IT solutions companies merge to best suit client needs

JHC Solutions, TechVanta merged under TechVanta name officially March 1

LAS VEGAS – IT solutions companies TechVanta and JHC Technology Solutions merged under the TechVanta name officially on March 1. The merger comes as a strategic move to allow the business to grow and serve additional clientele in the future.

JJ Christian conceived JHC Technology Solutions in 2006 to serve small- and medium-sized businesses’ IT needs. TechVanta, established in 2009, matched JHC Technology’s company profile to reach businesses that needed technology guides without the expense of staffing a chief information officer or IT director.

Upon meeting a few years ago, Christian and TechVanta owner Rich Manley realized they had a common goal – embark IT wisdom without the lingo. That common ground led to a business friendship and eventually to the merger of the two companies.

“So many IT professionals talk in a language that can scare or intimidate a customer,” Christian said. “We engage our clients in a non-intimidating manner. Trying to explain in a way the customer can understand makes all the difference in the world, especially when you’re trying to earn their trust.”

Christian’s 19 years in the corporate world combined with Manley’s knowledge of emerging technologies made the merger an easy decision.

“It brings the resources of two companies together, which will allow a greater growth than they would on their own,” Manley said. “We were seeking the same clients for the same types of services; we were just going about it in different ways. Now, we can do it as one company instead of two.”

Combined, Manley and Christian have nearly 40 years experience in the field and diverse business IT experience, and they each carry multiple industry certifications, including advanced technical certifications from Microsoft. Christian and Manley also graduated from Leadership Henderson, an eight-month program sponsored by the Henderson Chamber of Commerce that is devoted to personal and professional leadership development since 2001.

For the first time last year, TechVanta earned the elite Silver Partner distinction from Microsoft and is taking strides to ensure it does again this year. The company is one of few in town to have earned the prestigious distinction.

For additional information on TechVanta, call 702-202-2202 or visit www.TechVanta.com.

Sheet metal industry introduces online course, software

Free Fitting Input Tool allows designers to create fittings efficiently the first time

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – On today’s jobsites, time is money. Every second lost can mean money lost, and in the current economic environment, it can easily make or break a company. To help contractors make the best of their time, the International Training Institute (ITI), the education arm of the unionized sheet metal and air conditioning industry, developed the Fitting Input Tool (FIT) online software and training course.

On a typical jobsite, field personnel often sketch the fitting they need and either hand deliver it back to the office or fax it back to the company’s shop foreperson, who creates the part digitally and sends it to the cutting table for fabrication. With this method, problems often occur– from translation to missed measurements – and it has to be redone a few times before what the project needs is achieved.

The FIT software allows a designer to input the appropriate numbers, check all angles of the design in a three-dimensional view, make changes and either print out a shop ticket or, if their shop uses the Benchmark building information modeling software, send it directly to the shop foreperson who can immediately send the parts to the plasma table for fabrication.

“With the way things are done now, even after a designer finds a fax machine and sends it to the shop, there’s a chance he or she may not get back what they needed and have to repeat the process. FIT will eliminate a lot of re-dos and whatever the designer orders is what he gets,” said Mike Harris, program administrator for the ITI. “They’re correct, crisp and clean drawings or an electronic file. If there’s a job close, it’s instantaneous. It can be downloading or burning on the table within minutes.”

Unionized sheet metal workers in good standing can sign up and complete the online course for free. Once the course is passed, and the designer becomes certified, he or she can download the software to use. Currently, the software is only available for computers. The online course and software launched Dec. 7. A version for mobile devices will be available in the future.

“When designers order parts in the field, they usually need it right then, and with the current process, it takes time. Work has to be pushed back. Deadlines aren’t met. That can cost a company a lot of money,” Harris said. “FIT is the most cost effective avenue, because the designer knows exactly what he’s getting the first time.”

More than 15,000 apprentices are registered at training facilities in the United States and Canada. The ITI is jointly sponsored by Sheet Metal Worker’s International Association (SMWIA) and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA). ITI supports apprenticeship and advanced career training for union workers in the sheet metal industry throughout the United States and Canada. Located in Alexandria, Va., ITI produces a standardized sheet metal curriculum supported by a wide variety of training materials free of charge to sheet metal apprentices and journeymen.

