Distributors Lose Their Voice By Scott Campbell & Jennifer Lawinski, CRN February 23, 2007
Are distributors afraid of Google?
CRN asked five distributors for their reaction to the software company’s new Google Apps
Premier Edition offering, and only one executive chose to respond. Spokespersons from Tech Data, SED International and Synnex said their respective companies would have no comment regarding Google’s plans, while executives from Ingram Micro didn’t respond Thursday or Friday. Dan Schwab, vice president of marketing at D&H Distributing, said he hasn’t been briefed on Google Apps, but said the search giant is missing the boat if it doesn’t include a play for solution providers…
read more...
http://www.crn.com/news/channel-programs/197008469/when-it-comes-to-google-distributors-lose-their-voice.htm
ASCII Part Of New International Trade Group By Heather Clancy, CRN February 15, 2007
Do you have your passport yet? I know many of my frequent contacts don’t have much to do with business outside the United States, but there’s plenty going on.
The same week that the CMP Channel Group hosted its first European XChange event in Budapest, Alan Weinberger of the ASCII Group popped up recently to tell me that the organization has become a founding member of the new International Technology Channels Association (ITCA), which bills itself as an “international communication platform” for distributors, resellers, service providers and vendors…
read more...
http://www.crn.com/blogs-op-ed/channel-programs/197006323/ascii-part-of-new-international-trade-group.htm
ASCII's Journey to India, Channel Insider, August 8, 2006, by John Hazard
ASCII Group, a U.S.-based group of small-business VARs and SIs is launching an India affiliate to connect U.S. vendors with small VARs on the subcontinent.
Read More….
http://www.channelinsider.com/c/a/News/ASCIIs-Journey-to-India/
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