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Microsoft names local business as specialist
WALLINGFORD, Conn. — July 30 2005 — Joe Pannone remembers being the only college student on his floor with a computer in his dorm room. That was about 15 years ago.
The 37-year-old sat in back of two computer monitors in his office at Forza Technology Solutions Friday morning and reflected on how things have changed in those 15 years.
After starting his business in his father's garage in 1993, the founder and CEO of Forza recently passed a Microsoft exam, which certified his business as the state's first Small Business Specialist.
Microsoft developed the Small Business Specialist certification to help small business customers quickly and easily identify technology partners best suited for their needs. Pannone described small businesses as those with less than 50 employees.
Pannone, a lifelong Wallingford resident and a 1986 Lyman Hall High School graduate, traveled to Minneapolis about two weeks ago to attend Microsoft's annual convention. On a Saturday night in his hotel room, he took an exam to show his knowledge when it comes to programs such as Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Office 2003 and Windows Small Business Server 2003.
"Microsoft throws these great parties and I'm in the hotel taking exams," said Pannone, who graduated from Southern Connecticut State University in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in computer science. "That's just the kind of person I am."
As a certified Small Business Specialist, Forza will have access to Microsoft training specifically geared toward the small business industry and will receive small business marketing materials.
"Small businesses are looking for partner companies that understand their unique business needs," Brian Neirby, the New England district general manager for Microsoft Small and Mid-market Solutions & Partner Group said in a written statement. "… We are confident this offering will help Forza Technology Solutions reach its full potential by creating more visibility, opportunity and demand in the local small-business segment."
Forza Technology Solutions has actually been a Microsoft partner since 1995. Microsoft gives certification to companies to provide businesses with services using their software, Pannone explained. Forza must renew its certification each year, a process that includes providing Microsoft with new references each year.
Forza, which translates to "strength" or "force" in Italian, has two main areas of expertise. They deal in network integration, which means they set up computers and servers for small business companies as well as service them when it comes to virus protection and software updates.
They also develop and write specific software for companies that is not available in stores.
Pannone said catering to small businesses is important because sometimes the owners of those businesses don't know where else to turn.
"We get a lot of people who say that their neighbor's nephew knows computers," Pannone said. "The problem is that they're not dependable. They're at school or at their other job. These companies want a real company who is dependable who can come in and help them."
Pannone started Forza by doing small jobs for relatives and slowly built up his customer base. In 2000, he took a major step in solidifying his company when he acquired Bassett, another Wallingford technology firm he called his largest competitor.
Dan Holden, a project manager at Forza for the past eight years, said a lot has changed in the last decade in terms of technology and those changes were discussed at the company's annual meeting earlier in the week.
"Nobody knew about cell phones or the Internet or even what a virus was," Holden said. "All of those viruses and things like that are changing technology somewhat for the worse and the more that people get on the Internet, the more people will try to take advantage of you."
Forza still has fewer than 15 employees and Pannone said he "enjoys the pace" of the company as it stands.
Said Pannone, "We've been helping small businesses since we started, and this certification from Microsoft basically solidifies what we were already doing."
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Joe Pannone sits at his desk at Forza Technology Solutions in Wallingford. The firm is the first in the state to be designated as a small business specialist by Microsoft.