For more information about ITI, or the FIT online course and software, visit www.sheetmetal-iti.org or call 703-739-7200.

Sheet metal training centers embrace technology with TotalTrack

Database system creates efficiency, puts information into staff, student hands

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The International Training Institute (ITI), the education arm of the unionized sheet metal and air conditioning industry, is currently mid-way through a system-wide launch of TotalTrack, a comprehensive database system that puts all apprentice and training journeymen information in one place in an easy-to-use interface. The system puts ITI on the forefront of technology in the unionized building trades and allows instructors, coordinators and students the ability to not only access their information, but communicate on a different level. By the end of 2011, approximately 70 of the 160 training centers will be transitioned to TotalTrack – 30 centers beyond the original goal. All 160 centers will be on board by 2013.

Data Research Group out of Culpeper, Va. picked up the project in March 2010. With a contact management system already in place, tailoring it to ITI’s needs didn’t take much time, and beta testing began four months later. In February, training centers were migrating to the new system as part of a nationwide schedule.

Some centers’ previous systems were more antiquated than others, using all sorts of ways to track their apprentices. TotalTrack is Internet based, allowing easier integration due to lack of installations and/or system upgrades. The same system allows for efficiency nationwide and better communication between centers and with the ITI.

Most centers use similar forms, and with TotalTrack, the forms will be the same from center to center. If a center requires a different form, the coordinator works with Data Research Group to create the customization.

“Every time we came into a training center, we looked at where the legacy information was coming from and we’d institute a plan for migration strategy,” said Ed Burg, CEO of Data Research Group. “A lot of business practices, where they are different and unique, have similar needs.”

One need all the centers have is for updated curricula, which is used in each class throughout the year. Each series of courses contains related lesson plans, documents and assignments. From TotalTrack, each training center can copy a specific curriculum and modify it to suit the specific needs of its teachers and students.

“The long-term plan for the curricula is to develop as much as possible at an international level, so that it can be easily appropriated or used at the training center level,” Burg said.

For less-than-tech-savvy centers, the TotalTrack was a challenge to integrate but not a difficult one. In San Diego at Local #206, the transition went well and was relatively easy, according to Ken Lavigne, training center coordinator.

“This is like going to QuickBooks from having a hand-written ledger,” Lavigne added. “It gives us what we had before and a lot more, and we’re still learning. It’s tailored directly to us, which is great.”

The learning curve is increased in baby steps as tweaks come online. In the near future, instructors and coordinators will be able to text message students directly from the system to notify them of schedule changes or homework updates. The average age of a sheet metal apprentice in the United States is 27, which means they likely grew up using technology such as computers, email and text messaging.

“Things around here change a lot,” said Jeff Proffitt, full-time instructor at Local #88 in Las Vegas. “It’s easier to get ahold of the students, to manage their grades and coincide with the community college. It matches up with the college and what they’re doing really well.”

On the flip side, it allows instructors to plan ahead, avoiding changes, by allowing them to plan out their class schedules at the beginning of every semester. This way, instructors and students have access to all the information ahead of time. The system also allows for instructors to input grades, where office staff had to assist with it in the past.

“We had adequate software before, but it was dated. It was time to go to the more technical side,” Proffitt said. “For the most part, it’s made us more efficient as an office, that’s for sure. We’re slowing but surely getting rid of filing cabinets.”

In San Diego, putting more responsibility on the students frees time for instructors and coordinators.

“Having 22 apprentices enter their information instead of one person entering information 22 times is much easier,” Lavigne said. Part-time instructors who are only at the center for evening classes can now enter their information instead of having office staff input it. With TotalTrack, they’re all on the same page. “It really brings everyone together. With a click of a button, it’s done.”

More than 15,000 apprentices are registered at training facilities in the United States and Canada. The ITI is jointly sponsored by Sheet Metal Worker’s International Association (SMWIA) and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA). ITI supports apprenticeship and advanced career training for union workers in the sheet metal industry throughout the United States and Canada. Located in Alexandria,Va., ITI produces a standardized sheet metal curriculum supported by a wide variety of training materials free of charge to sheet metal apprentices and journeymen.

For more information about ITI, visit www.sheetmetal-iti.org or call 703-739-7200.

Local IT company celebrates first 10 years, counts successes

UptimeLV, Inc. built relationships, grew, even in a down economy

LAS VEGAS – The celebration of 10 years in business is a milestone no matter the economic environment. UptimeLV is one company that grew, even in a down economy. This makes the celebration of the company’s 10th anniversary especially sweet.

Established in 2001, UptimeLV, Inc. is a Las Vegas-based IT company that specializes in network and computer sales, installation, system design, consulting and maintenance.

In the last decade, UptimeLV, Inc.’s accomplishments have served it well. It was the first IT company in Nevada to be recognized as a Gold Certified Partner by Microsoft with designated competencies in network infrastructure, advanced infrastructure and security solutions. In 2006, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce named UptimeLV “Innovative Business of the Year.”

Dave Rounds, company co-founder, was an integral in the building of the network infrastructure from the ground up for Three Square, the Las Vegas-based organization whose mission is to end hunger in Southern Nevada.

“Ten years ago I saw an opportunity to get Las Vegas out of the technology dark ages by educating small business owners and in turn helping them serve their own customers better,” Rounds said. “And today the dream continues as we grow.”

UptimeLV has served more than 600 businesses and saved clients up to 30 percent annually on their IT services. To continue that growth, UptimeLV joined forces last year with Radical Networks, Inc. (RNI) to create one larger, stronger firm operating under the name, UptimeLV. On their own, the companies were two of two of the largest, most credible and successful IT companies in Southern Nevada. As one larger, stronger firm, UptimeLV has since become Nevada’s premier IT resource.

For more information on UptimeLV, call 702-407-2387. For more information on the company and its services, visit www.uptimelv.com.

IT firms uptimeLV, Inc., RNI join forces, now operate as uptimeLV, Inc.

Companies’ success as individual firms paved way for alliance, which will better position uptimeLV, benefit clients when economy recovers

LAS VEGAS – Local IT firms uptimeLV, Inc. and Radical Networks, Inc. (RNI) have joined forces to create one larger, stronger firm operating under the name, uptimeLV. The two firms officially became one on Nov. 2.

The economy has been difficult for businesses throughout the country, and, as a result, many businesses have significantly downsized or gone out of business. This is not the case for RNI and uptimeLV. Serving as two of the largest, most credible and successful IT companies in Southern Nevada, RNI and uptimeLV have made the deliberate business decision to combine their resources and position themselves to capture even more of the Las Vegas market as the economy continues to rebound.

“This alliance allows us to provide more value and diversity than ever before to our customers,” said Las Vegas native Dave Rounds, who will continue to serve as president of uptimeLV. “As a result, we will be stronger and in a better position to grow both now and in the future.”

The new, larger firm will operate out of uptimeLV’s current location, 6280 S. Valley View Blvd., Ste. 412, Las Vegas, NV 89118. Clients of both firms will not experience any change in rates, services or their primary contact.

UptimeLV was the first IT company in Nevada to be recognized by Microsoft as a Gold Certified Partner. In 2006 the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce named uptimeLV as “Innovative Business of the Year.”

For more than 12 years, RNI has been a “one stop IT shop” for business owners and IT managers in the Las Vegas area. The company’s technicians are all seasoned, qualified professionals with years of real world experience and maintain vendor certifications in Microsoft, Cisco, Symantec, Sonicwall and HP.

RNI President Nick Nichols, a 16-year Southern Nevada resident, will continue to be intimately involved with the organization’s growth, client support and product/service development efforts. Nichols will serve as new product and business development manager of uptimeLV.

“We look forward to extending our line of services and products as a byproduct of this joint effort,” Nichols said.

Established in 2001, uptimeLV, Inc. is a Las Vegas-based IT company that specializes in network and computer sales, installation, system design, consulting and maintenance. Over the last decade, uptimeLV has served more than 600 businesses and saved clients up to 30 percent annually on IT services. UptimeLV is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner with Microsoft designated competencies in network solutions, advanced infrastructure solutions and security solutions.

For more information on uptimeLV, RNI or their alliance, call 702-407-2387. For more information on the company and its services, visit www.uptimelv.com.